Oh cool – a watch. Oh no, my wrist!
The Phasmophobia Player Character Update was recently released and there are mixed opinions on the delivery. Kinetic Games teased character customisation early on, the prior version being limited to 8 character models to select from based on their badge portait. Finally, this May, they released an update claiming “higher quality character models”, a “wide array of cosmetics”, and character interactions, including a new death animation. As a frequent player of the game, I can say I was disappointed with the content released. Here’s a breakdown of what Kinetic Games gave us for Customization.
Player
We are introduced to twelve characters, six male and six female. Each character has been given a short yet specific backstory to give them distinct personalities. There is one choice of hairstyle for each character, with five colour options. A small number of accessories (including painted nails) are also available, but must be unlocked by paying a minimum of $2,500 per item (in-game currency). It is true that these characters are higher quality than the previous ones, but not by much. The hair textures are thin and glitchy, often phasing partially into the characters skull and giving them a golum-esque hairline. They have much better posture now, no longer breaking backs to look around. Our legs, however, no longer have bones and twist into freakish formations when turning on the spot. You win some, you lose some.
Our characters have also been gifted watches, serving as a portable sanity monitor and map timer. Sanity can only be viewed on the watch if it is available in the van, meaning it’s only a timer if you play at Nightmare level or above. Be prepared for your wrist to be broken though, the model’s hand is strangely positioned to view the screen.
Outfit
Outfit options are divided into hat, jacket, top, and trousers. There is also a ‘Coming Soon’, which I do not have much faith in after this one. There are limited options in each sections, but plenty of blank spaces filling the wardrobe. I suspect these will be clothing items unlocked future events, as there is already a headpeace for this year’s Cursed Hollow event. The same rings true for t-shirts, having designs unlockable at each prestige up to twenty, matching the existing badge designs. The jackets are fairly well designed but the trousers are kinda weird-looking. Your character isn’t the centre of the game, so it’s not integral to the game that you look fabulous, but why allow Customization if the options are going to be limited and misfitting.
Badge
Kinetic Games has moved all customisations to the same area in this Phasmophobia update, and this includes Badges. It makes sense, but is also confusing when you log in to a naked badge and no idea how to chage the design. I intially struggled to find the Customization menu because I am a dumb dumb, but I did finally find it all after clicking around. I fell into the trap of expecting an in-game announcement or mini-tutorial on where to find it. Badge selection is much easier to do with the new layout though, and full preview of the available card backgrounds and icons.
Animations
New character animations are also available, including visible hand movements during object usage. As a result, all items appear smaller than before. The journal looks weirdly sized and somewhat blurred (at least on my monitor), almost as if we are holding it out at arms length. It wouldn’t be too bad, except the animations are janky and uncoordinated. The increased ‘quality’ and animations are accompanied by staggered and robotic movements, as performance takes a sacrifical hit on the same graphics settings. On a positive note, I like how I can now see the items other players are holding. I especially liked my friend’s incense-studded fit, as screenshotted below.
Conclusion
There are other smaller details I could cover, but I’ve chosen to highlight the more obvious points in my post. Frankly, the Phasmophobia Player Character update was a disappointment. It struggles to deliver the bare minimal and has diminished the quality of gameplay by prioritisng animations over general performance. I would much rather they have delayed the release for something more polished and expansive. Unfortunately, we instead received an update that has genuinely impacted my desire to play the game. I experienced the same performance in both single player and multiplayer, so can confirm it was not a random occurence. Hopefully Kinetic Games can recover from the update’s somewhat negative reception and deliver a fixed version where game performance takes priority.
