#Why Phasmophobia’s Cursed Hole Easter occasion is a disappointing step backward – Destructoid

The yearly seasonal occasions are certainly one of my favourite elements of Phasmophobia. My love for them hasn’t gone away, but it surely’s positively subsided as what was once distinctive occasions with novel gameplay ideas have shortly shifted to principally monotonous duties with little originality.

Visually, Phasmophobia has by no means regarded higher between the Bleasdale Farmhouse rework and the excellent decorations for the Easter occasion. However the gameplay in Cursed Hole feels extremely empty by comparability. There are glimpses of the thrilling options current in previous occasions, just like the unpredictable Forest Minion results, however most of it looks like set dressing and a large step backward for the ghost-hunting sport.

Cursed Hole and all the newer occasions from 2024 are lacking the difficult and distinctive elements that older occasions had. As an alternative of pushing ghost hunters to play and discover the sport in new methods with contemporary themes and options, occasions have turn into formulaic and predictable.

2023 was the height 12 months for Phasmophobia occasions, and each the Halloween and Christmas occasions really feel like the head of what all occasions ought to aspire to be. The Halloween occasion had us monitoring down ingredient playing cards throughout numerous maps, gathering supplies to brew an elaborate concoction in a effervescent cauldron, and witnessing a hauntingly stunning sky occasion.

I didn’t assume the Halloween 2023 occasion may very well be overwhelmed on the time, however the Christmas occasion that adopted definitely rivaled it with actions that included finding elements to assemble a snowball gun and searching down lovable dancing snowmen round every map. Each occasions had many distinctive and fascinating duties past ghost searching, and these quests pushed me to play in new methods.

Particular occasion gameplay options was once the primary focus of the occasion. With Cursed Hole and different latest occasions, the decorations take heart stage whereas the minimal new gameplay that’s current falls into the background.

Forest Minions are the proper instance of this. It doesn’t make any sense to me that revealing them, which is absolutely the one distinctive gameplay function within the occasion, grants simply two measly occasion factors. Finishing goals is value three factors every, and accurately figuring out the ghost will get you a whopping 10 factors.

Why is it extra rewarding to do duties that aren’t particular to the occasion than it’s to work together with the particular occasion function? This scale locations far an excessive amount of emphasis on options that exist outdoors of Cursed Hole when the emphasis ought to be on the Forest Minions. It’s not even value it to hunt them down in case your aim is to farm occasion factors shortly, which is disappointing as a result of they’re fairly enjoyable to work together with.

In response to the official weblog submit for Cursed Hole, the present plan appears to be to deliver the identical occasions again annually for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. This concept is such a letdown, and I actually hope the Phasmophobia staff doesn’t observe via with it.

The devs have been so stellar about listening to participant suggestions, and it’s definitely evident with the enhancements that have been made for Cursed Hole, together with a rotating map schedule and a cut up between particular person and group targets.

What they really want to concentrate on, although, is returning to creating occasions like they was once. Carry again distinctive ideas and particular gameplay modifiers. Ditch the identical themes annually. I wouldn’t even essentially thoughts if some occasions or occasion options repeated often, if we at the very least received extra of the devs’ new concepts too.

Phasmophobia is such a particular sport for me. I’ve been enjoying it because it first launched again in 2020, and a few of my fondest recollections in it are enjoying the seasonal occasions with pals. I’ve participated in each occasion and seen what the staff is able to, so I simply wish to see occasions return to being an opportunity for his or her creativity to shine with thrilling new options somewhat than having the very same occasions run yearly.

All I’m asking is that they bring about again my tiny dancing snowmen pals, please, and provides us extra contemporary takes on seasonal occasions somewhat than repeating the identical ones. Phasmophobia occasions was once so thrilling and revolutionary, however over the previous 12 months, they’ve misplaced the spark that made them particular.