"Objection!! This game should be better than just "ok""

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All (PW: JFA) is the latest instalment of the Phoenix wright (PW) “Gyakuten Saiban” games in Japan. These are basically a hybrid of a point and click and text based puzzle adventure. I quite enjoyed the original version of this game for the DS, at the time it was a first of a kind and something new even by DS standards. I hoped, fasted and prayed they'd make another instalment and I guess the gods of Capcom were listening. Once announced I eagerly anticipated the release, once I got my hands on it I was both pleased and disappointed with the final outcome so I decided write a review of the final product.

Game Play:
The game play of phoenix wright justice for all is going to be a love hate/thing for the players, you're either going to like and love the way this game is or hate it to the twelfth power. It's a story driven game that involves a lot of reading and problem solving and with that being a given it won't be everyone's cup of tea. Game play is identical to the previous PW games, it's divided in to two parts; the investigation section, and the trail section. During the investigations you're given the story and advance it by uncovering clues, surveying the areas and interviewing witnesses. Here's were you'll generally pick up the gist of what's going on, and who's usually the culprit as well as obtaining the ammunition to prove your clients's innocence, and/or the guilty party's guilt. The Trails are were you get to cross examine witnesses present evidence found during your investigation and basically poke holes in to the prosecution's case on your client. It's pretty much straight forward but does require a bit of brain work and deductive reasoning on your part to solve the cases.
9 of 10

Story:
Phoenix wright is a game were you play a trial defense lawyer were you're charged with securing the innocence of your client by some unusual and unorthodox means. On the opposite side you have a prosecutor who will stop at nothing to secure a guilty conviction (YES Lie cheating and stealing are all fair game). The stories are pretty much independent of each other but usually contain running jokes from different parts and even some from the first DS instalment. Being that it's a mainly a text based adventure PW: JFA relies heavily on it's story lines and Capcom has once again delivered with solid story content and above average writing.
10 of 10

Graphics:
I'm not a graphics whore, and have to say PW: JFA is both a hit and miss in this category. I know this game was originally made/intended for a game boy advanced but dammit they could have spiffed it up a bit. Don't get me wrong the colors and textures are all great, everything is crisp and clear, and even some of the animations (especially during the interrogations) are done superbly well but it would be nice to think/feel you were playing a current gen game and not it's 16 bit SNES port with slightly extra colors. I didn't feel they took the time to add anything new or spruce it up from the previous PW game, and at many times I felt I was playing the last instalment. Don't get it wrong PW: JFA by no means looks sub par but judging it as it's own separate title I feel in a visual sense they could have added and done more.
6 of 10

Audio:
One of the biggest pluses and “hidden stars” (if you will) of the last PW game was the music score, to be blunt gone is this mega star who single handedly carried the game on his back, and incomes this novice hack who “does an ok job” but doesn't meet your final expectations. The general sounds of PW: JFA are mediocre and mundane at best, some of them are great but then others are recycled from the original (not that it's a bad thing), and the rest just fall flat and seem out of place (like the old chase type music when you objected is now replaced with a lazy upbeat samba type track). Two words for this category *LET DOWN *
2 of 10

Controls:
The Controls of PW: JFA remain true to the original, it's pretty straight forward point here, click there with a few added mini game like things (blow in the DS mic, touch/rub X area on the DS screen). They aren't very complex at, and to be honest they don't need to be, everything in this area remains the same and quite honestly for this type of game no changes were necessary to begin with.
10 of 10

Fun factor
I Basically sum up the game play as a point and click video game with elements of those old encyclopedia brown books were you have to solve a mystery and find out who done it. If you're in to touch based adventures, like a little mystery, have a sense of humor and don't mind actually reading then this game may be right up your alley. If you're like one of the countless drones who'd rather a bump and jump sonic, or run and gun frag fest game this may not be for you.
8 of 10

Re-playability
This is a tough one. PW: JFA isn't the type of game you can play back to back to back and have the same nostalgic feel for it. IMO it's good for an initial run though, a quick second time walk through for jokes, story and dialogue you missed the first time, and then a once in a while let me play this again type of run.
4 of 10

Good/Bad/Ugly
-Good: They still manage to keep the stories original and have you coming back for a sequel.
-Bad: THE MUSIC WTF HAPPENED ??
-ugly: Me laughing my ass off at some of the cross examination facial expressions.

Overall
PW: JFA is a tough call because one hand you have a solid game with a well written and humorous story line however no matter how great a movie is if the special effects or sounds are poor it really detracts from the movie. Unfortunately that's what happens here; This is an incredible game, they honestly didn't change much from the original (and really didn't need to). The difference this time around is the passion brought to you from the sound track is (I don't want to say) lackluster, but forgettable at best, and I think it some what takes away from the dramatic feel of what should have been a stellar title. IMO PW: JFA will leave new players thinking “this was an ok game but wandering what all the hype was about” and the original lovers thinking “hey this wasn't a bad sequel, I got more PW adventures, but it's just not as good”. In the end this is a great game with lots to offer; If you're a fan of the series it's worth picking up for something to do, if you're new to these games I'd recommend picking up the original Phoenix wright first, or borrowing it from a friend before you spend your money on this.
As a stand alone game I'd rate PW: JFA a 8 for it's originality and story lines, but as a sequel I'd have to be more critical and give it a 6.5 considering it's much of the same no real additions and decline in the sound department.
6.5 of 10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/18/07, Updated 01/18/07