20.7.2011

...and you mightn't ever again.Ghost Trick is that rarest of treasures in the industry today: an honest to God original experience. It's not a first-person shooter or a third-person button masher. It's not a cutesy platformer or a character action game revelling in its own grim viscera. If it reminds one of anything, it's the pixel-hunting puzzlers of yore, but even that old genre, as we understand it, bears only a passing resemblance to Ghost Trick. From the creator, writer and director of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and the selfsame developers who so memorably brought that franchise to life,Ghost Trick is a thing to be held high; championed and celebrated for its daring in an era when only the biggest and the smallest studios can in real terms afford to bring anything even remotely novel to the table.However.It won't be for everyone. In fact, I don't know that it'll be for many folks at all. The madcap whimsy of the Phoenix Wright series is in full effect here - in overdrive, even - and at times, it's positively unbearable, particularly considering the poor pacing, and the unique mechanics of Ghost Trick which regularly require that you play through a scene multiple times.But let's get into those mechanics, before we get too far ahead of ourselves. Ghost Trick casts you as a recently deceased spirit. You don't know who you were in life, or how you died, or what the circumstances might have been -- and there's no going back, either. The goal of Ghost Trick isn't to win your way back to the land of the living, by hook or by crook, but to uncover the whys and the wherefores of your untimely expiration. In so doing, you'll unpick the component parts of a largely ridiculous conspiracy, stop an execution, and save a handful of lives. Just not your own.You'll do that because you're a ghost, and ghosts... have tricks. But of course they do! Sissel - that's our man with the sharp red suit and the shock of blond hair - is able to move from inanimate object to inanimate object, manipulating each as he goes in order to somehow save and so interrogate certain characters who happen to know something about the murder with which Ghost Trick begins: yours. You'll find most objects, when possessed, have unique properties: you might be able to switch on a light, for instance, or swivel a chair, but you can't switch on chairs or swivel lights. Gameplay in Ghost Trick is thus a process of travelling from core to core through a series of arenas to find just the right object, or rather series of objects, with which to avert disaster.If not in explanation, it's a simple enough concept in action. By the end of the first set-piece - of which there are about twenty in total - you'll have a firm enough understanding of how to play Ghost Trick that the next ten tutorial levels threaten to wear out one's patience. Only when the Rube Goldberg machines get to be mind-bogglingly complex and certain other ghost tricks start factoring into the equation does Ghost Trick represent a real challenge. And by then, which is to say after the halfway mark, it feels like too little, too late.I game a lot of games, and as such, I want very much for the medium to embrace a greater breadth of experiences. Ghost Trick is a genuinely new sub-species of game, and few things would give me more pleasure at this point in time than to say, to hell with all its problems: pile on in. Because the more folks that buy Ghost Trick, the more Ghost Tricks there will be - is there a single industry more defined by supply and demand, I wonder? - and if you can tolerate the exhausting introduction, what lies beyond all the hand-holding is a fantastic new mechanic I'd quite like to play with again, please and thank-you.But I don't know that I can honestly recommend this first flourish. Perhaps it's a necessary evil. Perhaps it's merely paving the way for better balanced things to come. However, if the thought of eight hours of camp-as-it-comes anime starring a proliferation of household pets interspersed with four of tutorials which will surely bore you just to get to that amount of time again of actual gaming goodness... if that doesn't sound like the sort of thing you're likely to appreciate, maybe best not to bother with Ghost Trick.

