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Thankfully, Willow Street does end up being one of the more straightforward houses to explore in the horror title. Thanks to its more open rooms, players have a lot of room to setup their equipment and cover more ground to spot Evidences left by the Ghost they’re investigating. However, with its open areas leaving the Ghost more room to chase players, just how can a Phasmophobia ghost-hunting team maximize their stay in this location?

13 Willow Street: The Basic Look

At first glance, 13 Willow Street makes for a rather typical small house located in a rather busy suburban area. Compared to other Small Maps in the Phasmophobia horror game, Willow seems much smaller due to its open nature, boasting a rather “straightforward” look compared to other homes that usually have multiple rooms accessible from major corridors. While being more “open” means easier to explore, this also makes it rather dangerous for Hunts, as Ghosts can have an easier time navigating the area. Here are other relevant statistics players may want to know about the map:

Category: Small Floors: 2 Rooms: 7 (1F), 3 (B) Faucets: 1

The Structure: Straightforward Is Key

One of the most notable traits of the Willow Street Map is its straightforwardness, and rather quite literally. Upon entering the house, players can simply walk straight to get to a primary hallway and each the last of the rooms of the house, with same main hallway leading down to a compact basement. In that regard, here are notable locations within Willow Street House that are worth the player’s interest:

1F, Close To The Entrance

1F - Living Room: Directly from the main door is the Living Room, characterized by a central furniture set as well as an entertainment system to the furthest right. There is a small counter beside one of the couches that often has the Car Keys as well as a large television. This television may turn on. 1F - Garage: Accessing the left-side door of the Living Room gives players another nearby door to the left, leading to a sharp left turn and into the main Garage space. To the left of the main space is a workstation where the Breaker or Fuse Box might be. 1F - Garage (Utility): When entering the Garage, directly parallel to the Kitchen door, and at the end of the Garage space, is the Garage (Utility). This is a small storage space with a laundry area. While the Ouija Board and Haunted Mirror are usually here, this doesn’t have a lot of spaces for horror game gore. 1F - Kitchen: Entering from the left-side door of the Living Room is the Kitchen, characterized by a small dining table to the north-west corner and a large kitchen space to the east. There is a long central counter, with the rest of the kitchen appliances laid out on the right side, along the window.

1F, End Of The Hallway

1F - Hallway: Just to the center of the Kitchen is a doorway leading to the Hallway, which in itself is an access point to four areas - the Basement, the Bathroom, the Master Bedroom, and the Boys Bedroom. 1F - Bathroom: Just to the right of the Hallway is the Bathroom, an extremely cramped space with a small bathtub, toilet, and sink. 1F - Master Bedroom: To the left of the end of the Hallway is the Master Bedroom, characterized by a straightforward space with a large bed and a couple of cabinets. 1F - Boys Bedroom: To the right of the end of the Hallway and facing the Master Bedroom is the Boys Bedroom. This space is as large as the former room, but this time characterized by a smaller bed, a primary cabinet, and a beside drawer with a radio, as well as a computer workstation. The radio and computer workstation may be toggled to turn on and off.

Basement Access

B - Basement Hallway: Accessing the main stairs from the Hallway leads into the Basement Hallway, a main hallway with one vertical corridors on each end. While the left end leads into the main staircase, the right end leads to a small space with the Breaker or Fuse Box. The Hallway also passes entrances to the Right and Left Storage Room.

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B - Left Storage Room: This storage space is characterized by some shelves that may block the view of players if they stand the wrong way. B - Right Storage Room: This storage space is much more open compared to its other counterpart, with an entrance that immediately gives players a view of the main corridor leading to the staircase.

Hunting Focus: Items Of Interest In 13 Willow Street

Aside from evidences that lead to Ghosts, players may want to pay close attention to the existence of certain items that may net them extra Money and XP when acquired, photographed, and/or used. These Phasmophobia items appear across all difficulties, and may come in the form of the Bone, or even Cursed Items that can change the dynamic of the entire case. Here are some items of interest:

Bone Spots

Although not necessary a direct evidence that leads to a Ghost type, the Bone remains an essential component for completionists in any Phasmophobia title. When tracked down, photographed, and acquired, the Bone gives extra Money and XP for players. And while the Bone generally spawns in random locations in any map, it favors appearing much closer to the middle of any room. In turn, here are tips players might want to consider when looking for a Bone in Willow:

Open areas are easy access points: If a room has an open area in the middle, it helps to look there immediately as the Bone may sometimes randomly lie there. Check surfaces, containers: If a room has a central container or surface, it’s possible for the Bone to be located there instead of the floor.

Cursed Item Locations

As with all locations in the Phasmophobia horror game, WIllow does have its fair share of “hot spots” for Cursed Items. When used, these items may help players identify the location or get information about the Ghost, or grant them a myriad of effects throughout the match. Here are locations where these items generally spawn:

Tarot Cards: Players may immediately locate the Tarot Cards inside 1F - Living Room, directly on the end table beside the couch. Music Box: The Music Box spawns right beside the front door, on the table to the left of the entrance, in the 1F - Living Room. Voodoo Doll: The Voodoo Doll always spawns in the cabinet inside the 1F - Boys Bedroom, assuming it’s the Cursed Item for the session. Ouija Board: The hot spot for the Ouija Board is almost always the dryer/washing machine in the 1F - Garage. Haunted Mirror: The Haunted Mirror usually appears in a corner of a storage shelf in the 1F - Garage. Summoning Circle: Players can easily spot the Summoning Circle in the Basement Hallway as it’s sprawled in front of the Basement - Right Storage Room.

