Ghost Trick remaster June 30th

[Violentvixen]

Ghost Trick was one of the highlights of the DS library, and a remaster is coming at the end of this month on lots of platforms. It's been long enough for me (the game came out in the US in 2011 and pretty sure I played it close to release) I probably won't remember how to solve all the mysteries and it will be so much easier to see the scenes based on the screenshots, yikes:

I do not remember thinking the henchman had a long nose in this scene based on the original art so that's a fun little thing already.

Also I just preordered it and there are some minor cute bonuses:

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - Bonus Content
Pre-order Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective to receive the following bonus content:

Four game screen backgrounds:
-Missile
-Kamila and Missile
-Sissel and Lynne
-Ray and the Black Cat

Two additional tracks to listen to in the "Music" feature:
-Missile, Brave Little Creature
-Chicken Paradise
*Includes both the original and remastered versions

*The above contents may be made available through other means in the future.

I'm glad they recognize Missile is one of the best parts of the game.

 

[Kazin]

It says a lot about the writing in this game that I do not particularly like dogs at all (much less Pomeranians), and yet Missile is one of my favorite video game characters of all time. I fucking love him.

I'll definitely pick this up at some point, Ghost Trick is great.

 

[WildcatJF]

I'm importing the physical deluxe edition from Japan, that's how excited I am, haha. Ghost Trick is, imo, in Capcom's three greatest games of all time, so I can't wait to play it again with the updated visuals.

 

[Bongo]

It seems that the basis for the graphics in this version were the original high-resolution models that they used to render the DS version sprites. I don't think they just used them directly, of course.

The original was sort of the last hurrah for Donkey Kong Country style prerendered sprites, huh? And no motion capture either, just pure animation.

 

[gogglebob]

I'm importing the physical deluxe edition from Japan, that's how excited I am, haha. Ghost Trick is, imo, in Capcom's three greatest games of all time, so I can't wait to play it again with the updated visuals.

Considering I 100% agree on Ghost Trick, what are your other two?

 

[Sarge]

A friend of mine tried for years to get me to play this, and I eventually succumbed. It's so, so good.

 

[Issun]

 

[Paul le Fou]

Man, if I had disposable income I'd be alllll over this. Someday...

 

[WildcatJF]

Considering I 100% agree on Ghost Trick, what are your other two?

Bionic Commando (NES) and Mega Man 3. BC is such a masterful exploration of how to make an action/platformer without jumping, and once the bionic arm gameplay clicks it's like mechanics nirvana for me; Mega Man 3 is my nostalgic "first Capcom game" and the game that made my interest in games go beyond "this is neat" to "this is what I want to devote my energy into".

 

[Olli]

Deffo going to get this, despite it being one of the few games I've beaten more than once

 

[Mogri]

Pretty sure the game won an award for this animation.

 

[WildcatJF]

Got my physical copy in the mail today and booted it up for a bit. This is a masterful remaster. The animation is still incredible, the music has been rearranged (and is very good!), and the D-pad controls work just fine (I may prefer them to the stylus controls of the DS, honestly). Definitely going to give this a huge recommendation to at least try the demo.

 

[Bongo]

Watching the Panic Dance in glorious 720p.

 

[lincolnic]

I never had a DS, but I know this game is beloved by a lot of folks. I've never seen any of it, what's the gameplay like?

 

[WildcatJF]

It's a mix of a visual novel with time-based puzzling in interactive environments. You will enter "Ghost Mode" to move around to the object you wish to manipulate, then switch out and perform a "Trick" and cause that item to do some sort of action. It's time based as you're typically trying to avert some sort of calamity from taking place, but you can "rewind" four minutes from the event to try again.

It's hard to talk about this without accidentally spoiling something, but I hope that the description is clear enough, haha.

 

[Lokii]

It's kinda like you're constructing elaborate Rube Goldberg machines out of various props in a 2D tableau.

 

[WisteriaHysteria]

Also, if you like the genuinely clever "Aha!" moments in the Ace Attorney series, this game has that in spades. The story is seriously just really really good on its own merits.

