Ghost Trick provides an experience that is not only worthy of the legacy of the DS, but ultimately defines it.
+ interesting premise paves the way for both a compelling plot and a highly original gameplay mechanic
+ the mystery builds at a fantastic pace and ends in a shocking, satisfying manner
+ a cast of eccentric, lovable characters provide plenty of chuckles through excellent dialogue
+ cool scenarios make puzzles captivating
+ sharp visuals and amazing animation
Cons:
- gameplay mechanic goes through only one change near the end of the game
- little replay value
When it comes to original experiences, the Nintendo DS has delivered in spades over the years. Various developers have exploited the unique design of two screens to craft some truly special games spanning multiple genres. Although major releases most likely won't make it onto the DS beyond this year, a number of quality games provide the platform with the send-off it deserves. One game, however, does a bit more than that. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective shows that even after more than half a decade, not all possibilities of the DS have been explored. This novel adventure hosts an unconventional set-up and a unique puzzle-solving mechanic backed by a gripping mystery and a cast of extremely memorable characters. Extraordinary styIe and pacing that never lets up makes Ghost Trick hard to put down, and everything comes together as one of the best experiences of the year and easily one of the best DS games.
In Ghost Trick's case, innovation must start with a death: yours. You come to as a spirit in the middle of a junkyard where it quickly becomes evident that you can't remember a thing about yourself, yet the scene before you clearly suggests that you've been murdered. This perplexing start makes Ghost Trick immediately enticing, and it begins the long night in which you search for the truth surrounding the event of your death and the mystery of exactly who you are. The story here is the absolute driving force of the game, and thankfully, it's fantastic. Early on, you learn that your name is Sissel, but the specifics of your identity remain foggy until the very end. The plot steadily feeds you information bit by bit, but every small discovery contributes to even more confusing questions about how a variety of characters and events are relevant to the predicament. The mystery unravels at such a tantalizing pace that it's easy to become as concerned with the answers as Sissel is himself, and when the pieces of the puzzle do finally come together, you're left with a crazy ending sure to make your jaw drop.
On your mission for the truth, you come across plenty of wacky characters, many of whom are dealing with their own problems and are seemingly unrelated to Sissel's death. Each of these characters has his or her own charming mantra of talking and animating that truly brings life to this surprisingly grim tale. Ghost Trick involves a shocking number of deaths and tragedies, and there's even a government conspiracy wrapped up in the situation. This somber subject material is met with extremely playful dialogue from wonderfully expressive characters (who happen to only directly communicate with Sissel once they've died) and some silly scenarios that make the saddest events amusing. Between an adorably loyal Pomeranian, a groovy detective who dances at every opportunity, a stressed-to-the-limit justice minister, and many more, the characters provide both entertaining and heartfelt moments throughout the entire experience. The great writing sprinkles some clever humor that only further sucks you into the world of Ghost Trick that refuses to let go until its finale.
Not long after your spirit awakens, you are introduced to the basic concepts of the ghost world and your powers of the dead. You continue to learn the specific and sometimes complicated details of being a ghost as the game goes on, but the fundamentals include how you move around and interact with the environment and how time is managed. In the ghost world, time stands still, and you (represented by a blue flame) can traverse the 2D environments by using the stylus or D-pad to move between nearby objects that have glowing blue cores. Some of these objects that you possess can also be manipulated; this is where ghost tricks come into play. While you're possessing an object, its image appears on the top screen, and if it can be manipulated, you're given a note of what can be done with it. These actions are performed in the real world, where time passes, and include pulling levers, ringing bells, closing the lid on a kettle, opening umbrellas, making playground swings swing harder, and so much more. Using ghost tricks is the game's pivotal mechanic, which allows you to access new areas and help others avert the horrible fate of death, the two main types of puzzles you'll find in Ghost Trick.
