Ghostlore is an Action RPG game developed by Singaporean studio AT-AT Games, described by creator Andrew Teo as an "Eastpunk", heavily inspired by Southeast-Asian folklore and probably the first of it's genre, as well as old-school ARPGs (with Teo citing Titan Quest and Diablo as main influences, visible in aesthetics and gameplay).
In an alternate version of Singapore in the 90s, assorted undead and supernatural monsters roams the land after dusk, and it's up to the Ghosthunters to prevent their invasion into the populace. But when the Ghosthunters' leader - simply called the Master Ghosthunter - gets abducted during a hunt, it's up to the Master's apperantice - YOU - to locate him by exploring a series of haunted islands surrounding the Singaporean mainland.
Welcome to the haunted part of Singapore.
- Asian Lion Dogs: Kenchanaraya Ruins contain numerous Chinese stone lions, but because of the area's supernatural activity the lions immediately animates into living statues and attacks you.
- Bat People: Ahools are flying humanoid enemies with bat-like wings.
- Battle Amongst the Flames: The first stage is set in a farm already on fire the moment you arrive, and you do battle against the supernatural between the inferno.
- Big Red Devil: Hantu Rayas are humungous, pot-bellied horned demons on large hooves, and claws you apart on sight. They fulfill every aspect of the trope... save for the part where they're black.
- Character Customization: The game begins with you deciding your character's name, class (Geomancer, Exorcist, etc), default equipment, and even hairstyle.
- Chinese Vampire: Unsurprising given that the game is from Singapore, Jiang-shis appears as recurring enemies. The first type in early levels looks more like contemporary Western zombies, but later stages they'll appear in classic Manchurian-style robes.
- Creator Provincialism: It's a Singaporean game, so no points for guessing where all the action is set. There's also a number of references to real-life Singaporean locations, like a Merlion statue in the town square (albeit smaller than its real-life counterpart), the streets resembling those in Sentosa Island's colonial period and the Ghosthunter HQ containing a central indoor waterfall similar to the one in Changi Airport.
- Creepy Cemetery: Pulau Kubur is a stage set in one. It in fact translates into "Graveyard Island" in the Indonesian / Malay language.
- Enemy Summoner: Mogui Summoner can cast spells that teleports lesser spirits and undead as backup, and occasionally send projectiles if you're close enough.
- Excuse Plot: You hunt the supernatural for a living, and each level simply sees you moving around and destroying enemies until there's nothing left to vanquish. There is a flimsy backstory about some rescue mission that passes off as a plot, but it has barely any relevance to gameplay.
- Eyepatch of Power: The elderly Master Ghosthunter has one over his left eye, which is more obvious in cutscenes. Befitting a seasoned slayer of the paranormal who had seen plenty of action.
- Fiery Salamander: Fire-breathing salamanders appears in the swamp level, being among few Western-based cryptids enemies.
- Flying Face: In a game based on South-East Asian myths, you wouldn't expect the developers to miss out the iconic "penanggalan
" flying head cryptid, right? They can shoot acidic liquid from the bunch of intestines dangling below their necks for good measure. - Foul Flower: The first boss is a possessed Rafflesia flower who repeatedly release bouncing poisonous spores from its roots at your direction. It's a Stationary Boss that's hardly a challenge to defeat, expectedly.
- Full-Boar Action: The "Babi Ngepet" is a demon materializing as horned boars who tries goring you up close. They're based on an obscure Indonesian cryptid of the same name.
- Healing Potion: One of the many items you can obtain for regaining health.
- Hunter of Monsters: The Ghosthunters are an elite supernatural-slaying unit tasked with protecting Singapore from the forces of the underworld. Your character is a novice member tasked with seeking the lost Master Ghosthunter.
- Magic Knight: Part of a requirement as a Ghosthunter - you need to be as good at casting spells, as you are at kicking ass.
- Night of the Living Mooks: Every single stage is set either in graveyards, mausoleums, haunted temples or areas infested with undead and the supernatural. They range from common zombies to jiangshis and toyols, and even lesser-known creatures from South-East Asian legends like the Pocong, Hantu Raya, and Kwee-kias.
- Our Wights Are Different: The Jenglot enemies are Indonesian wights, depicted as skeletal figures with long, shaggy hair and gigantic claws. One of the many monsters based on obscure South-East Asian myths.
- Paper Talisman: Your ranged projectiles takes the form of paper Taoist talismans, which deals damage to the supernatural.
- Playing with Fire: Fire spells are among the early projectile spells granted to Ghosthunters, and there are Preta (hungry ghost) enemies who can somehow breath fire.
- Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl: Pontianak enemies (Malaysian vampire-women) are depicted in this manner. Like in South-East Asian folklore, they're spawned from banana trees.
- Summon Magic: You can summon spirits to attack enemies for you, and they mostly manifest as animals, either in the form of crows or leopards. They're immune the entire time, can by summoned in large numbers (as long as you have crow / leopard tokens) and makes short work of the undead.
- Swamps Are Evil: The last part of Pulau Pasir Puaka is a haunted swamp covered by a Mysterious Mist, and it's filled with dangerous supernatural enemies.
- Treants: The Hantu Tinggi boss, oddly enough, is depicted as a giant tree-humanoid. It shares a name with a demon from Malaysian myths, but it's mythological counterpart isn't based on plants.
- Undead Child: The "Toyol / kwee-kia", or Ghost Kids, are restless souls of children. There's also the "Jenglot" from Indonesian myths.
- When Trees Attack: The Pontianak Tree, who serves as the second boss, can attack on its own besides spawning lesser pontianak enemies. There's also regular banana trees that gains snetience thanks to being posessed by pontianaks just like in the Malaysian myths.
