When I last left off with Phasmophobia, I was at a bit of an impasse. Despite how much I loved the game, there was no denying that after some major updates and a wildly successful console launch, the game was still in a somewhat rough state, most notably with some pretty glaring visual hiccups. I was really hoping that we’d see more substantial progress with the game, and every time I hopped into it, despite having fun with a whole new crowd of Ghost Hunters, I was always thinking, “Come on, you guys are so close, just get to the finish line!”
Well, that line may finally be on the horizon with Phasmophobia’s Chronicle update. The newest patch brings not only a slew of fixes but also a major overhaul to several of the game’s core features, along with significant improvements to the atmosphere and paranormal events, pushing the spook factor to hitherto unknown levels. It’s been a long time since Phasmophobia made me “nope” out to the main menu, but the Chronicle update managed to do just that.
The most notable change in this update is the complete overhaul of gathering Extra Evidence. Previously, players had to collect three pieces of evidence to identify the ghost. To maximize experience and monetary rewards, they also needed to find a piece of Bone Evidence and capture 10 photos, together making up a “Perfect Run.” While this system added a bit more depth to each hunt and encouraged cooperation in multiplayer, it was also easily exploitable.
“All of these improvements make the Chronicle update both the scariest and most interesting version of Phasmophobia to date.”
Phasmophobia’s Chronicle update changes all of this, creating a more focused and dynamic experience. Photo evidence is now limited to five photos and comes with stricter requirements—taking photos of salt piles is no longer permitted. Monetary rewards are based on the type of photo taken, as well as whether it is a unique or duplicate image. In addition, video cameras now have expanded functionality, allowing players to record video evidence of paranormal events.
Increased camera functionality comes alongside an upgraded media station within the mobile HQ, which now allows players to cycle through property cameras, deployed cameras and head-mounted cameras as well as record video footage while at the computer. It was something of a running joke within Phasmophobia that not only was Tier 1 Headgear functionally worthless, but also anyone who “monitored the cameras” was essentially hiding in the truck. However, this added usability not only gives players deeper objectives to work towards, but also gives players a possible role as “the guy in the truck,” while also giving players who may be a bit too scared some breathing room.
“I genuinely feel like the Chronicle update has brought the game a step closer to being a much scarier experience while playing with a group.”
Of course, the biggest addition is the newly added “Sound Recorder,” which also brings it the third form of additional evidence collection. While players are incentivized to capture sounds from standard paranormal events—such as Mist Orbs, Ghost appearances or burned Crucifixes—a whole host of added audio and visual effects have also been added and make Phasmophobia’s Chronicle update a truly terrifying experience. Candles being blown out now bring with them a chilling, breathy effect, doors will rattle and slam, lights being turned off will emit a strange static, on top of a host of other effects I have yet to fully experience.
The aforementioned, “noping out,” was caused when I entered a house and proceeded to the basement—the scariest part of any house, let’s be honest—in order to turn on the power breaker, only to be met with a raspy, bizarre laughing sound effect before I even descended the stairs. I tell you, dear reader, I have never turned a game off faster.
All of these improvements make the Chronicle update the scariest and most compelling version of Phasmophobia to date. I’ve always felt the game carried a unique tension, even with the occasional limitations of the Unity engine. But with Chronicle, it feels more complete, more dynamic and far more terrifyingly engaging.
While I’ve long said Phasmophobia is scary when played solo and fun with others, this update brings it a step closer to being a truly frightening experience, even with a group. Although the pre-release version prevented me from joining others, I’m genuinely excited to see how players react once it goes live.
It’s hard to stay patient with a game you love, especially when you can see its potential. But with every major update, Phasmophobia becomes more refined and more terrifying. I’ve logged 351 hours so far, and Chronicle may well add another 300. Once the game moves beyond its stock Unity ghost models and implements more dynamic scares, it could become one of the greatest horror experiences in gaming history.
