The art of ghosting
Nintendo’s less popular Gamecube Horror game
Amongst all of the highly regarded titles on the Nintendo GameCube, there was really only one M-rated horror game exclusive that truly pushed the boundaries of psychological terror and narrative complexity. A game where players were forced to question their own perception of reality, trapped in a world of paranoia, fear, and otherworldly dread. With mind-bending mechanics, terrifying hallucinations, and an intricate story spanning centuries, it became a cult classic for those brave enough to endure its descent into madness. I’m talking of course, about Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.
Geist on the other hand played second fiddle on the Gamecube as Eternal Darkness’ less attractive sister (but it was the one I convinced my Dad to buy). Getting your hands on a copy of Eternal Darkness nowadays is as daunting a task as fishing your phone out of a music festival port-o-potty. I’ll admit – Geist was another game that my 10-year-old self thought might be good just because the box art looked interesting (Don’t act like I’m the only one who thought like this). Was the game actually good though? – Eh, it’s decent.
Geist’s story centers around John Raimi, a scientist who gets stuck in a ghostly realm after a botched experiment. Now, he has to possess people, animals, and the occasional toaster to piece together what went wrong. The premise seems awesome at first, but sometimes can feel like trying to ride a bike with square wheels. It does offer a fresh twist on the FPS genre at the time – I like possessing random soldiers and using their bodies like my personal meat suits, wreaking havoc on everyone and then discarding them like snack wrappers once I’m done. And being able to possess inanimate objects like a wobbly stapler just to fuck with people is a real treat.
The core gameplay loop has you possessing things to solve puzzles and create chaos. You’ll take control of soldiers to get past enemies, or maybe possess a security camera to spy on the room – because who doesn’t love being a creepy, invisible perv? You’ll float around, trying to figure out when to possess and make your move, all while avoiding detection. It’s a mix of stealth, problem-solving, and finding the strangest things to control, like a fire extinguisher to put out an entire room of flames.
Some of the highlights of Geist are the parts you think would blow ghostly chunks – like when the game forces you to complete puzzles by taking possession of a fucking rat. You scurry through vents, dodge traps, and try not to get squashed by oblivious humans. Chewing through wires is oddly satisfying, knowing you’re just one wrong move away from becoming a boot print on the floor. It’s very endearing playing as a fuzzy little presumably innocent creature causing an obscene amount of chaos and murder totally unsuspected.
The controls feel stiff, making the possession mechanic sometimes more frustrating than fun, especially when you’re trying to figure out how to possess something or when you end up controlling a random object that doesn’t really help, like a toilet – now you’re stuck helpless while a guard walks up and pisses into your mouth. For some stupid reason, gravity still affects you as a spirit almost with the same weight as in human form. Aside from this, Geist does have a decent amount of positive aspects. The sound design is surprisingly strong, with eerie ambient noises and creepy audio cues that really help set the mood. The concept of possessing various objects and characters is still unique and offers a fun spin on the typical first-person shooter. If you possess someone and then leave their body without turning them into Swiss cheese, they’ll have no memory of what just happened, like a strange blackout. The story, while a bit convoluted at times, does keep things interesting with its supernatural elements and unexpected turns. It’s not without its flaws – the boss fights are plentiful and fucking terrible – but the story still has its moments.
I used to sink hours into the NPC multiplayer as a kid, just me against the AI. It was simple, but there was something about possessing enemies and watching them stumble around like idiots while I controlled their every move. It probably isn’t as fun as I remember, but at the time, it was my little slice of chaos and a perfect way to kill time.
Geist is one of those games that’s oddly fun despite its flaws. The good? Possessing people, creatures, and even random objects is a blast, and the sound design really pulls you into its action-horror atmosphere. The bad? The controls are clunky, and the AI is about as sharp as a soggy cardboard box. Overall, it’s a unique experience that’s far from flawless, but it has enough charm and weirdness to make it worth a play if you’re in the mood for something a little offbeat from 20 years ago. It’s a solid guilty pleasure. Not a masterpiece – but a spooky good time.Â
What’s it feel like to be a ghost?
Mikhail
Verdict: 7/10