Ghostboy

Ghostboy is a story-driven game about a grieving family facing loss and recovery. You make choices in family members’ lives that can lead to mental disorders, then manage them as they deal with negative thoughts. The story explores grief, trauma and mental health, with easy-to-understand descriptions of the disorders.

Choices and consequences

Your decisions shape 24 storyline branches, with different endings: eight for each family member. During your first playthrough, you see three randomly selected storylines, a choice intended to support replay. The challenges also change according to your previous decisions, and attempts are limited. When a family member’s emotional energy runs out, only help from others can offer hope.

Tower Defense challenges

The game has 42 Tower Defense levels, including nine boss fights. You defend family members’ souls using 50 tools, including 12 towers and 12 special abilities, as well as other options. Four Buddys accompany you in these levels, each allowing different strategies. The game takes about 8–10 hours to play.

Mental health themes

Ghostboy covers 20 mental disorders, 10 of which have mechanics that change gameplay. Its portrayal of grief and mental health was developed with the involvement of a clinical psychologist and a child psychologist. The game is based on its developers’ fear of death.