Ghost Trick: The only ‘whodunnit’ where the murder you’re trying to solve is your own.
Written by Andrew Tripp / Edited by Mia Stapleton
Andrew Tripp reviews 2010’s Ghost Trick : Phantom Detective. Weighing in on exactly why this game should be your next play.
Even if you haven’t played Pheonix Wright: Ace Attorney, you’ve probably heard of it. Convoluted murder schemes, charming characters, plot twists galore, “OBJECTION!” this and “OBJECTION!” that… It’s no wonder that it is one of Capcom’s most profitable franchises. With a new remake of the so-called Apollo Justice Trilogy coming out on the Nintendo Switch in 2024, following a very successful remake of the original Phoenix Wright trilogy.
I could easily review the original trilogy, but instead, I’m inclined to write about a different, lesser-known game by the same writer, Shu Takumi, which has also had a recent remake. Short and sweet, absurdly creative, charmingly hilarious, and occasionally soul-crushing, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is the best game I’ve played this year. It deserves far more attention than it gets.
The story follows the murder victim (who, may I add, is the coolest- looking murder victim ever) as he navigates his way through the ‘Ghost World’, attempting to unravel the ludicrously complex mystery surrounding his death, of which he has no memory of. For whatever reason, this particular ghost has ‘the powers of the dead,’ meaning he’s capable of manipulating objects (like opening a fridge or pulling a lever), and even rewinding time. These extraordinary abilities are known as the eponymous ‘ghost tricks.’
Before he disappears forever at sunrise, this enigmatic murder victim must exclusively use these ‘ghost tricks’ to create elaborate, Wallace-and-Gromit-style contraptions to change people’s fates and save the lives of those he befriends. All to get to the bottom of who he is, and why he was killed. One such chapter involves using a mouse and a candelabra to trap a lady in a chandelier so that her daughter can use the telephone (honestly this game is wild). However, the deeper he gets into this mystery, the more he realises that his death isn’t the strangest thing that’s happening tonight. And, who knows, perhaps that’s not the only thing he’s wrong about…
At around 10 hours long, there are eighteen chapters in all sorts of different locations… a chicken diner, a submarine, and even a maximum-security prison, all with their own intricate and imaginative mechanisms to set up using your ‘ghost tricks’. Plus, after you beat the game, you unlock a bunch of sliding puzzles, just in case you weren’t already sick of them after you finished Professor Layton.
The game in some ways is similar to Ace Attorney, in that it plays like a visual novel, has an absolutely banging soundtrack, and every character is charming, three-dimensional, and has an amazing design. For example, a junkyard superintendent with a pigeon on his head, an adorable Pomeranian who will win your heart again and again, and a flamboyant Michael-Jackson-style detective who, in the words of the protagonist, ‘seems to dance through life’ (personally my favourite character).
Unlike Ace Attorney, however, where you mostly just sit and watch the story unfold, Ghost Trick is far more interactive, with extravagant puzzle segments and fantastically expressive 3D animations that you’d need a heart of stone to not at least chuckle at. But, whilst screaming Ace Attorney at a few points, it’s safe to say that Ghost Trick is its own game, with its own unique charm.
As stated earlier, this is my favourite game of 2023. I’m a sucker for a good soundtrack and a good story. Ghost Trick gives both of those boxes a hefty tick. Even at its short length, it’s by far one of the most creative and unique games I’ve played, with the best plot twists I’ve ever encountered in a story. The characters, the banter, the Pomeranian, the mystery that asks more questions than it answers until wrapping it up in an endlessly satisfying way, I genuinely cannot recommend this game enough. It is the magnum opus of Shu Takumi.
The HD remake can be played on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch, all for £24.98 (I’d wait until it goes on sale). Go add it to your wish list. Right now. It’s a good use of time until the Apollo Justice Trilogy comes out.
