Game review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Despite all my wishes to be a productive person, sometimes I somehow end up playing some computer or video game. Recently I have been playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, and thought I'd just briefly review it.

First off, I don't like assigning one number to games, since the quality of a game can have many dimensions. SO I'm just going to write what I like about the game and what I don't like.

The premise

The game I played is for Nintendo DS, and it's a kind of point-and-click mystery solving and courtroom game, which to my knowledge is pretty unique in the market. It's animated with semi-moving anime frames. You play as Phoenix Wright, a lawyer straight out of law school, as he takes on his first cases as a defense attorney. The first mission is a simple trial, where you have to pick the witnesses testimonies apart, pressing every point and using evidence to bring to light contradictions in their testimonies. Later, you also play the role of the evidence-gatherer, which you usually do much better than the local police force anyway. There are several clashes with the arch-nemesis, Miles Edgeworth (who has later gotten games of his own). This game is the first in a series of several.

The good

Phoenix Wright (the character) is pretty awesome, although playing the game I got a different impression from what I had from all the internet memes about him.

Y'know - these ones.

He's a bit more insecure than I thought prior to playing. But I like the character, and Miles is also pretty cool, although sometimes I wish the anime industry would find another archetype than the 'brooding dark-haired guy' to be the cool dude.

The trials are hilarious and very entertaining. Whenever you manage to point out a contradiction and cool music starts playing, you feel like being a defense attorney would be the coolest job in the world. There's plenty of humor there, and especially if you're geared towards Japanese-style humor, you'll laugh out loud a lot. I did, at least. Most trials are pretty far-fetched in terms of how they are conducted and what is accepted as evidence and so on, but it's not much worse than your average American lawyer show.
Also, I want to mention the 'effects' as a good point of this game. In trial, when the attorneys are making a point, they are punching their fists on the desk in a really cool way. And whenever something 'unexpected' is happening, the effects really help bring this out by changing the music, kind of shaking the screen and in general putting surprised faces on everyone.

The bad

The evidence collection becomes pretty tedious, especially when you have to move through areas in a very slow manner (i.e. you cannot necessarily move from a given area to the area you want to be in - you have to go through all the 'intermediate' areas first).

The both

The music is really great at times (i.e. during the trials) but at other times it can get a bit jarring (i.e. during evidence collection).

The graphics.. honestly, for a game such as this, realistic graphics is by no means something I want. The graphics do a good job without being extravagant.

In summary

Despite the shortcomings of the game (i.e. the evidence collection phase) I would heartily recommend playing it, simply because they have a unique experience to offer: Being an awesome defense attorney who fights injustice and tears down even the most arrogant of prosecutors. Get your OBJECTION!s on and play it!