Looking for cheap thrills and the nostalgia of the original PlayStation era? Phantoms, a first-person horror game by Croatian developer Solitude Software has jump scares and pixels galore. Created as a way to help fund a much more ambitious project, Phantoms is a simple yet challenging game that is guaranteed to involve a lot of dying on the part of your character.

The plot is light and the gameplay is repetitive, but the game is strewn with subtle changes between levels that give hints about the situation and create a good sense of intrigue that can engage those players who enjoy looking for deeper meanings and coming up with theories. Once you've made your way through four basic but progressively more frustrating and hard-to-complete levels, you'll be treated to a brief interactive story that serves as an ending. However, one more ending awaits beyond a clever hidden puzzle which leads to an even more challenging level that will unlock the "true" ending.

Simple but Challenging Gameplay

The goal of Phantoms is simple - reach the next train car. To do this, you'll need to repair the electrical panel that operates the door. Tools can be found in different compartments throughout the carriage, but you can only carry one at a time, so you'll be spending a lot of time running back and forth to the panel. Constant movement will be key as you avoid being caught by the deadly conductor without lingering too long in hiding.

Randomization adds complexity to your task and keeps the game interesting. Going into a run, you don't know which compartment you'll start in, which side of the train the electrical panel is on, which compartments contain tools, or how much barbed wire is going to be strewn across the hallway. The conductor can suddenly turn around or even teleport across the car. If he camps outside of the room you're hiding in, you'll be trapped in one place too long and die to a mysterious presence instead. Making it through a run depends on dexterity, strategy, and a whole lot of luck.

Chilling Retro Vibes

The visuals are a clear throwback to the original PlayStation graphics, complete with optional pixelation and dithering effects to give a strong feel of playing the game on a television screen of the '90s. As further throwbacks to an earlier time, the pause menu is designed to look like the blue screen of VHS playback and there's a bit of static during the loading screens resembling a VHS with tracking issues. The distorted video helps create a bit of unease, which can add to the disorientation created during the scenes of flashing images that pop up periodically, amplifying the shock of the jump scares.

The audio is also great at creating a creepy feel. Sounds are distorted and there are constant background noises to jar you and keep you on edge. Those sounds also mask the rather important noise made when the conductor is near, delaying awareness of his presence. Fortunately, these can be adjusted in the Options menu, so players who want an advantage can set the UI sounds high while lowering or muting everything else.

A Worthy Challenge, or One to Avoid?

This game is short but tough. You could make it through the storyline well within an hour if you succeed on your first try, but you're more likely to spend hour upon hour attempting the same level, hoping to luck into success. This makes it a good game for those who like a challenge and don't mind repeating the same loop time and again, but a considerably bad one for those who hate jump scares or quickly get bored of constant repetition.

One thing that rather bothered me is that, for a game so centered around PlayStation nostalgia, it's a bit surprising that there isn't any native gamepad support. The lack of options to change the key bindings can be extremely frustrating in a game that involves hitting the right keys quickly and accurately in order to survive. It is possible to set up a gamepad using Steam Input, however, which can help both with customizing the controls and with completing that classic PlayStation feel.

Quick Reference

Phantoms is a first-person horror game with a PS1-era vibe.
Best played with the resignation of 1000 deaths.
Contains low-resolution gore.

Strengths:
• Atmosphere that makes for a great tribute to '90s nostalgia.
• Randomization that adds decent variation to the simple runs.
• A light plot that creates intrigue.

Weaknesses:
• Short, repetitive loop.
• The difficulty level can be frustrating.
• Lacks gamepad support and keymapping.