.jpg?width=1200&height=630&fit=1024,1024&enable=upscale&auto=webp&w=1024&ssl=1 "Phantom Tricks: Phantom Detectives – a beautiful remake of this adventure classic")
Phantom Detective remains one of my favorite Nintendo DS games, and I consider it a must-play for Ace Attorney fans. Mind you, it’s not because the two feel alike. Takumi’s supernatural adventure trades courtroom shenanigans for a Rube Goldberg machine solved with point-and-click puzzles, retaining its sharp humor and charming cast. Thirteen years hasn’t dulled this classic. While it’s better suited for touchscreens, Capcom has set the bar high for future remasters.
Playing as Sissel, Ghost Tricks begins with your sudden death. Sissel wakes up in a junkyard with an amnesiac spirit, and on a journey to discover the truth, we meet Lynn, a young detective about to be killed by an assassin. Spurred on by the intelligent and mysterious desk lamp, Sissel soon discovers that he can manipulate inanimate objects and travel back to the four minutes before someone died. That may not sound like much, but even small changes can have major consequences, eventually triggering a new chain of events.
Brilliant mysteries intertwine with inventive gameplay throughout the evening. Time flows normally in the real world, but Sissel can switch to the ghost world at any time, moving on set objects highlighted in blue cores. If a character died recently or previously, he can communicate with them by linking to the yellow core, which usually causes several problems. Objects cannot be manipulated when time is frozen, forcing you back into the real world.
Ghost Trick uses this manipulation system creatively with objects you wouldn’t normally think of. Sissel is not the type to start messing around with refrigerators or throwing furniture like some aggrieved pranksters. However, he can shake your donut bowl to distract you, open cupboard doors, etc. One of the clips has me moving a bicycle on wires, and another has me letting a dog bark at a Christmas tree. That’s the level of stupidity we’re dealing with.
Sissel’s powers are subject to some pretty significant limitations. He can only move a set distance, so if the core is out of your reach, you’ll have to find a way to bridge the gap, such as by opening doors to move the ball across the room. He can move to the new location if the phone line is live or someone has called before. If you’re in the past, only the phone you’re using will allow this. Heavy objects are naturally more difficult to move, and manipulation of living people is also impossible.
Manipulation creates endless comic absurdity, but “Tricks” always offers a well-thought-out solution and regularly delivers its message through subtle foreshadowing. Each scenario provides all the necessary tools, just figure out the order to use them and you most likely won’t get an immediate answer. These constraints require you to be creative, so I recommend experimenting with various outcomes, if only to see how other spirits step in.
Discovering the right approach requires trial and error, some questions are more confusing than others, and this can lead to the risk of repeated conversations after many attempts. At least there will be no consequences for making a wrong decision, and this time the judge in court will not punish you leniently for minor mistakes. Sissel can turn back time at will, and with only one solution available, there is a sense of accomplishment in finally finding it. Alleviating potential frustration is a checkpoint system activated by changing someone’s fate before saving them, so a full reboot is not required.
Even now, I’m still impressed by how Ghost Trick weaves its plot and gameplay together. Ghost Trick’s sharp sense of humor wouldn’t work without a stellar cast, and I’m still impressed by how it incorporates that sense of humor into its gameplay. Lynn remains an inspiring and determined detective who never loses hope despite the seemingly impossible situations she faces. You won’t find a better Pomeranian in a video game than adorable Missile, an extremely loyal dog who will stop at nothing to protect his master Camilla.
That’s before we get to other eccentric characters, like the junkyard caretaker affectionately known as “The Pigeon Man.” Each scene contains quite a few characters, from the main player to even secondary NPCs. I’m not sure I need to know that Detective Blue’s wife left him many, many months ago, but watching our Inspector Cabanella dance into any scene never ceases to be entertaining.
For anyone who played the original, there aren’t any major changes aside from a few usability features. The optimized UI usually works well with standard controllers. Unfortunately, at some odd moments, Ghost Trick clearly wasn’t designed for this format. Moving between cores is generally acceptable, but some tighter gaps mean you could accidentally connect to the wrong thing, shifting you when you didn’t intend to.
Admittedly, these tedious moments are rare, as the analog sticks don’t offer the same level of precision that makes them inevitable on a PS4 or Xbox One. Playing on Steam Deck and Switch is preferable, as both offer full touchscreen support. Moving from point A to point B by moving your finger across the screen instantly feels more intuitive. On PC, clicking and dragging on the sphere with the mouse is also a good alternative to this.
You won’t find an extended story; Ghost Trick doesn’t need it, and I appreciate Capcom’s efforts elsewhere. Visuals look sharp on all platforms thanks to upscaling to 1080p resolution at 60fps, with customizable background borders to fit 4:3 displays. You can switch between original music or new arrangements at any time, either as long as the original soundtrack stays this catchy. A few extras like the new illustration library make this pack feel complete. Finally, several new “ghost puzzles” are also available, turning the scene into a sliding puzzle. It’s a good idea, just not a particularly interesting one.
Ten years later, “Phantom Tricks” is still a delight. Even on the second playthrough, this unique mystery still holds your interest until the very end. A few occasional puzzle-solving frustrations and control tweaks can’t hide the witty humor, clever premise, and memorable cast that rival Ace Attorney. I quickly realized how much I had forgotten 12 years later, so it was a great joy to rediscover this adventure. Second chances don’t come around very often, so I’m hoping to find a wider audience this time around. This remake is undoubtedly the most definitive way to play.
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