"The Phoenix is Reborn"

‘'The Phoenix is Reborn''

Phoenix's Wright saga is over. A new attorney now stands in the court room. Passionate, determined but still a little clumsy, can Apollo Justice live on to the legacy that was created in the first Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney) trilogy?


The Gameplay : Right away, we go into what made the Ace Attorney series famous. You take the role of Apollo Justice and help him solve four different cases, each one more complex than the last, relying solely on evidence, testimony and a cast of very colourful characters who will help (or hinder) you along the way. The first half of the game plays like your everyday Point and Click style adventure game. You get on the crime scene; examine the place for clues and talk to people for more clues. Everything you find will be placed into your ‘'Court Record'' which you can check at anytime. There, you can also analyse in depth each piece of evidence by rotating a 3D model around, in hope of finding even more clues.

Yet, the game has another side. The name is Ace Attorney, not Ace Detective (although that's what you'll be half of the time). Once the day is over, everything you found around the crime scene will be put to use in the courtroom. Witness will come one by one, relating their testimonies and it's up to you to prove they are lying. You use the evidence gathered to expose their lies and eventually discover the truth. This may sound a tad simple but it's incredibly addictive. Backed up by such a brilliant story (more on that later), it's quite easy to lose yourself in the game. The learning curve is also very good. Your first contradictions will be easy to find but as the trial goes on, the witnesses will be tougher and it may require some intense thinking (or internet browsing for a walkthrough) to find the contradiction.

But a key element makes Apollo Justice so different from his predecessor Phoenix: The DS itself. You see, Gyakuten Saiban was originally a Gameboy Advance series. They were ported on the DS with next to no change in the game itself, save the bonus case on the first game ‘'Rise from the Ashes''. This is the first game in the series developed entirely for DS and they didn't miss out their chance to use the touch screen in every possible way. Aside from the already implemented touching to move, examine, talk or present, you get all new scientific investigation methods (Checking items for traces of poison, dusting for fingerprints, etc) that makes full use of the touch screen. Every case brings at least one or two new mechanic to the lot so it never feels redundant or gimmicky. This really gives a breath of fresh air to a series that started to need it.

The other new addition, that technically replaces the Psyche Lock, is the ‘'Perceive'' feature. Using his mysterious bracelet, Apollo can focus on a witness during his or her testimony and try to find a nervous tick that might give them away. It's extremely refreshing and a very nice break of the same ‘'listen to testimony, point out contradiction'' style the courtroom had for the past three games. The only problem is that when it's not easy, it's very hard. It can be a nice challenge but beware; it can also be very frustrating.

The Story : If you've played the previous Ace Attorney titles, then you know what's coming…or do you ? Apollo Justice features, in my humble opinion, the best cases yet. The core of each case, they way they are presented and the breath-taking finally of this game makes it my favourite in the series so far. Each new case is intriguing and well crafted. The characters this time around are not only very well animated, they are very lively. You'll see some familiar faces but each of the four case has his share of unique and funny (for the most part) characters.

Since Gyakuten Saiban's main force is story, I really don't want to tell you anything. I'll let you discover everything by yourself. The premise I gave you at the start of this review is the most I can say without spoiling anything. Don't worry, newcomers, you'll jump in just fine but if you can, you might want to play at least the first game, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, to familiarize yourself with Phoenix that still plays a very important role in this game, despite Apollo being the new hero, and some of the recurring characters (I won't tell you which one. Be ready for a surprise).

The Looks:
Flawless. Apollo Justice features all the beautifully drawn characters in a very nice anime style along with sweet background and outstanding music. Once again, Ace Attorney is renowned for its musical score and I personally found the music in this game the best yet. The music fits the mood perfectly and the DS renders it wonderfully. The repertoire can go from a cool and calming piano partition to a wicked awesome guitar solo. As for the animation, it improved a lot from Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations. Each character is more accurately drawn and has at least twice as many different expressions the previous ones had. Everything is more fluid even if the core remains unchanged.

The Time : Sadly, Apollo Justice isn't as long as I would have thought. With four cases, one can finish the game in roughly twenty to twenty-five hours. Don't get me wrong, it's very good. In terms of length itself, it's longer than Phoenix Wright 1 (not counting the extra case) and 2, Justice for All. Thing is : When you play Apollo Justice right after Trials and Tribulation (Gyakuten Saiban 3), you might feel it's a tad short and feel disappointed there isn't a fifth case somewhere in between.
Of course, with every game in the series, there is absolutely no replay value UNLESS you like to re-do cases. You get nothing for beating each case (except unlocking the following one of course) and once you know where the contradiction lies, there's no real challenge anymore.

Overall : Apollo Justice is an outstanding game that any DS owner should try. It's in every major point superior to its predecessors. It packs all the right ingredients that made the first Phoenix Wright such an instant classic but adds the refreshing touch ‘'Rise from the Ashes'' gave to the series. It's worth every single penny even if it lacks replay value. If this is the new standard for the Ace Attorney series, then let's hope Apollo won't ever hand in his badge.

In Numbers :
The Gameplay : 10/10
The Story : 8/10
The Looks : 9/10
The Time : 8/10
Overall : 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/05/08

Game Release: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (US, 02/19/08)