Either by design or not, Demonologist will always be compared to Phasmophobia. Looking at the overall presentation and gameplay of the two, you’d think that they came from the same cloth. However, they aren’t. And being the newer game, Demonologist is, unfortunately, often suspected of copying Phasmophobia. This article will examine the similarities and differences between the two ghost-hunting games: Demonologist vs Phasmophobia. At the end of it all, we intend to show you which we believe is the better game.
Demonologist vs Phasmophobia: Similarities
In a sea of co-op horror games out today, only a few are as successful as Demonologist and Phasmophobia. Both titles captured the interest of millions of gamers worldwide despite only releasing in early access. They both provided several hours of scares, plenty of memorable streams, and tons of good time. That said, all these factors combined make the comparisons between the two all the more inevitable.
In hindsight, Demonologist and Phasmophobia are similar games. Apart from having different titles and teams backing them, one can see them as clones of each other. The core gameplay of the two games is basically identical. Both titles put you in a first-person horror setting looking for clues to ultimately defeat a haunting entity. Players scour various locations with their friends. They would then identify the entity type that haunts their game using various tools.
Aside from having the same genre, they also run on the same platform (PC) and share some in-game features. This includes voice recognition and dynamic weekly tasks to keep players coming back. Not only that, they even have similar equipment options, paranormal activity events, and entity types. With all these in mind, you cannot really blame people for thinking that the two are the same game.
Demonologist vs Phasmophobia: Differences
Being a much newer game, it’s only natural for Demonologist to have a more robust resume. The character models are more detailed, the environments are more realistic, and the sound design is definitely up there. Demonologist also boasts an expansive character and base customization feature. Furthermore, the game allows players to banish or exorcise entities. These are features that Phasmophobia fans can only wish for!
Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, Demonologist has superb graphics. Comparable even to the top horror games of this generation. This makes encounters all the scarier, enhancing the experience and the fun to be had. Lastly, Demonologist has more dynamic random events and less predictable map designs.
Meanwhile, Phasmophobia is slightly cheaper and requires much lesser storage space. What it has going for it the most, however, is its excellent virtual reality (VR) support. Unlike Demonologist, you can play Phasmophobia using your trusty VR headset. This makes encounters more terrifying, while also providing a much more interactive experience.
Which is the Better Game?
Barring recency bias, we firmly believe Demonologist is the better game of the two. It is an improvement of Phasmophobia on almost every front. The graphics, sound design, gameplay loop, and in-game features. Demonologist succeeded in improving them all! Although it doesn’t have VR support yet, it s only a matter of time with how successful it has been.
However, this is not to discredit the excellence of Phasmophobia. Phasmophobia was the propeller that elevated the co-op horror survival genre to relevancy. Many developers credit their success to it, and the team behind Demonologist is most likely among them.
In the battle of Demonologist vs Phasmophobia, the former takes the cake as the better game. However, the latter is the more influential. Nevertheless, both games are worth appreciating. Dozens of hours are easily lost while having fun playing both, and we equally love them for that. Do you agree that Demonologist is better than Phasmophobia? Give us your thoughts. We’d be more than happy to hear you out!