12.2.2015

This game is exactly what puzzle adventure games should be.A while back I bought a Professor Layton game for my 3DS and was disappointed that the puzzles were not more involved with the story itself -- the puzzles seemed like they were just shoved into the story rather than being a part of the story -- but then I found this game.In this game the puzzles are an integral part of your experience of the story, they feel like a necessary part of the narrative rather than something tacked on after wards like in some other games, and they are superbly designed, and while some can be frustrating when you realise you've messed up and have to start again,overall they are challenging enough that you need to use your brain but although some are tricky to time right they are all possible, making for a sense of satisfaction when you have finally worked out exactly what goes where to make the right thing happen. There was only one truly frustrating puzzle sequence in the game (spoiler: a prison break in which you must avoid guards) but mainly because certain parts of it weren't as clear as other puzzles, and some puzzles do require some lateral thinking and a good memory, the most difficult thing is when you must wait for a certain event in order to act, because the sense of tension often makes the player feel they must act as soon as they can, when in reality sometimes it's better to be patient and find the right moment to move, but as I said, it's all possible, it just requires a bit of lateral thinking.Another thing I really like about this game is the art style. When characters appear in conversation they are outlined in a comicbook/manga type style, reminiscent of the 90s Batman cartoons, but the... "overworld" I guess you'd call it, of the game has a beautiful lineless cell-shaded look, almost like a screen-printed poster, is perfect for the small screen of a DS or 3DS, giving smoothly animated visuals without looking too "busy", which can be the case with a lined cartoon style at times, and the characters, backgrounds and objects have a consistent visually pleasing aesthetic throughout the game.Last but not least, the story is very VERY good, it's obviously a supernatural tale so some of it requires a strong suspension of disbelief, but within the first few chapters it becomes as gripping as any good mystery novel, I found it very hard to put down and realised when sunlight started to creep into my window that I'd played it long into the night when I first got it. There are some twists that you may work out for yourself beforehand, but there are others that (if you haven't spoiled it for yourself already) will definitely leave you surprised when you discover them.The main criticism I have of the game though is how the story ends -- the ending seems a little rushed, and an extra chapter between the penultimate and final chapters in which things in the current situation could be resolved would have felt more satisfying*. I think there was even room for multiple alternate endings that solved different problems at the end, and it bothers me that we don't find out more about why certain things happen during the game, or the motivations of some of the villains. Perhaps a sequel will come to the 3DS, I hope that if there is one it will be just as well designed as the first and will explain some of the gaps in the story of this first game. Do watch the credits though, there's some nice little tidbits showing what happened to each of the characters, including all the incidental ones met throughout, after the story ends.*sorry if that sounds confusing, I'm trying to avoid spoilers.Overall the gameplay, visuals and story are all excellent, the game seems a little short (although that might be due to my playing all night on my first sitting, as I mentioned before) and the story could do with some more choices at the end, but overall I highly recommend this game to anyone who owns a DS or 3DS who enjoys a good mental challenge.

22.1.2011

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a game spawned by the creative genius of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Shu Takumi has a reputation for creating games with fantastic writing, clever twists and wonderful characters, and his latest work doesn't disappoint in that regard.Ghost Trick has you playing as the disemodied soul of a man who has just died. You don't remember anything about what has happened, and no time is left for you to figure this out before a scene presents itself before you; a man with a gun has a woman cornered, after she discovered your body.The title comes from the gameplay elements, which I'll explain. The person you play as, Sissel, can exist in what is known as the 'ghost'world. You lack physical form, but are able to possess inanimate objects and manipulate them. This is done by entering 'Ghost' mode, possessing the 'core' of the object you want to manipulate and then pressing 'Trick' to affect it. You can release the claw holding a demolition ball, sending it crashing below; you can move a swing to hit someone and momentarily distract them. All of these manipulations can be used in an attempt to save someone's life.And thankfully, the game is graphically able to show these manipulations with grace. The developers painstakingly animated every little movement in Ghost Trick, of which there are thousands. The result is quite potentially the most beautiful game on the DS, with some of the greatest 2D animation I've ever seen, even in anime and cartoons.Unlike Phoenix Wright, Ghost Trick features engaging, very interactive gameplay; a rarity among point-and-click adventures. At first it is a simple matter of manipulating the right objects to save someone's life, but later on more intricate systems come into play, having you time travel back four minutes before a person's death to save them and gain new ethereal powers.Despite this, the focus is still on the plot and characters. I had been a little worried that it would not meet the high standard of Ace Attorney in this regard, and so I was pleased to see that not only does it match Takumi's earlier work; it possibly surpasses it.To say anything would spoil the surprises, but rest assured that the game took the preconceptions I had regarding the plot, and twisted them beyond recognition. The sheer number of amazingly executed plot twists is staggering. The writing is of a consistently high calibre standard, with some of the best localisation I've seen in a game, and the characters are all very memorable and unique, just like with Ace Attorney.The music of the game is also superb, and whilst it doesn't feature too many of the fantastic pieces that help define Ace Attorney, it is still a very pleasing game to the ears. There is no voice acting, but that was to be expected.A selfish part of me hopes for a sequel, but I also know that the game ended perfectly, wrapping up all loose ends in an artfully contained package. To create more games would ruin this, I think. In conclusion, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is one of the best games on the Nintendo DS, one that everyone who owns the console should try.

