"It was great to be back in court!" is something most normal people do not say, but to gamers who've enjoyed the Ace Attorney Series, it's probably pretty common. For me, it had been around twelve years since I beat Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney before I finally downloaded the first of two 3DS Ace Attorney games, Dual Destinies.
I had also sputtered out during my unfinished playthrough of the spin-off game Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, finding that game not as enticing, and also bitter knowing that the second game in that series was not coming to our shores. I also think Dual Destinies being a download-only title in North America deterred me, as being old means wanting physical copies, because that new-fangled internet thing you kids are keeping your games on will likely go away at some point.
So I finally downloaded Dual Destinies a few years ago and did the first case. A year or so later, I did the second case. Recently, I decided to go ahead and finish the game rather than dipping in and out like that, and it was a fun, rewarding experience as always. These games I would describe as mostly storytelling with some logic puzzles thrown in.
The bizarre world where the Ace Attorney games takes place is one of swift justice, meaning that your clients are always this close to prison unless you can find tiny inconsistencies in someone's testimony to undo them. Defense attorneys dress pretty straight but have bad hair day issues, while Prosecution attorneys usually dress with gaudy flair like rockstars, bully the judge, often fabricate evidence, and sometimes physically attack the defense attorneys with whips or knives during the trial. Just go with it.
Luckily, the defense attorneys usually have a magic McGuffin that helps them see through lies and perceive hidden emotions, and these are game changers in some trials. These only deploy at certain times in the case. The gameplay divides into investigations, where the player interviews people and checks out crimes scenes, and of course the courtroom where the magic happens.
The main improvement over the previous Ace Attorney installments is obvious in that the graphics on the 3DS are far superior to the old DS games, and the use of the system-based 3D effects really shines here. Everything is so crisp and clear, and the feeling of depth in the screen is almost tangible.
I'm trying to remember, and too lazy to look up, whether or not the old DS games allowed saving at any point. Whatever that answer, the 3DS can, making the parts of the game much easier where you can't quite complete the logic bridge they think is being built in the player's head and have to guess what evidence to show.
For the most part, the logic holds up, and I had successfully guessed where the trial was headed a good bit before the lawyers in the game had. This game also felt like it was made as a farewell to the series (even though it was not), as lots of characters from some of the previous games show up to help out toward the story's end.
I had thought I was all set when I downloaded this title a few years ago, but I found out recently that I had missed a DLC for it. In addition, there was another full Ace Attorney game made for the 3DS, but like Dual Destinies, it was digital only. By the time I realized all this, the Nintendo 3DS shop was closed.
But good news broke recently that those titles were headed for a re-release on the Nintendo Switch next year, in a package with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Ace Attorney Dual Destinies, and Ace Attorney Spirit of Justice. On top of that, I already have another Ace Attorney compilation for the Switch, comprising the other two new Ace Attorney games that apparently take place in the late 1800s.
Revisiting Ace Attorney was like hanging out with old friends, sharing the unfolding of their new story, and feeling reassured that even when I can't make it to court, these weirdos with strange haircuts will be pressing forward shouting "OBJECTION!" when they have to. I'm sure I'll be back in court with them someday, but until then, my victory in Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright Dual Destinies will be proudly admitted into the court record.
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