Ghost Hunting With Friends

Spook-A-boo is a silly ghost-hunting game where you and up to 3 friends explore different levels, hunting down ghosts in a game of hide-and-seek. Feel free to work together or try to get in each other’s way. It’s a top-down couch co-op game, so grab a controller or two.

Your crew’s mission is to locate the ghosts who have taken possession of various items throughout the level. You can kick most of the physics-based items around like a soccer ball. You are also able to kick your friends, which will help them wake up if they are dazed or move them if they are blocking your way. Don’t spend too much time kicking each other around, as each level had a timer and a 3-star rating system.

Players have four tools at their disposal for ghost hunting. The first tool is the capture sphere, which can be deployed when the surroundings are clear. The deployed sphere can be used to capture ghosts and recharge your equipment. Each player is equipped with a tractor beam, a radar, and a scanner. You can either move around items or ghosts using the tractor beam. You must drag the ghosts to the capture field to secure them, as they will fight you throughout. Sometimes it’s almost better to release the ghost and move the sphere closer, as I often got stuck in the doorway because the ghost did not want to be captured.

Before even being able to drag the ghosts around, you need to locate them. This will require the use of the radar to locate the ghost’s hiding spot. The radar functions such that the closer the ghost is, the higher the meter reading becomes, and conversely, the farther away it is, the lower the reading. It will require periodic charging, as the radar has a battery.

Once you’ve located the hidden ghost, use the scanner to reveal it. Once revealed, the ghost reacts with surprise and then retreats to find a new hiding spot. The scanner does not have a battery, so you do not have to worry about keeping it charged.

As you advance in the game, you encounter various ghosts, each possessing unique abilities, with the exception of the first. The first ghost will simply run away and attempt to hide when it is found. The second ghost is one that looks almost like a stove oven. Its signature attack is to throw fireballs at you, disrupting any action you are performing and stunning you.

The next ghost resembles a green pig, referred to as the Hamburgler, which throws piles of money at or near you. This can be done even if you are in a different room. The piles of money will explode like a bomb, knocking everyone in the radius unconscious. However, you can break the piles by simply kicking them.

The last introduced ghost, Zappy, is based on electricity and has the ability to power items to get in your way. One example is TVs that will move back and forth, knocking you down if you are hit by them. While other items are just electrified, which will stun you if you make contact with them.

I liked the demo, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else will be available when it comes out. When I played it by myself, it felt like some parts were missing, which makes sense as it is geared towards co-op. I’ll definitely play it with friends when it comes out later this year.

The Future

Spook-A-Boo is currently slated for a late 2025 release and can now be added to your Steam wishlist. There is a demo currently available if you want to try it out before the game releases!

Some features to look forward to in the official release:

• Currently the demo is only local co-op, but the developers are planning to add online co-op mode in a later update.
• The game will release with 30 levels spread across 5 unique worlds, each with their own theme.
• Ghost bosses
• Cosmetics to customize your character.