 

[MCBanjoMike]

I am just so happy for anyone who will be playing this game for the first time. I replayed it around two years ago on my phone (pretty decent port, by the way) and the last quarter of the game in particular is just phenomenal. New of the rerelease got me to listen to the soundtrack again and there are some serious bangers in there, too. The new soundtrack arrangements seem to be pretty good from the few samples I've found, but I'll always have a certain fondness for the crunchy sounds of the DS version.

 

[Bongo]

I remember the big twist, and it's adding delicious dramatic irony to a bunch of lines, but I forgot most of the little twists, so it's keeping me guessing. It's been just long enough.

 

[Violentvixen]

I'm trying to finish Zelda before starting this because this is a game I really want to focus on and I'm so excited to start.

 

[WisteriaHysteria]

I'm trying to finish Zelda before starting this because this is a game I really want to focus on and I'm so excited to start.

This is me, but also with like five other games lol. I know if I put Zelda on the shelf to start another game, I won't come back to it for a long time, and I want to beat it. New job is kicking my free time's ass tho. Hopefully I can get around to this soon because I haven't really played this since it first came out; I lent my DS copy and never got it back. I think I'm in Bongo's position where it's been long enough that I remember the big twist and a few standout moments, but most of it will feel refreshing at this point.

 

[Violentvixen]

I never had a DS, but I know this game is beloved by a lot of folks. I've never seen any of it, what's the gameplay like?

Agree with the summaries (and that it's difficult to summarize without spoiling too much) but also wanted to note that there's a demo on the eShop for it. Maybe other platforms too but I haven't checked.

This is me, but also with like five other games lol. I know if I put Zelda on the shelf to start another game, I won't come back to it for a long time, and I want to beat it. New job is kicking my free time's ass tho. Hopefully I can get around to this soon because I haven't really played this since it first came out; I lent my DS copy and never got it back. I think I'm in Bongo's position where it's been long enough that I remember the big twist and a few standout moments, but most of it will feel refreshing at this point.

Oh yeah, it's definitely been long enough for me too. This might be something I wait to play until we're on the plane to Japan in October, since then I can really hunker down and play it.

 

[lincolnic]

Agree with the summaries (and that it's difficult to summarize without spoiling too much) but also wanted to note that there's a demo on the eShop for it. Maybe other platforms too but I haven't checked.

I'm on PS5 but I will absolutely look for a demo, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Paul le Fou]

I'm pretty sure I saw a demo in the PS5 store the other day. Check it out!

 

[lincolnic]

Yep, I came back to say that I've got the PS5 demo downloaded and am looking forward to trying it out over the weekend.

 

[Issun]

Yep, I came back to say that I've got the PS5 demo downloaded and am looking forward to trying it out over the weekend.

 

[Violentvixen]

Man, the graphic updates make the timing puzzles much easier, I find it much easier to tell exactly where an object in flight is without having to switch to ghost mode now.

Just loving it, and I've forgotten a lot of details so it still feels really fresh. Just uncovered the painting of me in the prisoner's cell (spoiler for something just before 10pm) Having a blast.

 

[Violentvixen]

Beat it. Superb, spectacular, brilliant, etc. Still one of my top games ever. This remake is incredibly well done and a world that was already vibrant and full on the DS is even better now.

For example, one touch I'd never realized before was the novelist's hairdo is styled liked like a rosebud, then when she gets angry it blooms. I just thought she had a big updo that fell apart when angry. There's so many more little details like this, it's a joy to play and look at.

I'd forgotten a lot of the realizations at the end of the game, the writing is so unbelievably good. I have no experience with the Japanese text but the translation team likely deserves a ton of credit for that as well. I did notice one typo, one chapter title card has PM instead of AM, but the challenge for beating it notes AM. Silly.

And finally, I browsed through the Extras gallery and there's some really fun concept art in there. Can't seem to find the one of Lynne online which is a bummer because there's a delightful design that's more Sherlock Holmes inspired. Wouldn't have fit the game but it's a fun one, if you have the game check it out. I like the rightmost concept here though: