Even among the strange and winding history of Capcom, few titles stand out the way Ghost Trick does.
Helmed by Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, the title made the quirky adventures of his oddball lawyers seem tame in comparison. Its tale of an amnesiac ghost attempting to save those around him, and change their fate through various time travelling shenanigans, was about as novel of a premise as one could hope to find on any gaming platform period. This is to say nothing of the puzzles, which could be genuinely tricky to figure out and fun to overcome using the Nintendo DS-specific mechanics.
Like many titles from its era though, Ghost Trick was a one and done affair. It had its time in the spotlight and never received a sequel, fading from the memory of all but those who played and enjoyed it. This would have remained the case if not for an upcoming HD re-release, and after spending some time with its first few levels via a demo, I can safely say this supernatural puzzler is back and better than ever.
For those not in the know, the general concept of Ghost Trick is simple: After awakening in the middle of an attempted murder and preventing it using their supernatural powers, an amnesiac ghost is tasked with saving those who are destined to die over the course of one night. At the same time, they must also uncover the cause of their own death, their identity, and how they tied into the strange series of events unfolding before them.
This is largely done by solving puzzles which lead to saving certain individuals in different areas. To do so, players need to possess and interact with different objects in the game and use them to prevent the deaths of these would-be victims. Sometimes, this is as simple as moving from one object to the next until reaching one that eliminates a given threat. Other times, one has to interact with specific objects to cause other targets to move into place, opening up new solutions that lead to the best outcome.
It’s also worth noting that these heroics usually occur after the person has already bit the bullet. The main character’s powers come to life after they discover the fresh corpse of a recently murdered victim, and they then have four minutes to go back in time and alter their fates. Should they fail, players can rewind and try again as many times as they’d like until they succeed.
It’s an odd concept, but lends itself perfectly to a variety of environmental puzzles. In the HD re-release though, moving from point to point works a bit differently compared to the original DS version. Instead of moving one’s phantom from point to point using a stylus, players can now move themselves around the screen via analogue sticks. While this can feel a little loose at first, it does allow for quicker movement around a given area and faster experimentation with the objects available.
What’s more is that these puzzles are still just as fun to toy around with as they were in the original release. I had a blast poking and prodding at different objects to see how they affected each other, and was just as excited when I finally figured out how to properly prevent a character from meeting an untimely end.
All of this is well and good, but there’s only so much that can be said of the gameplay given it hasn’t been changed all that much. Where this re-release truly shines is in its presentation, and I can safely say that Ghost Trick looks and sounds better than ever.
In terms of its graphics and art style, the game is still exactly as fans remembered it. The characters retain their vibrant designs and color palettes, while the wider world looks like a stylized, noir take on more mundane locations like a scrap yard or an apartment.
Thanks to the HD upgrade, however, these elements pop out more than ever before. The rougher edges and pixelation inherent to DS titles have been smoothed down, resulting in crisper and cleaner versions of the game’s visual elements which allow them to shine in all their glory.
Much the same can be said of the audio. The bitty soundtrack has a slightly cleaner sound to it now, while the sound effects ring out much more sharply than they did in the original. This allows them to perfectly build upon what is seen happening on screen, whether its a fun and quirky exchange between characters or a tense race to put the last piece of a puzzle in place to save a prospective ally from a mobster.
I could go on, but it all boils down to a simple fact: Capcom clearly cared about polishing Ghost Trick up to a fine modern sheen, and has ensured those who give it a look won’t walk away disappointed. It’s arguably the best possible way of playing through the game, and even the most diehard fan should feel the same.
By the end of my time with the demo for the re-release of Ghost Trick, I couldn’t have been happier. The best qualities of the title shine through brilliantly, and the modern tweaks made to its controls and visuals are much appreciated. Fans can rest assured that this oddball title will be returning in its best possible state, and those who haven’t experienced it have a perfect opportunity to see what makes it so memorable.
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