The Nintendo DS became the ideal console for graphic stories due to its screens and tactile qualities. Console interaction was snappy and felt like a natural extension of traditional controls, so big franchises like Ace Attorney They amassed a large number of fans. Although the lawyer game became one of the main references of the genre, other interesting proposals came out to make the most of this format.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, directed by Shu Takumi, was a special case because it proposed a different game system, which took advantage of the qualities of a ghost to possess objects. The main plot starts from the death of the protagonist who becomes an incorporeal being with powers beyond this earthly plane. His job is to change destiny using his “tricks”.
This interesting proposal came out 13 years ago exclusively for the Nintendo DS, with a port for iOS that came a little later. After all that time, a remastered version will arrive on June 30 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Before the premiere, we have our impressions of the final version for you. Remember: the demo is already available for you to take a look at.
Feel the object, become the object
The game begins by making us aware of the situation. The main character died, but has not gone to the other world. Rather, he is aware that he was murdered, but he doesn’t remember how it happened or who he is. At that moment, a mysterious voice explains that he is now a ghost, so the good news is that he has not completely disappeared. What’s more, he now has a few tricks up his sleeve that will allow him to turn things around.
To put this to the test, you will have to fully enter a situation that may be related to your death. The still nameless protagonist decides to test his powers and try to save a woman who is being attacked by an armed guy. After the protagonist understands that he can possess objects and try to change things, the mysterious voice tells that ghosts have the ability to go back 4 minutes in time. This is very convenient because it allows us to correct things, in case we have made a mistake.
We will have to analyze the situation and move making a bridge with what appears on the screen. The only rule is that, as a ghost, we cannot possess living things. This keeps us solving timed puzzles while the tension builds. Some puzzles seem obvious, but they are not and there may be factors that are not noticeable at first glance. For example, there was a situation where he had to attract a dog with a donut, but if he didn’t do it correctly, a mouse would arrive and take the sandwich. Since it is key to clearing the level, I had to start over.
The best thing is that something so simple makes you laugh for the absurd or simple. The game may seem very simple, especially when interacting, but the way it takes advantage of humor to keep us entertained is a great success. In short, the puzzles are interesting and very creative to keep us busy for a long time.
In addition to an unusual system, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It has an interesting story that catches you while you play. It is a mixture of film noir with unexplained deaths and Japanese humor that exploits the charisma of its protagonists. Everything, with the intention that we continue until the end to find out what is behind the death that triggers this story.
The 2 levels available in the demo give a good idea of everything that awaits us in the final version. In the first level we must solve a simple riddle that will show us how to move from object to object and the limits of our powers. I have to say that since I played the Nintendo DS version at the time, now I find it a bit strange to get used to the new interface. After a few minutes it was easy to switch from one window to another to use the ghost’s powers.
In this version everything looks better than before. The character models have more detail and the feeling of movement is better. In addition, there are new versions of the songs that make up the original soundtrack. The final version will also have a museum mode and some extras.
It seems that Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective it will be true to its origins and we think it’s a good way to bring the game to more people. While we wait for the game to launch, we leave you with an interview with the original director and those behind the remastered version.
mystery and comedy
Shu Takumi’s games have a mystical and dark atmosphere, similar to that of a film noir film, because detectives and unsolved cases are involved in the plot. It is also common to find charismatic characters and a good sense of humor to mark the contrast. In this regard, the director of the original game told us:
“For me, there are 2 inspirations when creating a story: the surprise of the mystery and the humor of the comedy. I always think about how to surprise the player, how to make him laugh. After creating the plot with that in mind, I select the better backdrop and setting for it. It sounds like this has come to be interpreted as film noir in this case, and I’m glad to hear that interpretation. What the player experiences and feels can be different from the creator’s intent. I always like to hear what that players feel when playing our games.”
Another recurring theme is ghosts and the paranormal. in the series Ace Attorney, mediums are an important element in the story. In the case of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, we take the role of a ghost that can possess objects. Is it mere coincidence? Shu Takumi answers us:
“You may not believe me, but it’s a complete coincidence that the subject of ghosts came up so much in Ace Attorney like in Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. My goal is to create new mysteries and surprises, so I often mix realistic rules (like forensics) with elements that aren’t. Therefore, in Ace Attorney and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective I ended up using mediums and powers of the dead. By the way, I don’t believe in ghosts. If I believed in them, I’d be too scared to play games with ghosts.”
Because it is a remastered version, there are aesthetic improvements, but the essence of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective remains intact. The game came out more than 10 years ago and due to the limitations of that time, it is likely that some ideas have been left out. On this, Shu Takumi confessed that the game does not need to change or improve any aspect:
“As the creator of the original game, I think Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective it’s fully complete, and there’s nothing I wanted to do or couldn’t implement. Although in a way, it’s kind of a miracle to me that we were able to make the game as good as we did then.”
Although this version maintains the structure of the game, some adjustments were necessary to carry over the 2-screen format to the new platforms. Atsushi Maruyama, director of this new version, told us what was the biggest challenge when implementing these changes:
“The biggest challenge was adjusting the UI of the game. In this game it is very important where and how the information is displayed. During the game this has a big impact on the gameplay. Our team worked hard to optimize the interface. Inside Therefore, a particularly difficult element was to display the information related to the actions of the “trick”. It is very important to be clear about the possibilities after owning an object, and what you can do with it. We approached the design from the player’s point of view to create the new interface”
For many, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It’s a cult game that didn’t get the attention it deserved. It is an unconventional game that shines for its originality and because it tells a unique story that Capcom decided to give another chance. Shingo Izumi, producer of this version, told us about the negotiations for the launch of the port on new platforms.
“Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective It is a title that many have requested, and many of those who have played it rate it highly. We wanted to give a chance to those who have not been able to play it in these 13 years and that was the reason why we decided to reissue it. That’s why we’re rolling it out on multiple platforms and adding more Asian languages. We believe it continues to have universal appeal, regardless of age, country, or the hardware it’s played on. We always discussed the possibility of reissuing a game, but in this case it was a simple decision that we all agreed on.”
Is it likely that we will see a sequel to Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective? The producer added:
“Right now we are dedicating everything we have to deliver Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective to as many players as possible, so we haven’t had time to think about what to do next. I hope that the number of people who play Ghost Trick: Panthom Detective be big enough that we can consider doing a sequel in the future.”
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