Bureau of Contacts brings generative AI to your ghost-hunting

Ghost hunting is definitely a trend in gaming currently. With the rise of Phasomophobia and Demonologist, co-op games that let players group up and hunt spirits has become quite the craze. Bureau of Contacts is the latest whirl of the Ouija board in this emerging genre. Team up with friends and get ghost-hunting. Take a peep at the developers playing the game below!

I had the opportunity to play Bureau of Contacts, and at first, I couldn’t help but approach it as I would Phasmophobia. However, as I let the game unfold, I was pleasantly surprised by the unique take on the ghost-hunting genre. While it still shows some similarities to other games, Bureau of Contacts strives to offer players something slightly different. The game’s maps were also quite rewarding to search. Exploring locations like the ‘House on the Hill’ and the ‘Hospital’ map makes it evident that the developers are committed to providing a spooky experience that will eventually succeed in frightening players.

Put simply, this isn’t just a clone of Phasmophobia, though it definitely fits the same genre. Bureau of Contacts pits players against a trained generative AI. As players investigate, the ghost’s AI watches, listens and even communicates with the player. Figuring out what the ghost is is also harder as many of the different types share behaviours. Once players figure out what the spirit is, they can use the details they have learned to perform the exorcism.

In Bureau of Contacts, players venture to haunting locations where they are at odds with the ghosts… and the locations they haunt. Using a variety of ghost-hunting gadgetry synonymous with the genre, players work as agents of the paranormal bureau. Tasked with diagnosing and performing exorcisms of ghostly forces, agents can work solo or play with up to 4 friends.

Playing against an AI that learns from you is what makes this ghost-hunting game tick. One of the obvious standout features of Bureau of Contacts is the absence of any limits on interactions with the ghost. The AI can engage in endless dialogue, making the ghost feel like a real, sentient being. This interaction adds a layer of immersion and tension, as players never know how the ghost will react next. While players investigate, they are at the whim of the ghost hunting them as it learns about them.  The game is currently still in early access so it’s still got a ways to go and some polishing to undergo but the spook is certainly there.

While I could only play it solo, I still enjoyed the gameplay, though with mates it would definitely be much easier to work together to banish the AI-powered ghost haunting the level. Much of my time was spent being chased or searching quietly through the areas for any clues. Like Phasmpobia, it feels much like you’re in an episode of Scooby Doo.

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I also want to mention that there were moments in the game when certain artwork had a sheen that made it look like it was created using AI. I hope this is just a placeholder for the early access version because some of it really detracts from the game and takes away from the experience. Given that the game boasts ghosts you can communicate with, it seems like a shortfall to not back that up with art that feels true to the game style.

With the recent addition of the new Hospital map, it’s clear that the developers have a plan for adding more content to the game. This is exciting for a horror game because it will increase the variety of locations for players to explore and encounter the ghost AI. I hope the developers continue to expand the game in this way. More content and quality-of-life updates will see this game rise up to rival others in the genre. The developers have stated they do plan on adding more ways for players to customise their agents, including a reward system and unlockable achievements.

I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on this one to see how they continue to develop the game. It’s a promising launch into early access with lots of potential for what could come out of the Bureau of Contacts.

Bureau of Contacts is out now in early access on Steam