Hilarious characters, a captivating story, stylish graphics, and unique gameplay make Ghost Trick SO worth playing.
Unique and fun gameplay
Pleasing visual style and dazzling animation
Hilarious and dramatic story is addicting
Well-written dialogue and physical humor
The Bad:
Gameplay remains pretty much unchanged throughout the whole game
Worth only one playthrough
No side quests or hidden content
Story mode is the only mode
Let's get one thing straight: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is really, really good. It takes a clever, refreshing new game concept and combines it with a hilarious story to create a truly awesome game. While it's a bit too linear and has little replay value, it is still a must-buy. It's worth playing and an absolute joy to take part in.
The story is definitely the game's best feature. You play as Sissel, a ghost who has lost his memory. Your goal is to find clues to discover who you were before you died, and perhaps maybe save a few lives on the way. During your journey, you meet dozens of unique and hilarious characters just bursting with personality. Lynne is a sarcastic redhead who seems always either enthusiastic or extremely ticked off. Inspector Cabanela is a flamboyant man who dances around and poses and refers to everyone as "baby." You'll also meet a talking dog, blue-skinned assassins, a loopy hippie, a spastic politician, and many more. All of the characters are hilarious and memorable, and perhaps even deserving of their own games and stories. There are many plot twists, including a shocking secret about Sissel at the end (I won't spoil it). The dialogue is absolutely hilarious. Sissel and Lynne's sarcastic conversations are just bursting with ingenious comments.
The visual style is pleasing to the eye. Objects lack outlines and are mildly detailed. The real treat, though, is the animation. Character's movements are shockingly smooth and crisp. They're beautiful.
The music is decent, especially the Ghost World's soundtrack.
Gameplay is unlike anything else out there. You drag your spirit, represented by a blue flame, to manipulate objects. You can strum guitars, open refrigerators, turn on lights, spin fans, etc. You change these objects to eventually create a chain reaction that will save someone's life. For example, early on, a hitman is about to shoot a lady named Lynne. You can stop him by turning on a fan, which raises a flag, which allows you to pedal a bike, where you can then raise a railroad crossing gate, which allows you to reach a crane and open a clamp. The clamp opens and drops a wrecking ball on the hitman, saving Lynne. Many situations are much more complicated than this, and require split second timing and a perfect setup. Level designs are ingenious and will really stretch your brain muscle.
Unfortunately, gameplay doesn't vary much. You don't gain a new ability until near the end of the game. There is also only one solution to each puzzle, so there really is no point to exploring. You'll solve each area by using trial and error, so expect to be doing a lot of the same thing over and over again. Frequent checkpoints prevent too much backtracking, but it still is annoying to listen to the same conversations and manipulate the same objects over and over again. I really wish there was a fast forward button, although you can speed through dialogue by holding B. However, the gameplay is still fun every time. You will feel proud after solving some of the puzzles, for some are particularly devious. Overall, though, the game is pretty laid back and easy.
My favorite part of the game would have to be its brand of humor. Even deaths are funny. Where else will you see an innocent father put to death in the electric chair followed by an incompetent security guard's hilarious dance and his partner's gutbusting insults? Death isn't taken too seriously, and characters are like, "Oh, I died. This is a bit of an inconvenience." It's truly funny to watch.
Overall, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a great game that takes a refreshing concept and pairs it with a hilarious and gripping story. While it's a bit too short and linear, it is still worth playing. The story alone could stand as a decent book. Ghost Trick is a fun game that is definitely worth it.