You've been there. The lights are flickering, the temperature just plummeted to a bone-chilling zero, and you're staring at a blurry silhouette in the hallway of Tanglewood Drive. You snap a photo, hoping for that perfect 3-star interaction reward, but honestly, looking at Phasmophobia ghost types pictures in your journal usually leaves you with more questions than answers. Is that a Poltergeist throwing a plate, or just a really moody Goryo that finally decided to show its face? Understanding what you're looking at is the difference between a successful $5,000 payout and a one-way trip to the death room where you're forced to throw tarot cards at your surviving teammates.
Kinetic Games has a way of making every ghost feel like a unique nightmare. But let's be real—visually, most ghosts look the same because they share the same pool of character models. The "type" isn't defined by the skin it wears; it's defined by the behavior captured in those grainy, grey-scale photos. You might see a butcher-knife-wielding child or a crawling, distorted woman, but those are just "ghost models." The real meat of the game is identifying the entity through the evidence they leave behind and the specific ways they interact with the environment.
The Visual Lie: Why Ghost Models Don't Mean Ghost Types
Don't let your eyes trick you. If you see a Banshee model, it doesn't mean it's a Banshee. Any of the 24 ghost types can inhabit any of the available character models. This is a common pitfall for new players who think the "creepy crawling girl" is always a Raiju. Nope. She could be a Spirit. She could be a Demon. She could be a Thaye who's currently having a mid-life crisis and aging rapidly while you hide in a locker.
The only time a visual cue is a dead giveaway for a specific type is with the Phantom and the Oni. If you manage to snap a photo of the ghost during a manifestation and it immediately disappears from view (but the heartbeat continues), you’ve got a Phantom on your hands. In your journal, the photo will be crystal clear with no electronic interference. It’s weirdly clean. Conversely, the Oni is a visual powerhouse. It won't do the "shadow" or "translucent" manifestations as often; it prefers to show up in its full, terrifying glory to drain your sanity faster.
The Goryo and the DOTS Projection
The Goryo is a shy one. Honestly, it’s the introvert of the ghost world. If you're looking for Phasmophobia ghost types pictures that involve DOTS Projector evidence, you have to use a video camera. You will never see a Goryo walking through the DOTS with your naked eye. This is a hard-coded rule. If you see those green silhouettes scurrying across the room while you're standing in it, you can instantly cross Goryo off your list. It's these tiny, visual nuances that actually help you "see" the ghost type before you've even found the third piece of evidence.
Reading the Environment Like a Pro
Sometimes the "picture" you need isn't of the ghost itself. It's the aftermath. Take the Obake, for instance. This shapeshifter is the only ghost in the game that can leave a 6-fingered handprint on a door or light switch. When you’re scanning with the UV light, that extra finger is a "phew" moment because it’s a guaranteed identification. It can also "vanish" fingerprints earlier than other ghosts, making it a nightmare for investigators who aren't fast with their cameras.
Then there's the Twins. They don't give you a unique visual model, but they give you a unique "interaction map." You'll see one ghost interacting with an item in the ghost room, while simultaneously, another interaction happens ten meters away. If you’re quick enough to capture both in photos, or at least witness the double-curve on the Total Activity Monitor back in the van, you've cracked the case. It’s less about the face of the ghost and more about the "footprint" it leaves on the reality of the map.
The Mimic: The Ultimate Troll
The Mimic is the reason veteran players have trust issues. It is the only ghost that provides four pieces of evidence: Spirit Box, Fingerprints, Freezing Temperatures, and Ghost Orbs. But wait—Ghost Orbs aren't official evidence for a Mimic. They are a "fake" secondary characteristic. If you see orbs but the journal says the ghost shouldn't have them, you're looking at a Mimic. It will copy the behavior of any other ghost. One minute it's a slow-moving Deogen, the next it’s a hyper-aggressive Revenant charging at you at Mach 1. Always check for orbs, even if you think you've already found three other pieces of evidence.
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Sanity, Speed, and Survival
Speed is a visual cue people often overlook. If you’re being hunted, the "picture" of the ghost's movement tells you everything.
- Revenant: Terrifyingly slow when it doesn't see you, but the moment it gets a line of sight? It's faster than a pro-sprinter.
- Hantu: Watch the breath. If the breaker is off and the house is cold, you'll see the ghost's frosty breath during a hunt. It also moves significantly faster in cold rooms.
- Deogen: You can't hide. It will always find you. But as it gets closer, it slows down to a literal crawl. If you see a ghost hauling butt toward you only to start walking in slow motion when it reaches your closet, it's a Deo. Just loop it around a table.
Practical Steps for Your Next Hunt
To truly master the identification of ghost types without relying on luck, you need a system. Stop running into the house with a flashlight and a dream.
- The Photo Priority: Always try to get a photo of the ghost during the first manifestation. Even if it's a 1-star photo, check the journal. If there's no "glitch" effect on the photo itself, you’re likely dealing with a Phantom.
- The UV Sweep: Don't just look for prints; count the fingers. An Obake will eventually slip up and show you that sixth digit.
- The Salt Test: If you suspect a Wraith, salt is your best friend. Wraiths are the only ghosts that will never leave a footprint in salt. They might step in it, but they won't leave a trace. If you see a ghost walk through salt and your UV light shows nothing, it's a Wraith.
- Fire and the Onryo: If you're dealing with an Onryo, candles act as a crucifix. If the ghost blows out a candle and immediately tries to hunt (and you prevent it with another candle), you've confirmed the type.
Identifying ghosts in Phasmophobia is a game of contradictions. You're looking for what is there, but you're also looking for what isn't. The pictures in your journal are just one piece of a much larger, much more terrifying puzzle. Next time you're standing in the dark, don't just look at the ghost's face. Look at how it moves, how it reacts to your presence, and how it treats the world around it. That's where the real identification happens.
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Now, grab your gear and get back in there. Those ghosts aren't going to photograph themselves, and that insurance money isn't getting any higher. Stick to the evidence, watch for the "hidden" abilities like the Poltergeist's multi-throw or the Banshee's unique parabolic mic scream, and you'll stop being the person who dies in the first five minutes. Good luck, you're going to need it.