Although cloaked in a horror game's packaging, Haunting Ground is really about walking, with brief, intermittent bouts of running. Sure, the activity occurs in and around the confines of a creepy castle, but it still boils down to plain old walking. At the start of the game, a buxom (of course) young lady named Fiona wakes up naked (of course) in a castle. She slowly remembers being in a car accident with her parents, who apparently didn't survive. The unfolding story confuses more than it clarifies, as evildoers conspire to keep Fiona in the castle. As Fiona, you quickly hook up with a sidekick dog named Hewie, who helps fend off villains, retrieves clues, and keeps you company. Hewie adds another dimension to the game, as you can guide him with basic commands. He proves invaluable when various creeps chase and attack Fiona, who survives mostly by hiding.
Haunting Ground moves at the speed of Fiona's discovery, so it can be maddeningly tedious. It seems to go on forever; just when you think you're nearly done, there's a whole new world waiting between Fiona and freedom. It's easy to get stuck, and often necessary to go to the Internet for help. As far as horror games go, Haunting Ground qualifies as "spooktacular," maybe even "scarifying," so the "M" rating seems unnecessary. It's more creepy than scary, but the creepiness wears off once the seemingly aimless wandering begins.