Karifean's Blog of Visual Novels

Recently a couple of members have shared their opinions on this series, some positive some negative, so I got the urge to think back and reevaulate the original trilogy as a whole.

I ranked Ace Attorney as my #10 favorite Visual Novel back when I did my Top 10 and so far this rating still stands; neither Zero Escape nor Cross†Channel were able to get in front of it and push it off the list. And it doesn't look like Grisaia no Kajitsu is up to the task either.

I'll be going through each of the cases and evaluate them by Premise, Cast, Mystery, Pacing and Enjoyability. That should cover just about everything. If you disagree thoughts on any of my assessments or just have something to say yourself, I'll be glad to have a discussion with you.

So without further ado, here are my thoughts on all the individual cases of the original Phoenix Wright trilogy. Cases are spoiler-tagged individually if you happen to be playing one of these games right now.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Case 1: The First Turnabout

Premise: Well this being the opening case of the series, this very case shoulders the premise of the entirety of Ace Attorney! You're a defense attorney, and you're trying to clear a guy's name. Alright, pretty cool. The opening scene shows you clearly that the actual murderer was someone else, so the defendant screaming about being the killer? Yeah that's BS.

The setup of the case itself is rather simple so there's not much I can say. It works pretty well for an introductory chapter.

Cast: There's very little to say here. The case introduces us to a good half of our major recurring characters, but at this point they're not fleshed out or delved into much. At the very least it's the only time we see a living Mia this game, and this case does a good job making her likeable before she gets killed off next case.

Gotta love the Judge though. First time I saw the sprite with his eyes wide open I had a good laugh.

Mystery: The opening scene literally shows you who the murderer is and that he's pinning the crime on the defendant. As for the individual problems, they're all quite intuitive. As an introduction should be.

Pacing: Very good. We get introductions, then we get a quick rundown of the situation and then we're immediatly thrown into the action, cross-examining the guy we most likely remember to be the killer from the opening sequence. And then with every testimony he gets more and more flustered until he cracks. It's immensely satisfying and basically establishes Ace Attorney's winning formula right off the bat.

Enjoyability: A strong opening chapter is doubtlessly one of Ace Attorney's strengths. I do know some people weren't gripped by it (what the hell is wrong with you) but it certainly shows what the series is good at doing, and those who stay for what this case showcases are definitely in for a treat.


Case 2: Turnabout Sisters

Premise: Hoo boy, as if the first case wasn't enough of a hook, the second case opens up and reels you in. Someone you might have expected to be a long-term recurring character is just straight up dead and her obviously innocent sister is being accused of doing the deed. As someone who came to care for Mia over the first case, this setup hit hard.

Cast: This case introduces the other half of the major recurring characters. Maya of course is one of if not the most lovable character in the whole series, and then there's Gumshoe and Edgeworth. By this point we don't know much about them and they're both more antagonistic than anything, so although Gumshoe is the same Gumshoe he'll always be his endearing traits aren't that noticeable the first time around. Edgeworth is quite an intimidating adversary compared to Payne in the first case, and the hints at Phoenix and Edgeworth being old acquaintances are at least intriguing.

The other characters aren't really that memorable. Redd White is a total bitch you want to see fall but even so he's not much of a character. Overall this case is mostly remembered for introducing some of the quintessential characters. And Spirit Channeling of course. Who could forget the question marks over their head when Mia first reappeared in front of Phoenix.

Mystery: Again the opening scene spoils who the murderer is, not that it would've been hard to guess with the way the case is structured. I appreciate the way information from the first case becomes relevant for one of the puzzles, and overall most contradictions are still really simple. It also sets up DL-6 which is a nice touch in retrospective.

I do remember being quite surprised at how big White's influence actually was, that Phoenix would be going up against such a bigwig in just the second case, and I know that's what they were going for but it still felt a bit strange to me.

Pacing: It's okay. The investigation bits drag a bit at times but the court portions are pretty consistently good.

Enjoyability: The main reason why I like this case is because it does a good job furthering the main plot of the game rather than for being a good standalone case.


Case 3: Turnabout Samurai

Premise: This is the series' first true "standalone" case, and with that it was instantly a lot less gripping to me. A cartoon supervillain was murdered and the suspect is the superhero? Eh, alright I guess? If this had been the first case I probably would've lost interest in the series before even finishing this case. In short, not exactly the most interesting of premises.

