How to get started in Phasmophobia

Every house has a story, and quite a lot of those stories end with the dead damned to walk the earth once more, forever wandering the house they died in. That’s where you come in, ghost hunter. There are hauntings all across the country, and unless somebody tracks them down, we’ll never be safe. But don’t worry if you don’t know a Demon from a Shade quite yet, we’ll make sure you have everything you need to know.

Find a good place to hide. Ghosts can never be reasoned with, and rarely warded off. So when they turn the tables and lock you in with them, you had better be prepared. That means having a hiding spot before their hunt even begins, because if you don’t know where to hide before they start seeking you out, you won’t make it that long. The best places to hide are empty closets and lockers, as you can close the door and wait out the hunt in relative peace. But, anything that keeps the ghost from seeing and killing you will do in a pinch. Just make sure to turn your flashlight off and keep quiet, as you can be sure the ghost is listening.

Know your budget. Despite what it might look like at first glance, it’s not always a good idea to bring all of your equipment with you on a case. Not only will you not usually need all of it, it may actually hurt you in the long run. Whenever your hunter dies, all of the equipment they brought with them is lost forever, and you’ll need to purchase new ones. This can lead to shopping trips of shame, where you have to replace all of your equipment, which can total up to a few thousand dollars once you have access to all the ghost hunting tools at your disposal. So what should you do when deciding what to bring? Look at what difficulty you’re on, and what map you’re on. The smaller the map you’re on, the less likely you are to need equipment like extra cameras, sound sensors and motion sensors, as there are fewer places the ghost could be. Likewise, the bigger the map, the more you’ll need. In respect to difficulty, the lower the difficulty, the more you will want additional evidence items, as the ghost won’t start out as active. And the higher the difficulty, the more you will want to bring protection items like pills, crucifixes and smudge sticks, as the ghost will start out more aggressive. It’s also good to keep in mind that the lowest two difficulty settings give you some money back in the form of insurance if you lose your equipment.

Play with friends. Not only are they great people, they give you a strategic advantage too. Having multiple ghost hunters means multiple people chipping in with equipment, and more eyes to search the house for evidence, side objectives, lost equipment and more. It also frees up someone to check back in the van more often to look at the cameras and make sure everyone is staying sane. Plus, if things go sideways they make excellent cannon fodder while you run back to safety. Just make sure that the next ghosts you investigate don’t end up being theirs, they might just want to give you a taste of your own medicine.