Investigation Focus: Ideal Equipment Spots In 13 Willow Street

Due to the relatively open nature of Willow street, it’s a relatively easy location for setups. With the right approach to ghost-hunting equipment, teams of Phasmophobia hunters may be able to gather a lot of evidence relatively quickly, especially for parties who want to secure the Ghost types quickly during grinds.

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Setting Up Gear Synergies

Aside from having equipment to set up in Willow, it’s important for players to remember what kind of gear to have on hand to maximize the elements around the map. In that context, here are ideal equipment players should have with them as often as possible:

Camera, EMF Reader, UV Flashlight: When it comes to a contained map such as Willow, this combination is usually a safe bet to catch Ghosts in the act. By the time the EMF Reader catches a reading, a quick scan via the UV Flashlight can reveal any prints players can shoot with their Camera. Camera, Thermometer, Flashlight: Another ideal setup for Willow, whereas the Camera + Flashlight are already staple tools, the Thermometer can easily spot sketchy locations for low temperatures or freezing temperature readings, potentially revealing both the Ghost Room and ideal spots for catching sightings. Lighter, Candle, Ghost Writing Book: By the time players have their equipment set up, having some inkling where the Ghost might be leads to this combination. The Candle is an ideal equipment to provide safe non-electric lighting, and placing it in front of a nearby Video Camera with the Ghost Writing Book below it can possibly hit both an evidence (ghost-writing) and an activity (blowing candle).

Setting Up Detection Equipment

When it comes to setting up detection equipment in Willow Street, the priority here is to cover as much ground as possible in order to capitalize its open rooms. Here are ways to use the equipment in this context:

Prioritize line of sight for the Video Camera (Tripod), DOTS Projector: One of the most integral remote access tools in the game, the Video Camera (Tripod) and DOTS Projector must be placed in angles where line of sight is easily accessed to any player of the co-op horror game. Either side of the doorway leading into the 1F - Kitchen can give a good view of the 1F - Hallway, 1F - Bathroom, and the Basement stairwell. Likewise, the entryway of the 1F - Garage as well as the corner of the Basement Hallway leading into the B - Right Storage Room give decent lines of sight as well. Consider crossroad corners for Motion Sensors, Salt Shakers: Given how Motion Sensors are almost always ideally placed on walls and how Salt Shakers detect footprints, the best positioning for this equipment is likely on walls particularly attached to crossroad corners. These are essentially corners that give the most access to areas in the map. In the case of Willow, such a corner would be the edge of the wall separating the 1F- Kitchen and the 1F - Hallway, or the same corner separating 1F - Hallway and the 1F - Bathroom, as this can pinpoint whether the Ghost is in the vicinity of these locations and give players easy points of escape to avoid gruesome horror game deaths. Separate activity levels per general area with the Sound Sensor: Given the wide range of the Sound Sensor, it’s best used to pinpoint general locations of the Ghost and not specific Ghost Rooms. This is especially since Ghosts roam near their Ghost Room anyway, meaning a Sound Sensor picking up activity in open Willow areas such as the 1F - Hallway or the 1F - Garage can immediately specify the Ghost’s presence.

Setting Up Ghost Defenses

Due to the open nature of Willow, it’s also relatively easy to set up early defenses when it comes to avoiding Ghost Hunts early on. When it comes to setting up Crucifixes and preparing Smudge Sticks, here are ideal strategies on how to put them:

Central positions in wide rooms: Due to the square-ish and enclosed nature of a majority of Willow’s rooms, it makes sense for a Crucifix to be placed in the general central location of these places. With this strategy, Crucifixes have better chances of stopping roaming Ghosts about to start Hunts. Identify high surfaces in corridors: When it comes to emergency items such as Lighters and Smudge Sticks, it may help to place them on high surfaces in corridors. In the instance of Willow, such a location would be the 1F - Hallway which gives easy access to the house’s main bedrooms, the basement, and the kitchen area. In turn, the 1F - Kitchen is also an ideal place to put Smudge Sticks, as the dining table gives easy access to the Garage and the Living Room.

Survival Focus: How To Outlive the Ghost In 13 Willow Street

While a Phasmophobia investigation inside Willow Street is much easier due to its open spaces, it’s when the Ghost decides enough is enough that things get awry. When a Phasmophobia Ghost initiates a Hunt in Willow Street, players are expected to have a much harder time dodging the supernatural due to the many open areas in the location. Thankfully, players may be able to outlive the Ghost by watching out for a few techniques:

Hiding Spots In The House

While WIllow Street in particular doesn’t have any visible hiding spots such as lockers or closets, Willow does have its fair share of unsuspecting Hiding Spots. These come in the form of bulky items or stacked boxes that leave a little bit of concealment when spotted. Depending on the difficulty, a number of these items exist inside the map:

Amateur: 0 Intermedia: 5 or less Professional: 6 or less Nightmare: 7 or less Playing with 3 members: +1 open spot Playing with 4 players: +2 open spots

Get The Loop Around The Garage, Kitchen

One of the best ways players can survive the Ghost is through “looping” it, meaning going around a particular spot at the house throughout the Hunt until it loses steam and quits the pursuit. Thanks to the open nature of Willow, it does facilitate much easier looping opportunities in these zones:

1F - Garage: The pickup is a large enough space for players to move around without being caught immediately by the Ghost. This makes it an ideal looping spot. 1F - Kitchen: The kitchen island inside the Kitchen is a great looping area in Willow, particularly due to its open area and access points leading into the Garage and into the Living Room.

The “Apocalypse” Major Update of Phasmophobia was released last September 27, 2022.

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