For years my husband and I have been huge fans of Phasmophobia, and it’s for good reason. This ghost hunting game took the world by storm when it first arrived in early access back in 2020, and across dozens of updates has evolved into a genre defining multiplayer experience. It’s fun to watch people play or to play it on your own, but nothing beats gathering a squad of ghost hunters to identify a dangerous demon or spooky spirit. Even with hundreds of hours played I’m always up for more Phasmophobia, and the new Chronicle update makes it better than ever.
The main focus of this update is the newly expanded media system. Before when you went to investigate a ghost you could take photos to earn more money. These photos could be of burning crucifixes, objects being thrown or even the ghost itself, and would help you gather a little bit more pocket money. It was a fun addition to the game but it never really felt essential, and in fact I rarely really bothered grabbing a camera from the van for a bit of spooky photography. Now though it feels like gathering media is a huge part of the Phasmophobia experience, with so many more ways to capture otherworldly antics.
The camera can still be used to gather media, but now the video camera can too. By holding down the A button (or the equivalent on your device) you’ll be able to get videos of objects being thrown, ghosts hunting you, and of course floating orbs. This can be done by hand, or from the safety of the van. To facilitate a bit of offsite recording the computer setup on the van has been updated, with easier ways to switch between multiple feeds and of course record what’s going on. It’s a huge upgrade, and one that I really appreciated.
The highlight of the Phasmophobia Chronicles update, though, is the addition of the sound recorder. This is the first new piece of ghost hunting equipment that’s been added since I started playing the game, and is used to record all the sinister noises you hear on a typical session in an abandoned campsite or school. The best thing about this is that you can listen back to the recordings you gather in the new media menu, and thanks to the power of this ghost technology it’ll clean up the audio to reveal new details. I must admit a shiver went down my spine when I listened to a totally standard bit of breathing once I got to safety, and heard the ghost clearly tell me to “GET OUT”.
The addition of extra media isn’t the only improvement that the Phasmophobia Chronicles update brings. It also includes the long promised rework of the levelling up system, which means you’ll unlock new gear so much faster. Imagine my surprise when I logged in and saw I was now a high enough level to unlock my last few bits of equipment (like the highly sought after level three crucifix). This won’t necessarily be a big deal to the veterans who already have all the gear they need, but for newer players it will make the early hours of the game much more enjoyable.
I’m actually not certain that this was due to the new update, but it really felt like the scary moments were amped up while I was playing Phasmophobia for this preview. When being chased by the ghost there were multiple times where I heard it banging around right next to me, and it was awful. I also had ghosts shut the front door on me a few times, narrowly escaping them trapping me inside and giving me brand new brown stains in my pants. I wasn’t expecting to be spooked to this level until next year’s Horror update, but if Chronicles facilitated this I’m happy to be screaming more.
I did have one small issue with the Phasmophobia Chronicles update, and it was due to having to play it solo. With so much more to focus on now during an investigation, playing on your own is more of a drag than ever. Only being able to carry gear in three pieces at a time is painful, and if you want to have the sound recorder available at all times that’s a whole slot of your inventory filled. I suppose if you’re playing on your own you don’t have to focus on this side of the game, but it’d be a shame to miss out on all the scary moments it provides.
Thanks to the Chronicle update, Phasmophobia is now even better and even spookier than ever before. The addition of the sound recorder is a truly welcome one, which will help you earn the big bucks and also freak you out when you listen back to the ghosts threatening you. If you haven’t played Phasmophobia before then this is a fantastic time to do so, but returning ghost busters will be just as delighted by this fantastic update.
Phasmophobia Chronicle update is coming to PC and consoles on June 23rd.
