Hey you there who clicked on this thread, Hold it! Today I’ll be reviewing the first game of the greatest gaming franchise on earth, Ace Attorney, so you better get excited!

Phoenix Wright - Ace Attorney is a visual novel revolving around Phoenix Wright, a rookie lawyer who has just received his badge to practice law. It has two styles of gameplay; point and click for the investigation segments and an interrogation/find the lie style for the trial segments of the game. It was originally made and released for the GBA in 2001 with 4 court cases total, however the developers changed their mind and decided to release the game for the Nintendo DS as well and even added an extra 5th case!

In this review I’ll be tackling several points regarding gameplay, story, etc. and I’ll also give an ending statement as this game did pioneer my favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Enjoy!

Graphics - 10/10

The graphics in this game have stood the test of time very well. In just a few years they’ll be 2 decades old yet they still work wonders. Given the limitations of gaming consoles back then every character you meet on your adventure only has a few frames of animation but they take on different poses frequently so they don’t feel static at all. During investigations especially you’ll meet tons of wacky looking characters ranging from a hotdog salesman to a 7 feet tall hairy action hero, and they all get complimented really well by colorful 2D backgrounds.

Sound - 10/10

I’d say this is this game’s - as well as the franchise’s - strongest suit. The OST is absolutely amazing. It has epic trial music, a wacky superhero theme that may or may not be Phoenix’s ringtone, a tragic theme relating to a past incident and many more. I’d highly advise you to stop every time a new theme comes up in the background and to just listen to it and appreciate how good it sounds before moving on. The sound effects are great as well, with the text and disappointment sound effects especially sounding really cartoony and fun.

Depth - 9/10

This game might be the longest one in the franchise, which is surprising considering how the first case should only last around 30 minutes at most. Even the second and third cases only offer a few hours of gameplay. The fourth and especially the fifth case however last so long that sometimes you wonder if you haven’t exceeded the 3 day limit the justice system gives you for solving a crime. Obviously as the games are primarely focussed on story they will have less replay value than say RPG’s or platformers but it’s still fun to look back and see hints that you missed your first time playing.

Addictiveness - 9/10

This game is so much fun to play through. It’s also set up perfectly as the first two cases basically follow each other directly so you’ll easily get hooked and pulled deeper into the story. The last two cases are also very easy to get involved in as you’ll meet clients who either don’t want your help or want a guilty verdict so you’ll have to work hard to even get to step 1. Obviously as the games are primarely focussed on story they will have less replay value than say RPG’s or platformers but it’s still fun to look back and see hints that you missed your first time playing.

Story - 10/10

A game revolving around a lawyer? How does that even work? Well you’d be surprised. The game instantly shows you who the culprit in the first case is, which is something somewhat unique to this game as it almost never happens outside of the original. You’re then met with your client, Larry Butz, who happens to be your childhood friend, and you’re also met with your mentor, Mia Fey, who is here to assist you on your very first trial. You have to defend Larry from getting a guilty verdict as the justice system utilises a “guilty until proven innocent” mindset. Your opponent is the very scary and talented Winston Payne, a genius prosecutor who goes by the nickname “Rookie Killer” due to his infamous reputation of bullying new defense attorneys until they give up. Don’t let that be you! The first case is relatively straightforward but don’t think that applies to the rest of the game. The moment you start case 2 your heart will sink and you’ll realise how deep this game can really go. And that’s only the first of many such instances. Friendship, drama, hope and betrayal are all common themes you’ll find that get twisted in many, many different ways.

Difficulty - 10/10

This game handles its difficulty very well. You’ll get five lives at the start of every segment and once those run out it’s game over. Get a question wrong, penalty! Present the wrong evidence, penalty! Waste time in court, penalty! Tell a joke, ULTIMATE penalty! Ergo, make sure not to do any of the above and you’ll be fine. However the game requires you to think outside the box a lot as not everything is clear as day from the information you’re given. A real brain teaser that is challenging but also very rewarding when getting it right.

Overall - 9.7/10

A very deserved rating. This game is fantastic and I promise you it will get you hooked from the first case. Whether it’s the humor, the challenge it provides, or the story, it will all remain at that peak level or even increase throughout the game. And the games after that. Some of the series staples like Phoenix, Edgeworth, Maya, the Steel Samurai and even Wendy Oldbag are fantastic and the side characters all compliment their case very well. This game still gets recognised and respected by the games to come after it as its music very frequently gets updated remixes added in for a sake of nostalgia. It’s honestly a classic and you can’t call yourself a real gamer having never played at least this one. For those who already played through it, there is even an anime out that covers this game as well as the second one. There exists a live action movie as well that you can find online.

Overall one of my top recommendations for anyone looking to play something new. It will open your eyes to the genre and make you realize that everything good doesn’t necessarily have to be a shooting game, or a racing game.

That’s it from me, I’ve got some clients to defend now. Feedback is always appreciated!
See you later!