Ghost Cleaner

I've spent enough time with small, quietly released puzzle games to know that the ones nobody talks about can surprise you, and Ghost Cleaner surprised me - modestly, honestly, and with a few irritating caveats I won't bury. At its core this is a physics-based arcade-puzzler where you fire a ball from a gun to clear pink pegs and bricks from each stage. If that setup sounds familiar, it should: the immediate comparison is Peggle, though the chain-reaction mechanics here lean a little closer to precision marble-drop territory than pure pachinko chaos. The first handful of levels coast by on pure instinct, but the layout design does tighten up as you progress, pushing you to consider angles and shot sequencing rather than just firing and hoping. The 100-level count is the headline number, and the variety across those stages is real enough to hold attention for a sitting or two. Different peg configurations, grey obstacle pegs that block your path, and stage geometry that forces you to bank shots rather than go direct - the puzzle layer is thin but present. There are 11 Steam achievements to chase if that kind of gentle completionism appeals to you, and the level-rating system rewards clean, precise runs with stars, though players have noted a glitch where clearing every peg can still fail to register a perfect score. That bug, still apparently unfixed, is the clearest signal that LookAtMyGame moved on from this one not long after launch. The developer has been absent from the forums since close to release, and there is no record of meaningful post-launch patches. The presentation is lighthearted and unpretentious. The ghost-hunting story frame is thin to the point of being decorative, and one reviewer called it "horribly unengaging" - that is fair, but it also barely matters because Ghost Cleaner is really just about the satisfying thunk of a ball clearing a tight cluster of pegs. The sound and visual design are functional rather than crafted: no atmosphere to speak of, no soundtrack that lingers. For a game so rooted in tactile repetition, a more considered soundscape would have elevated the whole thing considerably. Instead, what you get is clean, workmanlike presentation that stays out of its own way. Who is this for? Honestly: someone who wants a short, low-pressure puzzle session and has no interest in Peggle's price tag or cheerful excess. The physics do their job, the level design has occasional bright spots, and the loop is undeniably satisfying in small doses. But the lack of ongoing support, a confirmed ball-trapping bug that can softlock a level and force a hard quit, and zero post-launch development make this feel like finished-and-forgotten work. The community sentiment sits at a mixed 62 percent positive on Steam from a very small review pool - not condemned, not celebrated, just quietly existing. Go in with calibrated expectations and you will likely extract an evening or two of honest, unpretentious fun from it.

Kai · Scout Team

Indie & narrative

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