Phasmophobia: Every Ghost & How They Died

There’s a brand new video game on Steam that is taking the gaming world by storm, and it’s called Phasmophobia. The game involves 4-players working together as paranormal investigators as they try to identify various types of ghosts and find proof of their existence. There are many types of ghosts in Phasmophobia, although the game doesn’t quite explain to players what they are and how they became disembodied spirits.

While there is some lore surrounding the ghosts explained within the game, Phasmophobia leaves much to be desired when it comes to narrative. Although, for players who want to learn more about the ghosts in Phasmophobia, it doesn’t take much research outside of the game on the internet to find out what each ghost is all about.

Although there are twelve different types of ghosts in Phasmophobia, they all died under similar circumstances. According to the in-game journal, “a ghost is an evil spirit of a dead person that feeds off people’s fear” that are created from “violent, sudden deaths.” Upon looking at the real-world lore of these twelve ghosts, however, it becomes abundantly that many of them died in very different ways.

Phasmophobia’s Spirits

The most common type of Ghost in Phasmophobia, Spirits often appear “at one of their hunting grounds after an unexplained death.” This is the typical, more traditional kind of ghost that most people are familiar with. Oftentimes, people who have died and become spirits did so suddenly and with no apparent reason, leaving many unresolved issues that keeps the individual’s spirit on earth.

Phasmophobia’s Wraiths

Phasmophobia’s in-game journal describes wraiths as one of the “most dangerous” ghost types in the game. In traditional lore, Wraiths are the embodiment of souls who are either on the verge of death or dead. They often have unfinished business in the mortal realm and harbor ill-intentions for all of those they cross, usually meaning they are the spirits of murder victims or people who have been wronged.

Phasmophobia’s Phantoms

A type of ghost that can possess the living, phantoms induce fear into those around them and can be summoned by a Ouija Board. Phantoms tend to be very common in Phasmophobia, like spirits, but are also traditionally thought of as more malevolent than the typical ghost. Their deaths are more likely to have been the result of foul play.

Phasmophobia’s Poltergeists

A poltergeist is a type of ghost best known for causing physical disturbances, such as making loud noises and moving/ destroying objects. Like many of the other ghosts on this list, poltergeists were wrongfully killed when they were still people.

Phasmophobia’s Banshees

A natural hunter that will attack anything, within the world of Phasmophobia the Banshee is known for stalking its prey before finishing it off. Originating in Irish folklore, the Banshee were once women known as “keeners” who sang sorrowful songs to lament someone’s death. Since they accepted alcohol as payment for their services, these women were said to be sinners, and were rumored to become Banshee spirits upon their deaths.

Phasmophobia’s Jinns

In Phasmophobia, Jinn are more territorial ghosts that travel at high speeds and attack whenever they are threatened. Jinn actually never “died” due to the fact that in traditional lore they were never people to begin with. In some Islamic traditions, jinn are said to be spirits that existed on earth long before humans did, according to one academic journal.

Phasmophobia’s Mares

Phasmophobia‘s in-game journal describes mares as “the source of all nightmares.” In Slavic folklore, a mare is said to be a woman who was once promised to marry a man but was then betrayed when the man married another. Upon her death, that woman would become a mare that attacked at night.

Phasmophobia’s Revenants

Another malicious entity, the revenant is a “slow but violent Ghost that will attack indiscriminately.” Originating in European folklore, revenants are said to be vengeful spirits seeking revenge on those who wronged them during their lives.

Revenants were typically shown to have been very evil and wicked people during their lives, meaning they were likely taking revenge on good people who served them justice.

Phasmophobia’s Shades

Unlike most of the ghosts in Phasmophobia, shades are described as being very shy. Shades are typically depicted as less malevolent spirits. Much like spirits, they likely were normal people who died of mysterious circumstances, leaving them, once they become shades, longing to resolve issues they had before death.

Phasmophobia’s Demons

Much like the jinn, demons did not “die” per se, because they were never actually people to begin with. These paranormal entities existed long before humans did and always harbor evil intentions when they come into contact with people.

Phasmophobia’s Yureis

Within the world of the game, yurei are described as ghosts that have “returned to the physical world, usually for the purpose of revenge or hatred.” Originating in Japanese folklore, yurei are said to be the spirits of people who died in a sudden, violent manner, such as from murder or suicide.

Phasmophobia’s Oni

Like demons and jinn, oni were never people to begin with. Instead, according to Japanese folklore, they were evil spirits and trolls that had always been that way. Phasmophobia’s in-game journal describes oni ghosts as “cousin to the Demon.“

As Phasmophobia continues to become an absolute gaming sensation, it is important to keep in mind that much of its lore is left up to interpretation. As the game continues to burst onto the mainstream, its developers will likely continue to fill out the lore of each and every ghost. Either way, whether someone knows how these ghosts died or not, the ghosts of Phasmophobia never get any less terrifying.

About The Author

Michael Austin
(64 Articles Published)

See also  Gremlins' Director Had A Wild Theory For The Mogwai Origin

Michael is a professional journalist, author and writer. He graduated from Iowa State University in 2019 and has written at Screen Rant for over a year.

More From Michael Austin