An exciting idea that still needs more fleshing out, Ghost Hunter was a thrilling experience that needs polish and an overhaul in their safety requirements.
I participated in the Ghost Hunter experience with 3 other people. We opted to forgo the "extreme" option, which involved tasers.
When Ghost Hunter works, it works spectacularly. They excel at making you feel paranoia and doubt, never knowing who or what to trust. There were moments where I found my heart racing, and that sweet feeling of fear creeping into my veins. Some set pieces and ideas felt inspired and imaginative, and the last act ramped up satisfyingly.
But sadly, those moments are scattered amidst a slew of dead zones that really drag the experience down. First off, my biggest criticism, is the lack of safety involved. There are tons of moments of complete or near complete darkness that require guests to climb or descend steep stairs, sometimes even encouraging guests to run up or down them in moments of action and fear. During one intense sequence, my friend ran and slipped on a rug, smashing their leg on a coffee table. This completely took me out of the experience. Imagine what it would be like for guests who partake in the extreme experience with tasers! Eventually the game masters noticed and turned on dim lights anytime we had to go on a stair case. If anything, I implore the creators to please revamp their safety precautions for the sake of the guests.
Another large point of contention that my group agreed upon was the long periods of downtime in between moments of the game. Slight spoilers ahead: 2 members of my party got possessed, which meant they were considered temporarily out of the game. While this was fun at first, it quickly dragged to the point where they were sitting on a couch doing nothing for 15 minutes straight. Other times, our group had to be separated. Now, as I understand, there are only 3 employees managing everything, including acting and manning the controls. What this means is that while one person is getting attention, the other separated group members are waiting for their scene the entire time. I myself was trapped in a closet for around 10-15 minutes, just waiting for something, anything, to happen. Remember, my group totalled 4 people. So while the game lasts 100 minutes long, a good chunk of that time is spent waiting for your turn.
Other than that, the game needs a good amount of polish. Most set pieces felt unfinished - half of the play area takes place in what looks like an unfinished house - mostly wooden beams, wooden frames, and wooden stairs, with no props at all. The lighting and sound are good, but the best decorated area of all was the lobby, which acts like a "safe zone". Nothing felt like we were in an abandoned toy factory.
The story needs serious work. After our experience, we spoke with one of the game runners, and they said that the story was newly implemented and is a few weeks old. A lot of the story did not make sense and felt cobbled together.
Overall, I cannot in good conscience recommend the game until they revamp how they approach safety for the guests. It is only a matter of time until someone seriously gets hurt.
Accessibility
Not accessible for those with mobility issues, trouble seeing in the dark, or epilepsy. The experience requires climbing stairs, ducking, crawling, complete darkness, and flashing lights.