Cast: We have a colorful bunch of characters at Global Studios, but out of all of them Powers and Oldbag were the only one I actually enjoyed. Penny was just kinda there, Cody really wasn't interesting, Sal was creepy as smurf and Vasquez was just... quite static. It's a really over the top anime-esque cast of characters, which I can usually dig, but Turnabout Samurai just didn't do it for me.

Though I'll give it a special mention for being the first case to put both Gumshoe and Edgeworth in a positive light.

Mystery: In spite of the initial disinterest I had, the mystery is actually this case's strong point compared to the first two cases. It's not mindblowing or anything, but it has several "Oh!" moments where disconnected pieces of the puzzle finally clicked into place. In terms of slowly revealing the situation and what really happened, this case far exceeds the previous two.

Although one part did get me stuck first time playing: Dee Vasquez' first cross-examination. Why the hell do I have to present a completely unrelated plate to make a point about another plate I just have to know about? Who knows. It's frustrating when you basically know the contradiction and have no idea how to point it out.

Pacing: ...yeah, no. The pacing in this case is pretty horrible. All of the investigation portions are boring as hell and even the court segments take a long time to actually get anywhere. The case feels way longer than it really is, and that's just not a good sign.

Enjoyability: Overall this is definitely the first game's lowest point. Being a standalone case it doesn't hurt the overall story and it gives an idea of what standalone cases are generally going to be like in the future, but let's just say I'm really glad the first game is the only game in the series to have three trial days instead of two.

The case had its moments, sure, and there are many single aspects about it I definitely like, but as a whole the flaws are just too big and noticeable to ignore.


Case 4: Turnabout Goodbyes

Premise: Amazing. Seriously this case might just have the best premise of the ENTIRE series. The prosecutor you got to know as a ruthless man who only cares about his perfect win record, but who apparently has a history with Phoenix and at least doesn't seem to be ALL bad... accused of murder. Contrasting with the lackluster atmosphere of the last case, Turnabout Goodbyes completely hooks you right away.

Cast: Edgeworth, Gumshoe, Phoenix and even Larry all shine in this case. They are some of the series' absolute best characters as far as I'm concerned, and the events of this case massively contribute to that feeling.

Besides them we also have Manfred von Karma, a thoroughly great antagonist, as well as Lotta Hart and Yanni Yogi who just serve to round out our cast and make everything fit together nicely. Lotta wasn't exactly the most likeable girl in this case at least, and Yogi is a mixed bag for me. I like his characterization past his acting, but the acting itself just got on my nerves. Also the revelation that he'd been acting for so many years felt a bit over the top to me.

Mystery: I must say, Turnabout Goodbyes did a great job here. Right from the beginning, figuring out what's going on is quite difficult but not impossible. While some of the twists may seem contrived on a first playthrough, in retrospect they're the only thing that makes sense.

Some facts were a little too obvious, like the boat shop keeper being Yogi, or the letter writer being von Karma (silly three choices where two of them don't make any sense).

I legitimately love the finale of this case in this regard though. Having it end by you defending Edgeworth in DL-6 was something I seriously didn't see coming, and only when it actually happens did I take notice of the case's dubious points. And then it was a wonderful ride as everything finally clicks into place.

Pacing: For the most part, it's quite good. While the investigation bits can still get a little long, it's mostly a problem on the second and to a lesser extent the first day. The third day is pretty great allround.

And pretty much all the court segments are superb. The only possible complaint I have is that Lotta's went on for just a tiiiny bit too long, but that's just nitpicking.

Enjoyability: My personal #3 in Ace Attorney. It takes what the second and third cases implied and started building up on and throws it all right in your face without holding back. Edgeworth's character arc is great and much of that is thanks to this case.

A superb way to end the first game. At least until the fifth case got retconned into it.


Case 5: Rise from the Ashes

Premise: Probably the most unique premise in the series. Right when it turns out the defendant is confessing to the crime, this atmosphere of something big going on behind the scenes grips you hard.

Cast: Maya's gone, replaced by Ema, who was a little too hyperactive for my tastes but wasn't ever outright dislikeable. Meekins was just silly. But all the other characters are great. The former detectives whose wounds from the SL-9 betrayal run deep enough to make their actions seem justified. Lana whose motivations are shrouded in mystery for the longest time. And then there's Gant, my personal favorite antagonist in the series.

Edgeworth also gets a lot of characterization, which I liked a lot, although that did end up hurting the integrity of the story a bit. And of course, Gumshoe is still a total bro.

Mystery: I love it. The moment the simultaneous murder came into play I knew I'd love this case. The rest of the intricacies are unveiled in a very skillful way, always seeming so out of left field at first but fitting in perfectly when you really think about them.

I also enjoyed the "Did Ema kill Neil" mystery. The writers did actually manage to practically convince me that she did (even though Case 4 did the same thing!), and the moment Phoenix proves the opposite is quite possibly my favorite Ace Attorney moment of all time. Only problem with it is that they bring this same sort of situation again later in the series, but it was never again convincing that they'd actually go through with it.

Pacing: Classic curve. The pacing is rather bad in the first half right up to the second trial. From that point on, it's pretty great all the way. The finale is so incredibly suspenseful that I kinda wish the contradictions weren't as painfully obvious to point out as they ended up being.

Enjoyability: I mentioned it before, but Rise from the Ashes is my absolute favorite Ace Attorney case to date. The cast is well-rounded and every one of them has a good place in the story, except maybe Meekins but whatever. The plot unravels itself beautifully and had quite a good amount of twists I didn't see coming.

I absolutely love the way Phoenix and Edgeworth tag team Gant to finally take him down. Never again did they manage to make it feel quite as satisfying as here. Edgeworth even takes a lot of risk and crap just to get the truth to come out. Case 4 made me like Edgey, this case made me love him.

I appreciate the way Gant confesses in the end. He takes his defeat with dignity, knowing full well that he did horrible things but couldn't resist the temptation. He also has the best breakdown in the series. It's just so damn perfect xD




Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All

Case 1: The Lost Turnabout

Premise: OMG that opening scene is wonderful. Everything past that? Not so much. Not a fan of amnesiac Phoenix, much less that being used as a device to bring in a tutorial. The case is a bit simplistic and I really question the police and prosecution on not being able to make out THE smurfING DEFENDANT'S NAME BEING SPELLED WRONG IN THE SAND.

Cast: Maggey is likeable, but there's not much to her at this point. Wellington is just eh. Gumshoe having a crush on Maggey is the cutest thing though.

Mystery: Not that much to say here. Wellington being the killer is once again spoiled for you, not that it'd have been remotely difficult to guess, once again. A lot of the twists were just intuitive/obvious, although the last contradiction with the phone swapping was pretty neatly set up, I'll give them that.

Pacing: No high or low points here. It's a first case so it's pretty quick-paced, which is good to get you back into the Ace Attorney mood.

Enjoyability: My favorite part of this case was Phoenix's dream at the beginning. Other than that it did a decent job reacquainting players with what they might have forgotten about, all the while making neat references that players that didn't forget can laugh at. But the case itself was nothing special.


Case 2: Reunion, and Turnabout

Premise: Ooh I liked this one a lot. Maya is arrested once more and it looks as though it was a spirit channeling murder. Of course the court doesn't accept the notion of the Kurain Channeling Technique being real ever since DL-6, so even if that were the case, Maya would be found guilty.

It works really well because in the beginning you still have this nagging feeling like it was a spirit that did the killing and not Maya and she doesn't really have much to do with it, but you can't point that out.

Cast: This case introduces Pearl as the final true recurring character in the initial trilogy, and her personality here is much the same as in any of the future cases. She's totally adorable, and her shelteredness makes for a couple good laughs, but she rarely adds much to the plot and the repeat joke of her accusing Phoenix of being 'unfaithful' to Maya got old real fast. Overall I still like her though.

As for the characters unique to this case, they go from one-dimensional and boring to complex and interesting as time goes on. Dr. Grey seems like a total jerk, but as grumpy as he is he's not the villain he initially comes across as. Morgan is mysterious and suspicious from the beginning but it's hard to make up your mind on what to really think of her. And then of course there's Mimi, whose initial attitude is just eh, but whose actual motivations and backstory drive the entire case.

Almost forgot about Franziska! She's a rather intimidating adversary, and fighting her in court is quite a thrill. Although at this point I did believe that she was out for revenge for her dad, so that made her lose some points on the sympathy scale.

Mystery: Honestly it doesn't get all that interesting until the second trial day. Once you get past the initial thought that it could've been a spirit channeled by Maya it's hilariously obvious that "Ini Miney" is the killer since everyone else has an alibi. But only on the second trial day do the howdunnit and whydunnit really start coming into focus. It was satisfying to see how even the seemingly unrelated Pearl Urn incident ends up blowing a massive hole into Mimi's story.

And I gotta say, the "Ini"'s true identity twist was handled really well. I didn't see it coming, and I guess it wouldn't have worked that well if you did, but the moment it's revealed everything clicks into place at last.

