Capcom has announced that the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy for 3DS will be released in the west:
Digital-only again, like Dual Destinies. But at least we’re getting it!
Recommended by Eurogamer.
Finished the first case, which gets off to a slow start, as all first cases do. Mechanically it seems pretty conservative so far, but given that the first case doesn’t even have any investigation, there’s presumably more to come. It did lift some stuff from the Layton game, I noticed, though it was only used once in the case. It is a blessed relief that the localisation isn’t fighting the setting any more.
Just encountered this mechanic. I really like it. It’s basically serving the purpose of pscyhe locks in previous games, but it’s much less frustrating as the solution is in the area you’re already in, and as the review says, the presentation is much better. So far at least, you’re either presenting evidence from your inventory as usual, or manipulating a 3D scene to find a clue. Herlock’s dumb conjectures are pretty fun too.
Case 2 is a bit lame, frankly, and it’s still basically a tutorial, which is pretty frustrating. Thankfully case 3 is a lot better and less handholdy. It also mixes things up pretty well with the jury system and the dynamic with the defendant.
One thing I’ve found interesting with this instalment is that so far there haven’t been any separate investigation sections. It’s all been integrated into the trial (or in case 2, the trial is integrated into the investigation).
Looks like I spoke too soon. Case 4 starts with a traditional investigation.
Finished the first game. I’d probably give it a B overall, maybe a B+. Two of the cases are strong, but only one really up there with the best the series has to offer. The first two are pretty weak, just extended tutorials. The fourth case is fine, if a bit predictable. Generally the cases suffer a lot from relying for their twists on the defendants (including you!) not giving you information that they obviously would/should have. That’s always been a thing in these games, but the justification seems very thin a lot of the time in this one.
Fortunately it seems the consensus is the second game is considerably better. I’ve only done the first case so far, which again is a bit of a tutorial one, but not as obnoxiously so as in the first game.
Also, it’s ridiculous that they still haven’t implemented a “skip all this dialogue I’ve already heard” button.
And… finished the second game. It’s so much better than the first, though it very much ties back to it narratively, so you can’t play it on its own. Still a lot of annoying UI/trope issues, but apart from the very first the cases are much, much more fun than all but the best of the first game’s. Possibly my favourite Ace Attorney ever.
Noooooooooo! I was doing so well avoiding buying this until now…
Did not expect to see this game on the FT homepage.
https://www.ft.com/content/0c43d29f-5b78-478d-8115-beb4df834b72