Even amongst the unusual and winding historical past of Capcom, few titles stand out the means Ghost Trick does.
Helmed by Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, the title made the quirky adventures of his oddball attorneys appear tame compared. Its story of an amnesiac ghost trying to avoid wasting these round him, and alter their destiny by way of varied time travelling shenanigans, was about as novel of a premise as one might hope to seek out on any gaming platform interval. This is to say nothing of the puzzles, which might be genuinely tough to determine and enjoyable to beat utilizing the Nintendo DS-specific mechanics.
Like many titles from its period although, Ghost Trick was a one and performed affair. It had its time in the highlight and by no means acquired a sequel, fading from the reminiscence of all however those that performed and loved it. This would have remained the case if not for an upcoming HD re-release, and after spending a while with its first few ranges by way of a demo, I can safely say this supernatural puzzler is again and higher than ever.
For these not in the know, the common idea of Ghost Trick is straightforward: After awakening in the center of an tried homicide and stopping it utilizing their supernatural powers, an amnesiac ghost is tasked with saving those that are destined to die over the course of 1 night time. At the identical time, they need to additionally uncover the explanation for their very own loss of life, their identification, and the way they tied into the unusual sequence of occasions unfolding earlier than them.
This is essentially performed by fixing puzzles which result in saving sure people in several areas. To achieve this, gamers must possess and work together with totally different objects in the sport and use them to forestall the deaths of those would-be victims. Sometimes, this is so simple as shifting from one object to the subsequent till reaching one which eliminates a given risk. Other occasions, one has to work together with particular objects to trigger different targets to maneuver into place, opening up new options that result in the finest end result.
It’s additionally price noting that these heroics often happen after the particular person has already bit the bullet. The important character’s powers come to life after they uncover the contemporary corpse of a just lately murdered sufferer, they usually then have 4 minutes to return in time and alter their fates. Should they fail, gamers can rewind and check out once more as many occasions as they’d like till they succeed.
It’s an odd idea, however lends itself completely to a wide range of environmental puzzles. In the HD re-release although, shifting from level to level works a bit in a different way in comparison with the authentic DS model. Instead of shifting one’s phantom from level to level utilizing a stylus, gamers can now transfer themselves round the display by way of analogue sticks. While this will really feel a little bit free at first, it does enable for faster motion round a given space and sooner experimentation with the objects accessible.
What’s extra is that these puzzles are nonetheless simply as enjoyable to toy round with as they have been in the authentic launch. I had a blast poking and prodding at totally different objects to see how they affected one another, and was simply as excited once I lastly found out find out how to correctly stop a personality from assembly an premature finish.
All of that is nicely and good, however there’s solely a lot that may be mentioned of the gameplay given it hasn’t been modified all that a lot. Where this re-release actually shines is in its presentation, and I can safely say that Ghost Trick appears to be like and sounds higher than ever.
In phrases of its graphics and artwork fashion, the sport continues to be precisely as followers remembered it. The characters retain their vibrant designs and coloration palettes, whereas the wider world appears to be like like a stylized, noir tackle extra mundane areas like a scrap yard or an house.
Thanks to the HD improve, nevertheless, these components come out greater than ever earlier than. The rougher edges and pixelation inherent to DS titles have been smoothed down, leading to crisper and cleaner variations of the sport’s visible components which permit them to shine in all their glory.
Much the identical may be mentioned of the audio. The bitty soundtrack has a barely cleaner sound to it now, whereas the sound results ring out rather more sharply than they did in the authentic. This permits them to completely construct upon what’s seen taking place on display, whether or not its a enjoyable and quirky alternate between characters or a tense race to place the final piece of a puzzle in place to avoid wasting a potential ally from a mobster.
I might go on, however it all boils all the way down to a easy reality: Capcom clearly cared about sharpening Ghost Trick as much as a nice fashionable sheen, and has ensured those that give it a glance received’t stroll away disenchanted. It’s arguably the absolute best means of enjoying by way of the sport, and even the most diehard fan ought to really feel the identical.
By the finish of my time with the demo for the re-release of Ghost Trick, I couldn’t have been happier. The finest qualities of the title shine by way of brilliantly, and the fashionable tweaks made to its controls and visuals are a lot appreciated. Fans can relaxation assured that this oddball title can be returning in its absolute best state, and people who haven’t skilled it have an ideal alternative to see what makes it so memorable.
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