Phoenix Wright: Ace Attourney, reviewed by Megaman

[Megaman FTW]

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attourney

I was a bit Skeptic of this game at first, because I had heard so little of it, but if you don't know that I don't like this game by now, WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN!? With that said, I shall begin.

Plot
In this game, you play as Phoenix Wright, the beginning defense attorney in some generic city somewhere. You are an up and coming attorney working at the Fey and Co. Law offices under your mentor Mia Fey. You also team with Mia's sister, Maya Fey, in many of your cases. Since most of the plot of the game is directly involved with the proceedings in court, providing any more information would ruin the rest of the game.

Gameplay
The objective of the game is to carefully observe events as they happen so that you can discover important clues that prove the innocence of your clients. The game happens in 2 parts, the Court and the Field.

In the Court, a witness to the crime will state their Testimony on what transpired at the time of the crime. Then, using your own knowledge of what happened, as well as other testimony accounts and evidence in the crime, you will have to pick apart what the witness to the crime has said and point out contradictions that prove it is false. After doing this enough times, you can begin to piece together clues that not only prove that your client is innocent, but also reveal the identity of the guilty party.

In the Field, you will go around collecting clues about the crime and talking to various people involved in the events surrounding it, including the police, represented by Detective Gumshoe, the Witnesses, and anyone else directly involved in the murder. You can do things like examining various environments to find important information and clues, you can talk to the witnesses, or you can present items (most of it evidence) that you have compiled so far in order to get more meaningful responses from them.

I enjoyed this game a lot, as my signature should show, and the only problem I have with it is the way the game requires you strictly do things by the book.

When you are in the field, you may find yourself stuck for hours when they key to advancing is something as simply as examining something you have already looked at a hundred times only to find something new that lets you move on. Aside from that, in court, the witness gives their testimony in parts (meaning that you select one "frame" of their testimony and press for more information on it, or provide evidence against it), but sometimes, I provide evidence that clearly could prove my case, but it will fail in the court simply because it wasn't the path designated as correct by the game designers. Despite this, I loved the game. This game DOES have various sequels, so I am not sure if they have improved that at all in later installments.

Graphic Quality
This game is run entirely in relatively high resolution 2-D. While the graphics didn't make me fell I could die happily just for having seen them, they were fairly well made. Many of the characters did look rather humorous.

Replay Value
Because of the naturally slow progression of the Field parts of the game, and the nature of this game as a puzzle solving game, it is only natural that its replay value be poor. Simply put, if you've solved each puzzle once, it doesn't take a second thought to complete it again. There's no challenge to it at all, since you already know what to do, and figuring that out is the entire premise of this game.

Difficulty Curve
STEEEEEEEPPPPP.
This game is hard, I feel very proud to have beaten it without following a walkthrough, because at times it seemed impossible. The first of the 5 cases in this game is fairly easy, since it is basically a tutorial. There is only 1 day in court, and no Field aspect to this case. But starting on the second mission, they show no mercy. It gets tough. But if you use a guide on this game, I must warn you, I may have to eat your soul. This is the kind of game where using a guide is no better than using the Konami code on Contra; it just ruins the whole game.

Overall Rating This game was great aside from its minor yet annoying flaws in the solutions to some of the problems. It makes you choose what the game wants you to choose, which sometimes is not what makes sense. Nonetheless, I recommend this game to anyone who has a DS and 30 dollars burning a hole in their pocket.

Quick Review
Plot: Who cares?
Gameplay: 9/10. Incredible. Chuck Norris plays this game.
Graphics: 8/10. Its not bad for 2-D, and I would take this over low quality 3-D any day. Many of the characters look very comical.
Replay Value: 0/10. Play it, love it, move on.
Difficulty Curve: It starts out smooth and gets hard, fast. Reminds me of the Top Gun rollercoaster at Canada's Wonderland.
Overall Rating: Its a good game. I wouldn't call you a heretic for disliking it, although I would openly disagree in the form of a loud...

[Jamoodah]

There are 4 Ace Attorneys, are you talking about the first one? I recently bought the 2nd one "Justice for All". I finished the first of four trials and its pretty cool. Sometimes a little predictable, but I guess if it wasn't it would be too hard. I enjoy having to think in this game.

[Megaman FTW]

Ace Attourney is the first game in the series. Justice for all, Trials and Tribulations, (and I've heard there is another one) are the sequels I was reffering to. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if they fixed those error I was talking about in the rest of the Phoenix Wright games? I'd like to take that into consideration before I think about getting them.

[Chris]

I hated how you would cross examine and then the people would change their story 3 or 4 times before you can break them down. I'm on case 4 and not sure if I want to keep going. I'm keeping it in my collection though.

I would give it like a 6.2/10

[Megaman FTW]

Then write your own review, Mr "Wiispace staff person" :P

[Chris]

Originally Posted by MEGAMAN_FTW!

Then write your own review, Mr "Wiispace staff person" :P

But the cross examining was annoying as hell. Like that case were you had to find out what happened to the actor..people changed their story every time.

[Megaman FTW]

Originally Posted by Chris

But the cross examining was annoying as hell. Like that case were you had to find out what happened to the actor..people changed their story every time.

They didn't change the story, they just added a few left out details.

That works to a small extent, even in real court (although half the stuff in the game would never work in a real courtroom).

(They called the Fruggin parrot as a witness)

(The crap?)

[Chris]

Exactly.. Most of the things they change around would never get through..I want to punch the judge that guy seemed pretty much clueless the whole game. And the game has a TON of backtracking.

[Megaman FTW]

True, but still, if you have problems with these things, it must just not be your kind of game. And that being the case...



I remain true to my promises.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by MEGAMAN_FTW!

True, but still, if you have problems with these things, it must just not be your kind of game. And that being the case...



I remain true to my promises.

Your Objection is OVERULED! But Yeah I got it for 20$ the day after Christmas.