Ace Attorney - Turnabout Trial Review
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Ace Attorney - Turnabout Trial Review

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

38
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.
Golden retriever sat on the sand with ocean in the background
Photo by Justin Aikin on Unsplash

Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore my dog. I am constantly talking about my love for her. I attribute many of my dog's amazing qualities to her breed. She is a purebred Golden Retriever, and because of this I am a self-proclaimed expert on why these are the best pets a family could have. Here are 11 reasons why Goldens are the undisputed best dog breed in the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Boyfriend's Christmas Wishlist: 23 Best Gift Ideas for Her

Here are the gifts I would like to ask my boyfriend for to make this season unforgettable.

83738
Young woman opening a Christmas gift

Recently, an article on Total Sorority Move called 23 Things My Boyfriend Better Not Get Me For Christmas, was going around on social media. I hope the author of this was kidding or using digital sarcasm, but I am still repulsed and shocked by the lack of appreciation throughout this article. I would like to represent the girlfriends out there who disagree with her standpoint -- the girlfriends who would be more than happy to receive any of these gifts from their boyfriends.

Keep Reading...Show less
Two teenage girls smiling

The 2000s were a time that many young adults today can look back on, joyfully reminisce and somewhat cringe at the trends and the fads that we all used to love and adore. Here's a list of things from the golden 2000s that will have one feeling nostalgic about all of those times.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Types Of Students You Will Meet In College

You wish you could be #5, but you know you're probably a #6.

7814
cool group of lazy college students in class
StableDiffusion

There are thousands of universities around the world, and each school boasts its own traditions and slogans. Some schools pride themselves on sports, while others emphasize their research facilities. While there is a myriad of differences among each and every school, there will always these seven types of students in class.

Keep Reading...Show less
woman in white tank top and orange jacket holding a bible
Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Life is hard. There is no surprise there. It’s confusing and scary and hectic, but there are some amazing qualities, too. Sometimes you feel alone and don’t know what to do. School gets in the way of what you want to do or you’re dropping friends you thought you trusted. Everyone has their moments. Everyone has felt in the lowest place and couldn’t find the strength to get back up. But I want to help with that. Here are 10 Bible verses I hope will brighten your day, or at least make you feel stronger and happier.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments