In the game you play an attorney, Phoenix Wright, who is fresh out of law school and onto his first trial where you are defending your friend Larry Butz, who is charged with murder, and this being your first case you are very nervous and even froget who the victum is even though you had just looked at is a second earlier (but they do this so you can learn how to use your inventory to check on important people and your evidence that you have gathered). Phoenix is a very uncanny character with very witty remarks and some lame jokes (ala Adam West's Batman.) A busty lady named Mia Fey is your superior and mentor (she gives you tips as to what you are looking for). Mia's little sister, named Maya, is your assistant and she is a medium in training. And then of course, there is your rival, Miles Edgeworth, he became a prosecutor at a young age and does anything to get a guilty judgment for the defendant wether they did it or not. Gameplay:
The game is mostly a textbased adventure but there are some point-and-click parts where you go and find evidence and question defendants and witnesses and such. The story is broken up into episodes, which each has their own case except for one or two two-part episodes. Each episode has you defending another client who you presume is innocent and try and prove them innocent. The trials are fun and captivating in the sense that you start to really like (or dislike) some of the characters you are examining, and the judge is on the whole "guilty until proven innocent rule". The courtroom scenes are basically the witness giving you his testamony and then you cross-examine them and find flaws in their story, sometimes this is really difficult which I find interesting cause I like a challenge in my games. Well now that i've told you the good let's get to the bad, which really isn't much, First off sometimes the judge seems like an idiot, you present some evidence that is rock solid and if the prosecution has some counter evidence he right of the bat believes the prosecutor unless you have more evidence. Secondly is it is a bit linear in that you have a set path and there really arent anyother way to get to the end of the game other than the set path, which makes the replayabilty factor kinda low. And finally, they try and add some innovation by letting you hit the "Y" button and saying "Hold It" into the microphone, which sounds good on paper but it is really just a gimmick and it is too picky as too what you are saying, expecially when you can just tap the screen and get the job gone quicker. I wish they could have done more with this feature but it isn't that big of a deal. Technical:
The game's grapics are 2d and the character designs are done really well in an anime/manga stlye that is really cool, as a bonus when you talk to someone their picture atually changes with their emotions (I know it's not that interesting but it works really well). There aren't really any voices other than the "Objection" and "Take That" voices, other than that it is all up to your imagination as to how they sound. CONCLUSION:
In all the game is fun, innovative, and very quirky with some laugh out loud moments. Rarely is there a game in which the story outshines the gameplay but this is one case, I hope they plan on bringing more of these stateside cause I had a blast. If you have a DS get this game, and if you don't now is the best time to get one with all of these great games coming out. SCORE: I give Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 5 stars.
