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Phantasmagoria turns 21
Bloody Disgustin, a horror related site, recently made this pretty interesting artcle about the old FMV classic: http://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3403381/phantasmagoria-pcs-best-dated-horror-game-turns-21/
Not only did it remind me that the game itself is pretty old, but if the numbers they’re giving there are correct, I had no idea it was such a big hit back then: it had a total budget of 4.5 million dollars, which was huge for the day, but it also made 12 million dollars on its release week as well as pumped Sierra’s stock value from 3,87$ to 43.25$.
I always have kinda assumed, that it wasn’t such a big seller, as the sequel feels more like a budget affair (and very off putting in general in terms of tone and gameplay). But then again, I don’t really know why I’ve assumed so, s I’m sure the matter of its success has been discussed before.
Also, I do agree with Kurlands assessment of the game in that it is more interesting as a b-horror movie than it is as a game. There’s interesting amount of charm about it, which comes from the use of horror tropes and exessive FMV. It doesn’t always work as a game, but the whole bizarre atmosphere it has helps quite a bit.
Not Impossible… Phantasmagoria was Sierra biggest hit .. with one million copies sold out.. so with the figure it was sold with… 12 million dollars on its release week… seems convenient.
Interesting article.
Honestly, it’s frustrating how little you’re actually controlling this game, with so much here seeing FMV sequences finishing your sentences with you only having the briefest of interactions along the way. This also inevitably leads into a lot of heavy exposition where video is just telling you backstory rather than you actually playing a game. The assumption present is that all of this is forgivable and fascinating due to the graphical innovations that are present. All of this becomes kind of laughable when you look at the screen within a screen that the FMV plays out of so it can optimize correctly. There’s so much wasted space here that it becomes almost as big a focus as the video itself.
It’s a little insane how much the game banks off of you being wowed by all of this.
This was basically my take and why I didn’t like it at the time. Even has a b-movie I didn’t think it was very interesting. Probably worth a revisit
I need to replay this game. Haven’t played it in years. This game was quite popular in it’s day.
I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.
As a quick caveat to what I’m about to say: I haven’t played either game in, well, apparently about two decades. But…
As much as I liked the first Phantasmagoria, I actually remember being much more terrified of its sequel. The haunted house is great and all (and the “funnel” death scene still disturbs me to this day), but I thought the industrial-slash-mundane-workplace settings of P2 were incredibly unnerving. All but that last chapter, obviously. 
Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks I guess. Just my two cents’ worth.
“Drinking rum before 10 a.m. makes you a pirate, not an alcoholic!”
(and the “funnel” death scene still disturbs me to this day)
I was always more impressed with the “simpler” wine bottle death scene.
Never played the sequel but I can comprehend that the more familiar surroundings actually heighten its horror potential. Also, haunted mansions have been done to death but your workplace hasn’t.
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
afaik the game is bundled with part 2 in the new humble bundle for 90ct:
Never played the sequel but I can comprehend that the more familiar surroundings actually heighten its horror potential. Also, haunted mansions have been done to death but your workplace hasn’t.
The 2nd game has a lower budget than the first, but I still liked it. I have to replay this one as well.
There was enough difference between the two to make it feel more like an entirely different game than a sequel.
I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.
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