23.10.2012

Ghost Trick greets you with a promising scenario: You're deadFortunately, this doesn't act as a considerable barrier for our hero, Sissel, whose ghostly powers allow him to possess and manipulate inanimate objects - and even travel 4 minutes before a person's death to prevent it. With no recollection of who he is, why or how he died... he has 1 night to unravel the mysteries around his death, and how his fate is so intricately intertwined with those he meets along the way.As far as the story goes, this is easily one of the best I have ever experienced - Better than any book or film I've encountered. Beautifully written and expertly crafted. The execution is sublime and the sheer amount of twists,turns, cliff-hangers and "WHAT THE-" moments made for a truly gripping mystery story. The expression of shock on my face normally matched that of Sissel as I was hit by another unexpected twist. The characters are truly delightful and really help to pull you into the story. The animation is sleek and the soundtrack is also gorgeous. And somehow... within all this... the writers still found a way to include large amounts of humour that actually had me laughing out loud a number of times - all without diluting the tension, plot or story. I actually thought the plot was superior to the Layton titles (which are pretty good in their own right!)Oh yeah, there's a game too... The gameplay consists of you controlling Sissel's 'soul' as you possess and manipulate objects. The real puzzles come from preventing the deaths of those around you (many of whom hold keys to unravelling the mystery) - Working out what things to possess and what to do with them. It's a fresh take on puzzles and the good news is that you have an unlimited number of attempts at them (so you're not unfairly penalised for mistakes). The only thing is that the exact interaction of the objects aren't always clear - So the puzzles are more a case of trying things out and working out the right order and timing of them, as opposed to the more logic / jigsaw / maths style challenges we're used to from other titles.To be honest though, I'd say that this is more of an interactive story/film than a game. So if you're more for gaming than plot and character development, you might not enjoy this one so muchThat said, the balance of plot and gameplay seem perfect. You have enough to puzzles to keep busy, but the plot is kept nicely in tow that you have a real drive to solve them. But likewise, the puzzles don't feel like they "get in the way" of the storyThe only real downside is that it's not something you can easily dip into, but has to experienced from start to finish (essentially, like a book) and due to the nature of the game, it's more something that you play through once or twice and then probably won't touch for months... but the story is that incredible that it's worth it - and even when you know the solutions - playthroughs are still enjoyable on the plot aloneAll in all, this is one of my most treasured titles on the DS. A truly underrated work of genius that I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good story

17.1.2011

It's 2011 and Nintendo's next handheld, 3DS, is looming, but there's life in the old DS yet. The same can't be said for the protagonist of this new title from Shu Takumi, creator of the Ace Attorney series. Sissel wakes up dead with no memory of what happened or who he is (was). He is told that he has until dawn to discover the truth behind his murder and identity in his new but temporary ghostly form. As soon as the sun rises, his soul will disappear forever. I've had mornings like that.The smartly written, engaging narrative and cast of Ghost Trick should turn a purchase into an instant no-brainer for Ace Attorney fans. That welcome familiarity is swapped for a pleasant change in direction where the gameplay is concerned.

28.6.2011

Having looked at reviews of Ghost Trick, I thought I would try the game out.First of all, the graphics are remeniscent of Japanese comics, a lot of wacky homour. When the characters converse with each other the screen "shakes" to show emotion which can be a bit off-putting. The plot is, of course, far-fetched but intriguing and compelling. To find out about the "ghost's" past you must solve logic problems. This involves manipulating various inanimate objects and comunicating with dead and sometimes living people and animals. I liked the little clues the characters gave if I completely failed the objective of a puzzle but they also dropped hints if I was nearly right in my actions.

20.5.2011

While not trying to give anything away in regards to the plot I shall simply say that this is one of my favourite games.One of the few that I stayed up all night to finish until four in the morning. I couldn't put it down.You can find out the blurb for yourself and from that point onwards, the story just gets more and more complex. The puzzles are very good. It isn't extraordinarily difficult but it's enough of a challenge to not leave you disappointed. Loveably characters - very loveable characters. I wanted to save this characters! Seriously. The makers knew how to characterise them and they did it superbly well. Graphics: very nice.You don't need any buttons to play this game,