It also sets up Morgan's revenge which is chilling although it takes a while before it gets realized.

Pacing: As mentioned, the second trial day is pretty great. I also liked the initial setup and getting to know the first facts of the case, but the second investigation phase got on my nerves. The psyche locks did help that somewhat, but only to such a degree.

Enjoyability: Overall I really appreciated the mystery in this case, and the plot twists of the second day reminded me of just why I liked the first game so much. The case has a bit of a low point in the middle where it's a little boring, but in typical Ace Attorney fashion it always picks back up.


Case 3: Turnabout Big Top

Premise: Hmmm, what to say. Well there's not that much intriguing stuff at first. The lack of footprints is strange, but it's still easy enough to think of Knox-defying ways to break that contradiction. When it eventually turns out that the killer 'flew away', it put a smile on my face. But other than that... nothing stands out, really. At first glance, a standard murder case with a quirky cast of characters.

Cast: Oh geez where do I begin? EVERYONE IS CRAZY. Pretty much. Making this the most polarizing cast of probably any Ace Attorney case, because you're either gonna dig it or hate it. I'm more or less neutral about them. I can't say I enjoyed Ben and Trilo or Regina, but Moe, Max and Acro were okay. Probably cause they're a lot more down-to-earth, heh.

Mystery: Hoooooo boy. When I first read through this case I got a severe case of "you can't possibly be serious", because the solution of this case is really hard to swallow. However, that feeling passed over time, because in retrospective and on replays, it's the only conceivable interpretation that makes sense with the clues provided. How do you explain the silhouette flying off into the skies? It's being pulled up on a rope, duh. How does the "Max" going to the crime scene fit together with the Ringmaster being left there alone? The "Max" was the Ringmaster. The cloak snagged on the weapon, which was the bust. Isn't that a leap in logic? Maybe, but try finding another explanation that involves no footprints in the snow besides the victim's (a clear sign that he was, in fact, alone at the scene), and a cloaked "Max" flying off, and a hat being left at the scene.

It still leaves a weird unsatisfying feeling because even if you do think of these solutions, you'll probably discard them instantly because they're "too ridiculous to be true". But in the end, that's what happens. Again, in hindsight I'm more or less fine with it, but it's really frustrating attempting to solve it.

Pacing: Pretty much all the investigation at the circus drags on. It's just not all that gripping. The first court phase was okay at best. But I do have to give special mention to the second court day.

It's possibly the only time in the entire series where the ENTIRE day is just you presenting the truth to the court, and convincing them of its legitimacy. There's no real immediate accusations to clear and rip apart beyond the first testimony, and from that point on you're permanently on the offensive. Which is honestly something I enjoy a lot on rereads.

Enjoyability: Third cases in the games always seem to have this weird problem of just not being all that interesting and memorable. It's not the worst case in the series as far as I'm concerned, but it is on the lower side of things.

One thing I did like a lot was the fact that ultimately the Ringmaster dying was just a huge unintentional tragedy that nobody wanted. The motive is a problem from the start, and I like that there... just isn't a motive to begin with. I don't think any of the prior cases really did this besides Turnabout Samurai where it was self defense. And it's something you still don't see often even now.

Gotta say though, Edgeworth predicting the events and getting Franziska to do a surprise search to get Acro convicted is bulltrout.


Case 4: Farewell, My Turnabout

Premise: Quite easily the most unique premise of them all. Maya is abducted and you are coerced into defending one Matt Engarde. It seems that Matt is truly innocent, but then what's the purpose of the blackmailing? So many questions spring to mind immediatly, and it's only getting better from there.

Cast: Edgeworth is back, and he's changed into a lawful good angel. Seriously though he's just as awesome as he was in Rise from the Ashes. Gumshoe is as nice as he always is when Edgeworth is on your side, and Franziska is actually helpful as well. This is why I love the final cases of each of the games, everything comes together so beautifully.

As for the case's unique cast members, Matt is the most wonderfully evil son of a bitch you could possibly wish for. He really is one heck of a villain. Adrian on the other hand is one of the more interesting characters in the series. Whereas Matt is the all black guy, Adrian is far from being all white, but she's written and presented in such a way that you can't help but feel for her.

Powers and Lotta both don't really do much besides being random witnesses. Oldbag is similar, but she manages to be that likeable kind of annoying she was during the first day of Turnabout Samurai. But overall even though we have three returning characters, there's not much to say about them.

I guess that leaves De Killer. Gotta say I didn't expect the guy to be as chill as he ended up being. The part where he testifies in court is just so damn delightful in so many ways, and I can't help but respect his high sense of loyalty.

Mystery: Playing detective is completely overshadowed by the uncertainty and chaos of the whole situation here. Although there are many unclear riddles in the first half, it's basically completely resolved by the end of the first trial day, and you reach the bloodred truth in the middle of the second investigation day and then you're just left to wallow in despair. It's something no other case in the series does, so I find it hard to compare it to anything.

There are a couple smaller mysteries that arise over the course of the case, but none of them I find particularly noteworthy. The most definitive moment is certainly the psyche lock and unveiling of Matt Engarde. The psyche lock itself is paced perfectly both in evidence gathering and presenting, and the unveiling? Despite the fact that at that point you basically unambiguously know him to be the evil mastermind... it still hits you really damn hard.

As the urge to take Engarde down grows stronger and stronger, and the final question of "how?" arises. Truth be told, I thought it was way too easy. I always kept Matt's betrayal of his assassin in the back of my mind, hell I even tried to present the Spy Camera several times during De Killer's testimony whenever he talks about trust, but nooooo you have to wait until the end. It's definitely more effective if you don't see through it that quickly.

Pacing: Superb. It's really one of the overall best paced cases. While the first investigation phase can drag a bit, everything beyond that is smooth sailing. It's the one case I couldn't have put down even if I had wanted to. The suspense at the end is a feeling you'll just never forget about this game.

Enjoyability: Farewell, My Turnabout is considered by many to be the best Ace Attorney case. I disagree on that front, but it's certainly up there in the Top 5, and definitely the most thrilling case in the series.

While Turnabout Goodbyes gave Phoenix his backstory and much of his characterization, I'd say this case is where his personality truly shines through, and the attachment you feel towards him as a player is stronger than ever.

It's also one of only VERY few cases to have an alternate ending, and it's quite possibly the only time Ace Attorney made me shed a tear. One of my favorite Ace Attorney moments.




Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials & Tribulations

Case 1: Turnabout Memories

Premise: "Heck yeah I'm playing as Mia!" "Oh my god Phoenix you're so annoying all of a sudden." "Wait Payne is supposed to have been a good prosecutor?" "Holy trout this may just be the most obvious villain of all time." Needless to say, this case makes a first impression that sets itself apart well enough to be enticing.

Cast: Can't say I liked young Phoenix and Mia as much as their contemporary counterparts, but Mia is still great. Young Phoenix on the other hand is up there as one of the most annoying clients you ever defend, I mean holy trout. It's better in hindsight but still, my god.

Grossberg is your mentor and he doesn't really do much besides talk about his buttocks. I love smacktalking Payne though. He's such a smug asshole in this case.

Then there's Dahlia. Well besides being the most obvious villain ever outside of the ones that are spoiled for you, they're obviously foreshadowing stuff for later. We don't know much about her at this point besides the fact that SHE IS EVUL.

Mystery: Again, most obvious villain ever. But besides that, the individual contradictions are standard first case material. Good to get you into the mood for more Ace Attorney. Not much else to say.

Pacing: Same as the previous two first cases, really. It starts on the interesting parts and ends before we get to the boring parts. Just right.

Enjoyability: I'd put in inbetween the first and second game's first cases. The first case of the first game is just so strangely captivating, although that's largely because it's your first exposure to Ace Attorney. What this case does do well is set up future events, so I appreciate it more in hindsight; still doesn't do much for the enjoyability of this particular case though.


Case 2: The Stolen Turnabout

Premise: Wtf where's the homicide!? I must say the prospect of defending a client for anything less than murder charges felt really off at this point. And the case itself was just weird and didn't get any less so until the first trial. In fact this is where I ultimately quit the Ace Attorney trilogy for months, not really because of burnout, but out of disinterest. Not the best start.

That said, the premise more than redeems itself with the end of the first trial. It was quite a daring move to drag it out like that, and one that completely flubbed on me I suppose.

Cast: Adrian is back! But apart from seeing that she's doing well for herself... there's not much setting her apart. She could be replaced by any random NPC and it wouldn't change the plot at all. But well it's not her time to shine and it doesn't have to be, it's just a neat little reference.

Godot makes his first appearance and instantly solidifies his position as the most suave guy in Ace Attorney history. Seriously, I fell in love the guy right away. Unlike other prosecutors he's not really arrogant and high-almighty; instead he just looks down on Phoenix specifically. It's a subtle thing but a nice change of pace. Doesn't mean he passes up any given chances to be the biggest badass of the series though.

