Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Capcom revived one of the best Nintendo DS games after 13 years of its release. I speak of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detectivea game that takes advantage of the benefits of the portable console that received great graphic adventures such as the lawyer saga Ace Attorney. Its creator, Shu Takumi, believes that the original version of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective it is complete and needs no adjustments, even claiming that its creation was miraculous.

This remastered version is a second chance for it to get the attention it didn’t get at the time and enjoy it on your favorite platform. The game has some visual tweaks and other extras, but it stays true to the original version. In this review I will tell you about what you will find in this remastering of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective and the reasons why you should play it.

go towards the light

The mystery takes over Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective from the first moment with the death of the protagonist. At that moment we are told that we will take the role of Sissel, a ghost who is unaware of her abilities because when she went to the ghostly plane she lost all her memories and will have to blindly trust a lamp possessed by another spirit. Coming to terms with this reality, Sissel has to learn to master her new powers in order to find the person responsible for her death. The tricky part is that we will have to solve the mystery of our death, find the person responsible and solve other mysteries that hide some secrets. We must solve everything in one night to prevent Sissel from losing her body forever. That’s just the beginning of a film noir-tinged story filled with charismatic characters, highly creative puzzles, and unexpected twists.

“We will take the role of a ghost that does not know its abilities”

If you have played other Shu Takumi titles like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, you know that part of the charm is that the characters hide their true intentions. This mistrust of those around us motivates us to seek clues to find answers, since we are never clear who is on our side. That is the engine that drives us to continue playing until the end.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It is divided into chapters where we will have to meet objectives by solving puzzles that radically change a destination. To achieve this we will have to possess objects and thus move around the entire scene. We can also activate those objects; for example, rolling a tire, turning on a fan or playing a guitar at the right time and moving forward, but in case we don’t succeed, we will have an ace up our sleeve to repeat the level.

Yes, whenever we make a mistake there is the possibility of repeating the level and opting for other alternatives, in addition to the fact that the ghosts have the power to return 4 minutes in the past after a death. This allows Sissel to change the future of characters who are doomed to die. As you can see, death plays an important role in the story, since it is the only way the protagonist can create a bond with other characters.

Although Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It is a graphic adventure, it allows us to interact with the scenario so that we can find possible solutions, but with a time limit. That there is a counter on the screen adds realism and a layer of stress that will force us to think faster. There is always the option to repeat the chapter, but you will have to do it all over again.

In some cases, the answer seems obvious, but in others you will have to test the effects of the objects to connect a series of actions and find the answer. There will also be times when you have to activate an item at the right time or you will miss the opportunity and have to repeat the level. In addition, you can cause the characters to stand up and provide information or make a call that reveals important information.

One detail to consider is that the game’s interface was modified for the new platforms, and although it is easy to select objects with the controller, the 2-screen format of the Nintendo DS is missed. Either way, the gaming experience is good and over time it becomes intuitive.

As I told you at the beginning, this version of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective includes improvements, but the game remains intact. The most drastic change is that the models now look clean and have sharp edges, and the speed of the animations has been increased, so the game feels smoother. This makes everything on screen clearer and better looking, even though it happens at the same rate as always. On the other hand, the image format remains 4:3 with borders to fill the screen. Enjoying the game in full screen would have helped to have more elements or to expand the range of vision of what is happening.

There is a section dedicated to the illustrations, which are our prize for passing each chapter and meeting some objectives; a poor incentive, even if the art of the game is good. The same goes for a music section where you can listen to all the songs in the game in both versions. Finally, there is a section called Ghost Puzzle that you will be able to visit after finishing the game. The mode belongs to the version of mobile devices, and in it you have to solve puzzles; is a fleeting plugin that also rewards you with some illustrations.

A one time trick

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It lasts for 12-14 hours which gives you an experience full of surprises the first time you play it. Afterwards, there will probably be no surprises because it’s a linear game and the only thing you can explore is the main story. Once you finish it, you may never play it again, at least in the short term.

If you played the original and can’t remember the solutions, it’s worth playing again to enjoy the improvements. if you have never played Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, will keep you on the edge of your seat for its plot and its riddles; is an ingenious and unusual game that will amuse you for a few hours.

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