Ghostboy is a tower defense game that doubles as a poignant exploration of grief and mental health. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn’t do well, and if it’s worth buying.
Ghostboy Review Overview
What is Ghostboy?
Ghostboy is an indie game that combines tower defense gameplay with a poignant exploration of mental health. Developed and published by Hungarian studio Two Blackbirds, the game follows a young boy who has been involved in a tragic accident, and so becomes a ghost. As a specter, he must navigate the emotional turmoil of his family, helping them cope with grief through a series of tower defense battles, which also serves as a metaphor for everyone’s internal struggles.
Ghostboy features:
⚫︎ 2D tower defense gameplay
⚫︎ Narrative that explores and teaches players about mental health
⚫︎ Numerous tower choices and special abilities
⚫︎ Incorporates mental health to the gameplay
⚫︎ Choice-based system that determines the game's outcome
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
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| Price | $9.99 | ||||
Ghostboy Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Gameplay Mechanics that Depict Mental Health Struggles Fun Boss Fight Puzzles Branching Storylines and Multiple Endings |
Weight of the Choices is Unbalanced Predictable Levels Narrative Jumps That Make the Story Feel Disjointed |
Ghostboy Overall - 76/100
Ghostboy successfully delivers on its promise of a poignant journey through loss and recovery that can serve as a therapeutic tool. The game skillfully blends the complex issues experienced by the family with a tower-defense framework. Its mechanics serve as a vehicle to provide a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts it wants players to walk away with. However, while Ghostboy’s design is emotionally resonant, it’s marred by a disjointed narrative, ambiguous plot choices, and gameplay that can often feel repetitive. Though it’s worth exploring, the initial appeal may wane sooner than desired.
Ghostboy Story - 7/10
Ghostboy’s narrative follows a young boy who, after an untimely death, refuses to accept his fate. His primary mission: to guide his grieving family through the tumultuous waters of loss and provide the support they desperately need to navigate forward. After each level, players will encounter a series of pivotal choices that shape the story’s trajectory. From the mother’s fear of driving to the father’s potential descent into alcoholism, these decisions will have a profound impact on the mental health of the boy’s family members. The choices made will lead to branching plot points and multiple endings, as grief and its far-reaching consequences are interconnected. However, the game’s multiple choices often felt inconsequential, frequently steering me towards a direction I didn’t even want to take.
Ghostboy Gameplay - 8/10
Ghostboy’s gameplay is its most captivating aspect. As the titular Ghostboy, you’ll navigate your family home as a central hub. Here, you can monitor their mental health, swap "Buddies" (companions aiding in warding off negative thoughts), and select the next level. The game takes on a 2D tower-defense style, requiring you to defend the family members’ hearts from invading creatures. With 50 unique tools at your disposal, you’ll have to strategically deploy them to protect their souls. But the challenge doesn’t end there. Each family member’s mental health adds another layer of complexity, requiring you to constantly adapt your strategies. Despite its strengths, the game can often feel predictable, with many towers and tools seeming pointless.
Ghostboy Visuals - 7/10
The game’s visual style employs a simpler approach that effectively balances its weighty themes of grief and mental health with a more cartoonish aesthetic. The artwork is vibrant and visually appealing, creating a comforting atmosphere. This simplicity proves advantageous, not only in its aesthetic appeal, but also in its ability to handle the often chaotic gameplay. With numerous enemies and allies swarming the screen simultaneously, the game maintains a smooth performance even on lower-end PCs. I simply wish the game had more imaginative enemy designs and more varied environments to better utilize the game's visuals.
Ghostboy Audio - 6/10
The game’s soundtrack, composed by Gergő Kovács, is often a standout. Many of his music complement the atmosphere of each level, ramping up dramatically in tense situations. Unfortunately, though soothing and designed to be comforting, the melodies are often overshadowed by the cacophony of allies’ swords and the unsettling sounds of enemies charging towards the family members’ souls. To fully appreciate the soundtrack, players may have to adjust their game settings.
Ghostboy Value for Money - 10/10
Ghostboy, priced at a modest $9.99, offers a steal of a deal. With its branching narrative and multiple endings, you’re essentially getting a game that keeps on giving. More than entertainment, the game helps shed light on mental health and challenges societal stigmas. For less than the price of a movie ticket, Ghostboy delivers a compelling and impactful narrative that is sure to stay with players long after the credits roll.
Ghostboy Review: Grieving, Growing, Going Beyond
Video games are no strangers to being a medium that can explore themes like grief and mental health, often integrating them seamlessly even into their narratives and gameplay. Omori is a notable example, delving into the complexities of trauma and the allure of escapism. But while games like Omori subtly weave these themes into its fabric, Ghostboy slaps you in the face with them.
