Over the years, I feel confident in saying I’ve played most of the greatest games ever made.

Everything from DOOM to Knights of the Old Republic. Symphony of the Night. Half Life. Ocarina of Time. They’ve all been thrown into the mix at one time or another. Rightfully so.

But there’s one game that seems to float there or abouts I’ve never touched and have always wanted to try. I’m a massive fan of Ace Attorney, so I knew pretty much instantly it’d be my jam. Now, finally, with its re-release on all formats, I can get my hands on Ghost Trick.

It’s pretty clear to see the Phoenix Wright traits all over this. The musical exclamations, that off-beat humour and outlandish plot threads and deductions. Even the art style. The game is suitably ridiculous and absolutely perfect for me.

Everything from conversations about curry and rice sending people into a crazed rage to stopping the same person being killed a hundred times in one night (that figure may be slightly exaggerated) and over-the-top character reactions, Ghost Trick exudes this Pink Panther vibe of timeless humor and self-awareness.

I honestly haven’t laughed this hard at a game in years and it’s barely been touched from its original 2010 release, save for beautifully remade visuals, polished music, and additional content. That just shows you how good the base game still is.

And just to lean even further into the absurdity – you’re dead. You are literally playing as a phantom detective who takes over everything from telephones to memos, monitors, and suits of armor as an ethereal entity and have to perform a ‘trick’ in order to get the attention of people in the real world.

But equally you also have to use certain objects to reach others, like set a flag flapping so it extends far enough to reach a fridge or move a wrecking ball across the screen so you can get to the other side.

And sometimes you have to do these things in a certain order so you can save someone from certain death or cause a distraction long enough for them to get away.

However, it gets interesting when sometimes you’re a bit too late to the scene of the crime and have to rewind back time in order to try and change a person’s fate. This allows you to connect with and chat with the individual as they’re now technically dead and allow you to work together to try and figure out what to do next and maybe even solve your own murder.

Don’t be fooled by its silly lines and playful demeanour, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a clever game, with a smart premise and from time to time, really clever puzzle solving which requires timing, precision and a little bit of experimentation.

The game doesn’t have any harsh fail conditions nor is it going to overly vex or frustrate you for too long, it’s just easy-going puzzle solving that keeps you ticking along, chapter after chapter, with a story that’ll surprisingly get its hooks into you. Between a weird, pigeon-head man to an overly obnoxious detective, a weird cult and the most hilarious pair of guards you’ll ever meet.

As Ghostie, you can freely move between areas through the telephone – because, of course – and your adventures will take you from basements to scrapyards, such is the nature of detective life.

And just like any good Ace Attorney case, each chapter is as wild as the next, with ludicrous ways in which people are killed, unforgettable characters doing the most random things, and through it all, a solution you’d never expect.

If you’re like me and never experienced Ghost Trick, this game is an absolute must, especially now it’s on every format going –  probably best to pick this one up on Switch.

It’s the perfect, pick-me-up game if you’re feeling low or you want something chill to play between the hefty, chunkier releases. Through its 10-12 hours of play, it’s got heart, it’s got energy, it keeps you guessing, laughing, and playing, and with the additional modes, challenges, and puzzles, you’ve even got some longevity to play once the story’s over.

Smart, witty, and downright delightful. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is still one of the most enjoyable games you can find on the market today and I really hope we see more in the future.

Verdict

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is outrageously entertaining and still holds up masterfully over a decade later. Between its beautifully rebuilt HD visuals, a timeless sense of humor, suitably ludicrous storytelling with smart, logical puzzle solving, it’s the perfect game to chill, unwind and relax with, while being taken on an unforgettable ride. A true delight and worth remaster that is another huge win for game preservation.

---

Pros

---

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is out now on PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation

Code Kindly Provided by Capcom for review purposes

Played on PS5