I'm returning to the site after many years of absence. I'm happy to see the site is still doing well!

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the finale of my Ace Attorney Marathon! Before I begin, I would like to congratulate Vizzed Board on reaching a million posts! Now for the actual introduction. The last game in the Ace Attorney series to be released to the US before this one was released in 2010, which was Investigations, so fans in the US were quite excited when they heard that we were finally getting a new Ace Attorney game, this time on the 3DS. A lot of fans, including myself, were kind of upset that the game was going to be a digital-only release, but since I had already been playing all the games in the series up to that point and I wasn't about to let myself miss out on Phoenix Wright's return as the main character just because I wasn't going to be able to have a physical copy. So after all the hype, does the game live up to it? Let's find out! This is my review of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies.

Graphics
     Because this is on the 3DS, Capcom felt the need to go with 3D models rather than sprites for this game and the models are simply amazing. The animations are really good as well, even for older characters including Phoenix Wright himself, who's finally making his return to law and is looking pretty good in that new suit. Of course, there are quite a few new characters, and they too look pretty good with the 3D models. And because this is a 3DS game, let's talk about the 3D effect. Turning the 3D effect on certainly gives the game more depth and, in my opinion, makes it look even better. With the 3D on, everything really stands out and almost makes it like you're right there watching everything unfold. The backgrounds for this game also look really good. They really put a lot of effort into how this game looks and the background are no exception. With a lot of added detail thanks to the 3D models, there are certain areas you can view from different angles, letting you know just how much effort they put into this. Once again, a superb job. I hope to see more Ace Attorney games in this style in the future.

Sound
     This game's soundtrack is probably one of the best overall soundtracks in the entire series. I'm listening to it as I write this review and I'm having a really hard time finding a track that I at least dislike. Every song in this game is simply beautiful. I even find it difficult picking a favorite song from this game, the soundtrack is just that good. If I had to pick a few songs, though, I'd say, all 3 main characters' Objection themes, Blackquill's theme, the Pursuit theme, the courtroom music, and even the cross-examination music. The vast majority of the soundtrack is new music, but I really like the new versions of some old themes, like Phoenix's Objection theme in this game is an updated version of his Objection theme from Trials and Tribulations, Apollo's Objection theme, is an updated version of the one from his game, and even Trucy's theme got a nice update. The instruments they used for this soundtrack work very well. Once again, a masterpiece of a soundtrack and definitely worthy of the Ace Attorney series.

Addictiveness
     Not much to say here except that this game is actually very addicting. I'm already going back through it for my second playthrough and I'm having just as much fun as the first time. I think I'm going to find myself going back to this game quite often in the near future.

Story
     The story for this game, like the other, is very well written. As always, I'll give a brief overview of the beginning of each case, including the DLC case. The first case opens up with...a courtroom bombing...well, this game's got my attention now. You'll be defending Juniper Woods, best friend of the new lawyer in the Wright Anything Agency, Athena Cykes. Juniper does make appearances in later cases, so that's why I gave you her name. This case reintroduces us to Apollo Justice, who sustained injuries during the bombing and is unable to take the defense bench, and Phoenix Wright, who finally managed to retake the bar exam and become a lawyer again. The second case starts off with the murder of the alderman of a place called Nine Tails Vale. You control Apollo for this case as you defend the mayor of the neighboring town. This case introduces us to Simon Blackquill, the new prosecutor for this game who's apparently a convicted murderer. It also introduces us to the new detective, Bobby Fulbright, who clearly loves justice and will use the word at almost every given opportunity. The third case opens up with a murder at a place called Themis Legal Academy. One of the professors has been murdered and Juniper has been accused of the crime, leading Athena to take on her defense. No other important characters are introduced here except the ones who are exclusive to this case. Now, for the fourth and fifth cases, I'm treating them as one big case because giving you the beginning of Case 5 would spoil the end of Case 4. The fourth case opens with a space shuttle getting bombed just before take off and the murder of Apollo's best friend, Clay Terran. Accused of the crime, is a famous astronaut named Solomon Starbuck, who, despite all his fame for an event known as the HAT-1 Miracle, is actually pretty depressed. Once again, no really important recurring characters are introduced here, but Pearl Fey does make a reappearance here, as does everyone's favorite prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth. Now for the DLC case. This one takes place shortly after Phoenix regains his attorney's badge as he takes on the case of the murder of an aquarium owner's murder. Your defendant is, and I'm not kidding, a killer whale. Well, if that wasn't enough to make you want to spend the extra 5 or so bucks on this case, then I don't know what will. Anyway, it is a full fledged case and well worth the extra cash to get it. However, even with all of this, the one thing I will continue to appreciate this game for is the fact that every main character gets some actual character development. Remember how I said I wasn't a hug fan of Apollo in his own game? Well, I really like him in this game because he finally gets the character development he needed. All in all, though, this game's plot is simply awesome.

Depth
     This game has quite a bit of detail, in both the background and the character models. There's certainly a lot of places to explore in this game and each one is just dripping with detail. There's a lot to do in this game, however you're probably just going to stick to the main story because that's the way the game is designed. While you unfortunately can't examine every place you go to, when you do get to examine unnecessary items, it can lead to some interesting conversations. Again, while this game does pack a lot of depth, I feel like they could have done more.

Gameplay/Controls
     This game plays just like previous games in the Ace Attorney series. The investigations are once again in the first person view, however a lot of times, you're able to see the scene from different viewpoints in order to gather more clues. Returning gimmicks are Phoenix's magatama and Apollo's bracelet, but there are a few new gimmicks making an appearance in this game. The main one being Athena's Mood Matrix, which pinpoints conflicting or unusual emotions in a witness's testimony. Another thing that's introduced here is when you actually go inside a character's mind and piece together what really happened, however this usually happens near the end of a case so you won't be using it that often. I'd say that with the added gameplay, this game is certainly a bit more interactive than the others in the series, which makes it a bit easier to come back to.

Overall, Dual Destinies is a great addition to the Ace Attorney series and one that fans should definitely buy. And if you're not a huge fan of Phoenix's new suit, you can get the costume DLC pack that includes his old school suit. Or if you want to wear that pink sweater he had at the beginning of Trials and Tribulations, just beat the DLC case. With a great story, amazing music, and having some of the best graphics on the 3DS, I give Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies a 9.5 out of 10. Well, that concludes the Ace Attorney Marathon. Join me next time as I decide to take a look at some games I've been meaning to review for a while. This won't be any particular Marathon or Month of, just a few games that I've been meaning to review for a while and just haven't gotten around to, starting with Super Mario World. See you next time and until then, peace out!

Woo! A million posts! That's awesome! I think I'll write my Dual Destinies review in celebration!

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to the Ace Attorney Marathon. This time, we'll be taking a look at a game that, while technically a spin-off, still has a plot that connects to rest of the franchise. It also features slightly different gameplay and now instead of a defense attorney, you're in control of everyone's favorite prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth! This is also the last Ace Attorney game on the DS...at least out of the ones that have come to America. Well, since I'm here anyway, I might as well talk about it. This game has a sequel, however, for whatever reason, Capcom has not released it outside of Japan. So unfortunately, we will be missing one Ace Attorney game in this marathon. Nonetheless, let's find out what I think about this game. This is my review of Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth.

