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Ghost Giant (PS4) Review
Developer: Zoink Games
Publisher: Zoink Games / Thunderful
Genre: Adventure / Puzzle / Virtual Reality
Release: 2019
Ghost Giant is one of the more charming and unusual experiences available on PlayStation VR. Rather than placing the player directly inside a conventional game world, it presents the entire adventure as a miniature diorama that can be examined from almost every angle. You play as the enormous Ghost Giant, an invisible protector who helps a lonely young boy named Louis and the eccentric inhabitants of Sancourt.
The result is a short but highly memorable adventure that uses VR for more than simply putting the player inside a 3D environment. Its greatest strengths are its beautiful presentation, emotional storytelling and clever interaction with the miniature world, although its puzzles can occasionally feel too simple and its relatively short length limits its replay value.
Note: The PS4 version requires PlayStation VR, PlayStation Camera and two PlayStation Move controllers.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Ghost Giant is fundamentally a puzzle-adventure game. The player sits above each miniature environment as the enormous Ghost Giant, using the Move controllers to reach into the world and manipulate objects.
You can pick up vehicles, open roofs, move objects, interact with machinery and even rotate entire sections of the miniature environment. This makes the player's enormous size an important part of the gameplay rather than simply being a visual gimmick.
The controls are generally intuitive. Reaching down into the miniature world and physically interacting with objects creates a satisfying sense of presence.
The puzzles are designed primarily around observation and interaction rather than complex logic. Players need to examine the environment, identify what is preventing Louis or another character from progressing and manipulate the appropriate objects.
Strengths
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Excellent use of VR interaction.
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Being physically enormous makes the gameplay feel unique.
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Environments can be manipulated from multiple angles.
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Controls are generally intuitive.
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Puzzles are accessible and relaxing.
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Plenty of small environmental details encourage exploration.
Weaknesses
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Puzzles are generally quite easy.
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Some solutions feel overly predetermined.
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Object interaction can occasionally be imprecise.
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Certain physics interactions can behave unpredictably.
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Experienced puzzle-game players may find it lacking in challenge.
Exploration & World Design
Sancourt is presented as a collection of beautifully crafted miniature dioramas.
The environments resemble elaborate handcrafted models, with colorful buildings, farms, rivers, roads and unusual characters. Because the player can look around the scenes freely, even small details become interesting.
Houses can be opened, streets can be examined and characters can be watched going about their daily lives. This makes exploration surprisingly rewarding despite the game's relatively linear structure.
The miniature design also creates a wonderful sense of scale. Characters appear tiny beneath the player while buildings and vehicles can be picked up and manipulated like toys.
The world feels almost like a living model village.
Story & Themes
The story follows Louis, a young boy living on a farm outside Sancourt. Louis is lonely and struggling with problems at home when he encounters the Ghost Giant.
Because nobody else can see the Ghost Giant, the relationship between the player and Louis becomes the emotional center of the game.
What initially appears to be a cheerful and lighthearted adventure gradually reveals more serious themes. Friendship, loneliness, family difficulties, grief and emotional isolation are explored beneath the game's cute exterior.
This contrast is one of Ghost Giant's biggest strengths. The colorful characters and playful environments make the game feel comforting, while the story gradually introduces more mature emotional subjects.
Louis is also an effective protagonist. His vulnerability makes the player's role as his protector feel meaningful rather than simply being a gameplay mechanic.
Final Verdict
Ghost Giant is a wonderfully charming VR adventure that demonstrates how virtual reality can enhance storytelling and interaction rather than simply provide another perspective on traditional gameplay. Its miniature world is beautiful, its characters are memorable and the relationship between the player and Louis gives the adventure genuine emotional weight.
The gameplay itself is relatively simple, and the short length means there isn't much reason to return once the story is completed. The puzzles could also have offered more complexity. However, these shortcomings don't diminish what makes Ghost Giant special.
For PSVR owners, Ghost Giant is a highly recommended experience. It is less about challenging the player and more about making them feel like a giant guardian reaching into a tiny world to help someone who needs it.
Score: 8.5/10
