Case Closed: Wrapping Up Ace Attorney 3

I have finally finished Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. Whew, I need a break before I tackle Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. And then there’s Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth coming soon, too.

I’m assuming that Apollo is par for the course, insofar as the basics of the game. But I would really, really like it if the developers would cut us a little slack and open up a little more for different possibilities that make sense. Seriously, it’s like you have to know what Phoenix is going to say before choosing your answer, and all logical conclusions have no place except for the single matching of statement and evidence, leading to progress simply being almost a matter of blind luck (or reading FAQs).

I hope that Investigations won’t be so stringently linear in its progression, but I’m not too hopeful on that front. I’m not saying that everything you pick should be a correct answer, but maybe some alternatives can follow a separate progression towards the point that is trying to be made. In some ways, they seem to do this when you are questioning people, and multiple items or items and profiles might yield the same answers.

I believe the games would be a bit more enjoyable if something like this were in play; once you reach the point that you’re just going down the Court Record and trying to see what stops the music, that’s when you know something has apparently gone wrong.

But even so, while that aspect of the game can lead to some grinding of teeth, I still love the settings, the stories, and perhaps most of all, the characters. They’re all just so damn endearing, and in a way, I hate seeing the main series come to an end… especially with some of the glimpses of the future I’ve had in Apollo. At least it seems that Investigations will stick to some of the classic elements. It’s too soon for me to say I don’t want more Apollo, but I do hope they might find a way to turn back the clock for more classic Phoenix Wright.

As for the way this part of the series has closed out… well, I loved it. It really did offer a sense of closure that was probably good for the games at the time. I’ve heard some say that the second game, Justice for All, closed out on a better note, but I think they both did equally well. I think JFA had a rather exciting, epic climax, while TAT somehow felt more deep-rooted and personal. And in the end, I think the latter was the better way to wrap up the “trilogy,” as it were.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

David Oxford

David Oxford, or “LBD ‘Nytetrayn’,” as he is sometimes also known, is a freelance writer of many varied interests who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.

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