 Review By: Siou Choy |
Developer: | Capcom |
| Publisher: | Capcom | |
| Genre: | Adventure | |
| ESRB: | Teen | |
| # Of Players: | 1 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | Microphone | |
| Buy Now: |   |
Fans of Capcom’s Phoenix Wright series should find themselves right at home with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. Despite the change in title character, Apollo Justice is nothing more than the latest entry in the popular series (and first built specifically for the DS), which puts the gamer in the role of the titular attorney and investigator. Fans of Phoenix Wright (the character) should be glad to hear that he, and several other familiar faces from the series, play an important role in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.
Apollo Justice doesn’t limit itself solely to the courtroom, of course. Once you complete the first case, you’re able to investigate various locations in pursuit of clues for your next case. Much like Harvey Birdman for the PS2, gameplay follows the decidedly limited modus operandi of the computer game, essentially consisting of the gamer making use of the stylus (in place of the computer mouse) to point and click which items and locations you want to examine. You can also talk to people and move from location to location via the same method. Successfully examining the necessary trigger items in a given area causes another one to open up, and so on. By the same method, clues discovered can be examined more closely in your items menu - you can even dust them for fingerprints.
Apollo Justice also makes use of the built-in DS microphone. You can embarrass yourself in public by yelling into it to object or press a witness further. Blowing into the microphone is utilized in dusting for fingerprints – in other words, you may want to restrict gameplay to moments of solitude, perhaps behind locked doors, to prevent others from questioning your sanity. Then again, with so many folks using hands-free cell phone headsets in public these days, it seems like every lunatic in the world has popped out of the woodwork, holding loud and animated conversations with no one in particular for the amusement, annoyance, or sympathetic embarrassment of onlookers. If that isn’t a sign of insanity, I don’t know what you’d classify as such…
One thing that sets Apollo Justice apart from 90% of the videogaming world is that actual thought and the application of brain cells towards deductive reasoning is involved, even required of the gamer. Logic and common sense, two commodities that appear to be increasingly rarified and scarce in today’s world, are necessary in order to progress in the game. Clues have to be discovered and items need to be examined. It’s almost like a good book or movie - you can’t wait to find out the final verdict, but you know half the fun is in putting the pieces together to get there. As some hippie/new age philosopher type once said, “life is in the journey”…or perhaps, to quote Lemmy, “the chase is better than the catch”. Whatever gets you through the night…
Once you have enough evidence to go to trial, you have to try and find the truth in the witness testimony in order to clear your client of charges levied against him. Push the Judge’s patience too much (via the “life bar”, as opposed to Birdman’s ever-vanishing crests (“the crrrrrest!”) and you can be sure that his verdict will be guilty. As in Birdman, the judge loses patience when you present the wrong item or ask the wrong question in court (unfortunately, there’s no Mentok to entertain us here with bemused fits of pique, just the usual tight-a$$ in a dress). If the case lasts longer than a day, you’re given the chance to further investigate and bolster your presentation.
You also have a helper in your investigations, your assistant “Trucy” (great name - did the developers pull random letters out of a hat?). Speaking of pulling things out of hats, she’s a “magician-in-training”, of all things. Naturally, her oddball background helps make investigation more interesting than it’d otherwise be…even if one of your first investigations is who stole her magic panties, which you can stuff things in and make them disappear (and no, I’m not making this up). Puerile double entendre, anyone?
Bottom Line:
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney picks up where Phoenix Wright left off. The game is a lot of fun and leaves the gamer playing the multiple roles of detective and scientist, as well as attorney. Some of the cases are extremely long, and when you think the proceedings are finally coming to a close, the game throws you for a loop. However you look at it, Apollo Justice will leave you hooked.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 8.0 |
Posted: 2008-04-29 06:53:16 PST