The game was provided by Capcom for review. Thank you!
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a puzzle game where you are on a quest to solve your own murder. As Sissel, you have recently died and lost all your memories, but thanks to your special powers, you have the ability to change the past. Using the powers of the dead, you will manipulate objects to solve puzzles and save lives, while trying to figure out the mysterious dealings surrounding your death. Get ready for a wild, humorous story full of charming personalities, but you only have a few hours before you disappear forever, so it’s time to hurry up!
Originally released for the DS in 2010/2011, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective has been re-released for modern platforms! This new version has been updated with high resolution visuals, a rearranged soundtrack with new tunes, and an artwork and music gallery.
When this game released on the DS, I unfortunately didn’t have the chance to buy the game. Personally, I did want it, especially as someone that loves the Ace Attorney games, so getting this now on PC felt like I have come full circle. I am so glad I did too, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is awesome! The story is engaging with great characters and a wonderful aesthetic. The soundtrack is great and the puzzles are a good balance between too difficult and too easy. Taking control of inanimate objects and activating them to influence people that are still alive is a great concept and this game utilizes it well.
There are some moments that feel a little tedious or could have options to speed up past them, like some animations or repeating deaths, but these are far and few. The game is fantastic overall and if you enjoy puzzle games, the Ace Attorney series, and dogs (Missile all the way), then you will really enjoy this game, especially on the Steam Deck.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective – Steam Deck Performance
Without any changes, you can expect a solid 60 FPS with a battery drain of 7W – 9W. This will give a 5 – 5.5 hour battery life, which is fantastic for this. Personally, I didn’t expect it to have any trouble running due to this being a remaster of a DS game, but it is still great to see no weird issues with it:
The game does have controller support and cloud saves, but resolution is not as straightforward. While the overall screen is 1280×720, the actual game takes up less space. The DS screen utilizes a 4:3 aspect ratio, so the gameplay doesn’t take up the entire screen. It can feel a bit small at times, but the sides of the screen are utilized with other gameplay elements.
Conclusion
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a fantastic puzzle game that shines with a unique, enjoyable story with a colorful cast of characters. Some of the animations and cutscenes take a little long to get through, but these don’t detract from the experience. Playing this can feel a little weird on the Steam Deck thanks to the game’s aspect ratio, but it works extremely well on the Deck regardless!
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
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