The truth shall set you free! (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS))

Member Name: Hydromancer

Product:	Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS)
Date:	30/10/08 (189 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: unique and colourful, well prsented, great sound effects, fun investigative and adventure elements

Disadvantages: a bit linear at times, legal inaccuracies can sometimes be frustrating!

We have an obsession with courtroom dramas. Everyone knows that law firms are among the most lucrative businesses in the world. What's the big deal, huh? Why are they so popular? So rich? Do they have fun? Well, for all you inquisitive minds out there, Capcom has a solution: Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney! Here to answer all your lawyering questions. And while this courtroom 'simulation' is destined to become a cult-classic with great one-liners and a memorable cast of characters, you'll be left praying that no court in the world operates in this way.

There's never been a game quite like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney before, and there are so many things that make it such a joy to play. If you have ever played a text-based adventure game before, then you have a good idea of how one aspect of Ace Attorney plays out. You travel about various local areas and buildings, talking to people and searching for clues. This part of the games unfolds in a very "point-and-click" style of play, and is fairly boring. When you trigger one event, such as finding a clue, talking to a suspect, or presenting an item to somebody, a new event will open up for you to trigger. Usually, this event is intuitive and is what you'd normally do next. Sometimes, however, this isn't the case, and the next event is obscure. Then, you are forced to endure the bane of all text-based games: wandering around aimlessly and randomly performing actions, hoping to trigger the next event. These sections of the game, while few and far between, are very annoying and discouraging.

The similarity with other text-based games stops here, though, because from that point forward, Ace Attorney is drastically different from other games you've ever played. There are two main phases of the game: investigation, and the actual day in court. While the investigation section is fairly mundane, the in-court part of the game is unlike anything you've ever played. The action slashes back and forth between you, the defense attorney, the prosecutor, and the witness. The prosecutor will call on witnesses to allude to the guilt of your client. They will testify, and then you are given the chance to cross-examine the witness. You may press them with questions to get more information, or you can raise objections. If you find a contradiction between a witness's testimony and evidence that you've already found, you must raise an objection. Continue to tear apart the witness's testimony, until eventually they leave the stand. Then get ready, because another witness is about to be called and you must do this over again. This game play mechanic is wonderful because it is so new and so rewarding. There's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you deliver the coupe-de-grace and prove once and for all that the witness on the stand is lying through his teeth. The feeling of satisfaction is undescribable, and makes Ace Attorney a blast to play.

Ace Attorney was actually originally released in Japan years ago as a GameBoy Advance game, which has been ported over to the DS for European and American gamers. Well, luckily, Capcom didn't decide to take the lazy route and simply throw a GBA game on a DS cartridge and call it a new game (although certain aspects of the game do seem to follow such an ideal). The first four cases could pretty easily be played on a GBA, but Capcom added a bonus fifth case specifically for the DS version, which does a fantastic job of taking advantage of all the features that the DS has to offer. You get to do fingerprint work, which has you spreading the powder on the crime scene with the stylus, and then blowing it away with the microphone to reveal a print. You get to test for blood and even watch crime scene video footage to point out flaws with the prosecution's attack. The entire game is great fun, but the fifth case in particular really is the epitome of the brilliance that Phoenix Wright has to offer.

The game play is unique and fun, but the storyline is the driving force behind Ace Attorney. If you are a fan of such authors as Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle, you will fall in love with Ace Attorney. Each of the five cases have a distinct, thought-out storyline, and every case is full of intrigues and plot twists that will ensure that you stay hooked until the final verdict. Interestingly, all of the cases are linked to each other in some way. You're not simply given five random cases to solve; instead, all of them are related. Cases start out simply, but become more exciting and complex as the game progresses; the fourth and fifth cases are true masterpieces of detective work. There are countless characters that you encounter throughout the game, and several of them play a role later in the game. Each character has a very distinct personality, and the script does an amazing job of showing every character's attitude. Some characters are downright hilarious, while others are as grave and serious as can be. Also worthy of mention is the fantastic script. The writing is excellent; it keeps the plot moving forward, but also provides some comedic relief. Ace Attorney manages to crack several clean jokes that might actually have you laughing out loud.

The graphics in Phoenix Wright also help contribute to its hilarity. Often, the graphics are pretty out-there, but it they still complement the rest of the game quite well. The graphics are serious when necessary, but also have a charming sense of humor. The wide variety of characters have drastically different personalities, and those personalities are further shown by the graphics themselves. Ace Attorney exclusively features 2D graphics, but they're very well done. Poses and expressions are used depending on the current situation, and the graphics are all very detailed.

Also worthy of attention is the fantastic music in Ace Attorney. Often, the sound a game makes has no real impact on its overall quality. In Ace Attorney, however, the music actually makes the game far more fun and enjoyable to play. There are a variety of different tunes, ranging from light-hearted to serious and grave. The music is interspersed throughout the game, and is really excellent. It beautifully complements the mood of the game at the moment, and thanks to the game's varying brevity, all of the music is played fairly often.

Ace Attorney offers an intriguing, fun gaming experience, but it ends all too soon. The first case will take you an hour or two, and they grow longer from there. Still, cases are never huge; they are always capped at about 5 hours. The game is short, and its also incredibly easy. It's not possible to really "lose" in Ace Attorney, although there is a life meter of sorts in the game. If you do something incorrectly (for example, point out a contradiction that doesn't exist), you receive a penalty. If you incur five penalties, then the case ends and your client gets a guilty verdict. Unfortunately, this problem can be easily overcome, because you can save whenever you want. If you're about to make a critical objection, you save your game before it, just in case. Thus, any difficulty that the game might have had is completely compromised.

Despite its minor shortcomings, Ace Attorney is one of the best games for the DS available today. The text is wonderful, and it offers an interesting way to utilize the DS's capabilities. It's going to be tough to find, as production was sadly limited, but even if you've got to pay a bit extra for a new copy online or even pick up a used copy, I'd say it's worth it. Ace Attorney may not be for everybody, but if you enjoy a great read, then you should definitely pick it up.

Typical price: £25.99 from Powerplay Direct

(Please note that this game is out of stock nearly everywhere. If you're interested in buying this game, I suggest that you consider Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney which is a slightly refined version of this game, alternatively invest in other Phoenix Wright games, e.g. Phoenix Wright Justice for All)

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Summary: it's a bright, rich, and lengthy adventure that could be improved upon