As for the actual crime-related characters, we have three major characters. I have no strong feelings towards the DeLites, but Atmey was great. Every line of dialogue from his mouth brought a smile to my face. He was just that delightful of a fella.

Oh Larry makes an appearance but he's pretty unimportant.

Mystery: Beautiful. Just, beautiful. One of the best crafted mysteries in the series in my humble opinion. While individual pieces aren't difficult to distinguish, such as Atmey being the murderer, making it all fit together is a work of art. I remember having quite a wide pair of eyes when I finally realized the true meaning of the statue being moved. Or finding out that Ron is, in fact, Mask☆DeMasque after all. I'd guessed a few other twists like the blackmail letter not being addressed to Ron but to Atmey, but that's a good thing; the twists shouldn't come out of left field. And they don't, because the mystery of this case is simply very well constructed.

And the final cross-examination is up there as a contestant for the best cross-examination of all Ace Attorney. It's one shot one kill or die, but given your specific goal and the circumstances, there's no random guessing involved. It's not too difficult, and I got it on my first try, but it's not too easy either. What I especially love about it is how it puts your style of cross-examining witnesses into perspective; "I had to leave on another urgent job request". You get the urge to press for more information, but long story short it simply is not relevant to this case. You do not need to press irrelevant statements. You DON'T. And if you were like me and used to press just about every little thing before that point, it really makes you think just how silly that actually is.

Pacing: Mmh. The entire first half is a bit of a mess. Things are moving at a rather slow pace and with the less-than-enticing premise that makes for a bit of a painful combo. The trial was overall okay since you had Godot there, but otherwise it did have its issues. The second half is a lot better, but you can get yourself unfortunately stuck trying to figure out how to progress... which suuuuuucks. And some parts of it really just aren't all that intriguing.

Got no complaints about the second trial, though.

Enjoyability: Overall, even though it made me quit the series for a while, I'm quite fond of this case. Maybe more so in hindsight, but seeing how intricately everything is constructed really is a nice feeling. I give Luke Atmey credit for this, haha. The series needs more standalone cases like this one; a crazy cast of characters, but backed with a really good mystery. Not a half-baked hardly interesting mystery. Like, oh, I don't know...


Case 3: Recipe for Turnabout

Premise: It's quite intriguing, actually. The case starts and you've already lost. Phoenix is defeated and the defendant declared guilty. Or... was that really Phoenix?

The idea of a Phoenix impersonator is quite unsettling. Also, the defendant is Maggey Byrde whom we already know from a previous case. And of course Gumshoe is the one to urge us to take her case, heh heh. Quite a good way to start! Unfortunately, soon enough that feeling dissipates and we're left with the actual case. Uhm... how do I put it nicely? Ah, I know. IT'S trout.

Yeah no, this is the one case in the series I just don't care for. I didn't dislike the case back when I played it for the first time, but now? I just sigh.

Cast: For me, the series' absolute low point in this category. Gumshoe, Maggey and of course Godot are the saving grace, but even they can't rectify an assortment of characters I couldn't possibly give less trouts about.

Armstrong is extremely over the top stereotypical, which I can usually smile at but his over-the-top-ness is so extreme that it causes an overflow, leaving me with a lineface at the best of times and a massive frown at the worst. And the exact same goes for Kudo as well. Lisa Basil has no interesting personality to speak of, leaving us only with the antagonists. Viola has a promising backstory but it's never explored to a degree to make me care, and that leaves the Tiger.

*sigh* What is with this guy. Of course it's intentionally ridiculous that he managed to pose as Phoenix in court, but COME ON, he didn't even try to act the part and people STILL bought it. Besides that little stunt, he spends almost his entire screentime being loud and not doing much else. Not the most likeable of characters.

Mystery: Well there is once again no mystery whatsoever regarding the villain. Who fits Maggey's in-mind image perfectly, and is the person whom Armstrong and Glen both owe money, and is not even remotely subtle about being the Phoenix impersonator who deliberately got Maggey declared guilty? GEE I WONDER. If the true culprit had been someone else that could have potentially redeemed it, but no, it's very much him.

As for the conflicting testimonies, I'll give credit where credit is due, they played it well. As soon as you piece together that 'there were two incidents, one was staged' everything falls into place after that, but up until then things can seem quite strangely impossible. I like how in hindsight even Kudo's memory isn't really mistaken after all, as except for the gaps like the waitress' face all the "facts" he presents are, in fact, true in the end. You just need to not stop thinking there. I liked that. But of course as soon as you make the connection it's suddenly pathetically simple, except for maybe the motive, but even that clears itself up as you go.

