In Phasmophobia's Nightmare mode, ghosts provide two types of obtainable evidence. This significantly increases the challenge of identifying the ghost.
Understanding Evidence in Nightmare Mode
On Nightmare difficulty, the fundamental way ghosts reveal themselves changes dramatically. Unlike standard difficulties where you expect to find three distinct pieces of evidence to pinpoint the ghost type, on Nightmare, each ghost will only present two verifiable types of evidence.
At the start of a contract, the game randomly determines which two types of evidence out of the ghost's standard three will be obtainable. The remaining third type of evidence is then hidden and becomes completely inaccessible and unobtainable for the duration of that investigation. This means you will always be missing one piece of the puzzle when attempting to identify the ghost, forcing you to rely more heavily on deduction, observed ghost behaviors, and unique abilities.
Implications for Gameplay
This reduced evidence count has several key implications for your investigations:
- Increased Difficulty: With one less piece of evidence, identifying the ghost becomes a much more complex process. You can no longer rely solely on evidence to narrow down a single ghost type; instead, you often end up with multiple possibilities that share the two confirmed evidence types.
- Focus on Ghost Behavior: Players must pay closer attention to ghost interactions, unique events (like the Mare's light-breaking ability or the Revenant's speed when hunting), and less obvious cues. Understanding each ghost's specific traits becomes paramount.
- Strategic Deduction: You'll frequently need to use a process of elimination. For example, if you have two pieces of evidence that could belong to a Banshee, a Hantu, or a Yurei, you'll then need to observe their distinct behaviors during hunts or interactions to rule out the incorrect types.
- Higher Risk: The uncertainty inherent in missing evidence means that misidentifications are more common, and surviving hunts requires a deeper understanding of how different ghosts behave during their attacks.
Evidence Comparison Across Difficulties
The table below illustrates the difference in obtainable evidence types across common difficulties:
| Difficulty | Number of Obtainable Evidence Types |
|---|---|
| Amateur | 3 |
| Intermediate | 3 |
| Professional | 3 |
| Nightmare | 2 |
This reduction in evidence is a core mechanic of Nightmare mode, designed to push players' knowledge and investigative skills to their limits.