This directness isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Despite the recent increased awareness of mental health, many still struggle to recognize the subtle signs of those conditions, like panic attacks or alcoholism. I’ve personally been guilty of this, which is why I appreciate Ghostboy’s approach. By explicitly addressing these issues, showing how one could spot and solve them, the game educates players and helps them develop a better understanding of mental health challenges.
Ghostboy offers a simpler narrative than Omori. After your character’s death, you become the titular Ghostboy, witnessing your family’s grief. Obviously still caring and loving your family, you defend them from the encroaching "negative thoughts." Despite its straightforward premise, Ghostboy offers a surprising level of depth. The game presents you with multiple choices, asking you to choose your family members’ actions in various situations. According to the game’s Steam page, there are 24 branching storylines, each with a unique ending based on your decisions. While I didn’t explore all the possibilities during my playthrough, it’s easy to envision the different paths Ghostboy could take depending on your choices.
Despite this, Ghostboy’s choice system can be frustratingly ambiguous. Often, the actions available to the family members lead to unexpected consequences. For example, in a scene where the brother is being bullied, one option is simply labeled "you reply." This might seem like a straightforward choice, implying a defensive or confrontational response. However, "you reply" actually translates to "you shout at the bully." While expressing frustration might seem reasonable given the circumstances, the game’s consequences are severe: The brother immediately develops anger management issues.
Another instance of ambiguity arises when choosing "you’re crying after all." This option might suggest that the character is releasing their bottled-up emotions. Surprisingly, however, selecting this option results in the character developing an eating disorder. While the game does offer an explanation for this unexpected outcome, it fails to foreshadow or hint at this possibility before the choice is made. Yes, the game could be attempting to simulate the unpredictable nature of mental health issues, which can arise from even the smallest triggers, but the lack of clarity in its choices can make the consequences feel arbitrary and unfair, diminishing the player’s sense of agency and control over the narrative.
Now, this might sound heartless, I actually appreciate the family members developing mental health disorders in Ghostboy. Before you pick up your pitchforks, hear me out; I have a genuine reason for saying this. Despite the potentially negative connotations of my statement, it’s these disorders that contribute to a more engaging and complex gameplay experience over your traditional tower defense games like Plants vs. Zombies.
In Ghostboy, you visit each family member and participate in a series of unique tower defense levels. Each level features waves of enemies attempting to reach your family members’ hearts—the base. To defend against these enemies, you use various tools that represent different coping mechanisms. In addition to this, you will also have access to a "buddies" with unique abilities, such as building walls, shooting from a distance, or charging headfirst to the enemy.
In the early stages of the game, I enjoyed experimenting with different tools and buddies, as each combination offered unique approaches to the tower defense levels. However, the game eventually succumbed to the same repetitive gameplay loop that plagues many tower defense games.
The initial thrill of mastering the gameplay mechanics soon gave way to a sense of routine. Consistently employing the same strategies and resources led to predictable outcomes, diminishing the challenge and reward. The game’s progression then became a monotonous accumulation of Spirit Points, a hollow victory that quickly lost its luster.
Heartless as it may sound, this is where the family’s mental disorders truly shined. Each disorder introduced a unique challenge, forcing me to adapt my strategies and approach the game in new ways. Paranoia caused towers to fire wildly without target, making me have to manually deal with the enemies charging to the family’s hearts. Alcoholism might cause towers to lose accuracy, requiring me to strengthen my defenses. And panic attacks, a particularly impactful mechanic, would temporarily blind me, demanding quick thinking and a calm demeanor.
These disorders weren’t merely obstacles to overcome; they were integral parts of the gameplay experience. They forced me to think critically, to experiment with more approaches than what I’ve grown accustomed to, and to truly engage with the game’s levels. They added a layer of unpredictability and excitement that was sorely missing from many of its standard levels.
Ghostboy, despite its flaws, demonstrates the potential of thoughtful game design. Its exploration of psychological disorders, particularly through the lens of a tower defense game, is both innovative and meaningful. The game’s mechanics, though sometimes repetitive, effectively convey the challenges faced by individuals with these conditions. The developers, Two Blackbirds, took great care to ensure a realistic portrayal of mental health disorders. Putting in a commendable amount of effort, they even collaborated with a clinical and child psychologist throughout the game’s development to guarantee that every detail was grounded in authenticity.
The occasional plot contrivances may hinder the overall experience, but Ghostboy’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. It’s akin to a fleeting shadow in a sunlit room, reminding us that even the most haunting experiences are but momentary flickers in our lives.
Pros of Ghostboy
| Things Ghostboy Got Right |
|---|
|
Gameplay Mechanics that Depict Mental Health Struggles Fun Boss Fight Puzzles Branching Storylines and Multiple Endings |
Gameplay Mechanics that Depict Mental Health Struggles
In Ghostboy, players navigate levels where negative thoughts manifest as tangible threats. The game’s mechanics, however, delve deeper than mere representation. Beyond facing these challenges, players can utilize tools that symbolize various strategies for managing mental health.
