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Writer's pictureJonathan Ribarro

Phantom Project

Updated: Jul 21, 2023


At A Glance

  • Released on: 10/12/21

  • Reviews: 41, net positive, as of 7/2023

  • English Reviews: 72

  • Localized in:



  • Had Publisher: No, but did an Indiegogo funding round

  • Majority of reviews:

    • English ~35%

    • Simp Chinese ~15%

    • Russian ~10%

  • Price: $4.99

  • Review report:

    • Negatives: Difficulty finding what to do next/where to go, lack of story

    • Positives: Art is excellent, jumpscares (albeit very few) are there and work





Gameplay

  • Set the difficulty at main menu to ‘easy’

  • First puzzle encountered was a box pusher, not impossible

  • Opening doors in sleeping quarters, most of them are locked or empty

  • Personally, I think leaving the entire mansion open to player exploration was a mistake, the expanse is too vast for players to search without getting bored. Needs to be more linear (Think RE5, Evil within, etc.). Large, but still contained and digestible for players.

  • After dying completely for the first time the experiment video plays again while waking up, the doctor speech makes more sense after hearing it a second time, useful in case players just tried to run away (like me)

  • In order, the game was as follows

    • Solve box puzzles on 4th floor

    • Take power cord from the theater room

    • Deliver power cord to the tv on first floor

    • Take vhs tape from tv

    • Deliver vhs tape to theater on 4th floor

    • Take key from projector

    • Use key in office on 1st floor

  • There were additional notes that provided clues on how to proceed, but were not necessary to complete the game

Music

  • Exploration of the mansion has no music, but there is a constant, droning noise

  • Mysterious music plays while watching an experimental film

  • Tension-building music plays after key is obtained

Sounds

  • Grandfather clock ticking and echoing through a room

  • Throughout the house creaking, groaning, and footsteps(?) can be heard at random intervals

Art

  • Graphically impressive, animations and model of the MC are excellent

  • 3rd person over-the-shoulder similar to dead space or Evil Within

  • When in doubt, turn brightness up (Or, start the brightness out at a higher level in the event players don’t think to change brightness options like me), game started out too dark




Scare Factor

  • Very dark, not easy to see with the little handheld candle

  • Subtle droning, with very little sounds make a tense environment to explore

  • Jumpscared after finding a key behind a screen projector in the theater

  • After obtaining the key a monster starts to stalk the halls

    • Monster doesn't walk around, seems to be more like a landmine that the player triggers if they get too close

    • Makes really creepy stomping noises when player tries to run away

Extra

  • Hard to tell what type of game it is from the Steam images

  • Made with Unreal

  • The game attempted to receive Indiegogo funds, but fell extremely short if the numbers are correct - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/phantom-project#/

    • Tried to fund for 500K USD, received ~$550 USD

  • Had a separate indiegogo campaign for localization costs that did not receive funding

Overall

  • It’s a short game which is nice with a terrific photorealistic artstyle, but it’s marred by a lack of direction for the player and a massive interior where very little happens to keep the player engaged

  • I think the Steam page would have benefitted from one of the evil ladies on the capsule instead of the little girls face

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