There have been a few copies since Phasmophobia swept the independent game community with its cooperative ghost hunting features. Certain titles, such as Ghost Exile and Demonologist, have included their own unique twist while maintaining the fundamentals of developer Kinetic Games' model. Something along these lines may even be found in items like Lethal Company. However, Mirowin's Bureau of Contacts is attempting a little more sophisticated approach.
Taking inspiration from titles such as Phasmo, Bureau of Contacts seems to be a horror game for up to four players that involves ghost hunting. Its main selling point, however, is that it aims to heighten the fright with clever, dynamically frightening happenings. The website claims that "generative AI technologies" are used to do this, and the studio brags that it has "trained a neural network to kill."
According to the studio's description on the Steam website, this neural network can manage each ghost's "behavior and tactics," which vary based on what the players do. It is also said to be able to hear your voice and modify its behavior in response to your words.
After such a sales spiel, how could I not install it?
Contacts Bureau?
More akin to a "bureau of crap-pants"If you are acquainted with Phasmophobia, you are already aware of how this will go. After entering a haunted place, players must find and identify the kind of ghost that is lingering there using a variety of instruments at their disposal. Like previous ghost hunting games, Bureau of Contacts has various adjustments that do make it a little more sophisticated.
For instance, this game is a bit more subtle than others, even if you may determine the location of paranormal activity based on temperature readings. There is a chance that the temperature may increase, decrease, or even fluctuate. In the same way as the EMP reader. You have to really choose the kind of sound the gadget is making; it's not simply a one-time fix.
Even though it's still in the early stages of development, it looks fantastic at the moment. Sufficiently atmospheric and eerie. But it's this neural network's interpretation of fear that really makes the game shine. Given that Mirowin is pushing the notion that this is the most "human-like intelligence," it may be the first of its type in the game business.
Unpredictability undoubtedly contributes to a significant rise in strain. It makes sense that you can never be completely certain of what is ahead if spirits may alter their conduct at will in response to what is discovered during investigations. This is shown in the video below. Similar voice-activated scares are seen in phobias, but they are allegedly more advanced.
Indeed, while our stay at the Bureau of Contacts was brief, it was very intensive. Even though there is just one map available at the moment (it is currently in Early Access), it is large enough to provide plenty of gameplay opportunities.
Regarding the scares themselves, it seems there is merit to having a very sophisticated algorithm act as the director and choose when and how to assault players. We heard a lot of strange noises, including footsteps rushing, people being pushed down by unseen people, and actual traps being set.
It's difficult to determine how much of what we saw was prearranged or simply background noise. As long as we were in the home, it seemed like we were never really protected. There must be some chance for a really terrifying encounter if computerized ghosts who follow our every move and listen to our words are being controlled by a neural network.
To be honest, I don't think we can fully understand what the Bureau of Contacts is attempting to do just now. Although it's still in the early stages of development, it is reasonably priced. Out of the few hundred reviews the game has received on Steam, many are positive about what they've played so far; one reviewer even said they "nearly pissed" themselves four times. I'm probably more conventional when it comes to humiliating anecdotes, so it's not something I would easily confess to in a public setting.
The game was released on June 20 and hasn't been around for long. A instructional component was added lately via an upgrade. Even if you are acquainted with prior releases in this genre, it's still important to study via these portions if you want to fully grasp the fundamentals.
This is one to be cautious with. The negative effects of this include people's perceptions of generative AI games. Naturally, everyone has an opinion, and many are concerned that it may mean the end of human involvement in the creative sectors.
However, it seems like Mirowin is primarily interested in deploying AI and neural networks as scare tactics in this instance. You have to choose if you believe this is a step toward generative artificial intelligence taking over video games and other media, or whether you think it may be useful. Is it "useful" to frighten gamers to near death? Time will tell.