Overall, whodunnit is as unsubtle as you can get, howdunnit is actually quite clever, whydunnit is okay but not particularly intriguing either.

Pacing: Oh geeeeez. It starts off well but quickly goes downhill over the first investigation phase. And it doesn't recover... ever. Like seriously, usually the second trial day is all well and good but it really isn't in this case. There are some parts where things take a turn for the better, but that's all.

Enjoyability: If you haven't gathered already, it's my least favorite case overall. The characters range from annoying to forgettable and the sense of satisfaction at the end of the case is far below the series' standard. The only points in favor this case truly has is its sense of humor, which admittedly is quite funny sometimes. But that's not enough to salvage this case. And I'll leave it at that. Let's move on to awesomeness.


Case 4: Turnabout Beginnings

Premise: The buildup to this case is really well done. Mia talks about how her first appearance in court left a bad wound in her heart all the way back in Case 1, and her animosity towards Dahlia is quite notable as well. Thus we come to said case that had such a terrible end.

From the beginning you just know it can't end well, but with the way it's set up you keep hoping for a happy end regardless.

Cast: Yay young(er) Godot! I honestly wonder if there ever was a single person playing this game who didn't immediatly make the connection. He's helping you out in this case, and it really is nice to have Godot on your side for once. Edgeworth on the other hand is just as smug and anal as you'd expect him to be in his early days as prosecutor.

Fawles is a pretty likeable dude. He's just like a lot of your clients, a guy you want to see get off the hook. All the more vexing when he commits suicide at the end.

And Dahlia lives up to all the expectations you'd have of her as the smiling demoness in disguise Mia painted her as. You want her to be convicted so badly. You know she's getting off the hook, but the urge to deny that promised result is quite great.

Mystery: There's not much here, but it's fun to see the characters stumble through things you already know. Very often that sort of setup backfires hard and it's just annoying, but here it's strangely satisfying. The way it's slowly dawning on them that Melissa Foster is, in fact, Dahlia Hawthorne. And oh my god Edgeworth knew it all along xD

But really, there's not much for you to figure out. Pretty much all the contradictions are easily and quickly pointed out and that's all there is to it.

Pacing: Not having many elements of mystery does help the pacing, thankfully. Everything moves along at a nice pace, which is quite a good thing when you know more than the protagonists. No complaints.

Enjoyability: This case mainly serves to set up the connection to the first and fifth cases as well as Godot of course, and it does its job well. As a standalone case there's not that much to it, but the ending does hit hard, especially with how sudden yet well built up it is. It does a lot for the plot of T&T as a whole.


Case 5: Bridge to the Turnabout

Premise: Well this is the finale, where everything that's been built up is bound to be finally explored, resolved and laid to rest. And the case conveys this from the beginning. Seeing "Dahlia" in a newspaper article like that sure is unnerving, huh?

The entire opening part serves as good foreshadowing and you'd never have guessed how much trout went on in the background. smurfing Phoenix only getting a cold from falling into that freezing river though. The guy is seriously indestructible.

Cast: PLAYING AS EDGEWORTH, WOOOOOO!

Now that I've got that out of the way, let's go through all of them in order, shall we? There's a lot to talk about.

Bikini is the only character in this case I really don't care for. Her joking isn't funny and her relationship with Iris is only ever explored all too slightly.

Misty is such a nice lady from the little we see of her. Finding out who she really is was heartbreaking even though I had it spoiled for me beforehand. She may not have been the best parent in the world, but for the short time she's around they sure make her likeable.

Larry's back and even though he has a new name he's still the same old Butz we all know and love. His 'Psycholock' was hilarious. I'd guessed he had it out for Iris the moment he turned up, and of course the guy writes a freaking threatening letter to her without even realizing it. Ah Larry, never change.

Edgeworth finally makes his appearance, and we actually get to PLAY AS HIM. Goddamnit guys you really know how to make your fans happy, don't you. What can I say? He's as awesome as always. Surprisingly accepting of the whole Psycholock business though.
It took a good amount of suspension of disbelief to accept Edgeworth being a defense attorney without anyone realizing he's actually a prosecutor (I mean come on, guy's gotta have some fanboys around here, no?) but the joy of being able to play as him far exceeds that.
He's similarly nice in the second half and I love the nods to the first game. The way his old trauma comes back to bite him. The way he lashes out at spirit mediums. This case really knows how to bring up old points and gently put the finishing touches on them.

