Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a true classic, a sheer combined effort of creativity and storytelling that affectionately remains underrated, no matter how much acclaim it deservingly earned as it released for Nintendo DS back in 2010. Capcom took a gamble and seemingly it paid off, at least in terms of artistic achievement and pure gameplay entertainment, an experience that is hard to explain but extremely easy to enjoy. So, it’s with some amazement but also with open arms that we welcome this game on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, in a visually improved version that makes the stunning characters more alive than ever, and the story even more enjoyable, despite some shortcomings.

Supernatural Detectives

Ghost Trick’s concept is unique, but the thoughtfulness placed into the narrative is almost unrivalled, a true tale of twists, excitement, comedy, thrills, tenderness, and everything else you can think of. It will take you through all the motions, introducing new characters at every opportunity but giving them a purpose, an identity, even if their screen time may sometimes be brief. Lynne, a redhaired girl, is an easily excitable and curious wannabe detective, and Missile is the most adorable, kind, and devoted Pomeranian in the whole world, willing to give his life for her owner. However, there are many more like these, and you will find many favorites throughout the adventure.

The mystery sets off right from the very beginning, as this still mysterious redhaired girl is about to be murdered, and we discover our supernatural powers allowing us to manipulate physical objects in the real world. Our character is dead, you see, but not gone forever, being capable of navigating the environment by jumping from one item to the next if the distance is short. You can also use certain items to create chain reactions to startle the living, unaware that there is someone doing things from the other side.

There’s always a goal in mind, hinted at by the characters or by our partners in otherworldly problem solving, and this sometimes requires you to move from one location to another. This can be done via telephone lines, our only way to reach other places and uncover the extraordinary, even complex – plot.

Occasionally you’ll have the opportunity to rewind time four minutes prior to the death of someone, in a desperate attempt to save them. These sections are thrilling, with the rush of discovering the even more elaborate set pieces before time runs out, and the joy of finally deconstructing the chain of events that ends with the person or animal being saved. Timing is of the issue, as your soul travels along with objects, either by their own movement (such as opening a door or making a note fall down) or by taking advantage of humans walking around (taking a ride on a food cart or a billystick).

Miss the perfect timing, and unless the section allows you to make ammends, the current run is lost, and you must restart it. That’s one of the things that may frustrate some players, as Ghost Trick is as much about creativity and planning ahead as it is about trial and error – witnessing the routines of each character, the items being thrown around, how some mechanisms work, and making the best of the whole system. It’s incredibly rewarding, and a fantastic feeling when you discover the path to progress.

From Handheld to the Big Screen

Ghost Trick is also renowned for the visual attention to detail. Capcom really excelled here, with characters that walk with differentiated styles, interact with everything around them with intricate movements, each animation comprised of countless frames that just hit you by their silky-smooth transitions.

The PC version we reviewed makes the whole world look a million times better, with crispy clean graphics and details everywhere. Character design is even more gorgeous, now devoid of the jagged edges that plagued the Nintendo DS version, with improved frame rates and their uniqueness screaming at you, from the protagonists to the less significant characters. Being heavily story-based, Ghost Trick has several cutscenes playing out, and each one is an opportunity to enjoy the work that has gone into it.

But the downside is that Capcom forgot something in this revamp that is impossible to ignore – the game preserves the 4:3 display format that originated from the DS version. You will see borders on each side of the screen filling up the remaining space, making the gameplay area disappointingly smaller, while also ruining part of the potential for this game to be elected as one of the most charismatic and cute cartoon adventures ever created. Sure, it’s still fantastic, and you can select from a few borders with patterns if your heart desires, but this aspect alone felt like a letdown in face of the game’s graphical achievements.

The accurate stylus commands from the DS are flawlessly replaced by gamepad controls, keeping the adventure intuitive and to the point, a requirement due to the pin-point precision that some sections demand.

All things considered, even after more than a decade, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective remains a gem that can’t be missed, and that’s a true testament to its long-lasting quality. With brilliant design, improved visuals that are remarkably smooth and pleasant to watch, a challenging adventure, and a story that has more nuances than you could ever expect during its 10-hour duration, this is a unique game that delivers so many thrills, so many funny moments, that you won’t regret a single minute invested in it.

Score: 9/10

Pros:

• An incredibly complex and fun story
• The upgraded visuals are even more amazing than before
• Fantastic character design and animation
• Original and challenging gameplay

Cons:

• Screen display locked at 4:3
• Some frustrating areas where trial and error becomes too common

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.