Where do I even begin? It’s a dream come true to have The Great Ace Attorney localized and to see not just one, but both of these games released in English is, simply put, UNBELIEVABLE. I’ve been a fan of the Ace Attorney series since it first launched on the Nintendo Gameboy Advance. I believe this was my first experience with a visual novel in which I had to make dynamic decisions that impacted the story’s flow. I’m a sucker for murder mysteries and thrillers, and Ace Attorney combines them all in one game. There was the investigation aspect of the game, as well as the drama of presenting it all in a courtroom, and it remains one of my favorite gaming experiences.
While I didn’t get to play the following games, particularly those for the Nintendo DS, I was eager to go back into the series with the Nintendo 3DS. Fortunately, Capcom chose to port the original Ace Attorney trilogy for the Nintendo Switch, which was a fantastic nostalgia journey that made me realize that these games were still so amazing, even after all this time and years of spiritual or inspired games that came after it. Shu Takumi, the series’ father, developed The Great Ace Attorney as a prequel to the original Phenix Wright series. This dude is a genius, in my opinion, no questions asked!
The Great Ace Attorney takes place in the nineteenth century. It not only functions as a courtroom drama (thriller) but also as a historical reenactment of actual events. The game begins slowly and gradually builds the plot over five episodes. It boasts a brilliant cast with many memorable characters, including Sherlock Holmes, the greatest fictional detective in literary history. I mean, what’s there to dislike here? You got a flamboyant cast, a plot that pays off handsomely after you finish it, and gameplay that keeps your mind keen.
The first game starts with a bang. Yes, it all starts with a murder, and the accused is none other than the main character, Ryunosuke Naruhodo. Ryu is charged with the murder of a visiting lecturer at his university. The murder takes a political turn once it is known that the professor comes from Great Britain, potentially causing a rift between GB and Japan. Ryu gets caught in the crossfire and must defend his innocence even though he is found guilty by several witnesses. What I enjoyed about the story was how Ryunosuke starts as a new lawyer with no experience to guide him through the trial. He succeeds, though, thanks to the help of his best buddy, Kazuma Asogi. If there is one thing that The Great Ace Attorney excels at, it is character development.
All of the elements of an investigation game may be found here. You can discover faults in a witness’ testimony, persuade the jury that various claims contradict one other, and study the evidence yourself to pick out details that typically go overlooked. The game’s investigative element appears to be interwoven into the courtroom section. The experience moves quickly from one segment to the next. You never feel like you’re at a standstill because there’s always something that helps you find out the crucial information or proof to break through your trial. In this regard, I wouldn’t call this a challenging game, but it’s entertaining enough that you never want to put down the controller.
The Courtroom phase includes witnesses’ testimonies, followed by cross-examination. The ultimate verdict will be determined by several criteria, including the ability to persuade the jury. You will have a limited amount of answers to utilize in court, so don’t run out of them by continuing to make blunders. Remember the well-known OBJECTION line? It makes a comeback here. While some may find the narrative and acts of the characters a little overly melodramatic. It’s similar to watching anime, so if you can handle it, you’ll feel right at home. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is unique in that it manages to find humor in even the most mundane of situations. To be honest, there is never a dull moment in the game.
The inclusion of Sherlock Holmes is one of the series’ new features. He won’t be the only homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s magnificent stories. In the game, he is known as Sholmes, and he will frequently appear at various events to assist you in correctly steering the case. Except that he won’t actually aid the case, but will instead make it worse. The Dance of Deduction is the name given to this event. You will be expected to identify faults in (S)Holmes’ logic and show them to support your argument. They usually include scrutinizing the available evidence. Because you will often discover the answer, they are not difficult to solve if you pay attention.
It is well worth your time to invest in the two games. The climax is just fantastic, and you will appreciate Shu Takumi’s creativity once you have completed these games. The replay value factor is lower since the choices do not lead to alternate routes in the narrative, but rather to a different conclusion which generally goes back to the beginning. The presentation, on the other hand, is just beautiful. Throughout the story, there are beautifully animated sequences, and the character models are animated well with a 3D backdrop. Overall, there is definitely a lot of effort put into the game’s localization, which should be commended.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Game Information
- Price: $39.99
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