Puzzles involved with getting from point A to point B (often a telephone, which Sissel can use to eavesdrop on conversations and travel to new locations) are done in the present, and while the goal doesn't seem very interesting, these puzzles remain engaging thanks to the neat surprises found while experimenting with ghost tricks. The puzzles that are a bit more intense and challenging are dealt with in the past. When you come across one of the many recently dead bodies in the game, you can use your powers to rewind time to four minutes before the character's death. After watching the misfortune unfold, the scene is repeated, but this time you play an active role using the powers of the dead to alter the events in order to save the victim. These puzzles require some precisely timed ghost tricks, such as possessing the wheels of a bicycle as it rides by or a piece of paper as it is being flushed down a toilet. If you miss any of these key opportunities or fail to save the victim, you can retry from the beginning or a checkpoint in the puzzle as many times as you need.
Ghost Trick's difficulty curves appropriately, with simple puzzles that don't require much thought in the beginning to familiarize you with the powers of the dead and increasingly complex scenarios as the game continues. There's a trial-and-error nature to the puzzles in which it's usually easy to rule out what objects are helpful or useless through experimentation. This process is lot of fun thanks to the neat animations of the reactions of the environment and its inhabitants to your ghost tricks. For example, it's very satisfying to watch a wrecking ball fall on a hostile hitman and roll away with the body attached and flattened or a dog bark madly at the Christmas ornament you just made chime, angering a neighbor. As you interact with the environment during these puzzles, characters make comments to guide you in the right direction or inform you that you've probably missed an important cue. These hints are always helpful, but they never fully expose a solution. Just know that when a character suggests, for example, that there needs to be a distraction, look for objects that will make noise when manipulated. There is some frustration late in the game, however, when a significant number of objects needs to be manipulated in a specific order, and you may witness the same events or dialogue too many times from starting over after messing up.
While the mechanic of Ghost Trick's gameplay sure is unique and plenty of fun to mess around with, it remains entirely unchanged until very late in the game when the ability to swap objects of the same shape and any size mixes things up in an interesting way. Other than that, sadly the extent of your powers is simply possessing and manipulating for the majority of the adventure. However, this lack of gameplay progression is slightly offset by the incredibly diverse scenarios you encounter. You'll have to help a convict escape a prison undetected by guards, prevent a hidden microphone to be planted on a chicken roast at a restaurant, stop an elaborate murder contraption from being fired, and tons more. Each new situation is an intriguing surprise, and every solution brings with it the satisfying continuation of the story. The way the story seamlessly connects with the puzzles through these scenarios is a big part of why Ghost Trick is such an enchanting and addictive adventure.
Also enchanting about the game is its noteworthy visual styIe. Sharp lines and bold colors highlight details in the varied environments from the candlelit and classically designed apartment of a romantic novelist to the playground in the park at night. Character models during dialogue are striking and fit excellently to each kooky personality. The true star of the game's graphics, though, is the silky smooth animation. Everything in Ghost Trick moves with such grace and fluidity that many of the greatest moments come from simply watching ghost tricks play out or characters expressively move across the screen. Whether a girl juggles a pair of headphones before they fall into a fish tank or a waitress roller-skates entrees to customers, movement in Ghost Trick looks magical. The audial aspect of the game's presentation is relatively simple with some catchy tunes and crisp sound effects, but the simplicity does lead to some mild repetition in music.
Once you've finished Ghost Trick, you likely won't find yourself playing it again. There's no extra content or unlockables, nor is there much incentive to replay it after already having figured out the puzzles and seen the story. However, this 11-15 hour adventure is a vastly rewarding experience from beginning to end. This breath of fresh air constantly surprises and entertains throughout, and it's easy to see the loving care that was put into making all its components come together to form a sublime whole. The novel gameplay mechanic presents plenty of creative and captivating puzzles to work out, and lovable characters and shocking twists allow it to easily fall into your heart. Whether you still own a DS or have moved on to the 3DS, this is an afterlife you don't want to miss.
Score: 9.0/10