Capcom is no stranger to intricate and thrilling mystery games. The Phoenix Wright Series is proof of that. But there is another mystery game that not everyone may have heard of. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was recently re-released for modern consoles and tells a compelling story, that many will certainly enjoy.
Sissel is a man who’s out of luck as it were. He wakes up to find that he’s dead, and can’t seem to do much about it. But fate has other plans in store and our hero, now has ghost powers, or he can do Ghost Tricks. His power revolves around moving inanimate objects.
The opening tutorial is pretty good as it shows off everything Sissel needs to know. He meets Ray, a ghost in a lamp and learns how he will need to save the day. He even manages to save someone’s life and she’s more important to his quest than he initially knows.
He can turn things on, roll things, and do a bunch of other actions. It all depends on the object and the puzzle. Every level has its own vibe and they take place in a variety of settings. It’s always interesting to see where the game will take the player next. Each level feels lived in, as if people inhabit them daily and that’s powerful.
He can’t take over humans though, but he can talk to the recently deceased. Sissel jumps into the mind of someone who is murdered. He has four minutes to solve the crime, but the player can do this as many times as necessary. Sometimes it’s good to let things play out and see how your changes affect things before moving on.
Sissel has to cover a lot of ground, but he isn’t alone. He manages to make friends, with a talking lamp, a young detective, and even a lovable canine. Sissel and his cohorts might not always be together, but knowing they are out there helps. See Sissel only has till dawn to find the truth of his death, and he’s not wasting any time.
Sissel can use phones to travel to all the locations in the game. It’s really quite cool, but also shows how old the game is. When it came out it obviously was commonplace to use actual phone lines, so it’s cool to see these old phones in their heyday. I wonder how a sequel would use modern cell phones.
The characters in the game also make it all the more interesting. Sissel meets a variety of characters from detectives, a small dog, and other weirdos. Lynne is his sidekick of sorts and is quite helpful. Missile the dog is a hilarious addition to the cast.
Lynne is a plucky young detective who wants nothing more than to be the greatest detective she can be. She meets Sissel early in the game and becomes nearly inseparable. As she goes about her night Sissel manages to be in her presence. Her boss is a weird dancing fool, who doesn’t seem to have much going on, but he also becomes rather important. There’s a feuding married couple, with a sick daughter who just wants her poppa too. Everyone is linked together by something, and it’s cool to see how the characters connect.
There are also some interesting villains in the game. They all generally have blue skin which is interesting. Obviously, not all villains have blue skin but the real bad ones do, and as it plays out they all get their just desserts.
The game takes place over 16 chapters, and the puzzles do genuinely get more interesting as the game progresses. By the end, I definitely felt like I accomplished something, and it felt great. The game is a fantastic thing, unlike other games, and I’d honestly love a sequel.
The story of this game is amazing, and it wraps up in a way that while yes conclusive, also has room to continue. It’s clearly one of those scenarios where the developer is releasing the game again to check for interest and I really hope it is a success.
The music is so good too, the characters each have their own theme song. Some are better than others but none of the songs are bad. It’s great when games go above and beyond in the music department and this game is one of them. Missile’s theme is quite good, and it stands out in my mind.
The game also has extra features and achievements. Players gain achievements for completing each chapter and doing puzzles in certain ways. Some are quite tricky to obtain and that’s a good thing. The game isn’t terribly long, so it’s good to round it out.
There is also a music player, where the remixed music and the classic music of the DS entry are playable. There’s plenty of concept art to pore over. Plus there are even puzzles to complete, yes they may be slide puzzles but honestly, in a game, they feel more rewarding to complete I think.
The music is great to listen to, and I can appreciate both styles of the songs. I think it’s cool when games delve into the history of their creation. When they pull back the curtain to show off what made them great. It’s a wonderful thing and more remasters at least should show more from behind the scenes.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective might not be for everyone but it’s a game that anyone who decides to play it will enjoy it. It’s a thrilling story and one that deserves to be played. The characters are wild, the gameplay is fun, and honestly, a sequel could be in the works. Will the player help our hero figure out why he died?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
