Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations

"The Best DS Game Ever Made? No wait, The Best DS Game Ever Made"

Since the first Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney game, the point-click/heavy text genre of games had been changed forever with a brand new standard. The Ace Attorney games had come in unexpectedly, and with such style, humor, story and incredible characters that people were amazed by it. Needless to say, I, objection55, was one of those people. And now, after some years comes the highly-anticipated conclusion to Phoenix's story. There were a lot of expectations and speculation (on my part at least) for this ending and as soon as I finished it for the first (I say "first" because I've completed it over ten times since then) time and I can say that it was the best game I've ever played. It held a special place in my heart and will continue to stay that way for a long time. But why you ask? Well, it all starts with the game's strongest aspect, which would be the story.

STORY
Video games with great stories have become few and far between. And in some people, the story is the last thing on their mind as they play a game. Thankfully, this game's story traps you in its hold with intriguing characters, events and courtroom cases. There are five cases in all, each one with Phoenix (or in the new Flashback Cases, Mia Fey) having a different client and situation. While that may change, the cases all connect in one big storyline that involves mostly all the main characters and a certain devilish, scary girl. The last case brings epic win and fangirl/guy tears as the satisfying conclusion unwinds. I won't get into any further details here as I strongly encourage everyone to play and see for themselves.

GAMEPLAY
Collecting evidence and presenting it in the courtroom using logic is one half of the gameplay. Cross examining witnesses and pressing certain statements is the other half. Collecting evidence occurs outside the courtroom (in non-Flashback cases) and involves examining different environments and clicking on pieces there. Also, talking to characters can sometimes trigger the addition of new evidence such as Autopsy Reports. Within the courtroom, witnesses will take the stand and you step into the shoes of a lawyer (or "channel" a lawyer's ways...just kidding). Cross examination will require the player to press statements made by the witness to acquire more information. The gameplay, in my opinion, is perfect for the type of game Trials and Tribulations is.

GRAPHICS
Bright, colorful characters and backgrounds make another appearance in all their glory. There isn't much to say about the graphics in this game except that they're beautiful.

SOUND
Flawless, as always. From the clicking of the text, to the sound of "The Fragrance of Dark Coffee", the music and sound of Phoenix Wright match the mood and tensity of game. Sometimes during the game, one might even find themselves pressing their ear to the speakers instead of advancing the text. (I know I was.)

OVERALL:
My name is objection55 for a reason. And it's not just because five is my lucky number, Yelling OBJECTION into the DS microphone is one of my favorite things to do because of this game series. It seems to do everything wright, er, right on so many levels that all that is left to say is:

BUY THE GAME!!!!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/03/09

Game Release: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations (US, 10/23/07)