Ace Attorney Franchise (OBJEEEEEECTIIIIIIOOOOON!)

[Gens]

Anyone played the Miles Edgeworth games? Are they worth hunting down as well? Really wanna play those two Victorian Era AA games now that I'm aware of them but it doesn't look like they'll be released outside of Japan anytime soon :/

Definitely, they do a great job in really developing Edgeworth's character, and it's the perfect send off to him. It's as fun, and as well constructed as anything else in the franchise. The 2nd game didn't get released here, but fortunately, there was an excellent fan translation of it.

Also, yeah, sadly, that seems to be the case with GAA. It just did not sell well, in Japan, and bombed hard, so those chances are pretty much slim to none. We can only really depend on a fan translation there.

 

[Schizm]

Also, yeah, sadly, that seems to be the case with GAA. It just did not sell well, in Japan, and bombed hard, so those chances are pretty much slim to none. We can only really depend on a fan translation there.

I'm already falling in love with Edgeworth all over again, so it's great that the Investigations games continue his story. I'm also intrigued about playing the prosecuting side for once.

I think I read somewhere that Capcom stopped a team of fans from translating the GAA game(s). Those news are half a year old though, so I don't know how it is now.

 

[Gens]

I think I read somewhere that Capcom stopped a team of fans from translating the GAA game(s). Those news are half a year old though, so I don't know how it is now.

It's actually still going pretty well now, so there's hope yet!

Might take a bit of time tho.

 

[Schizm]

Rise from the Ashes (Case 5 in AA1)

Spoiler

Holy shit, that case is a fucking nail-biter (even more so than DL-6, the one before it). Finally called Damon Gant to the witness stand and it's ON! I actually expected him to be the kind mentor figure to Gumshoe and Edgeworth when he first appeared but man, did I think wrong. Pretty sure I'll finish this game today. Poor Ema, though...

 

[LadyPsychic]

My favorite Ace Attorney game is Ace Attorney Investigations 2, even though I technically never played it myself. Instead, I've seen several lets plays of it (my favorite of which is Nico B's let's play of it).

 

[g3data]

Well I finally got through with Dual Destinies. Not an outright bad entry but still sub-standard compared to my expectations.

Spoiler

Honestly, what irked me immediately about this game is how it rendered the ending of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney completely hollow. The changes to the judicial system Phoenix schemed for seven years to come to fruition just vanishes into thin air as if the idea of Jurist system was never conjured to begin with.

There's also how they keep harping endlessly about "the dark age of the law" when the extent of how bad things have gotten only being vaguely mentioned offhandedly. And I also don't buy how it was Phoenix's and Blackquill's convictions that kicked things off. Remember how one of the most powerful prosecutors was revealed to have forged evidence and murdered Gregory in cold blood? How about Godot? Police chief Damon Gant? Kristophe Gavin? Chief Prosecutor Blaise Debeste? The judicial system has been full of high profile crooks since the first game, and they were all actually guilty with more than two pieces of evidence against them.

I also wasn't really a fan of how many of Turnabout for Tomorrow's ideas were taken from previous plot-points/character arcs in the series, only to build up to a "true culprit" that was intentionally written to be a non-character. And we spent so much just figuring him out there wasn't much opportunity to include an interesting motive. Dude came off like a lobotimized Callisto Yew.

At least gameplay-wise they streamlined the investigations for the better. I still love the original trilogy + Apollo Justice but the amount directionless pixel-hunting lead me to online guides more often than I'd like to admit. Here they go with a similar approach as the Danganronpa games in how it makes clear what needs to be done before proceeding to the trial. You can't examine any where you want any more but it's a fair trade-off.

It was alright overall. The argument over worst game in the series is normally between Justice for All and Apollo Justice but if I'm being honest, the best of chapters of these (2-2/2-4 and 4-1/4-4) beat this one at it's best. Blackquill was the best part of this one even if he was mostly and edgier Miles (literally!).

 

[Gens]

I'm of the same opinion to be honest, that Dual Destinies is the weakest one in the franchise, even though I still liked it. I think Spirit of Justice is the overall better game after this with how it elaborates on Apollo, but man.........Sahdmadhi, has to be the worst prosecutor of all time to me that didn't work. Fucking hated that guy, and he just wasn't fun in any way.

 

[g3data]

Honestly, the more I think about it, I really do think Turnabout Reclaimed was the best chapter in DD.

Starting SOJ now. Since I'm not watching much anime to talk about here right now I may as well keep you lads posted on my impressions so you can snicker on about how wildly wrong my predictions are.

 

[Schizm]

Meanwhile I'm struggling with the investigation of that Circus case in AA2. Reached another dead end, so tired of looking around and showing stuff to everyone, yet also not willing to use walkthroughs for it. I have 4 more AA games I wanna play but this one just doesn't wanna continue. Haven't touched it in two weeks, can't even remember where I'm at exactly with this. Don't finde the case all that exciting either, unfortunately.

 

[Gens]

I think it's pretty much universally accepted, the Circus case is one of the worst cases ever in the franchise. Also, Moe the clown is annoying.

You're not alone there bud.

Honestly, the more I think about it, I really do think Turnabout Reclaimed was the best chapter in DD.

That case was too good, to be DLC.

 

[Schizm]

Hating the circus in general is a huge factor here, but yeah, the case has been going for a while (at least I think so) and it has been pretty dull. The characters you're involved with are mostly annoying and creepy, like an adult magician and awkward Pee-wee Herman ventriloquist proposing to a 16-year old.

The case before it was way better with the mediums, so here's hoping all that picks up again after I'm done with this circus stuff. Moe can go choke on his stupid hat.

