Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth Review

Source: http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/2/945812_124374_front.jpg from Game-Spot

Warning: This could have Spoilers

So, being the Phoenix Wright fan that I am I bought this game and waited 3 weeks for it to arrive (This was a little painful given that everyone was playing it already)

So after a week of finishing it I decided to make a review about it.

Miles Edgeworth is a spin-off from the Phoenix Wright series, where we no longer focus on the courtroom but actually investigate like a detective. I like the fact that instead of doing the Visual Novel Type of gameplay where you don't see yourself, this time they made it more 3rd person perspective by showing Miles walking around and the like. It's a little refreshing really.



Gameplay: It was pretty identical to the Phoenix Wright series, save for the Logic feature. I like how they were able to make a feature of putting two pieces of information and makes it a conclusion. It's pretty much a simple way of how it seems to work in the real world, and simulating something like that must be credited.

Although, I wonder why they don't allow us to present profiles. I kind of found that challenging in the older games, but then again I guess it doesn't really count as "evidence". Random thought...moving on...

Almost forgetting to add you also have the Deduce button when examining a scene. This is where you link something in the crime scene to something you have in your evidence file. It really gives it an investigative feel to it because you need to think about things like that.

Characters: Most of the cast from the Phoenix Wright series were also here like Ema Skye, Gumshoe, Franziska, Wendy Oldbag, and more. Sadly, Phoenix Wright was not present in the game, but if you read closely you'll noticed they reference him a couple of times like "the guy with the blue suit", and so forth.

Of course, we have new people like Kay Faraday, Shi-Long Lang, Calisto Yew to name a few. As always, they all make an interesting cast of people which makes the game amusing to play

Story: Similar to the Phoenix Wright series you have different cases that connect to one big case, which always comes full circle at the last case. For this spin-off we have the mystery of the Yatagarasu, a Robin-Hood thief whose goal is to steal the truth and reveal to all and a big smuggling ring that Interpol is trying to hunt down.

In terms of quality, it still can be just as good as the Phoenix Wright series, but I still think Trials and Tribulations was the best game ever. I'm not sure if this is better than Apollo Justice or not...to me they are on equal ground.

The one thing that annoyed me was when I was practically at the end of the game where it was totally obvious who the killer was but he kept saying "YOU DON'T HAVE PROOF. HAHAHAHAHA" and the like.

It was already annoying enough that I thought it was the ending..but it wasn't to the point I was bored already, but the fact that I had to keep giving evidence to something SO obvious was just horrible. It just felt like they needed an excuse to stretch the game, but to the risk that the player was just bored. I mean, if they wanted us to understand in full detail how it happened they could have just arrested the killer and then just make Miles explain at the end by presenting evidence, etc.

Well, if anything it just proves the lesson learned in Apollo Justice: if evidence is always the thing to solve a case then the criminal will always get away.

Overall: Miles Edgeworth was definitely worth the money. I had a great time playing this game. It was a mix of the Phoenix Wright series with a little mix of new features that won't bore you. If you like Adventure games with fun dialogue and colorful characters with a twist in the story, this is the game for you.

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Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Review

WARNING: SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT

Until now I have yet to start with my Avenue Flo review, which was suppose to be my next review. However I just finished Apollo Justice and I HAD to talk about it.

Yes am a big fan.

Apollo Justice is part of the Phoenix Wright series except that you are now playing another character. If you wanted to know who, it's Apollo Justice who like in Phoenix Wright's first game is an new attorney.


Story: Setting is around 7 years possible after T&T. Apollo is about to take on his first case and his first client...IS PHOENIX WRIGHT. *gasps* You learn that Phoenix Wright is no longer an attorney because in his last case 7 years ago his attorney badge was revoked. He also has a daughter now, but note that this can't be possible since if it were he would have had her when he was only 18 years old.

Ema Skye from Ace Attorney returns as a detective who replaces Gumshoe from the Phoenix Wright series. She is now very moody-which is a disappointment because I loved Ema Skye- and she loves snacks. LOVES IT.

The cases, similar to Trials and Tribulations are connected because they all slowly unravel the mystery of what ever happened to Phoenix Wright on his last case. I'd tell more, but I think I spoiled you enough as it is. It's just as good as Trials and Tribulations, trust me.

Gameplay: Gameplay is the same as always, with possibly 2 major differences. First of all, you can only present profiles ONLY when required so when talking to people you can only present evidence. Second of all, now that you are Apollo Justice you no longer use the Magatama to discover secrets or lies from other characters. Instead, you have this power to sense tension between others so you can "perceive" when they are lying. In simple terms, it's actually more realistic for a lawyer to have this ability - to notice a habit a witness is using when they're lying. The creators just designed made it look so MAGICAL and possible to use as a feature.

Now that Ema Skye is back, the forensics have returned, and there's more of that when she was just 16. Not only do you test fingerprints, you test for poison on items, test toeprints, test for shoe marks, and read through unopened letters. The interactiveness of the DS is definitely used with this game.

