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GHOST TRICK: PHANTOM DETECTIVE (DS)
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Publisher: Capcom.
Developer: Capcom. Released: January 2011 (Europe). Genre: Puzzle; Investigation. Posted 10th September 2024. By Shane Battams © 2024 |
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After directing a successful trilogy of Ace Attorney games, Shu Takumi looked to branch away from the series despite Capcom seeing potential in further sequels. While attempting a new IP, he hoped to craft a mystery in a similar style to his aforementioned series, and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective would be the result. An oddball adventure involving ghostly possession, puzzling and a story with ever-increasing twists, it proves another stellar title from the famed director. Ingenious design, memorable characters and a strong style ensure this Nintendo DS title is one worth seeking out.
Sissel is in a bit of a predicament: not only has he lost all memories of his past and what even led him to this moment in time, but to rub salt into the wound, he’s also deceased. However, the sunglasses-clad ghost discovers he has some ghostly tricks up his sleeve, including possession, a ghost world to navigate and time control. Using his newfound power, Sissel must unravel his mysterious past while aiding possible leads and preventing their demise. It’s such a novel setup, perfectly paced with key revelations ending each chapter like a weekly television show leaving you wanting more. As mysteries begin to pile upon one another, the balancing act remains engrossing. Seeing these weave together as you reach the end is so satisfying, and twists feel shocking yet make narrative sense. It helps that characters are incredibly memorable, be it the litany of companions you meet or background players. Detective Lynne, who has a knack for dying in ever-grander ways each time, is fiery yet good-hearted and never becomes a trope. Dancing detective Cabanela steals almost any scene he is in with his cool dialogue and smooth moves. Even those who aren’t in the story for long, such as a pair of squabbling prison guards, linger long in memory.
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You must use the scenery in creative ways to influence the behaviour of the game's various 'living' characters
Ghost Trick is also a treat on the senses, delivering distinctive visuals and outstanding auditory accompaniment. The rotoscope-esque 3D looks delightful, smoothly animated and vibrant with colour. Scenes always look sharp, whether it’s a moment of calm or a violent death. Part of why Cabanela steals the show is his expressive, eye-catching animations when dancing. On the 2D side, stills accompanying dialogue look fantastic, with Sissel’s expressive reactions stirring a chuckle. Although there’s no voicework, the dialogue is snappy and genuinely funny, with some great puns in particular. The music, much like Ace Attorney prior, is outstanding. From the unsettling, bass-driven prologue, to the funky Ghost Trick track and memorable character themes, it’s all fantastic. It makes great use of sound cues, deployed to indicate moments of revelation, success and transition between time periods.
While everything above is excellent, it’s the ingenious gameplay that holds it all together. Divided into 18 chapters, each usually has you solving some kind of conundrum using Sissel’s powers. Despite lacking a human form, you can swap between the real world and a ghost realm of sorts, the latter indicated by a striking red overlay and glowing cores on objects. You can possess objects which can be used both as a means of travelling across the area or, by using the trick button, triggering something like a gate rising. The touchscreen controls feel natural for executing this, while the top screen informs you of potential actions you can utilise. Meanwhile, a dead body can be interacted with to rewind time four minutes before the individual’s demise, and thus you must utilise your tricks to prevent the death from happening. Sissel also gains a mode of travel via telephones, where tracing a phone call allows you to jump to the location on the other end.
While everything above is excellent, it’s the ingenious gameplay that holds it all together. Divided into 18 chapters, each usually has you solving some kind of conundrum using Sissel’s powers. Despite lacking a human form, you can swap between the real world and a ghost realm of sorts, the latter indicated by a striking red overlay and glowing cores on objects. You can possess objects which can be used both as a means of travelling across the area or, by using the trick button, triggering something like a gate rising. The touchscreen controls feel natural for executing this, while the top screen informs you of potential actions you can utilise. Meanwhile, a dead body can be interacted with to rewind time four minutes before the individual’s demise, and thus you must utilise your tricks to prevent the death from happening. Sissel also gains a mode of travel via telephones, where tracing a phone call allows you to jump to the location on the other end.
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These mechanics allow for seriously inventive puzzling. There’s a great learning curve as more straightforward puzzles eventually give way to complex, almost Rube Goldberg-esque solutions that are insanely satisfying to achieve. Some deaths will have you jumping between multiple locations and times as you jump between different bodies. Just when you wrap your head around Sissel’s powers, you eventually gain access to another soul which adds a new mechanic in the form of swapping objects, making things even more outlandish. Some situations are perhaps frustrating, such as trying to escort a character with detection causing instant failure, but patience yields success eventually. Little tips from Sissel and other characters can help stave off frustration and it takes so little time to restart a run that it never grates, with the occurrence of checkpoints after slightly altering someone’s fate helping too. Ghost Trick is certainly story-heavy, but the gameplay packs serious weight too.
The only letdown, perhaps a consequence of both being a puzzler and a mystery, is a lack of replay value. Granted, it’s quite lengthy for the genre with a good 12 hours required to see it through to the credits, and even then, it never feels bloated or stretched out. However, there’s nothing in the way of unlockables outside of a database, which lets you review every character and location. Something else to unlock, maybe a new mode or two, might have been beneficial, as knowing the puzzle solutions and story revelations doesn’t incentivise a return visit.
The only letdown, perhaps a consequence of both being a puzzler and a mystery, is a lack of replay value. Granted, it’s quite lengthy for the genre with a good 12 hours required to see it through to the credits, and even then, it never feels bloated or stretched out. However, there’s nothing in the way of unlockables outside of a database, which lets you review every character and location. Something else to unlock, maybe a new mode or two, might have been beneficial, as knowing the puzzle solutions and story revelations doesn’t incentivise a return visit.
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Cause-and-effect is a big part of Ghost Trick, which delights in convoluted, ingenious layouts
This aside, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a stellar experience well worth tracking down. Everything comes together so well: watching the impact of your actions with beautifully crafted visuals and excellent music accompaniment just feels immensely gratifying. Gorgeously presented, narratively excellent and with gameplay that fits the dual-screen handheld like a glove, it marked another quality addition from Capcom and Shu Takumi. While some might be put off by lengthy dialogues and a lack of replay value, anyone else with a vague interest in puzzling or adventure games should seek this one out sharpish.
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VERDICT
"Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective offers a gorgeous presentation, excellent narrative and delightful puzzling, making it a must-play for the DS." OVERALL: 9/10 |
OTHER GAMES WHERE THE PLAYER WAS DEAD REVIEWED
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1997, PC)
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Murdered: Soul Suspect (2014, PlayStation 4)
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