Graphics
     This has got to be the best looking game out of all of the Ace Attorney games that have appeared on the DS. Every character has DS quality sprites and animations, which all look amazing. This might even be the best looking game I've played on the DS. The environments have also been significantly improved, being given more detail than ever before, which makes sense because the game focuses around investigating the environments, hence the name "Investigations". Every character also has sprites for walking around the environment, which is something new to the series. Once again, this game just looks amazing and there's only so much I can really say about it before I start repeating myself, so let's move on.

Sound
     The music for this game is really good. Like Apollo Justice, this game was made specifically for the DS, so the quality of the sound is certainly better than the original trilogy. The instruments they decided to use for these songs are excellent choices, especially given the kind of character Edgeworth really is. Of course, when I say instruments, they are of course synthesized, but that's to be expected. Still, I can hear what kind of instruments would be used if these songs were to be played on real instruments. There's a lot of piano and brass in use here, which fits perfectly with Edgeworth in my opinion. It also helps that the music is extremely catchy. I especially like the Objection theme, Kay Faraday's theme, and, of course, the Pursuit theme. I could gush about the music in this game all day, but that's not what you're here for, so we'll just move along now.

Addictiveness
     While I haven't gone back to this game yet, I'm sure I will. The plot is quite intriguing and the gameplay is different from the rest of the series, making it really stand out. Of course, all of these topics will be covered in their respective sections, so I guess it's time to move on to the next one.

Story
     Like my previous Ace Attorney reviews, I will tell you how each case begins and the important characters you'll meet in said cases. The first case takes place shortly after Edgeworth has returned from a trip when he makes the shocking discovery of a dead body inside his office. Shortly afterwards, the police arrive and Edgeworth helps with the investigation. This case introduces us once again to Detective Gumshoe and Maggey Byrde, However, it doesn't really introduce any new important characters. The second case actually takes place before the events of the first case. Edgeworth is on an airplane on his way back home, when a dead body is discovered by one of the crew members, who immediately places the blame on Edgeworth, seeing as how he was the only one there. Edgeworth must prove his innocence by investigating and finding the true killer. This case reintroduces us to Franziska von Karma, but again, no new important characters. The third case takes place after the second case, but before the first case. In this case, you are asked by a man named Ernest Amano to locate his kidnapped son, Lance Amano. This case introduces a bunch of new characters. First, you'll meet Kay Faraday, a young girl who claims to be a master thief known as the Yatagarasu. Next you'll meet Shi-Long Lang and his partner, Shih-na. Lang is an Interpol agent who was sent to investigate the kidnapping. The fourth case actually takes place seven years before the events of the game. This case starts out with a defendant on trial accusing the prosecutor of the case, Bryne Faraday, to be the Yatagarasu and the one who instructed him to commit the murder. The judge then calls for a recess in order to prepare a new prosecutor. That prosecutor was going to be Edgeworth, however, the defendant was murdered during the recess, and Edgeworth decides to investigate this murder. This case introduces us to Tyrell Badd, a rather gruff detective who has obviously handled a lot of cases and loves lollipops. Finally, the fifth case, which does actually take place last, starts when Kay Faraday, who has become Edgeworth's unofficial assistant at this point, is accused of murder. Edgeworth, of course, decides to investigate the case himself in order to find the true culprit. In this case, we'll meet up with Larry Butz and Wendy Oldbag, however, no new characters that will be in future games are introduced here. Overall, I think the story is very well written and while it's certainly better than Apollo Justice and Justice for All, it doesn't quite stand up to the original and especially not Trials and Tribulations. However, it is a very good story definitely worth experiencing.

Depth
     This game has a bit more to offer than previous installments in the Ace Attorney franchise, especially given the different gameplay style. There's a bit more detail to each environment and there are tons of areas to explore and investigate. Honestly, there's not much else I can say here that won't be covered in the next section, so let's just move right along.

Gameplay/Control
     I really like the gameplay style of this game. Because this game focuses more on the investigations, rather than the courtroom, they had to find a way to make investigating more fun and I think they succeeded. Rather than investigating the crime scene from a first person perspective, you instead control Edgeworth in a somewhat isometric point-of-view and you move around the crime scene to investigate different objects. There will be times where you'll need to investigate something a bit more closely and the game will shift to the first person view so you may do so. Occasionally, you'll receive evidence to add to your Organizer, however, you'll also collect knowledge, or as this game calls it, Logic. I actually really like the Logic feature, especially considering that Edgeworth is a very logic-based person. What you'll do is find two pieces of knowledge that connect together somehow and use them to gain new knowledge about the case at hand. This can be used to update evidence or just move the investigation along. You'll also occasionally engage in Arguments. Think of these as your "courtroom" gameplay from the previous games. Press the "witness" for more information, and present evidence to point out contradictions in their "testimonies". I feel like it melds these different gameplay styles together quite well and I kind of wish they'd bring this style of investigating to the main series.

Overall, I think Ace Attorney Investigations is a great game that any fan of the series should definitely check out, especially if you're a fan of Edgeworth. With a good story, amazing graphics, and even better music, I give Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth a 9 out of 10. Join me next time as I, finally, bring the Ace Attorney marathon to a close with my review of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies for the 3DS. Until then, peace out!

First off, I would like to apologize for being late with this review, school and other things have kept me going around in circles, nonetheless, let's actually get on with the review! Greetings ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to the Ace Attorney Marathon! Today, we'll be looking at the next game in the Ace Attorney franchise, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. What's interesting to note about this game is that Phoenix Wright isn't the main character. There's a new attorney on the scene named Apollo Justice, a young, newbie attorney trying his best to help his clients. This game has been received with very mixed reception among fans, with some loving the game and the character, and others absolutely despising both. What do I think? Well, let's jump in and find out. This is my review of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.

Graphics
     The graphics in this game are really good and definitely a step up from the original trilogy. There are a few more frames per animation which can make for some pretty awesome scenes and breakdowns. The investigation areas in this game also look very detailed, but just a little more so than the previous games, which is actually a good thing because, in my opinion, if they were to add any more detail, the scenes would become cluttered and just a giant mess overall. The courtroom also looks somewhat different, sporting a darker wood than the previous games'. I honestly can't tell which courtroom setting I prefer, but both work just as well. Again, great graphics, but how does the rest of the game do?

Sound
     The soundtrack in this game is pretty good. There are several tunes in it that I can remember like Apollo's Objection theme, the Pursuit theme, and of course, Klavier Gavin's theme. (The prosecutors in this series get awesome theme songs!) However, I can't say the same for the soundtrack as a whole. Sure, a lot of the songs are pretty good, but not very many are very memorable to me. I would end up forgetting some of the songs mere minutes after hearing them. The sound quality is really good, though. Seeing as how this game was made specifically for the DS and not originally for the GBA like the previous games, there was definitely a great improvement in terms of instruments and sound quality in general. To sum it up, great sound quality, o.k. soundtrack.

Addictiveness
     I haven't picked up this game again since I've beaten it. I honestly don't find much to back to in this game. If you were to go back to this game, I personally think it would be for either the first or last case, but I'll discuss that more in the Story section of this review. Like the previous games, the story is going to be what brings you back if you go back at all.

Story
     Well, let's get this started! Just like my previous Ace Attorney reviews, I'll be giving you the beginning of each case and telling you what important characters, if any, are introduced in those cases. In the first case, your client is...Phoenix Wright?! Yeah, so apparently, Mr. Wright has gotten himself into some trouble since the previous game. He's also no longer an attorney, hence the new main character. Anyway, Phoenix has gotten himself accused of murdering a man named Shadi Smith, who will become important later on in the game. Guided by your boss, Kristoph Gavin, it's your job to defend this ex-lawyer and find the real culprit. Now in order to explain the next cases, I'm going to need to give away a minor spoiler from this case. It is the first case however, and it's rather easy, so I don't feel like I'm giving too much away here. You eventually find out that it was indeed Kristoph Gavin who murdered Mr. Smith and Phoenix Wright invites you to work at his place, seeing as your boss is now in jail. In the second case, you're defending the son of a gangster leader name Wocky Kitaki who has been accused of murdering his family's doctor, Pal Meraktis. In this case, we meet several important characters. First off, the new detective Ema Skye. (Yes the same girl from the first game's extra case) We also meet Phoenix Wright's, adopted, daughter Trucy Wright, who absolutely loves magic and is apparently a really good young magician. The last character we meet in this case is the new prosecutor, Klavier Gavin, who is a member of a rock band and Kristoph's younger brother. In the third case, you defend a young boy named Machi Tobaye, the assistant of the only character introduced in this case that's important at all, Lamiroir, a musician with a very mysterious past. Machi has been accused of murdering Lamiroir's manager and could also potentially be in a lot of trouble with his home country for something you'll find out about by playing through the rest of the case. The fourth and final case (Yes, they went back to four cases) has you defending a young girl name Vera Misham who has been accused of murdering her father. No one really important is introduced in this case, but I will say that the ending is quite good. In this case, there's also a flashback case where you take control of Phoenix Wright and learn how he lost his attorney's badge. The overall story is okay, but not too memorable in my opinion. My biggest problem, though, is that Apollo just seemed like a new version of Phoenix Wright to me. Nothing about him was too drastically different from Phoenix in the first 3 games. I just wish there was a little more character development for him.

Depth
     There is a lot to do in this game. From the investigations to the courtroom, you won't be getting bored anytime soon in the game. There's as much to do here as there was in previous games. The investigation scenes have tons of stuff to look at and the dialogue can be pretty interesting at times. There are a lot of characters, but to be honest, I don't remember nearly as many of them as I did from the previous games.

Gameplay
     The gameplay remains largely the same as the previous games, but this time, there are a few more features due to this game being built specifically for the DS. You can investigate certain items on a 3D plane, use fingerprint dust, and the newest feature, Apollo's bracelet. It allows him to tell when people have an unusual habit, in other words: when they're lying. When you get to a part in a witness's testimony that you think the could lying about, simply activate the bracelet and look around for an unusual habit at certain phrases. Once spotted, Apollo can then use this against the witness and turn the case around. Again, the gameplay is mostly the same, just with a few tweaks for the sake of the DS.

Overall, I don't find this game to be bad, but I also don't find it to be as good as previous games. In fact, I would argue that this has the weakest story and characters out of all the games in the series. However, the new gameplay elements bump my score for this game up a little bit. With a decent soundtrack, decent story, and new gameplay elements, I give this game an 8.5 out of 10. Join me next time as we look at an entirely new game in the franchise, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. Until then, Peace out!

TheFadedWarrior : Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I'll admit, there are probably some things I left out, but the main reason this was a bit shorter was because the gameplay didn't really change from JFA to here. Don't worry though, my Apollo Justice review should be about the same length as my other reviews.

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to the Ace Attorney Marathon. (Sorry for the wait, school and stuff got in the way) Today we look at what is considered to be the best of the Ace Attorney series, Trials and Tribulations! I had just finished Justice for All and didn't know what to expect from the next game. Had they run out of juice or would they surpass both games that came before. So, what did I think afterwards? Let's dive right in and see! Here's my review of Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations!

Graphics
     The graphics here are as good as they've always been. Plenty of detail in character sprites and backgrounds, new settings that look even better than previous games, and just tons to look at in general. Honestly, there's not much more I can say about how this game looks considering I pretty much covered it all in my previous reviews. Again, great graphics, but how does the rest of the game fare?

Sound
     The music is absolutely AMAZING! I cannot get enough of this soundtrack, and while I prefer certain songs from the original, the soundtrack as a whole here is just so much better. If I had to choose my favorite new song, it's got to be "The Fragrance of Dark Coffee", a.k.a. Godot's Theme. Not just because Godot himself is awesome, and the music can reflect that perfectly, but the ending gives a whole new meaning to the song that I highly suggest you see for yourself. Also, it's written in the style of smooth jazz, and who doesn't like that? So yeah, great music here and the Objections all sound really good too.

Addictiveness
     I seriously think this might be the most addicting game of the entire series. I sometimes find my self revisiting entire cases rather than certain events and moments. It's like that addicting movie you just can't help but watch the entire way through no matter when you watch it, only it's a game. I seriously love this game in it's entirety and I can never get enough of it. And considering this game is the first Ace Attorney game with cases 5 cases (at least without counting the extra case from the first game), it makes this the longest one yet. But how good is the plot exactly? Let's talk about that.

Story
     Like previous reviews, I'll list the opening and the characters each case introduces, so as not to spoil too much. The first case has you 5 years in the past playing as Mia Fey during the time she worked under Grossberg. Your client for the case is...PHOENIX WRIGHT? Yeah, he's been accused of murdering one his fellow students, who just happened to be his current girlfriend's ex. This case introduces us to Dahlia Hawthorne, Phoenix's girlfriend at the time. Don't worry, you'll find out why they're no longer together after the case is over. The second case brings us back to present day, where a thief known as Mask☆DeMasque has stolen one of the Kurain Village's sacred treasures from an art exhibit. Your client is Ron DeLite, who claims to be Mask☆DeMasque, but for some reason doesn't know where the treasure actually is. This case introduces us to the most awesome prosecutor ever! His name is Godot (pronounced like GoDoh) and he wears a mask that look somewhat similar to Cyclops's mask-thing (Sorry, comic books aren't exactly my strong point.) and drinks coffee all the time. Yeah, he's awesome. Anyway, the third case opens up with you...LOSING? TO PAYNE? WHAT IN THE WORLD?! Actually, it was just a faker, but the entire town seems to think it was really you. It turns out Maggey Byrde was once again accused of murder and, because of your fake, was found guilty. It's your job to take the case back to court and find the real killer. This case doesn't really introduce any recurring characters, so there's not much more to say. Case four takes us back one year before the first case and gives us a look at how Mia's first ever court case went. Your defending a man named Terry Fawles, who is accused of killing a woman named Valerie Hawthorne. Terry was also apparently in love with Dahlia, but was also accused of "killing" her. This case shows off Diego Armando, who looks strangely familiar...Nah, probably nothing. As for the fifth and final case, well, I leave that one for you guys to experience yourselves, but I'll tell you this, you play as Edgeworth for a bit. Overall, this has got to be the absolute best plot to any video game I have ever played, but let's move on before I'm tempted to give away too much.

Depth
     There's certainly quite a bit to do in this game. From investigating to the courtroom, you won't find yourself bored anytime soon. Also, the amount of memorable characters this game can give is astonishing! Other than that, there's not much to talk about that I haven't covered already, also the gameplay is pretty much the same as previous games, so I don't feel much of a need to discuss that this time. On to my final thoughts!

Overall, Trials and Tribulations is one of the greatest games I have ever had the joy of playing and I seriously advise checking it out if you haven't already. With great music, memorable characters, and the best story in gaming history, I give Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations a 9.8 out of10. Join me next time as we cover the fourth game in the franchise, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. Until then, OBJECTION!

Yikes! It's been far too long since I did one of these, hasn't it? Anyway, welcome back ladies and gentlemen to the Ace Attorney "Marathon". (Yeah, I'm dropping the month thing until further notice) So, after playing the first game, I immediately went out and bought this one. Needless to say, I have become a bit of a fanatic when it comes to Ace Attorney in the past few months. So, how does the second game in the series hold up to the first? Let's find out!

Graphics
    The graphics keep the style of the first game and stick to sprites. Once again, the sprites are very detailed and make it easy to distinguish every character. I actually think they might have added more animations to newer characters, but that's probably because they had more money to make improvements with. The backgrounds are once again nice to look at and each setting has it's own look. It's nice to see that the art team is still going strong in this game and were able to come up with even more backgrounds. In short, the graphics are about the same as the last game, which is good.

Sound
    Once again, the sound team brings their A-game, but to be honest, I don't find this soundtrack to be as memorable as the first's. While themes like the Objection theme, the Pursuit theme, and Edgeworth's new theme sound great, the rest of the soundtrack isn't something I go back to too often. Yeah, it's nice to listen to these songs in the game, but other than that, I'd much rather stick with the first game's soundtrack.

Addictiveness
     I honestly don't find myself going back to JFA all too often, except maybe for the final case. Honestly, it has everything to do with the plot, which I'll get into in a little bit. Hardly anything new is introduced and we've gone from 5 cases in the first game to 4 cases in this one. I don't think that's too bad, but it means that this game has the fewest amount of cases out of the original trilogy.

Story
     I'll be honest, this is the weakest of the original trilogy plots, but it's still pretty good, so let's talk about it. Once again, I'll be covering the opening to each case then leave the rest to you guys to experience yourselves.

Case One begins with Phoenix getting hit over the head with a fire hydrant and getting amnesia as a result. So you're tasked with defending a policewoman named Maggey Byrde, who our good old detective, Gumshoe, seems to have a bit of a crush on, in a murder case involving her fellow officer. You're facing off against Payne, so don't worry about it.

Case Two opens with a man you take to Maya's hometown, Kurain Village, getting murdered during a channeling session with Maya, so you're tasked with defending Maya...again. In this case you'll meet Pearl Fey, Maya's 8 year old cousin, who is a very powerful spirit medium...and she also thinks Phoenix and Maya are romantically involved. It's also in this case where you first face off against Franziska Von Karma, Manfred Von Karma's daughter, who always carries around a whip and just loves to use it.

Case Three begins at a carnival, where the main star and magician is accused of killing the ringmaster. So yeah, you have to defend the magician, named Max Galactica. No one else who's introduced here makes an appearance in any other Ace Attorney game. (Well, out of the games the have been brought over to America anyway)

Case Four, the final case opens with you at the Gatewater Hotel for a celebration involving to TV studio from case three of the first game. Will Powers invited you to this event, by the way. However, the man who plays the Nickel Samurai (The new Steel Samurai-type thing) has been murdered and Maya is kidnapped...wait, WHAT?! That's right, your faithful assistant has been kidnapped by a mysterious unknown man who only communicates to you via transceiver. You'll meet up with familiar faces like Oldbag and Edgeworth, but you'll also meet new characters like Adrian Andrews, manager of Matt Engarde, your client for the case.

I would also like to point out that this is the only Ace Attorney game I know of that has a good and bad ending, but the game doesn't decide which one you get until the very end of the last case. I do like that aspect, but to me, it isn't worth the multiple playthroughs, my advice is to just get the good ending and end it.

Depth
     Like I said above, this game has two separate endings, but apart from that, there's very little added in terms of depth. I honestly don't have much to say here. Let's just move on.

Gameplay/Controls
     This game plays just like the previous game, so I'm not going to bore you by telling you all of that again, but I should point out that rather than 5 exclamation points, you have a meter. So rather than making 5 mistakes and failing, it all depends on how important the evidence you're going to present is that determines how quickly you run out of meter. New to this game are Psyche Locks. These only appear during investigations and show when a character is hiding a secret from you. In order to find out what that secret is, you must gather clues and present the correct pieces of evidence at the right time in order to break the locks, the more locks there are, the harder it will be to unlock them, with the maximum number of locks being 5.

In conclusion, while I don't think this is as good as the first game, it's still pretty good in it's own "Wright" (Get it? Wright? Right?...Yeah, I'm not funny) and I think anyone interested in getting the full story should play this game before moving on. With a good soundtrack, new characters, awesome dialogue, and a decent story, I give Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Justice for All an 8.5 out of 10. Join me next week, hopefully, as I review the last game in the original Phoenix Wright trilogy, Trials and Tribulations! So until then, have a belated Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year! PEACE OUT!

It's been a while since I wrote a review here and I sincerely apologize for my slacking off, but many things like college and this particular game franchise have stood in my way. Nonetheless, I'm back now and I figured that since the Ace Attorney franchise has been taking up a lot of my time within the past few months, I should do an "Ace Attorney Month". Seeing as how Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies comes out in two days, I figured this month would be as good as any to do this. Now for some background! Originally released exclusively to Japan in 2001 on the GBA as Gyakuten Saiban, which roughly translates to "Turnabout Court" or "Turnabout Trial", it was ported to the Nintendo DS and released in America in 2005 under the name Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. I'll be honest, when I first heard of this series, I didn't think much of it. "A game where you play as a lawyer? How can that possibly be fun?" I thought, but recently I started seeing the spikey-haired attorney all over the Internet. So, mostly due to Smooth McGroove's acapella version of the Cornered theme, I decided to check it out. What do I think now? Let's find out!

Graphics
     The graphics consist mostly of sprites, though I guess it should be expected considering it was originally a GBA game, but they look very good. The sprites are very well detailed and you definitely wouldn't catch yourself confusing one character with another in this game. The backgrounds, while not nearly as detailed still look pretty good. It's a good thing too, because you'll be traveling to many different areas throughout the course of the game and having to look at so many backgrounds is far less excruciating when they all look different and detailed well enough to tell them apart.

Sound
     The soundtrack for this game is absolutely AMAZING! I find myself humming the Objection and Cornered themes quite often. Even the music that plays for certain characters is pretty catchy. The music you hear during trials is some of the best video game music I've ever heard. The music that plays during tense moments make those moments much more exciting. I even find myself moving my head to the beat on occasion. Heck, I almost shed a tear whenever I hear Maya's theme just because of everything you go through with her in the games. What I'm trying to say is that this is a great soundtrack that every gamer should hear.

Addictiveness
      I find myself coming back to this game every so often. I would probably come back even more if I wasn't trying to complete Ace Attorney Investigations in time for the release of Dual Destinies. I sometimes just go back to the first case just to relive those moments all over again. The addictive nature of these games comes from the story, which I'll talk about in a little bit. The music adds to this as well, perfectly fitting the mood of the scene at hand and giving you a bit more encouragement to continue playing.

Story
     Okay, if I wasn't afraid of spoiling the game, this section would probably be longer than one of my reviews. I'm not kidding here, the story is so interesting and well written that in order to keep myself from spoiling anything, I'm going to have to limit myself a little here, I'll only give the opening for each case and a few characters you meet that will become important later on. In the first case, you must defend your childhood friend Larry Butz (Don't worry, the weird names are far from done) who has been accused of murdering his girlfriend. You also meet Mia Fey, boss of Fey and Co. Law Offices, where you work, and your mentor. You'll also meet the Judge, who will judge the vast majority of your trials throughout the series, and Winston Payne, a prosecutor who usually prosecutes the first case in every game. In the second case, you meet and defend Maya Fey, Mia's younger sister and your assistant until the fifth case, who has been accused of murdering Mia...wait...Mia dies? I'm going to stop myself from going in full-on rage mode at the moment, but if you've played the game, you know how infuriating that is at first. In this case you'll meet two more recurring characters. Detective Dick Gumshoe, who will be the lead detective for most of your cases and isn't exactly known for his brains, but rather his aloofness and sometimes obliviousness. He works under Miles Edgeworth, the main prosecutor for this game and your rival, known for being a prosecuting genius. In the third case, you're tasked with defending Will Powers, an actor known for his role as the main character in the hit TV series, The Steel Samurai, who has been accused of murdering co-star and actor, who just so happens to play the villain in The Steel Samurai, Jack Hammer. In this case you'll meet Wendy Oldbag, a recurring character known for babbling on and on about how things were better back in "her day". In the fourth and final case of the original game, you must defend...Edgeworth? Yeah, Edgeworth's been accused of murdering a defense attorney called Robert Hammond. In this case you'll meet Manfred Von Karma, Edgeworth's mentor, a prosecutor who has never lost a case in his 40 years of prosecuting. (This isn't suspicious at all, right?) That would be it if it weren't for the added fifth case, where you defend the chief prosecutor, Lana Skye, with the help of her younger sister, Ema. This case introduces a few gameplay elements added on specifically for the DS, namely fingerprinting and examining evidence in a full 3D view. There are many characters I didn't touch up on, but there's so many story elements I didn't touch either, but this game has one of the most well written stories in video game history and I definitely recommend checking it out sometime.

Depth
     This games has a lot to offer, though it's mostly through story and evidence. You'll also visit tons of different locations throughout the game. The amount of dialogue alone is enough to give this game a ton of depth. There's also the fact that the amount of evidence you carry throughout each case increases with each case. The fifth case has you carry 3 full pages worth of evidence, with each page consisting of 8 pieces of evidence. Since I already covered the majority of what I would talk about here, let's move on to the next section.

Gameplay/Controls
     Gameplay is split up into 2 parts, Investigation and Trial. In Investigation Mode, you examine the crime scene and other places in order to find evidence for the upcoming trial. You also talk to people to gather more information on the crime and/or the people involved in the crime. Trial Mode is where the game gets really fun. In this mode, it's your job to cross-examine witnesses and find any contradictions in their testimony. You do this by doing one of two things. The first is Pressing, where you question the witness on a particular part of their testimony and sometimes have things added to the testimony. The second is Presenting, or as I like to call it, Objecting, where you present evidence at a particular part of the testimony to prove an existing contradiction and reveal new information. But be careful, in Trials, you're "health" is a set of 5 exclamation marks, which indicate how many penalties you have left before your client is found guilty and you effectively get a "Game Over". I would say that the most difficult part sometimes is choosing what evidence to present and when. Sometimes your logic will either be ahead of the game, or just flat out wrong at times. However, once you present the correct evidence, everything starts becoming more clear. I recommend saving often on your first time through so that you can easily go back and correct yourself if you make a mistake.

Overall, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is definitely a great game. While the concept may seem odd at first, once the game has you, it sucks you right in with its unique characters and story. The plot twists you encounter and the overall genius writing make hard to put down. The soundtrack is another key factor in keeping you hooked as it perfectly fits the game. With a great soundtrack, good sprite work and one of the best plots in gaming history, I give Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney a 9 out of 10. See you guys next time for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice For All! Until then, OBJECTION! Uh...I mean PEACE OUT!

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to Sonic Month 2! (Even though this review is actually taking place after June, but whatever) Today we'll be looking at the newest addition to the console main series of Sonic games (In terms of when it takes place), Sonic Generations. Now, originally I had only played the PC version of the game, but I have recently acquired the 360 version, which is more or less the same game with the only differences being in the presentation. When I first heard about this game, I spent months on YouTube and other internet websites to collect as much information as possible. I was extremely pumped for this game and when it finally became available for me to install, (because I had pre ordered it on Steam) I immediately downloaded and played this game and had such a good time. So, does this game still hold up? Can I still go back to this game and say it's just as good now as it was then? Let's find out.

Graphics
     The graphics here are simply amazing, definitely a step up from Unleashed. However, in the Xbox 360 version of the game, I did notice that the opening and closing cutscenes are a little pixelated and blurry. I know the problem doesn't exist in the PC version of the game and I've heard it doesn't happen in the PS3 version either, so I wonder what went wrong there. Aside from that, because all the levels you know and love are back, they have been given a graphical update and they all look better than before. The animations are once again extremely smooth and just make the game a little more complete in terms of looks. Overall, a great looking game.

Sound
     While the vast majority of the music is simply remixed versions of old tunes with the only exception being the Time Eater's theme, the only original piece in the entire soundtrack. However, simply because this is an anniversary title I'll let it slide as the main point of the game was to bring Classic and Modern Sonic together. Each stage theme has a Classic and Modern remix and for the most part, both remixes for each track are simply brilliant...except for possibly Classic Planet Wisp. I missed that epic bass line...oh well, can't win them all I suppose. I also didn't like the Modern City Escape remix as much as everyone else did, maybe it's just the change in main vocalist that irritates me a little. It's a fine track, just not as good as the Classic remix or the original. Other than that, the soundtrack is fantastic and you can even unlock other Sonic tunes that you can play in any stage after unlocking them. I just love fighting a boss while listening to A New Venture (from Sonic Rush Adventure), it's so unfitting it's hilarious. Seriously, try it, and try to complete the boss while keeping a straight face the entire way through...good luck. Anyway, this game's soundtrack is great and definitely worth a listen.

Addictiveness
     The replay value is almost through the roof, especially with the PC version. In addition to the missions, unlockable music, and fun levels, the PC version has the advantage of fan-made mods. Yes, I know that mods are not technically an official part of any game, but to be honest, I felt like the mods can really show off even more of what this game can do. While I haven't found myself using too many of the countless mods available, one I will point out is the Unleashed Project, a mod that ports all the day time levels from Unleashed and allows you to play them in Generations' engine. Like I said though, there are missions in each stage. 5 for Classic Sonic, and 5 for Modern Sonic in each stage. You technically only HAVE to complete one mission per stage in order to move along in the game, but I find myself going to these missions in order to get a little more play time out of the game.

Story
     Sadly, even though the same writing team from Colors was back (and I loved Colors' story), I feel as if this plot was severely rushed and not as good. Let me explain. After Classic Sonic gets done taking his stroll through Green Hill Zone, some sort of monster appears. Cut to Modern Sonic's time and we see that Sonic's friends are throwing a surprise party for his birthday. After celebrating a little while, the monster that appeared in the previous scene appears and kidnaps all of Sonic's friends and sends Sonic into a white world, Sonic then runs to Green Hill to investigate. After clearing Green Hill, Sonic rescues Tails and from here is where I personally think there were missed opportunities. They took advantage of Sonic remembering Green Hill and not Tails, considering only Sonic was present in Sonic 1, then after Chemical Plant, they both vaguely remember being there as well. From this point forward they don't mention any memories about any other stage, which was disappointing in my opinion. For the rest of the story, please play the game yourself. Overall, a decent story, but I think the next two section make up for it.

Depth
     Like I mentioned earlier, there are 10 missions per stage, 5 for Classic and 5 for Modern, making up 90 total missions in 9 stages. The stages in Sonic Generations are as follows; Green Hill (Sonic 1), Chemical Plant (Sonic 2), Sky Sanctuary (Sonic 3 & Knuckles), Speed Highway (Sonic Adventure), City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2), Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes), Crisis City (Sonic '06), Rooftop Run (Sonic Unleashed), and Planet Wisp (Sonic Colors). Each stage has been remade to fit both Classic and Modern styles of gameplay. There are also a total of 50 unlockable songs from most of Sonic's game library, even the spin-offs. There is also a concept art gallery and a secret trophy room that you unlock by going into the collection room and holding Select (On the 360 controller) for a few seconds. Unfortunately, you need codes that I guess were supposed to be given at certain events or in certain toys and merchandise, but thanks to the internet, I have all the codes. This game definitely has quite a bit to offer, just adding to the replay value even further.

Gameplay/Controls
     As you may have figured out by now, there are two styles of gameplay in this game, Classic and Modern Sonic. Classic Sonic's controls are, for the most part, the same as the Genesis game. Using the analog stick to move, the A button to jump, and the X button to spin dash. You can also spin dash the old-fashioned way, but for this game, I wouldn't recommend it. I also wouldn't recommend trying to roll, it doesn't work too well. That's my gripe with Classic Sonic in this game, for the previews and everything trying to tell me that Classic Sonic would feel just like the Genesis version, that's not how it felt to me. Granted, it IS better than Sonic 4 Episode 1, but still not quite "Genesis". Modern Sonic controls like he did in Unleashed and Colors. Using the analog stick to move, the A button to jump, pressing the A button in the air to perform either an air dash or a homing attack when locked on to something. Pressing the X button will allow Sonic to use his Boost ability, letting him plow through enemies and certain obstacles along the way. For the most part, the game controls great and has some of the best control in a 3D Sonic game so far, definitely worth a playthrough.

Overall, I find this game to be the best out of the Modern bunch thus far, and I really hope Sonic Lost World blows me away even more when it comes out, but for now, this game is the best of Modern Sonic. I would also recommend this game to people either looking to get into the Sonic series or to get back into it, it teaches you about both styles and allows you to experience it in some of Sonic's most iconic stages. With great control, great music, and tons of replay value, I give Sonic Generations a 9 out of 10. Well, that concludes Sonic Month 2. Join me next time as we begin Mega Man Month. Until then, PEACE OUT!

Welcome back to Sonic Month 2 ladies and gentlemen. Today we'll be looking at the game I believe pulled Sonic completely out of the "dark age". From the moment you hear the opening song and see that opening cinematic, you know you're in for a treat. A little bit of history on my part is that this is the game that brought me back into the Sonic franchise after my "Sonic hiatus" from around '06-'10. I remember seeing this on the cover of an issue of Nintendo Power and needless to say, it was an instant buy after getting my Christmas money and man did I love this game. Now, let me actually review the game. This is my review of Sonic Colors.

Graphics
     The graphics are simply amazing! I could barely bring myself to believe this wasn't in HD the whole time I was playing it. I think it really shows off what the Wii is truly capable of. I've noticed that Sega has a knack for being able to stretch the limits of the console and make it look gorgeous. Heck, I'd say this game looks about as good as Sonic Unleashed on the 360. The animations in both cutscene and gameplay are really smooth and cool to look at. The backgrounds are better than ever and the enemies are very distinguishable. This game is just extremely cool to look at and I can't get enough of this.

Sound
     The music...oh the music...it's just...AWESOME! There's not a single track that I find bad. Pretty much everything from the game's theme called Reach for the Stars, to the final boss theme and the credits are simply amazing. While I found Speak With Your Heart, the first credits theme, to be annoying at first, the song grew on me and has kind of stuck. I still don't like auto tune, but considering they were going with a techno feel for the vocal tracks, I'll let it slide. I honestly can't decide on a favorite stage theme. I love all the stage themes and I constantly get them stuck in my head. Overall, a great soundtrack that I think deserves a listen.

Addictiveness
     I find myself going back to this game every once in a while just to mess around a little bit. I think the level designs are pretty good and I'm still trying to find all the red rings. There are quite a few secrets in the game and I think you should play the game yourself to find out what they are. I think Generations pulls me back a lot more often, I do find myself replaying this game for fun every once in a while.

Story
     The story has some of the best writing in any Sonic game to this point. Dr. Eggman has decided to build an amusement park using random planets he has connected to his main base. He claims that the park is meant to say that he is no longer committing evil against Earth. Sonic, being quite suspicious of Eggman, decides to check out the park and stop whatever plan Eggman has. It's a bit of a simple plot, but I think this works extremely well. There's quite a bit of comedy thrown in and I do find quite a bit of it to be pretty funny. While some of the jokes are cringe-worthy, they can be funny and I appreciate this game going for a much lighter and simpler tone than the previous 3D games.

Depth
     This game has a bit to offer including 6 Acts per Zone, a Game Land which on occasion recreates Sonic 1 levels in the Sonic Colors gameplay style, which I find pretty neat. There are 5 red rings scattered across each act, making 180 red rings total, gathering all of them will grant you...you know what? Just play the game yourself, it's too good to spoil here. While it has less to offer than Unleashed, I still think it comes pretty close and has the right amount of depth.

Gameplay/Controls
     Sonic's Unleashed abilities are back, however some are far more useful here than in Unleashed. The homing attack is still present and you can slide under certain obstacles. Sonic is also sporting a double jump. It's not much, but it is enough to help with certain platforming sections when used correctly. The new powers however stem mostly from the Wisps, which again, I'd like you to play the game and experiment with them yourself because they are extremely fun to use. You can use the Wisps to make some levels a joke and also to find secrets and hidden goodies. I also think that this is some of Sonic's best controls in 3D Sonic history.

Overall, I find Sonic Colors to be an experience that every Sonic fan should play at least once. It's fun and certainly brings Sonic back from the darkness. With great music, graphics, and controls, I give Sonic Colors a 9 out of 10. Join me next time for our grand finale with Sonic Generations. Until then, Peace Out!

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to Sonic Month 2. Today we'll be looking at a game that helped bring Sonic out of the darkness, Sonic Unleashed for the Xbox 360 and PS3. (Also released on PS2 and Wii) With the abysmal reception of Sonic '06 and Sonic Genesis, Sega desperately needed to rethink their Sonic game plan. Sega decided to advertise what worked with Sonic so well in the past, speed. With the brand new Hedgehog Engine to generate the graphics as Sonic goes through the level, Sega knew they could make Sonic as fast as they needed to. However, when the Werehog was announced people started throwing fits as if they had completely ruined a game that hadn't even been released. When it was released in 2008, people often gave the day stages very high praise and the night stages...not so much. So how do I think this game holds up? Let's find out.

Graphics
     Like I said, the Hedgehog Engine (which is somehow very often mistaken to be a physics engine) helped the game tremendously with its graphics. The engine loaded certain level graphics when Sonic reached a certain point in the game, making loading far less of an issue than in '06. In terms of looks, this is one of the best looking games I've ever seen. In fact, it was nominated in Spike's VGAs for best graphics, being the only "non-realistic" looking game to be on the list. The models, enemies and levels all look far better than in '06. The backgrounds are also nicely done, adding even more eye candy to the game. The animations are smooth and are far less puppet-like than in '06. (By the way, you might want to get used to me comparing this to '06 simply because this game was the next main series Sonic game after '06) Overall, a very good looking game.

Sound
     The music is some of the best music in the series and possibly my favorite part of the game in general. The main vocal theme of this game is Endless Possibility which is sung by the lead singer of a band called Bowling for Soup. I think it's a really good track and can describe Sonic really well. The stage music is also very good providing not only atmosphere, but also really catchy tunes. My favorites being Cool Edge (Day), Windmill Isle (Day), and Rooftop Run (Day). I also really love the orchestral pieces for the opening theme and the final boss theme. There aren't any tracks I hate really, it's just that the night stage themes are kind of forgettable. I don't know why, maybe it's just that because I play the day stages more, I end up listening to those tracks more. Or maybe it's just that the day stage themes are that much better, I don't know.

Addictiveness
     To be honest, I don't go back to this game very often, but when I do, I play the day stages. Granted, I had some amount of fun with the night stages, but not nearly as much fun as the day stages. I don't really plan on playing this game again until I commentate over it, which won't be for a while. (a.k.a. Until I get something to record my consoles with) I don't go back to collect any medals or anything like that because I figure that since I've already beaten the game, there's really no need to do so.

Story
     In the opening cutscene we see Eggman on his main ship, laughing maniacally for some reason until Sonic shows up, trashing all his robots in what is possibly one of the most awesome scenes in Sonic history. Eggman decides to jump into one of his giant robots that he conveniently keeps with him and tries to kill Sonic. Obviously, it doesn't work, but just after Eggman grabs Sonic in the robot's hands, Sonic goes Super because he actually managed to find the Chaos Emeralds before the game began. Eggman escapes and Sonic gives chase on to another one of Eggman ships. Eggman manages to trap Sonic in some machine that not only took away his Super Sonic powers, but also the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Eggman somehow turns Sonic into the Werehog during the process and sends Sonic and the Emeralds down to Earth. Sonic then meets a character named Chip, who has lost his memory due to Sonic falling on him. That's just the opening, but the rest of the plot is pretty good and worth a look in my opinion.

Depth
     This game definitely has a lot to offer, even without DLC. There are tons of Sun and Moon Medals to collect throughout the game if that's your kind of game. The day stages provide really high speed action and the night stages are for those who like beating stuff up. There's pretty much something here for almost any type of gamer. My main problem with this version of the game though, is how you have to collect a certain amount of Sun or Moon medals in order to advance the plot. And if you're anything like me, looking everywhere for those medals gets really tedious really fast. It's just one flaw that I find with this game, but when you actually do advance, it's pretty darn fun.

Gameplay/Controls
     This game has Sonic doing what he does best, running and jumping. However he does have some new abilities. You can press the X button when locked on to something to perform the homing attack, which feels a little weird to me. Pressing X while running will allow you to boost. Boosting not only lets you blaze through the levels in the blink of an eye, but it also attracts nearby rings. You get other upgrades later on as well. That's just the day stages though, going into the night stages, you controls the combat-oriented Werehog. You can attack enemies and get combos, do special moves, throws, and other stuff like that. The controls are fine for both day and night stages, but I do prefer day stages. While the Werehog isn't terrible, I think people's main problem with the Werehog is that it doesn't belong in a Sonic game. I like the way he handles just fine, but I do agree that this type of gameplay isn't Sonic like. Overall a decently good experience.

Overall, I feel that while Unleashed certainly helped pull Sonic out of the dark age, it didn't fully bring him back. It did some things right that would later be improved upon. With great music, good controls, and a decent story, I give Sonic Unleashed for the 360 an 8.5 out of 10. Next time, we're looking at Sonic Colors for the Nintendo Wii. Until then, PEACE!

I'll be at least watching the stream as long as no one in my house is using Netflix at the time, I might be in the Netplay lobby, it all depends. I am looking forward to this though, this sounds awesome.

