Game Reviews

The Phantom PI Mission Apparition

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The Phantom PI Mission Apparition

The Phantom PI Mission Apparition is a side-scrolling point-and-click adventure that doesn't dump too much on you at once.

Its puzzles are simple enough fetch-and-carry quests, its levels are small enough to finish in about ten minutes, and its collectibles are easy enough to find if you persevere.

That's not to say there isn't any challenge here, or any new ideas either. There's heart too, and an engaging story about a bulbous ghoul nicking a dead rockstar's guitar and microphone.

This is a game that trundles along with a smile on its face, not afraid to innovate and spice things up when it gets the chance.

Ghost flusters

You play the titular PI who's working his way through a series of haunted mansions. You need to collect keys, crowbars, fuses, and planks to make your way past the various puzzles and follow the villainous equipment-stealing ghoul into a swirling purple portal.

The controls are reasonably simple. Push down on the left or the right of the screen to head in that direction, or double tap first to jog. Interactive elements flash up a cloud when you walk past them and tapping that lets you poke and prod them.

As well as getting to the exit there's a bunch of extras for you to collect as you make your way through the dilapidated houses.

Box-lurking ghosts need to be sucked into your laser and dragged around to collect gems. Skull-carrying imps need to be spotted and tapped, and spooky self-written notes need to be discovered scribbling away in their hidey-holes.

Drop the mic

There's certainly a lot to do, but you never feel overwhelmed. In fact sometimes The Phantom PI skirts a little too close to underwhelming. But there's always a cheeky bit of story or a new puzzle to kick you out of any reverie.

Some might find the game a little repetitive, and the art-style can sometimes look a little flat too.

But if you're looking for a calm, cute, and endearing point-and-clicker with a simple rhythm and a spooky atmosphere there's a lot here to like.

The Phantom PI Mission Apparition

A gently paced point-and-click adventure with more heart than difficulty, The Phantom PI Mission Apparition is well worth a look
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.