Ace Attorney - Turnabout Trial Review | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Ace Attorney - Turnabout Trial Review

What's this game all about anyway? Is it worth it?

41
Ace Attorney - Turnabout Trial Review
Forbes

In the game Ace Attorney, you play as Phoenix Wright. You can guess his occupation: a defense attorney. Somehow he really only deals with murder trials. The basic layout of the game is divided up into trial and investigations. The investigations help you piece together what really happened and the trial is where you basically engage the prosecution in a battle of wits.

The game is originally Japanese but has been localized for English players. It supposedly takes place in Los Angeles, CA, but it’s basically a San Fransokyo protoype. This is especially obvious in their court system, which takes more heavily after a Japanese courtroom. The defendant is assumed guilty until proven innocent, by both onlookers and the judge. The defense has the burden of proof. And there’s no jury. Not only does the defense have to prove their client not guilty, they have to prove who the guilty party really is.

It really makes you appreciate that our court system isn’t like that. As a former member of my school’s Mock Trial club and someone who keeps the constitution in my purse, I have a special appreciation for our court system. True, it’s not perfect, but it’s significantly better than that of Japanifornia. The contrast makes me guffaw with laughter and reminds me of our system’s good.

Though hilarious, the games also have a deeper aspect. It presents you with tough choices that make you think. Perhaps that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love pondering the hard questions. I shan’t give the specific questions now for fear of spoiling, but they are quite thought-provoking.

I also love how the game portrays the purpose of a court system and of having both defense attorneys and prosecutors. The culture in the game respects prosecutors greatly while generally viewing the defense as schemers. (This is especially true in the most recent game.) Contrast this to our culture, where many of the people I have talked to view the prosecution as the schemers. But the plot and characters of the game point out a very different idea.

They suggest that neither the defense nor the prosecution is inherently evil, rather they are working together to arrive at the truth. If both attorneys thought the defendant was guilty and acted in such a manner, there would be no one to defend him. Or if both were convinced of his innocence, no one would present the possibility that he is actually guilty. Neither of these scenarios is good, because the best way to arrive at truth is by discussing different possibilities and points of view. Although these games revolve around a court system vastly different than ours, I think this concept still applies to our court system. I could ramble about this forever, so let's move on.

A pet peeve of mine is that when most people today see two persons with a strong relationship, they often automatically start pressuring them to be in a romantic relationship. This is especially true in regards to fictional characters, but I’ve noticed it spilling into real life a lot, too. What I appreciate about Ace Attorney is it shows strong relationships between various characters, be it between people of the same or opposite genders, but it doesn’t romanticize them. In true fandom fashion, the fans heavily ship a lot of these pairings. However, the game itself does not put romantic pressures on its characters, which is a nice reprieve. It reminds you that not every strong friendship needs to end in romance.

On another high note, the writers develop its characters quite well. There are a few prosecutors I hated initially, but I was provoked to sympathy for them. There was one girl I deeply distrusted, but she became one of my favorite characters. There were even people that I loved and related to initially, but they ended up being the worst of them all. You never know what to expect from an Ace Attorney character.

There are so many great things about this franchise, but I’ll let you discover them yourself. Get swept up in gripping storylines and gorgeous accompanying music. Laugh at the bizarre things and prepare yourself for major feels. These games will take you for a wild ride. (And did I mention they recently converted it into a

TV show?)
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

164605
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

50946
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

45471
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments