Phoenix Wright, attorney at law, starred in three
games of his own. But seven years ago in game time, he hit a case that ruined
his career, and now a new attorney with scary hair and a knack for last-minute
revelations has taken his place. Yet the older, boho Wright is still hanging
around, which gives Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney a strong overarching plot: While Apollo Justice has four separate cases
to tackle, he also has to figure out how he's connected to Wright and his
dapper magician daughter, Trucy—and what they're going to need from him.
Like its predecessors in the Phoenix Wright: Ace
Attorney series, Apollo Justice is a point-and-click adventure with writing that's
cartoonish enough for kids, but sharp enough for adults who like kids' games.
Each case after the first one is split between detective-like investigations
and fast-paced court battles. The investigations tend to be a drag: They're
mired in repetitive dialogue and tedious screen-searching, and they often feel
like padding. Fans of this style of game may be happy to spend hours wandering
between the same few rooms to find clues, but others will wish they could skip
right to the trials, where the evidentiary brain-teasers and combative
objections distract from the goofy plot points. Never mind what a 15-year-old
girl's panties stuffed in an exhaust pipe have to do with cracking a murder:
You'll just be happy you figured it out.
Beyond the game: As a way to work in the
DS' special features, you're asked to perform tasks like filling a footprint
with plaster using the stylus, or blowing dust off a fingerprint with the
microphone. This is often a waste of time.
Worth
playing for: While
some of the characters are silly to the point of aggravation, the reaction
shots when they're busted are consistently priceless.
Frustration sets in when: Sometimes it's unclear
exactly when the court is ready for a piece of evidence, and since the game
only lets you get away with a few mistakes at a time, the trial and error can
be nerve-racking.
Final
judgment: The
latest chapter in the Ace Attorney series comes with fresh characters and an
absorbing plot—as well as all the same old objections.