What is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective? – Answered

A couple of months ago, Nintendo Direct released tons of news about remakes coming within the year, one of which being Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. Since then, I’ve dusted off the old DS card I still owned, replayed the game, and followed the news religiously while waiting for the new version to release. However, if you’re new to the franchise, you may be wondering what it’s all about. Continue reading to learn about Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective.

What is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective and Why Do You Need to Play It?

If you don’t know what Ghost Trick is – Fair, all is fair. But I do recommend that you take a look into the game and its remake, because it is absolutely fantastic. Ghost Trick is an adventure game written by the same writer who is behind another one of my favorite games, Ace Attorney. The Ace Attorney franchise, series, and spin-offs are just as amazing, I can assure you and highly recommend that if you enjoy Ghost Trick, hit up Ace Attorney afterward. But for now, refocusing on Ghost Trick.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective focuses its story on a recently deceased spirit we come to know as Sissel, and it is through his journey that we must discover the overall mystery of who killed them. Through the use of the powers of the dead, players are able to use Sissel’s special abilities by manipulating objects to solve stage puzzles, taking advantage of both the passage of time to complete their objective. Since manipulating objects isn’t the only power that Sissel discovers he has, it turns out that he’s also able to reverse time. One of the many tricks you’ll discover in this game is that Sissel is able to reverse time for four minutes before a person’s death, and you’ll need to utilize your puzzle-solving skills to save that person before they end up kicking the bucket again in one comical manner or another. 

Another charming feature that you can look forward to in Ghost Trick is the characters, my gosh, I love every one of these characters. Except for Cabanela, but I love to hate on that guy. Takumi has mastered the art of writing good personable characters that have depth and realism. They are funny, cute, motivated, and not without purpose—each character in this game is so very important to the narrative. Something I’d dare to say isn’t always followed up on in current games as of late. Sissel is working on reclaiming his identity, Lynne is out doing her detective thing in the name of justice, and Missile is hands-down the best dog in any universe, I’ll stake my name and credit on it. 

Between the puzzles and the well-written characters, I can almost guarantee that if you love adventure games, you are going to love Ghost Trick. Regardless of whichever one you play, the old or the new one— though the Remake is going to be a lot easier to get! This game was so underrated for its time, and it’s an absolute miracle that it is reappearing now at a time when graphics and games are steadily improving. 

If you do get the remake, just take a gander at some of the images of the old Nintendo DS game, because the difference in these two styles is astounding. Mind you, it is one I’m excited about, but that old-school pixel style will always hold a special place in my heart. 

Related: Is Persona 3 Reload on Nintendo Switch? – Answered

So that you don’t miss out on our news and review for the game, be sure to keep an eye on the game tag below this article. For more information about the game, be sure to check out Capcom’s official website and give the game a gander so you know what you’re in for. And for the love of all that is good, Play Ghost Trick.