The Paper Ghost Stories are part of a franchise of games that explore the Malaysian tradition of storytelling. They are also a guide into the culture and folklore of that part of the world. They use a living “paper theatre” style, inspired by the Joss-Paper craft of Southeast Asia, in the visuals, and whilst it has been a while since I reviewed Paper Ghost Stories: 7PM, I came away more than impressed with the point-and-click adventure.
Now we have a longer experience playing out, one with a different cast, but the same love for the culture it is portraying, in Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open.
Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a bit different from the first game, especially in terms of the gameplay. This is more like a narrative adventure with mini-games than a point-and-clicker, and it is all the better for it.
We play a six-year-old girl called Ting who moves into a new neighbourhood with her mother and father. She finds a lost girl called Xiu nearby, who turns out to be a ghost, fast becoming her companion. As the game progresses, we encounter more spirits, discovering that some of their intentions aren’t as benign as Xiu’s.
The story and writing are wonderful. Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is part family drama about a shy girl trying to make new friends and dealing with her Dad who is angry with her. Then you have the ghost side of the story, as we get to explore that narrative alongside it. I think the characters in place are well-made and have great energy. And the way it gives you tidbits in the dialogue of Malaysian culture is fascinating and intriguing. It’s a nice family game, and even though there is some horror present, it is not hugely gory.
Gameplay consists of you making the most of a little decorated notebook, very much like any 6-year-old would have, and in there are your tasks. Those missions and objectives range too, and you may find one that is simple, like going downstairs and talking to your father. Or it may ramp up as you go searching for clues about a missing boy in a school. The gameplay loop consists of you exploring the areas you are in, collecting items or doing tasks that appear in your notebook.
There are little minigames that you will chance upon, like cooking kebabs on a BBQ where you have marinated the meat. Or my favourite, which is a little game of elastic band shooting in the schoolyard. There are always elements to Third Eye Open that keep surprising, but thankfully none of it is hard. Except a few stealth sessions, that is, but they are more annoying than anything else, tricky to execute because of the visual perspective of the design. I just seemed to luck my way through those moments. There are also a few quick-time events that work fine too – it’ll be a personal decision as to whether you enjoy those.
Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open makes the most of some amazing visuals, using that living “paper theatre” style so effectively throughout. Its attention to detail in its locations and environments is wonderful, and the colours used by the developers are stunning at times. You’ll want to note the camera angles that are occasionally strange as you explore, but on the whole, they shouldn’t affect the enjoyment you’ll take from this one.
You’ll enjoy the audio as well. Whilst there is no voice work in place, the sound is good; nicely creepy in places and delightful in others.
Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open is a pretty long game, but there’s a lot of story to take in as you play through a childhood journey. Amazing at times, quite dark in places, I love the way it mixes real family drama with supernatural elements. It’s also very interesting to have a focus on a different culture and its experiences, all helped along by some strong, creative visuals. Perhaps the stealth sections and QTEs are not so enjoyable, but Third Eye Open is a strong entry in the Paper Ghost Stories franchise.
Be Haunted by the Past in Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open – https://www.thexboxhub.com/be-haunted-by-the-past-in-paper-ghost-stories-third-eye-open/
Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open – Coming-of-Age Horror Arrives This September – https://www.thexboxhub.com/paper-ghost-stories-third-eye-open-coming-of-age-horror-arrives-this-september/
Buy Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/paper-ghost-stories-third-eye-open/9MVLZSZJJCKH