Characters: You can actually sorta put stereotypes to the characters in the game. The main character is always a newbie and unsure of what he or she is doing. (ex: Phoenix Wright in the first 3 series, Mia Fey in Trials and Tribulations, and now Apollo in Apollo Justice), you have a sidekick who is full of energy and may not make sense at times (Maya Fey from Phoenix Wright and now Trucy Wright from Apollo Justice), you have a mentor who seems to know it all and makes you figure it out yourself (Mia Fey from Phoenix Wright, and now Phoenix Wright from Apollo Justice), a prosecutor who was supposedly your rival but helps you out in the end (Miles Edgeworth from Phoenix Wright and now Klavier Gavin from Apollo Justice) and always, at the final case, the guilty one will always be highly super evil but not look it at first (Demon Gant from Ace Attorney, Matt Engarde from Justice for All, Dahlia Hawthorne from Trials and Tribulations and finally, Kristoph Gavin from Apollo Justice)

And in between you will meet characters with their own quirks and if given the proper evidence their break downs are always exaggerated.

Overall, this was just as addicting as the other Phoenix Wright games and a really good game if you like this kind of genre. I don't think Capcom plans to continue the Apollo Justice series, but you never know right?

Miles Edgeworth's game should be out on Feb of 2010 if am not mistaken. CAN'T WAIT.
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Phoenix Wright- Trials and Tribulations

Warning: Spoilers may be ahead. Read this review with caution (and comments are loved)

I've been a fan of the Phoenix Wright series for a year or so, but it was only recently that I played the third installment, due to the fact that I could not take it anymore. (I've sadly been playing on an emulator due to my lack of cash for my own DS, but now that I received one it's only the matter of finding the cartridge.)

So anyway, while I don't know if I can consider this a "casual" game, I decided to write about it anyway while the game is still fresh in my head.

First of all, before you play this game, I highly recommend you play the first 2. That would be "Ace Attorney" and "Justice for All." Why? First of all, Trials and Tribulations contains plots and details that happened in the past 2 games. Second, I feel it could be said that Trials and Tribulations is difficult for someone who is not familiar with how the game mechanics work.



I would think Capcom made sure that their targer market would be those who have already played the previous series and would not make it any easier to finish the game. After all, it would suck if their latest game did not do justice to the first two.

Anyway, let's talk about the game.

Interactivity One of the cool things about the DS is that it's quite interactive, with the implementation of a microphone that can actually be used in games. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney made use of this during some of the investigations where it's like you're part of the CSI. However, Trials and Tribulations did not implement this. You don't do any CSI stuff in this game, but I'm not saying that's a bad thing. It might be...if you like that stuff.

Story and Character Development The cases that had happened, all have something in common. They all revolve around the main antagonist, Dahlia Hawthorne. There was only one case that didn't have anything to do with her, but it was still a pretty interesting case. (Well, Recipe for a Turnabout was KINDA silly with the whole Tigre looking like Phoenix but I suppose they needed a side-case somehow to sorta sidetrack the player for a while)

This is where we get to learn more about Mia Fey, and how her life was before Phoenix Wright took over. It was a good thing to do this actually, since her death was kinda surprising considering we all thought she was going to be a MAJOR character and then gets cut off so early in the game. It's also interesting to see how it all started before Phoenix Wright came in, during the first case where Mia Fey and Miles Edgeworth made their debut and in a sense, how the last cases related to it. (On another note, Mia and Miles 6 years ago == WOW)

Other than the DL-6 incident from Ace Attorney, we also are brought back to a case in Justice for all which was the murder at the Kurain Village and Maya Fey was put to the stand. In T&T, we learn more information about the Kurain Village and the cruel family feud where the branch families are fighting for the main bloodline, and as promised from Justice for All, Morgan Fey did try to cast revenge.

It's amazing how one case connected these 2 past cases, and older cases that were only brought to light in this chapter of the series. We've come to understand more about how Mia Fey grew up to the lawyer she was before she died, and how Phoenix has also become more mature to handle his cases. If you've noticed, Phoenix is rarely unsure of himself when he makes objections unlike before. He knows his stuff now, which I feel is a major development. After all, even by now the players are more familiar with how the cases go so it makes sense that Phoenix has a more confident attitude than he did before.

Miles and Franziska have slightly changed as well. While Edgeworth is still arrogant and Franziska still whips anyone she finds annoying, they actually do help out Phoenix Wright when he needs it, and are vital characters in this game.

Larry is still an idiot though, but I think we can all live with that.

Art and Gameplay These 2 haven't changed since the first game which is no problem at all. The only major game update of the 3 was starting from the second game you can now present profiles for evidence and the feature of the Magatama. Phoenix Wright never had the need to change their art, and I don't mind that at all. The only thing that seems to change is the cases and the challenges of getting your client the "not guilty" verdict.

Overall: Trials and Tribulations is yet to be one of the best Phoenix Wright games I have played, and if you're a fan, you'll miss out if you don't play it.


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