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Video games rarely translate directly into good films (name five good gaming movies, we'll wait). More worthwhile are tie-in games birthed straight from the silver screen – and the often-overlooked Casper is a perfect example of that.
Many '90s babies can recall the cheery ghoul's 1995 movie outing; this charming game, however, is fixed in many gamers' minds as being one of the toughest puzzlers to beat even 25 years on. Loosely based on the film, Casper's living (erm, or not) in the hope of making some friends in Dr James Harvey and his daughter Kat, the new residents of Whipstaff Manor. Seems pretty straightforward, right?
Wrong. Your end goal is to assemble The Lazarus, a machine that Casper's father invented in an attempt to bring him back from the dead, which will allow the little phantom to make more human connections than his transparent form allows. Unfortunately for Casper, in order to obtain the pieces he has to avoid meddling Uncle Stretch, Uncle Stinkie, and Uncle Fatso, who are more than happy to sap our hero's ghostly energy to prevent him from uncovering the manor's secrets.
A dead end
This feature first appeared in PLAY magazine - Subscribe here to save on the cover price, get exclusive covers, and have it delivered to your door or device every month.
But hold on – when we described Casper's PS1 debut as difficult when it was aimed at children, you might raise your eyebrows. How can a smiling ghost wanting to make friends in the afterlife cause such frustration? Were we rubbish gamers as children? Getting an hour into the game will answer those questions.
To begin with, Casper cannot fly through walls. He relies upon a collection of keys and morphing power-ups to progress. Floating through glasses of milk, broccoli, and other foods rewards you with morph points, which you spend to transform into different household objects to carry out your quest. The only 'free' power-up is the Smoke morph; using this at an air vent or chimney breast transports Casper to another area of the manor in a puff of smoke (eat your heart out, Alucard). Yet, as with many facets of this game, it's not that simple. Some air vents whisk you to a third location, whereas others set you right back, taking you back to the main hall at the very beginning.
You'll quickly realise that this game does not proffer a hand to hold. Progressing the story is done at your own pace, and tests both patience and memory. Casper encourages you to think outside the box, and often forces you to rely upon yourself alone. Obtaining a red key can fill you with joy, until you backtrack to find a specific vent to locate its door and realise it could be hidden out of sight, as it holds a top-down isometric view. This is the kind of game where keeping a notebook handy can work wonders.
"The repetitive soundtrack (and Casper's frequent utterances of "I can't do that") that accompanies your plight is as memorable as the puzzles."
The repetitive soundtrack (and Casper's frequent utterances of "I can't do that") that accompanies your plight is as memorable as the puzzles. The audio marries perfectly with the visuals – the derelict attic's eerie atmosphere becomes downright chilling thanks to its dedicated theme. Off-key melodies put you on edge as you try to place jigsaw pieces into a frame, wanting to get back downstairs into a joyful sounding, well-lit area. When you hear Casper's theme it's always a treat, as those rooms are typically Uncle-free zones.
Although it's more whimsical than other titles released the same year, Casper stands shoulder-to-shoulder with games such as Tomb Raider and Resident Evil in terms of challenge. Pacing and subject matter aside, its backtracking, boss fights, and solvable mysteries are just as strong as those of its contemporaries. While the top-down perspective was old-school even at the time, it makes it a little easier to return to after all these years.
In an era when we couldn't look up walkthroughs with ease, if at all, it's a miracle anyone managed to see the ending of this game. Its reputation has earned it a place on many gamers' bucket lists. There's a tenacity to players who have completed Casper; it's become its own Everest and a puzzle adventure that's worth revisiting, though because it's a licensed game it's unlikely you'll get a chance unless you're able to resurrect some original hardware with a Lazarus machine.
This feature first appeared in PLAY magazine - Subscribe here to save on the cover price, get exclusive covers, and have it delivered to your door or device every month.