For example, seeking support from friends is depicted by charging clayman knights, while relaxation activities like spa visits replenish Energy Points. Be wary, though, as the game also presents tools that can have detrimental consequences. A hot air balloon, while seemingly helpful for its mobility and firepower, represents escapism and avoidance, potentially worsening a character’s mental state.
This interplay between beneficial and harmful tools encourages players to consider the complexities of mental health and the importance of finding healthy ways to cope.
Fun Boss Fight Puzzles
Ghostboy’s boss battles offer a refreshing break from the game’s repetitive tower defense gameplay. Each chapter features three unique boss encounters, tied to items that haunt each family member. These battles demand strategic thinking and resource management as players navigate various objectives and adapt to the bosses’ unique gimmick. Some bosses require collecting specific items, building clayman units in strategic locations, avoiding dynamic hazards, and so on.
While the standard levels may become predictable, the bosses introduce a fresh layer of challenge and complexity that keeps the gameplay engaging. It’s unfortunate that these thrilling encounters are few and far between, but when they do occur, they’re truly exhilarating.
Branching Storylines and Multiple Endings
Your decisions, big and small, will dramatically alter the story. A simple choice, like accepting a drink, can lead to unexpected consequences. These choices not only shape your relationships with family members but also have profound effects on their mental well-being. While you’ll initially uncover three distinct endings, one for each family member, the game has 21 more for you to discover, which could encourage players to dive back in and explore different paths. The narrative could benefit from more explicit foreshadowing of these consequences, but the overall impact of player choices is commendable.
Cons of Ghostboy
| Things That Ghostboy Can Improve |
|---|
|
Weight of Choices is Unbalanced Predictable Levels Narrative Jumps That Make the Story Feel Disjointed |
Weight of the Choices is Unbalanced
While the choices you make for the family offer interesting gameplay, they can sometimes lead to unintended consequences. The accumulation of mental disorders, though a compelling gameplay mechanic, feels somewhat arbitrary. If these conditions were developed more organically throughout the narrative, their impact would be more emotionally-provoking.
Given the real-world complexities of mental health, it might be more realistic to explore a more gradual progression rather than sudden onset between levels.
Predictable Levels
On the other side of Ghostboy’s wildly unpredictable consequences, the levels are extremely predictable, and this predictability can sometimes hinder its replayability. Despite having a diverse range of tools and challenging enemy encounters, the normal levels can often feel too straightforward. Relying on the same towers consistently often proves most effective, making it unnecessary to try new strategies and thus the experience less dynamic.
During my playthrough, I found little need to experiment with towers that could negatively impact family members’ mental health. This led to an overabundance of Energy Points with few worthwhile alternatives to spend them on.
Narrative Jumps That Make the Story Feel Disjointed
The game’s exploration of the five stages of grief is commendable, but the narrative often feels disjointed. While there are moments that provide context for the family’s journey, the pacing can be uneven. The abrupt transitions between stages, coupled with the absence of a clear timeline, make it challenging to fully grasp the passage of time. Given Ghostboy’s confinement to the house, the lack of external references between each level further contributes to this sense of disorientation.
Is Ghostboy Worth It?
For Those Going Through Tough Times, a Companion
While it may not be without its shortcomings, it’s amazing what indie studio Two Blackbirds were able to accomplish with only a small team. The game’s exploration of grief and mental health is both sensitive and insightful. By providing players with a safe space to confront these challenging topics, Ghostboy can serve as a valuable companion during difficult times.
While it’s important to acknowledge that the game cannot replace professional help from a psychiatrist or therapist, it can offer tools for understanding and coping with these challenges, as it demonstrates that grief and mental health conditions are not necessarily lifelong burdens. Just as players overcome obstacles and defeat the negative thoughts within the game, these too are ephemeral given proper care.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
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| Price | $9.99 | ||||
Ghostboy FAQ
Does Ghostboy Support Multiple Languages?
Yes, the game offers language options in English, Hungarian, French, Italian, and German.
How Long to Beat Ghostboy?
A single playthrough of Ghostboy generally takes 8-10 hours. The game’s 24 multiple endings, one for each family member, and replayability can significantly extend the overall playtime.
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Ghostboy Product Information
|
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| Title | GHOSTBOY |
|---|---|
| Release Date | June 25, 2024 |
| Developer | Two Blackbirds |
| Publisher | Two Blackbirds |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam) |
| Genre | Tower-Defense, Strategy, Indie |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | N/A |
| Official Website | Ghostboy Official Twitter Page |
