Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorneys

With all of the newest generation game consoles out right now, you probably don’t know which way to look. If you’re a casual gamer, everything looks basically the same. First-person shooters, third-person fantasy adventures, RPGs… everything starts to blend together in a confusing mass. Everyone has a “must-play” list, but where are the real gems?

For the Nintendo DS, underground gamers agree that nothing will ever be quite like the Ace Attorney series by Japanese company Capcom. In these games, you play a struggling defense attorney in the near future, solving bizarre cases and using a mixture of evidence and testimony to prove your clients innocence. Sound boring? Ace Attorney, the Law and Order of the gaming world, is anything but. With its engaging plot, offbeat cast of characters, and sudden twists, it has converted people into fanatics.

On February 20, the fourth installment hit gaming stores nationwide. In this new game, we go even farther into the future to meet Apollo Justice, our new protagonist. He is aided in his cross-examining by his uncanny ability to read body language in such a way that he can always recognize a lie when he sees one.

If you remain unconvinced by its quirky charm and devoted fan base (“Phoenix Wright… if that guy were real, and not a man, I’d be all over that,” sighs one enthusiastic senior), you might be interested to know that this series is also biting satire. The court system in the game is highly sped up—all cases must be finished in three days. If this seems ridiculous, look at the Japanese judicial system, where trials last for years, and there is a 99% percent conviction rate. A jury hasn’t been used since 1943. Prosecutors get social, investigative, and economical benefits, as well as just being regarded as “better.” There’s a social stigma in Japan that sees defense attorneys as Devil’s advocates. After all, why would a man be on trial if he wasn’t guilty?

With that in mind, the game takes on a new light, stepping out of the realm of comedic and into more serious territory. As Phoenix Wright or Apollo Justice, you have to gain testimony from witnesses. However, this is made difficult, because everyone thinks that you are no better than a criminal yourself.

Look out for Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney at your local game shop. If you’re new to the series, check out the first three installments, called Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, and Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations. You won’t be disappointed.

6 Responses

1. 10:19 AM on March 28th, 2008CJ:

   YEEEAAAAAHHHHHHH

2. 11:53 AM on March 28th, 2008Aidan:

   wow, funny that I asked you about Apollo Justice the day that you wrote this.

3. 8:50 AM on April 9th, 2008Anonymous:

   WHAT IS THAT

4. 1:06 PM on April 14th, 2008Anonymous:

   OBJECTION!

5. 1:07 PM on April 14th, 2008phoenix wright:

   TAKE THAT!

6. 4:52 PM on May 26th, 2008Anonymous:

   HOLD IT!

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