| GHOSTS | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Cerulean Games Ascendent Animation |
| Publisher(s) | Visible Games Limited Run Games |
| Director(s) | Jed Shepherd |
| Programmer(s) | RedVonix |
| Writer(s) | Jed Shepherd |
| Composer(s) | Christopher Escalante |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Xbox One Steam |
| Genre(s) | Interactive movie Horror |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
GHOSTS is an upcoming interactive movie horror video game written and directed by Jed Shepherd, and published by Cerulean Games, Ascendent Animation, Visible Games, and Limited Run Games. The game is planned for release in 2025 on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Steam. It will feature creatures designed by online horror artist Trevor Henderson (who also created Siren Head), illustrations by Graham Humphreys and production by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
The game revolves around the player, in the role of a television producer behind the fictitious, titular live-action show (stylized in all caps) – a property now purchased by FrighTV, after it initially received lower ratings. The show features the main cast composed entirely of ghost hunters (played by Haley Bishop, Radina Drandova, Jemma Moore, Caroline Ward and Emma Louise Webb). There is also the fictitious urban legend of "the Long Lady" – anyone who would take a look at her would be inflicted with sudden death.
Gameplay
The player serves as a TV producer, who is managing a live supernatural-themed TV show. All taking place in real time, the player must look after the show's hosts, as well as managing for the aforementioned show, select footage to edit and include advertisements and film trailers to show to the audience, send out people to help, and interact with neighbours – all while they are trying not to die in the process. The game features a time-based restriction, which will only allow it to function at 10 PM in the player's local time. Turning the game off before finishing it will immediately kill the cast of the show.
Development
Jed Shepherd came up with the idea for the game during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown whilst he was looking for horror games to "freak out". The game features the cast of the 2020 film Host, which Shepherd was a writer and executive producer on. The idea to only allow the game to play at 10 PM came from the game Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand, which features a solar panel - requiring players to go into the sun to battle vampires. A crowdfunding campaign was launched on Kickstarter on April 8, 2021, and ended on May 8, 2021, having raised £183,245 from 2,231 backers.
On June 26, 2021, actors Alice Lowe and Scroobius Pip joined the game's cast. A short video was later posted, featuring the two as the unnamed presenters of the fictitious television series.
During the Limited Run Games LRG3 announcement, the official trailer for GHOSTS was shown with a release date of 2025.
On August 30th, 2024, at the PAX West convention in Seattle, Washington, a playable demo was shown for the first time. This demo introduced the Main Protagonist, voiced by Chloe Eves, and the van operator, voiced by Steve Warky Nunez.
References
- Roberts, Andy (2021-04-22). "GHOSTS of Genres Past with your HOST, Jed Shepherd". horrifiedmagazine.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
- Ehrlich, Brenna (2021-04-07). "Creators of 'Host' Horror Film Are Teasing a Live-Action, Real-Time Horror Game". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
- "GHOSTS, An FMV Game Like You've Never Seen Before: Back on Kickstarter Today!". Limited Run Games. 2021-04-14. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
- Gerblick, Jordan (2021-04-28). "How FMV horror game Ghosts channels an obscure Hideo Kojima game, and why you have to play it at 10pm". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
- "GHOSTS - The Real-Time FMV Horror Game by Jed Shepherd". Kicktraq. Archived from the original on 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
- Development Update #1 - New Cast Members & More! - Visible Games, Kickstarter. Retrieved September 01, 2022.
"We are ecstatic to announce that Alice Lowe & Scroobius Pip have joined our video game #GHOSTS! They will play the presenters of the TV show within the game. Welcome to the team Alice and Pip!" - "LRG3 2024". Youtube. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
- Fillari, Alessandro (2024-09-03). "PAX West 2024: 12 of the Best Games at PAX West 2024". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
- "GHOSTS (2025)". imdb.com. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
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