15.3.2011

I have often been disappointed with the "puzzle / logic" style games that get released on the DS - often they have too much linear question and answer and less interaction than I would wish for. Ace Attorney, whilst I enjoyed I became increasingly frustrated with the Cross Examination, scrolling through reams of dialogue until getting the right bits in order. Hotel Dusk, similarly held far too much dialogue and too little puzzle.Ghost Trick is exactly the opposite - graphically it is far superior to anything else I have encountered on the DS, with the cartoon animation working perfectly with the storyline. The puzzles themselves, whilst not too strenuous,

12.3.2014

Time and time again it surprises me how good the DS platform is. The kind of games we did get from it is just amazing. Ghost Trick is one of those unique game experiences that DS delivers. I would like to call Ghost Trick a puzzle-adventure with superb game mechanics. Even the story gets intriguing. And all that mixed with a nice touch of humor. I just love it.The only think I would like to point to is that the game is kinda short. But short game length or playtime is often incorrectly judged as a negative aspect. I would say the opposite! The shorter, the better! And that goes for almost every genre out there, especially games like this with outstanding gameplay. The thing is,

9.3.2011

I can't speak highly enough about this game.I don't normally have the patience to persevere with adventure games, so it takes a good one to hold my attention, but this is one of the best DS games I've ever played.Think of it as the reverse of the 'Final Destination' movies, in that you get to set up a chain of events that usually leads to saving lives rather than ending them. The lives you're saving belong the characters in the game who then aid you in your quest to discover the truth about your own death.Some of these set-ups are jaw-droppingly clever, so it's probably not suitable for younger children (unless they're pretty smart).The animation and characterisation is stunning too - it's like watching a very quirky (but accessible)

15.3.2012

brought this game thinking it was one of them games where you find hidden objects when i started to play i was plesently surprised you play a character called sissle who wakes up in the ghost world and finds he has tricks 'ghost tricks' where he can minipulate non living objects his goal is to find out how he died before dawn this game is so addictive i didnt want it to end i expecially liked the way you can rewind time four minutes to save some some and use the phone lines to get to other places their is alot of dialouge but it is well worth reading to find out the story and the mystery of sissle's dealth even i got a bit stuck on some of the chapters it's just the rigt amount of difficalty

14.3.2011

This game is fantastic; if you own a Nintendo ds you owe it to yourself to experience what this game has to offer. From the surprising opening the game takes you through an elaborate tale of murder, deceit and some ghost trickery all at a perfect pace, with beautiful animations to accompany it.The story is the real highlight of the game, its many twists and turns seem impossible at first, but the ending is simply inception-style brilliance. The gameplay is unique, if not a little too challenging at times, but the puzzles difficulty definitely makes a change from all the easy so called "puzzle" games on the ds!If you own a ds, buy this game, as long as you've got a good head and time to appreciate the story,

19.3.2013

I really want more games from this company, this and PW is amazing. It's dark story but has a exiting, futuristic style and, as is common with this creator, the characters are all really memorable.The puzzles are great, they require you to be quick (thankfully they're not maths or english questions or something) you have to rely on timing. The plot is you're a ghost and you have only one night to work out who you are and how you died. You posses objects, manipulate them and with timing you have to prevent some ones death. I found this game because I was getting hyped for the game Remember me, which looks like it will have the same kind of puzzles.Completely worth the money,

26.6.2011

This is one of the best DS games I have ever played. The graphics are chic, stylish and snappy. The gameplay is original while still being easy to grasp and implement. Those who love the touch screen and those who prefer to use the buttons are both catered for. But the best thing of all is the storyline. The chat between characters is fresh and hilarious, the plot suspenseful as it is quirky.Frankly, you're not going to play another game like this, unless they make a Ghost Trick sequel (which I hope they do). It is created by the team who brought us Ace Attorney however, and although they are very different games, if you liked the humour in that series, you are going to /love/ this.

31.12.2012

I'm an adult who likes video games... Luckily, since the intro of adult gaming in the 90's this is totally acceptable (ha!!) Ghost Trick is unlike any game I've ever played. It's totally quirky. The learning curve is minimal so anyone can play it really. There's quite a lot of dialogue but it isn't ridiculous and as you have the option to fast-forward once you've listened first time round, it doesn't impinge on game play at all. You also get plenty of opportunity to save which is great because this is a major hang-up with some games I've played. I still haven't finished it but it's a game I'd play again and highly recommend because it's totally different and totally enjoyable.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS) - Reviews

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