For those of you who missed out on playing the original trilogy on the Nintendo DS, you're in luck. The objective-throwing, evidence-showing, crime-solving madman is back and better than ever. The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney trilogy is now on consoles and Steam. The original launch on the Nintendo DS the game has been remastered and formatted to be playable on the big screen or monitor depending on preference. No more looking at a small DS screen. The Ace Attorney trilogy still delivers the same charm that it had back in 2005 and brings back the suspense and twisty moments along with it. I can say that from playing the game on my DS and playing it on PC, it brought back so many nostalgic feelings. New players to the visual novel, interactive genre might be a little reluctant to play the game, but trust me when I say give it a shot.
The gameplay is split between two parts investigations and trials. During the investigations, you interview witnesses and examine crime scenes to find evidence that you can use during witness testimonies in court. You then take your findings and display them to court to prove your client's innocence. Each piece of evidence plays an important crucial role throughout the case, some more than others.
The game is split up into three different chapters. The three chapters are the three games that were released. "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney," "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All," and "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations." All the chapters have multiple cases and trials where you have to prove your defendant guilty, no matter the charge. The flow of the game acts as a visual novel where you follow along and investigate crime scenes, cross-examine witness's statements to find flaws, and use everything you know to find the real culprit of the crime. Every moment where you successfully cross-examine or have an "ah ha" moment is extremely gratifying.
Each individual that you meet has a unique personality that instantly leaves a memorable mark in your mind and makes them unforgettable. When I say that every story grabs your attention and makes you constantly want to keep playing, believe me. Of course, some cases are going to be more interesting than others, but they're still interesting nonetheless. The art style of the game has drastically improved from the 2005 version, but that's expected coming from a remastered version. The colors are crisper, plus it's in perfect HD quality.
I find it a little disappointing that no new features or stories were added to the game, but that's understandable since it's just a remaster and not a whole new Phoenix Wright game.
Overall, fans new and old will enjoy the Phoenix Wright experience. The story will grab you and engulf you into its suspense and thrilling moments. This franchise is one of the many few games that has impacted the way that I play games now, and I hope that it has the same impact on you as well.
