Ghost Giant
Developer(s)Zoink
Publisher(s)Zoink
Director(s)Olov Redmalm
Artist(s)Olov Redmalm
Writer(s)Sara Bergmark Elfgren
Platform(s)PlayStation VR
Oculus Quest
ReleasePlayStation VR
April 19, 2019
Oculus Quest
February 20, 2020
Genre(s)Puzzle, adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Ghost Giant is a virtual reality puzzle game developed and published by Zoink for PlayStation VR and Oculus Quest.[1] It was released for PlayStation VR in April 2019 and Oculus Quest in February 2020.

Gameplay

In the game, the player assumes control of the titular Ghost Giant. The Giant is tasked to assist a young boy named Louis by manipulating the game's world, lifting items and solving puzzles.[2] Players can also explore the world of Sancourt and interact with various non-playable characters living in the city.[3] For instance, players can use the PlayStation Move controller to rotate houses and discover what can be found inside.[4]

Development

The studio worked with Swedish writer Sara Bergmark Elfgren to create the story.[5] The main theme is friendship, as the player needs to become a "supporting friend" for Louis as they helped him solve various problems and puzzles in the game.[6] The game took 18 months to develop, and the team drew inspirations from homemade toys, such as miniature cardboard towns, when they were creating the game.[7] Announced during Sony's E3 2018 press conference,[8] the game was released digitally on April 19, 2019 for the PlayStation VR headset, while the retail release, handled by Perp Games, was released on May 7.[3] In November 2019, Zoink announced that it would be coming to Oculus Quest in December the same year, though it was subsequently delayed to February 20, 2020.[9][10]

Reception

The game received generally positive reviews upon releases, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[17][18]

Mike Epstein from IGN described the story as "charming", though he felt that some of the puzzles were too simple.[19] Rich Meister of Destructoid stated that Ghost Giant "feels like a VR advancement of a classic PC point-and-click adventure game, albeit one with a great look, phenomenal sound design". He also enjoyed the story, though he noted its short length.[20] UploadVR praised the game's handling of depression and neglect, writing "Louis may be an animal, but the developer’s sensitive handling of these subjects gives him remarkable humanity".[21] Liam Croft of Push Square noted that the game "belong[ed] in the conversation for the very best PSVR game", writing, "Its utterly phenomenal series of scenes will live long in the memory, complemented by a narrative that demands immediate investment...Outstanding presentation that rewards exploration is the cherry on top of a title we won’t be forgetting about any time soon."[14] Pascal Tekaia of Adventure Gamers gave the game 4 stars out of 5, stating, "The game doesn’t revolutionize the virtual reality medium, but it throws players into a well-realized, charming world with simple yet satisfying gameplay and a surprisingly emotional tale."[16]

References

  1. ^ "PSVR exclusive, Ghost Giant, is coming to Oculus Quest later this month". KitGuru. Archived from the original on 2020-07-02. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  2. ^ Fogel, Stefanie (June 9, 2018). "Charming Puzzle Game 'Ghost Giant' Is Coming to PlayStation VR". Variety. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Romano, Sal (April 11, 2019). "Ghost Giant physical edition launches May 7 in North America". Gematsu. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Wales, Matt (February 28, 2019). "Stick it to the Man dev's adorable VR puzzle-adventure Ghost Giant is out in April". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "PSVR's 'Ghost Giant' turns the world into your sandbox". Engadget. Archived from the original on 2019-02-04. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  6. ^ Fingas, Jon (June 9, 2018). "PSVR's 'Ghost Giant' turns the world into your sandbox". Engadget. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  7. ^ "'Ghost Giant' Brings a Small Story with Big Heart Home to Oculus Quest". Oculus. February 20, 2020. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  8. ^ Espileli, Matt (June 12, 2018). "E3 2018: All PS4 Games From Sony's Press Conference". GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  9. ^ Wales, Matt (November 29, 2019). "Adorable PSVR puzzle adventure Ghost Giant heading to Oculus Quest next month". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Ghost Giant Releases on Oculus Quest February 20!". Thunderful. February 6, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Ghost Giant for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  12. ^ "Ghost Giant for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  13. ^ Epstein, Mike (April 11, 2019). "Ghost Giant Review". IGN. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Croft, Liam (April 11, 2019). "Ghost Giant Review (PS4)". Push Square. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  15. ^ Meister, Rich (April 14, 2019). "Review: Ghost Giant". Destructoid. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Tekaia, Pascal (May 31, 2019). "Ghost Giant review". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  17. ^ "Ghost Giant for PlayStation 4 reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  18. ^ "Ghost Giant for PC reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  19. ^ Epstein, Mike (April 29, 2016). "Ghost Giant review". IGN. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  20. ^ Meister, Rich (April 14, 2019). "Review: Ghost Giant". Destructoid. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "Ghost Giant Review: A Bold, Brave Adventure That Hides A VR Treasure". 2019-04-12. Archived from the original on 2022-01-16. Retrieved 2022-03-17.

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