TAKE THAT!
That’s a totally professional thing to say when you present some evidence to the court, right?
Well, that’s what 100% professional Ace Attorney, Phoenic Wright does. A lot.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, like the rest of the games in the series, is a legal-drama visual novel adventure. You play as Phoenix Wright (I know, what a surprise), a new defense attorney. After graduating and getting your badge (we’ll come back to this, don’t worry), you take on your first trial.
A homicide.
Now… I’m not a lawyer, so feel free to correct me on this. But a homicide case straight out of the gate sounds like a lot to take on. Especially when your mentor, Mia Fey, has to remind you of basic trial stuff. Like how you can object, cross examinations are a thing, and how you do need evidence to prove someone is innocent.
Of course, this is just because it’s a tutorial for you, but it does set up the precedent that our buddy Phoenix is kind of dumb. And somehow, the best lawyer ever.
The games are split into chapters, all of them are 1 case long – though the length of the case can vary wildly. They are all homicides, though. Despite the similarities in the cases and formulaic structure of the game, they seldom feel dull.
But yeah – formulaic.
My favourite part is when you point out a massive issue with a testimony (lies, or an oversight), and then the witness revises it. Again. And Again. Like, this guy is on revision number four! Surely he isn’t a reliable witness and we should be considering perjury or contempt of court or something? No?
Okay then.
Your witnesses are questionable, I’m not going to lie. Phoenix clutches at some straws in this game. It’s almost like this isn’t a totally accurate courtroom simulator after all!
The games have a colourful recurring cast of characters, and you find out a little bit more about each of them in a fairly natural way. Each has their own lives and motives. It’s easy to get kind of attached to them.
The pun-based names are awful though. Frank Sahwit, really? Luke Atmey? Dick Gumshoe is a detective, what a surprise!
Despite the cases seeming individual, there is a story that goes across the trilogy. The characters develop, like they would in any series. Yeah, it’s a little bit “monster of the week” at times, but there’s still something there to stretch across. I got invested in the characters and how their stories played out amongst the cases.
The Phoenix Wright trilogy is definetly worth playing. But is it worth the price?
The problem is Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, the first game in the series, was originally released in 2001. Even Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations – the third game – came out on the Game Boy Advance in 2004. Point being, these games are old. And yeah, you’re getting all three games, but you’re getting 3 games which are almost 20 years old with some updated graphics. I bought the game for £30. Like I said, that’s for 3 games that I loved and knew I would play again.
I’ll be honest – if you have never played Phoenix Wright before, totally buy it. 3 games for £30 isn’t that bad, and the average play time of the series is 60 hours so that’s like 50p per hour of entertainment. If you have played it before, unless you absolutely adored it, maybe wait until it’s on sale.
The Court Record
The game isn’t a Nintendo exclusive, though I played it on the Switch for nostalgia/I wanted to take it around the house. It’s now available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One too.
Some of these codes – looking at you Humble Bundle – are affiliate links. This means that I get a tiny little boost if you buy something using the code, but no extra charges to you. You pay what you would have anyway.
PanaceaPlays 