Do we have a thread yet for nerding about Ace Attorney games?

[Sousa]

I finally finished up Edgeworth vs. Generic Smuggling Ring recently. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but as the last case rolled on and everything started to click into place, I dug it hard. The revelation about the key players in the smuggling ring and the identity of the Yatagarasu were both tremendous reveals.

My one complaint was that I didn't have a really clear sense of a nemesis until the last case or two. Shi-Long Lang had hilarious mannerisms but really had nothing on any of the prosecutors from the defense attorney games. His turn in the last case was good, but you only really see him for one case before that, and he's not much of a challenge.

Basically, the screwy timeline meant that it was difficult to get a rapport with any of the new characters, most of whom were good but weren't fleshed out as well. The last three or four segments of the last case was where they truly nailed it, and the game got as good as it could've been all along.

So it was good, but I think it was the weakest in the series by a pretty wide margin.

Interrogating the judge was a hoot, though.

[apsham]

Sigh - I love the series but you can only buy the games used from stores here, they don't keep bringing in older copies and it really sucks becaues I don't want to pay full price for a game that I am only going to play through once.. that is the major thing holding the series back for me. I wish they'd add some kind of feature where there could be a chance for multiple perps to at least add a bit of replay.

[Sousa]

The first three are on Wii Virtual Console if that's an option. I'd imagine Apollo Justice will eventually go up, too.

[stokeriño]

Bought/played through the 'Chapter 5' extension to the first game on Wii Virtual Console this weekend. For 100 Wii points, or £0.70, that was damned good value for entertainment.

[GoGo Yubari]

That's the Damon Gant one, right? Because that's quite possibly my single favorite case in the entire franchise.

Still haven't finished AAI yet, Pokemon and school have both distracted me greatly.

[stokeriño]

Yep, that one.

Dunno if it's my favourite. There are ones that I may just look back with fondness for containing good bits, but might have had other dull bits that I've since forgotten.

Such examples include the Global Studies case (Game 1, chapter 3), the Edgeworth-on-Trial case (Game 1, 'final' chapter) and the Matt Engarde case (Game 2, final chapter). Haven't played any of the games beyond Trials and Tribulations yet.

(This thread is *SPOILERS* right? Good.)

I know that for the Matt Engarde one at least, it was a mixed affair. The first 'third' (pre-heel-turn) seemed a bit pedestrian. Not bad, but nothing special. The last 'third' (getting 'De Killer') lost a bit of the edge...probably because of all the cross-examining a radio and such. The middle 'third', however, (post-heel turn) was absolutely epic.

The Edgeworth-on-Trial case was sort of the reverse in a way. The early stages (dealing with Lotta Hart etc.) were pretty good. Then the stuff with with guy in the boat shack was a bit blah. The final parts with von Karma were legendary. Best ending of all of the first three games, I'd say.

I have very fond memories of the Global Studios case because of the way it allowed our picture of what actually happened to completely turn upside-down on several occasions. Some cases the villain/etc. are flagged reeeaaally early on (and I don't mean the intentional ones ala the tutorial or early cases), but that one had me clueless until the very late stages. Plus it wasn't utterly random like the crappy Big Berry Circus one was.

[HeartlineTwist]

Finished Phoenix Wright: Justice for all again last night. Finished the first game last week. All to lead up to me finally getting to play Trials and Tribulations, which I started last night. The first case, which I am still playing through, has been a very good surprise thus far.

[Benji]

So Ace Attorney was £2.99 on the App Store and I've never played them before, indulging now. I'm scared

[stokeriño]

Don't be scared. It's awesome.

Although in comparison to £2.99, my £7 purchase on Wii Ware now looks slightly less good value than I had originally thought...

Still, nothing quite like thrusting the Wiimote-holding hand out with a pointed finger, and hearing it automatically yell "OBJECTION!"

[Benji]

My Butz was on the line and I saved him

[stokeriño]

Ah, Larry. You lovable twonk.

I'm currently replaying Justice For All (slowly...when the TV is not otherwise occupied). Currently halfway through Chapter 2 (the obligatory Maya Fey case), which I'm finding more enjoyable playing through a second time than I thought I would. I guess that's just a sign of the chapter's quality - even if the 'twist' in the murderer's identity was flagged up a mile away.

When it comes to the Big Berry Circus and THAT FUCKING PUPPET though... That's going to be a grim day. I shall tell myself that the final Matt Engarde case is worth it...which it is, but I may need reminding at the time.

[Benji]

Oh man, how did it take me this long to get this game? Epic

[Sousa]

You all are nuts. I loved that puppet. He exploded when he got surprised.

[stokeriño]

Which didn't happen often enough to make up for him being an annoying twat.

Question about something that bugged me in the first game's Chapter 5 (Damon Gant case)...

The drawing that was shaped like the Blue Badger was determined as being that odd vase (at a funny angle), which appeared in mid-air because Ema had been shoved over towards that side of the room and knocked it off just as the lightning struck.

...But then later it was proven that the vase had not been knocked over at all, because it was still in one piece when Gant wrote Ema's name on it in blood, before breaking it on purpose.

So how the fuck did Ema see it flying through the air?? :/

[Benji]

So I've been playing it bit by bit and just completed the second trial, but it drove me insane, because I spent the whole trial knowing...

... that what was on the receipt would end up proving Phoenix's innocence...

... but I had to go through the whole arduous task of dealing with that douche bag Redd White, who certainly has less entertaining cartoon boobs than <strike>Jessica Rabbit</strike> April May. Fun though. And now I'm onto a crime involving a cartoon samurai

[Sousa]

Cartoon samurai case has its funny moments but is honestly probably the weakest in the game. Once you get through this one to the Manfred von Karma case, shit starts getting real.

[stokeriño]

Oh hush, cartoon samurai case is great.

Admittedly the one after it IS astounding, and the two before it were good as well, so...

[Benji]

I just discovered there's only five cases per game, I trust they get significantly tougher and longer with each one?

[stokeriño]

The first one is always a tutorial and therefore rather short (although in the later games they're longer than the first Larry one was). After that, the second one is generally mid-length, with the 3rd-5th ones being "full length" (if there is such a thing). The last case is usually rather convoluted too so the trial stages last longer.

The third game is slightly different because it has flashback cases which are shorter. So for example the 4th case is a short one sandwiched in between two normal ones.

[Sousa]

Yeah, cases 3-5 are pretty thorough. 5 in particular is a tour de force with about 80 characters in it.