 

[g3data]

I think it's pretty much universally accepted, the Circus case is one of the worst cases ever in the franchise. Also, Moe the clown is annoying.

You're not alone there bud.

Case 3s in general are sort of maligned for either being disposable filler and/or take their gimmicks to far

Spoiler

don't believe me? How about

That said, Recipe for Turnabout was awesome and I will not hear anything to the contrary. And none of this really applies to Investigations or Prosecutor's Path since those ones don't have any filler chapters.

 

[g3data]

The Foreign Turnabout

Spoiler

Tongue shears, a 9 year old kid getting executed, the most absurd pun in the history of naming conventions, shit got real and it got real real fast.

As far as first chapters go, this was pretty dope. Even without a serious prosecutor the tension felt palpable. That said, it was nice being able to take away Payne's safe space like this.

The inclusion of voice overs where they don't normally go through me off in a good way too.

 

[g3data]

The Magical Turnabout

Spoiler

Trucy's had it rough hasn't she? This makes for the 3rd tragedy to ruin Troupe Gramarye. That Retinz was a real piece of shit, killing his successor all for the sake revenge against someone who did him no harm.

This game really seems to like turning up the personal stakes, even for a relatively filler-y chapter like this. It was a good one though. For sure the best one tackled by Apollo and Athena thus far. I also like how this was just a 2-day chapter since I'm not really a fan of how the 2nd day investigations break up the trials into two. I much prefer the idea of splitting the mysteries into two distinct phases unless there's good enough reason to justify a new investigation besides a lack of evidence on either side.

Also Bonny/Betty were really cute.

 

[g3data]

The Rite of Turnabout

Spoiler

Well Maya's here, so of course they had to keep tradition and have her be arrested for murder. The strange thing here is how the rebel hunter at first is spoken of highly in reverence to their patriotic spirit, but once the idea of Maya being under the mask is bandied about, she's still treated as a common criminal.

This was pretty meaty for a middle chapter. Seems as though Dhurke dindunuttin but given how fucked this legal system is to begin with, that wasn't much of a shocker.

 

[g3data]

Turnabout Storyteller

Spoiler

It was a typical Ace Attorney filler case in a lot of ways (mainly how it revolves around a central gimmick, rakugo in this case) but it was a perfectly reasonable one. It would have been nice to see Athena and Simon investigate together but at least it didn't over stay it's welcome but I'd say it was more than worth it to just skip to the actual.

I also think I kind of hate Nahyuta with all of his obnoxious condescension about giving up and talk of fire and brimstone so seeing Simon take the wind out of his sales was cool too. This game already has more than it's share of passive aggressive bullshit so seeing it sent back the other way was nice.

 

[g3data]

Turnabout Revolution

Spoiler

That was loooooooooooong af. Rise from the Ashes might have more individual phases but this one probably outdoes when it comes to overall length because of how it felt like two seperate (but related) stuck together, like if the Cosmic Turnabout and Turnabout for Tomorrow were one.

The first one attempts to trick you into thinking it wouldn't be another murder trial, but I've had my guard up for this kind of thing happening again since the third game. I recall seeing "Apollo vs Phoenix" used as a selling point in the trailer, but they didn't really do much with the idea. For starters, the court proceedings were pretty similar to the norm despite being a civil case. You'd expect two attorneys to have to do the same thing but Phoenix takes a position similar to that of a prosecutor, as in he sends out the witness, and sits back as you figure stuff out and occasionally throwing a few logic curve balls at you. There also wasn't much of a conflict between the two as the set-up would have you believe. There was no disagreement between the two since the Justice Minister was forcing Phoenix's hand with Maya as a bargaining chip. It doesn't feel satisfying to see Apollo pull a victory over Phoenix if he never truly believed in his client to begin with.

Armie was very adorable, probably my favorite one-off from this game.

The second part felt like a pretty big departure from what I'm used to scope-wise, after this I just kind of want the series to go back to basics. The threat of a guilty verdict is enough really since I don't not buy that the game would be willing to go that far.

These games have always been at a bit of a loss when it comes to what they want to do with Apollo as a character, and I don't think giving him this elaborate backstory that he "forced himself to forget" was the right idea. Dhurke was also someone I was never fully sold on once I realized his story was basically that of Hobo Phoenix, but more extreme and without the air of moral ambiguity since apparently this man has never done anything questionable in his life. The 6th Sense twist was pretty clever I'll admit

The queen though, she had to really be seen to be believed with how she went full Maleficent the moment she felt the need to step up. But seriously, if she can bend the law at a moments notice, why even bother keeping some facsimile of fairness? She should have had the defense killed before her claim to the throne was challenged.

And now Apollo's gone from the agency. I wonder how long that'll last.

 

[Schizm]

Ok, so I made it through the circus case a while ago but still playing AA2 somehow. This case now is a looot better and interesting at least, even some old characters reappear

Spoiler

and Franziska gets shot in the right shoulder, hurr hurr

I wonder if the 2nd game has 5 cases like the first one or if this is the final one. Anyway, Trials & Tribulations next!

Also, what's that about DLC cases for later games? Do you have to download them from the eShop?

 

[Gens]

Also, what's that about DLC cases for later games? Do you have to download them from the eShop?

The DLC option just shows up in the menu, after you first start the game and save. But yeah, you just basically buy those and download them.

 

[Schizm]

Slowly rounding up the original trilogy before moving on to Apollo Justice. Trials ups the ante a bit and I already like it more than AA2

Spoiler

the only highlight being the Maya murder case because sprits... and Pearls. The Shelly case was ok and brought Edgeworth back but all in all I found the case to be a bit tedious, especially in the final act. That circus case was all kinds of annoying imo