During the pandemic, I played a lot of Phasmophobia with my friends. Then in Early Access on Steam, the ghost-hunting video game allowed my friends and me to hang out while trying to figure out which type of ghost was in each haunted location. Matches alternated from being hilarious — such as us trash-talking the ghosts before inevitably getting killed — to being downright terrifying, but one thing was for certain: we were having a blast and having a memorable experience. Thankfully, the Phasmophobia PS5 port keeps this spooky fun fully intact.
It’s worth noting that there is actually a ton of content in the game now. There are 13 maps, a lot of them being smaller residential areas, but there are also quite sizable locations like prisons and high schools. There’s also a better ramp-up in the level of ghost hunting as you start off with little cash and a lot of “D.I.Y.” ghost-hunting material, such as camcorders, before you can eventually get proper tripods and expensive tech. It gives the game a better feeling of progression than before.
The best way to make money is to escape alive (easier said than done with some of the more violent ghost types) and have successfully guessed what type of ghost you’ve documented. You do this by fulfilling objectives and making a guess in a journal afterward. You’ve got to pay attention to if there are cold spots in the house, what the ghost’s preferences are, and so on. It makes for a very fun experience and one that is much better with friends rather than solo.
The Phasmophobia PS5 port also takes quite some time to get used to due to the control scheme. It’s rather unnatural at first, although there is a tutorial to help you learn the ropes. Fumbling around with your items just adds to the fun, though, as it’s hilarious to throw down your flashlight on the ground when you were trying to turn it on, for example. There are just enough rough edges to the experience that it stays on the charming side rather than annoying, and I’ve always found the jankiness to add to the experience rather than detract from it.
While I see little to no appeal in going on ghost hunts solo, I can’t recommend Phasmophobia enough when played with friends. It is pure joy to hear your friend talking trash to a ghost one minute and then hearing them scream out the next after it closed the door behind them and murdered them. Even in failure, a match of Phasmophobia results in a memorable time. That’s what co-op gaming is all about.
Phasmophobia PS5 Review: Final Verdict
Are the controls confusing? Sure. Is the game still full of bugs and jank? Definitely. Is Phasmophobia PS5 some of the best cooperative fun you can have on consoles? Absolutely. This port stays wonderfully true to the original PC experience that won me over, warts and all. You’ll be sure to laugh, get frightened, and have a blast when hunting ghosts with friends.
SCORE: 7.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7.5 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital copy for our Phasmophobia PS5 review. Reviewed on version 1.000,001.
