Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

"Instant gem. Objection! No, instant classic."

Ok, ok. How many people here dream of being a lawyer when they grow up? *Cricket chirps* Oh my. Well, I'll just tell you all of the fun of being a lawyer. Oh what a glorious job it is. Revealing criminals for who the scum they really are, fighting the opposing attorney in a game of wits, and watching witnesses break down into panic when their lies are exposed. It just doesn't get much better than that.

But being a lawyer can't be that fun, right?

Objection! Oh, but it is my friend, and I'll be explaining the ups and downs of the job, in my second review ever!

Meet Phoenix Wright, a rookie defense attorney who has never lost a case, due to the fact that he's never had one. His mentor, Mia Fey, is the one who takes care of all the action in the courtroom, leaving Phoenix as more of an assistant. When Phoenix's friend, Larry Butz, is accused of murder, Phoenix quickly takes the job, knowing that there is no way his best friend could ever commit such a crime. And that's just the beginning of the game. Over the course of the game, Phoenix tackles five different cases, each with a different plot of it's own, but in the end, they all come together in the fifth case.

Throughout the game, Phoenix will meet and interact with a huge cast of characters. Among these characters, is the ever famous prosecuter, Miles Edgeworth. Phoenix and Edgeworth will battle in the courtroom, throwing objections back and forth. There are other prosecutors, but I won't spoil them for you.

The gameplay is divided into two separate parts, investigation, and court trial. In the investigation sequences, you must go to crime scenes and search for clues and evidence. You will interact with many characters, including witnesses, the dim-witted Detective Gumshoe. When talking to witnesses, you will ask them various questions about the crime, sometimes leading to you gaining evidence. You must pay attention to what they say, though, because the smallest detail might be the most important fact in court.

In the courtroom, the game really gets going. The courtroom gameplay plays much differently then the investigation sequences, and is a lot more intense. In court, it seems that everyone is against you. Your number one enemy though, is the prosecutor. The prosecution will call witnesses of the crime to the stand, and they will give their testimony. After they finish, you must give your cross examination. In cross examination, you must reread the witness's testimony and compare it to the court record, where your evidence is located. As you read the testimony, you can press them for further details by yelling hold it into the DS microphone. When pressing, the witness will give more information and sometimes change their testimony. The thing is, the witness is usually always lying, so when you find something in the testimony that contradicts your evidence, you can yell objection into the microphone and present the contradicting evidence.

Once you've found the contradiction, the game will really pick up speed. The witness, knowing you've exposed their lie, will have a total breakdown and begin to panic. The prosecution will usually respond with an objection, trying to make Phoenix look like the true lier, and the defense and prosecution will engage into a battle of wits, to see who the real lier really is.

The game itself has a real anime feel to it. The characters all look like they came straight out of a comic book, but in a good way. Before a cross examination, there will be a short intro showing the eyes of both attorneys, making it feel like they're both going to shoot a Kamehameha at each other. When saying things such as objection, the word will appear in giant red, crooked letters, and it looks pretty cool. The characters themselves are well drawn as well as the backgrounds, in full 2D.

The sound is excellent as well, with music that completely sets the mood. During sad and emotional scenes, slow and soft music will play, while during fast paced court sequences, fast paced music will play. And if you play this game for a long time, some of these tunes will probably get stuck in your head/ (I find myself humming the testimony tune quite often.) There is voice work in the game, but it's very brief. The only time you'll hear them is when saying objection, take that, or hold it. The voices match the characters perfectly and couldn't be better.

As far as replay value goes, this is one of those games you'll probably play through once, and maybe twice. This is a crime drama game after all, and the gameplay revolves around figuring things out and the many plot twists. If you already know what's going to happen, then there's no sense in going through it all over again, unless you're just in it for the humorous dialogue. For one run through, the game might last from twelve to fifteen hours, depending on how long it takes you to figure things out.

So, should you get this game and experience the life of a defense attorney. I say yes, but if you're looking for a fast paced game with more action, then you should sit this one out, due to the fact that this is a point and click adventure. If you ever wandered what it's like to be a lawyer, or if you want a game to really test your wits, then I suggest you pick up this gem.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/30/08

Game Release: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (US, 10/12/05)