Ah, Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the best games ever created and...wait, I already did this game, why am I reviewing it again? Oh, wait, I've got the wrong game in mind, how does this happen all the time? Let me try that again. Sonic the Hedgehog for the Xbox 360, and PS3, is by far the worst console Sonic game ever developed. This game was intended to be a reboot for the series and instead, almost killed it. How exactly could one game do this though? Was it really that bad? Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to Sonic Month 2, where I will be looking at the modern era of Sonic games, seeing as how about half the games in the "Dreamcast Era" are on the GameCube, and we don't have that on Vizzed yet. We'll be looking at this game, commonly known as Sonic '06, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Colors, and Sonic Generations, all in celebration of two things. The first being my high school graduation, and the main reason being the reveal of Sonic Lost World late last month and the revealing of even more details going into E3. Now, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

Graphics
     Well, the graphics aren't too bad, they at least get a pass. The CG cutscenes show the game's true graphical potential, but the in-engine cutscenes are...we'll just say "Eh" and move on. The main problem I have with the look of this game is that Sega was going for a more "realistic" approach. While I guess to some people this can be considered a good thing, to me, it really isn't. Sonic was a cartoon by nature. I mean, come on, when's the last time you saw someone shaped like an egg try to take over the world by stuffing animals into robots? Speaking of Eggman, he definitely has the absolute worst model in the entire game. I still cringe every time I see it, it's just...ugly. The animations could also use some work, a lot of work in fact. The in-engine cutscenes make every character look like a puppet, even, no, especially the human characters. Let's just move along before I go crazy.

Sound
     While I don't like much about this game, I absolutely LOVE the soundtrack...well except those two remixes of the Sonic 2 ending theme by...AKON. No, I'm not kidding. I've actually never heard their music, but with the titles I've heard for some of their songs, I really don't want to. The titles are not something that I'm going to share on Vizzed though, that's how bad they are. Other than that, the soundtrack is amazing and is deserving of a listen. In particular, the main themes of the three main characters. Sonic's theme, His World, is really catchy. Shadow's theme, All Hail Shadow (originally by Magna-Fi, remixed by Crush 40) is just awesome. And Silver's theme, Dreams of an Absolution, has a bit of a "Green Hill" vibe to it that I find hard to resist. The stage music is also pretty good and I often find myself humming the tunes while playing the game. Okay, I guess that's all the praise this game will get, well except for one particular cutscene, so let's move on.

Addictiveness
     The only reason I would come back to this game is to show people just how awful it is. Sega tried so many things, but almost everything went completely wrong. It's a shame because I would've loved to say that I come back to this game for reason's other than to simply try out new glitches and bugs, but that's unfortunately what this game amounts to. Well, Blaze is a pretty alright character to play as, but you only get to use her a handful of times, and they aren't very long. As much as I love Sonic, this is one game I don't want to come back to.

Story
     Probably one of the absolute worst parts of the game is the plot. Why? Because it's just so stupid. Now, in order to save me some time and save you a lot of torture, I'll only be covering the beginning of the 3 main plots as well as what happens in the final part because the middle is just...there. Let's go in what appears to be chronological order, Silver, then Sonic, and finally, Shadow. Silver is a hedgehog from the distant future, and is always trying to destroy Iblis, a fire monster that has destroyed the world, alongside his friend Blaze the Cat, who originally appeared in Sonic Rush for the DS. After Silver gets extremely fed up about fighting Iblis all the time, a mysterious character, named Mephiles (But just for fun, I'm going to call him Dan Green because he provides the voice) appears and apparently has the ability to travel through time. He tells Silver that he must destroy the "Iblis Trigger" in order to save his future. Dan Green tells Silver that it was a blue hedgehog, who we all know as Sonic. Silver agrees to travel to the past in order to destroy Sonic. Meanwhile in present-day Soleanna, we see a celebration known as the Festival of the Sun taking place. It is here we are introduced to Princess Elise, who has got to be the most useless Sonic character in existence. Think of her as the Sonic equivalent to Mario's Princess Peach, except her kidnapping record is even worse. Anyway, during the celebration Eggman attacks and attempts to kidnap Elise, only for Sonic to come to her rescue...and then she's kidnapped only seconds later in the next cutscene. Finally, Shadow, who has the most interesting story in the game, is trying to sneak into Eggman's base to rescue Rouge the Bat, who was after the Scepter of Darkness, which apparently contains Dan Green. Now before I continue, I would like to point out that the best scene in the game happens about midway through Shadow and Silver's story, it's where Shadow kicks Silver in the back of the head, it's really the only scene worth watching. Now for the finale. After defeating Eggman, Sonic and Elise are simply taking a walk through...well, I'm actually not too sure about where they are, when all of a sudden a bright light shines right in front of Sonic's face, giving Dan Green the opening he needs to shoot Sonic in the back with a laser. Yes, it means what you think it does, Sonic...dies. Oh and Elise, whose tears release Iblis, cries over the death of Sonic. Now before I continue, I would like to point out that Elise has apparently not cried for 10 years, even after obviously hearing about her father's death as a child...do you see my problem with this game's story? Anyway, when Iblis is released, Dan Green merges with it in order to become Solaris, a being capable of destroying time and space. Sonic's friends gather the Chaos Emeralds and, with the help of a...kiss from Elise (which by the way, has sparked massive controversy on the internet) revive Sonic in his Super form. Sonic shares his power with Shadow and Silver, giving them their Super forms and defeats Solaris. Sonic and Elise are then set to the past, when Solaris was just a tiny flame in a lamp, and Sonic eventually convinces Elise to blow it out as it will erase the events of what happened, due to the fact that Solaris will have never existed. So yeah, the game gives you a movie-length plot only to make sure it never happened. Now before I start complaining about that, let's move on because as of right now, this review is probably my longest one yet.

Depth
     There are 10 levels in the game and you have to go through each one at least 3 times, one for each story. Look Sega, I know you're trying to make a longer game, but this isn't the way to do it. There are also 3 hub worlds, but they're very bland and boring and it's really hard to tell where you are sometimes when going through them. There's also some DLC, but because a) I don't have it, and b) I don't want to have to pay for something to add on to this terrible game, I'm not counting it.

Gameplay/Controls
     This, along with the story, is the worst part of this game. There are way too many playable characters to go through each one's play style, so I'll just list off some basics. Use the left analog stick to move, use the A button to jump...and I think that's all the moves that everyone has in common. Sonic and Shadow can homing attack by pressing A in mid-jump. Tails will fly, Knuckles and Rouge glide, Silver and Omega float in the air, and Amy and Blaze do a double jump, though Blaze's is FAR better. The rest I leave up to you to discover, that is if you play this game, which I actually don't recommend, seeing as how you'll probably wish you hadn't.

Overall, Sonic '06 is a terrible game, but it had so much potential. There were so many good things going for this game, but it fell on its face instead. I know it was rushed and that might be part of the reason that it's a terrible game, but they published it as a completed game and that's what I'm reviewing it as, I don't cut slack for development issues, even if it is my favorite video game franchise of all time. I want to like this game, heck, I want to love this game, but there are so many problems that can't be ignored, and as a die-hard Sonic fan, it's hard for me to call a Sonic game outright bad, especially one that had so much potential. Everything I've said up to this point is the reason I'm giving this game a 4 out of 10. Join me next time as we finally start to see some of the good side of Sonic, with Sonic Unleashed, both the Wii and 360 versions. Until then, peace out.

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