Ghost Master®

Ghost Master is what happens when a puzzle game decides to embrace chaos and slapstick horror instead of logic and restraint. Half the fun is figuring out the solution, the other half is watching your carefully planned haunting spiral into absolute nonsense. Old-school, janky in places, but packed with personality and laughs.

A very entertaining game from back in the day. The Sims meet Ghosts with fun dialogue and interactions.
Total must have.

Still a great game even now. A great piece of my childhood. Still as entertaining as it was all them years ago. Driving People to insanity is my personal favourite. Have played this game so many times and i will never get bored of it!

A piece of my childhood. Controls and gameplay can be a bit clunky but overall it's a fun spooky strategy game

I didn't play this game when it was newer so I don't have that sense of nostalgia for it that many do. Overall I'd say it held up better than expected: the graphics are still adequate, the over the top voice acting is great, and the mission variety is nice. There are a few downsides though.
First, the tutorial could have been better. There are a number of things it didn't explain that would have been helpful, and suggesting strategies would have been nice as well.
Second, if you're trying to unlock a ghost that requires specific circumstances it often requires a lot of waiting. Especially if you need two ghosts to use higher level powers at the same time as I haven't found a way to tell them 'use your power now'. The best you can seem to do it tell them to only use that power and wait until the timing works out.
Lastly, dealing with threats to your ghosts. So far it doesn't seem to be difficult, but there is too much micromanaging for my taste. Given all of that, while I don't dislike the game, it's unlikely to hold my attention enough to finish it.
I'm giving this a thumbs up, but mostly targeted more towards people who have a sense of nostalgia for it or who are into retro games.

Ghost Master, developed by Sick Puppies and published by Strategy First, is a unique blend of strategy, simulation, and supernatural horror that has carved out a distinct niche since its original release. The game invites players to assume the role of the titular Ghost Master—an unseen orchestrator controlling a squad of ghosts with the goal of terrifying and driving out the living from various haunted locations. While its concept might sound straightforward, Ghost Master combines tactical gameplay with dark humor and atmospheric storytelling, delivering an experience that feels fresh and inventive even years after its debut.
At its core, Ghost Master is a strategy game wrapped in a horror-themed package. Unlike traditional horror games where you play as the victim, here you wield supernatural powers and manage a team of spirits, each with unique abilities and personalities. You must carefully select which ghosts to deploy, balancing their strengths and weaknesses to maximize fear and efficiently clear out human occupants. The game encourages creativity in haunting strategies, mixing stealth, psychological manipulation, and direct supernatural assaults. The AI-controlled humans react dynamically to your tactics, making every haunting a puzzle that requires both planning and adaptability.
The environments in Ghost Master are richly detailed, atmospheric locations that range from old mansions and asylums to graveyards and crypts. Each setting is designed with haunting in mind, offering multiple hiding spots, interactable objects, and environmental elements to exploit for maximum effect. The eerie sound design and moody visuals effectively build tension without relying on jump scares, allowing dread to seep in gradually. What sets the game apart is its tone—while it is a horror game, it leans into campy, tongue-in-cheek humor that often undercuts the tension with clever ghostly quips and absurd scenarios, creating a uniquely engaging atmosphere.
One of the most compelling aspects of Ghost Master is the variety of ghosts you command. Each ghost comes with its own set of abilities, strengths, and quirks—from poltergeists who can hurl objects to spectral children whose innocent appearance hides a terrifying presence. Managing your roster involves strategic choices about which ghosts complement each other and how to deploy them effectively against different human targets with varied fears and personalities. As you progress, you unlock new spirits and powers, adding depth and complexity to your haunting tactics.
While the game’s mechanics are innovative, Ghost Master can be challenging due to its sometimes opaque interface and steep learning curve. Mastering the nuances of ghost abilities and human psychology requires patience and experimentation. Additionally, the game’s older graphics and somewhat clunky controls may feel dated to modern players. However, these limitations are largely overshadowed by the creativity and originality embedded in the core gameplay. For those willing to invest the time, the satisfaction of successfully orchestrating a haunting and watching terrified humans flee is genuinely rewarding.
Narratively, Ghost Master is woven together with darkly humorous cutscenes and mission briefings that provide context and flavor to your supernatural endeavors. Rather than a linear story, the game offers episodic missions where your role as the Ghost Master evolves. The writing cleverly blends horror tropes with comedic elements, making the experience entertaining without losing its spooky edge. This balance allows the game to appeal to both horror enthusiasts and strategy fans who appreciate a lighter tone.
In conclusion, Ghost Master stands out as an inventive and entertaining hybrid of strategy and horror. Its distinctive premise of controlling ghosts to scare humans, combined with tactical depth, atmospheric environments, and a playful sense of humor, make it a memorable title that still holds up for those seeking something different from traditional horror or strategy games. Though it shows its age in presentation and interface, the core gameplay loop remains engaging and original. For players interested in a game where you get to be the haunting force, rather than the hunted, Ghost Master offers a uniquely satisfying experience that’s worth revisiting or discovering anew.
Rating: 8/10

I've played this game so many times over (before I even bought it on Steam since I also have the physical disk). Even with how old it is, it holds up really well. The atmosphere (music and the world building), the game play, the level of challenge. I'm not sure if this is nostalgia talking but I really wish for more levels with this exact formula. It scratches a certain itch.