"HOLD IT!! I need to think up of a good tagline...."

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for the Nintendo DS made a surprising impact in the American shores. It made decent sales despite the fact that text/graphic adventure genre isn't popular. It was enough to make a second installment to the American audience. Can this game can hold well like the first. Phoenix Wright: Justice for All had left me a good impression.

Plot/Characters: 10/10
Basically, the story about a rookie lawyer named Phoenix Wright, is striving to get his client innocent. He must gather evidence struggle and present evidences to the court in order to clear the client's name. With the Fey's on his side, he believes that he can overcome the biggest hurdle in the courthouse. There are four cases in the game. Each case have different stories. What's so interesting is that the cases are never dull. It's like a puzzle. As you progress, the overall picture becomes clearer. In Phoenix Wright, it's finding the truth of the murder. One of the problems is that the story of the first Phoenix Wright, is a bit too predictable. In this installment, the story for each case are less predictable. Also, the localization is well-done. Despite of the name changes, the puns and the settings captured the charm of this entire game. Overall, Capcom did a good job to the plot and the localization.

The characters are also superb. There are new characters as well as the returning characters. Each of the characters have vivid personalities. None of the characters are flat. They all tied up into the plot very well. As for the returning characters, there will make their appearance in certain cases such as Lotta Hart, Will Powers and etc. There are some that will make a surprising return. Throughout the case there are many quirky interactions for each person you meet. For first time players, it may not have an significant impact since it's a direct sequel. In order to have a full satisfaction, you must play the first game to fully understand the references given in the second game.

Gameplay 7/10

The controls are simple. Like the first Phoenix Wright, use the touchscreen to present the evidence and use the mic to shout out. The interactivity of the touchscreen such as rotating objects, which was found in the first Phoenix Wright was removed. Also, the lack of an extra case may disappoint some people. However, there are new elements added. For instance, they replaced the 5 strikes with the life bar. This will give players more opportunities in court. Be warned that the amount of life is carried over throughout the case. The only way to regain life is to preform the psyche-lock. It's very similar to the ones in court. You must present evidence to uncover their secrets. This time, guessing is much more difficult since presenting the person's profile is added. The difficulty is mixed. With lots of help from guides, the game can be easy. If you are figuring out on your own, it can be fairly difficult. Despite new elements added, there weren't a lot of interactivity to the touchscreen controls.

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics is nicely detailed, but it's not significantly appealing. The background is beautifully drawn. Unfortunately, there are a lot stuff that was recycled from the first game. You'll see a lot of the same sprites and backgrounds being reused. Basically, the only new stuff you are getting graphically is more sprites and a few additional backgrounds.

Sounds: 8/10

The soundtrack of the music is very good. This time, there are more character themed music as well as remixes. Like the graphics, many of the soundtracks were recycled from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Although the music is quite catchy, the music tends play it over and over in other cases. Although there were a lot of recycling, the new soundtrack is more epic than the first.

Replay Value: Low

Once you finished the game, there's not a lot to do afterwards.

Buy or Rent:

It's really up to you. Renting the game from a friend is good enough since there is a lack of replay value. On the other hand, buying the game is also a good option because the game will be very rare in the future. Either way, it's really up to you of what you decide.

Final Word:

Phoenix Wright: Justice for all is definitely not for everybody. For those who are into some face-paced action may stay away from this game. Also, for the people who are into plot may enjoy it. As for the curious, might intrigued by the unusual style of the gameplay. Last, but not least, the fans of Phoenix Wright will definitely feel the satisfaction of the second installment.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/09/07