Ghost in the Sheet
Score: 82% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Tri Synergy Developer: Cardboard Box Entertainment Media: CD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Adventure
Graphics & Sound: While most genres seem perfectly content with some sort of anti-social, brooding space marine or unlikely chosen one, adventure games are one of the few genres that attempts to explore different themes. Case in point, Ghost in the Sheet, a game that places you in the role of a recently deceased ghost charged with investigating a series of mysterious events at a factory. Ghost in the Sheet is a traditional point-and-click adventure game. Each scene is little more than a locked image that you can interact with by touching hotspots. Though this kills any idea of exploration, in a strange way it almost reinforces the idea that your character is sort of "stuck" in his situation. Okay, so maybe I'm reading into things a little too much, but the combination of a gritty, industrial look and a few minor background animations help create a nice mood for the game. Although the music doesn't do much to help further the mood created by the visuals, the ambient sounds go a long way. As you go deeper into the facility, you'll hear all manner of "haunted house" sounds that are really effective and manage to sidestep a certain amount of camp that sometimes creep in. Voicework is well done. All of the characters you come across sound believable enough and deliver their lines better than what typically passes for good acting in a videogame.
Gameplay: Whereas most games end with the main character's death, Ghost in the Sheet begins with it. After an unfortunate run-in with a truck, your character moves on to the afterlife... or tries to only to find himself in the employ of a boss who wants you to investigate a series of bizarre events at a facility named Sector Omega. Apparently people have been dying at the facility and their souls aren't able to pass on, and since that's bad for business, you need to figure out how to help these spirits to "move on up". Like most adventure games, Ghost in the Sheet is mostly about solving puzzles and unraveling a story. For the most part, the game does a great job at both, though not without a few bumps in the road. The number of puzzles in the game is kept relatively low, and the ones that are around aren't particularly difficult. These include pushing the right button sequence, pulling certain levers... that sort of stuff. There are also a few action-based mini-games strewn about the area. These are usually more about clicking fast rather than thinking fast. If this isn't your thing, you can always opt out of them, which is a nice touch. Story is, perhaps, the game's biggest fault. The story is told mostly through journals and papers scattered around the factory. Some reading is expected in an adventure game, but there's so much to read that the plot has problems getting to the point. At times it feels like it is trying so hard to create a mystery that it forgets to explain things or offer up a proper resolution. The plot isn't particularly confusing, but with the number of unresolved questions the game leaves floating around, it is hard to remember everything.
Difficulty: One of the benefits to being dead is that you can't die. While you can fail some puzzles, only one or two end with fatal results... or, whatever it is that happens to ghosts when they die. Most of the puzzles found in the game are variations of puzzles that appear in nearly every adventure game, so none of them should throw you for a massive loop if you're a vet. Even if you've never played an adventure game, most of the solutions can be solved using simple logic. However, there are a few - such as a tricky sound puzzle or a board game - that will take a little longer to figure out. Most of the time, any confusion is a result of poorly worded instructions; the process is usually clear, though the goal is sometimes difficult to find.
Game Mechanics: Ghost in the Sheet uses a simple point-and-click interface. Each scene is littered with hotspots that, when clicked on, allow you to interact with the environment or travel to new areas. Generally the system works, though some of the hotspots are in really odd locations. When travelling, you'll sometimes end up in areas that seem disconnected from where you thought you were going while some interactive hotspots are completely off of where they logically should be. It's something you eventually learn to recognize and deal with, though it is counter-intuitive and slightly annoying. Since you're a ghost, you really don't have much of a way to interact with the world of the living. The boss is kind enough to hook you up with telekinesis before sending you on your way, though this won't be enough to get you through your adventure. Eventually you'll learn to manipulate wind, administer electric shocks or produce light. The addition of an RPG-style skill system adds something different to the game; part of the fun is trying out your different skills on your surroundings to see what happens. At the same time, the implementation is a little stiff. Switching between areas is awkward and you can't go between areas while a power is activated, which is nothing more than a bad design decision. Ghost in the Sheet has its issues, but it is still an interesting offering, especially coming from a new company. Most of the issues are mainly polish issues, but the core gameplay is solid enough that it is worth a go if the premise interests you enough.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Minimum System Requirements: Windows 98SE/ 2000/ XP/ Vista; 1.4 GHz processor; 128 MB RAM; 300 MB Free HDD space; Direct X 8.0+; Direct X compatible video card   Test System: Windows Vista; 1.6 GHz Dual-Core processor; 2 Gig RAM; DVD drive; 120 GB HDD; GeForce Go7600; Cable Internet Connection
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