Lady von Whippenberg is back as well so Edgeworth can do his thing. Which is also a nice nod to her own goal of wanting to beat her 'little brother'. It's a unique situation for them to be able to face off in court like this, and she sure doesn't miss the opportunity to go full power against him. And yet he manages to bring her case into turmoil much easier than Phoenix ever did. I appreciate her presence and the rare interaction between her and Edgeworth (well before Investigations happened anyways). God this case is just full of nice nods to all the plot points explored in previous games.

Pearl plays a big role as well, what with this being Morgan's big revenge and all. It's quite depressing to see how she uses her own daughter for a plan she would never approve of herself all the while on the pretext of doing it 'for her sake' but it's really all for her own satisfaction in the end. And Pearl says with a smile on her face that it must be for Maya's good, just ughhhhh. I have to chuckle at the mental image of her carrying the gravy all the way over to the channeling chamber to smear it all over the scroll though.

Then we have Iris and Dahlia. Don't you just love the contrast between the two? Iris is so sweet she could cause diabetes and Dahlia is so bitter she could cure it. I really like their personalities as well as their dynamic and relationships to each other as well as the main characters, Dahlia to Mia and Iris to Phoenix respectively. Up there as one of my favorite duos of defendant and villain.

Finally, Godot. No, Diego Armando. Honest question, who saw it coming that he'd be the culprit? I really like how chill and accepting he is about it. Hell if he hadn't brought it up himself he'd have gone off scot free before the Judge even noticed they didn't actually resolve the case. He just wanted to see Phoenix either succeed at convicting him or fail horribly trying. Which of the two he was actually praying for on the inside, who knows. His confession, breakdown and subsequent conviction is one of the absolute finest moments in all of Ace Attorney, no doubt. And that music while he's doing it. No wonder he's one of the most popular Ace Attorney prosecutors.

Mystery: Most complex case in the series, hands down. What they especially get you with is turning your eagerness to find facts that are 'certainly true' against you and giving seemingly impossible scenarios as a result. I remember being totally caught off-guard at first by Bikini's testimony about the snowmobile. It invites you to think and that's a very good thing here.

Pretty much every testimony in this case you can't just take at face value, but can't dismiss either. There's a truth behind them you have to draw out carefully. Prime example being Larry's of course. How the hell he didn't realize he was seeing the whole scene upside down is a good question, but that's Larry for ya.

One issue I have is the inconsistency that Dahlia does not remember striking back at Godot during the final showdown between them. Why the hell would she not remember that and testify about it? It's bulltrout. But it does help the pacing and buildup I suppose so I turn a bit of a blind eye.

But the biggest problem of course is the fact that the game seriously expects you to not notice that Dahlia is obviously possessing Maya. Phoenix even has a breakdown before realizing it even though it's so screamingly obvious because THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IT COULD BE. Like come on.

It ends with you cross-examining Maya which is probably the best way the trilogy could have ended. Her lying is so blatant it's funny, but I do appreciate how they both give a good reason for her trying as well as making Phoenix look through it all too easily. They really know each other well after all.

I do wish the final question had been presented differently though. "Where's this location you say the killer hid the wound?" First off, presenting Godot's profile is not at all intuitive to answer 'underneath the mask', which is annoying. Secondly, why not just be a bit more vague and subtle like... "How did the killer hide the wound?" or "What did the killer use to hide the wound?" It's not that hard to frame it so the actual answer isn't as ridiculously obvious. I mean it's not difficult either way, but there's a fine line between easy and stupidly easy.

Pacing: It's quite good. The investigation phases are still far from perfect, but they have their moments when they actually get very engaging. The trial phases are pretty damn great. They take their time getting hot but they don't suffer from bad pacing at all. It all feels like genuine buildup and doesn't get boring.

Enjoyability: This case certainly ranks among the best in Ace Attorney, and gets my personal #2 spot, right behind Rise from the Ashes. It's an exceedingly good way to end the trilogy, with nods to the overarching stories of earlier games all over the place and closure on many unanswered questions. The one minute (in screentime) of romance between Phoenix and Iris was so damn sweet, too. Heh, back when the original trilogy was all that existed you could still theorize about them getting back together after Iris got out of jail. But alas, it was never meant to be, and that's fine.

The cast is wonderful, the antagonists are incredibly memorable the mystery is complex and interesting, there are loads of standout moments and on top of all that you get to play as Defense Attorney Edgeworth. What more could you ask for?