For this week’s game, we played Ace Attorney. Ace Attorney is a visual novel game developed by Capcom which follows the rookie attorney Phoenix Wright in his adventures to settle legal disputes. Personally, I played this game on a Windows laptop but it can also be played on any Nintendo based console.
I first heard of this game through the various memes, especially the scene where when Phoenix says “Objection!”. The visuals are taken to the extreme to convey a light tone as well as to easily portray what each character is feeling at the time. I was even more impressed when I learned that the game was made on a very limited budget, since I thought the game and art was very well-made. The video allowed me to have an even greater appreciation for the developers and the art style, and made me pay even closer attention the facial expressions of the characters (especially for Frank Sahwit and Larry Butz, as they made me laugh a lot). As a result, the art style definitely helped keep me engaged with the story line and the narrative, which is a feat since I usually get very bored of narratives.
Speaking of narratives, I thought the storyline was intriguing. I have always loved mysteries, games with plot twists or games that make you find the loophole, and Ace Attorney does all three really well. For example, I was wondering what Frank was talking about when he said he heard the time, but it was really satisfying when the loophole was closed with the Thinker statue actually being a clock and being able to verbalize the time (which was kind of strange). In addition, getting to know the characters backstories was a nice touch to the narrative as it feels like you are actually fighting for justice for these characters. Even if they are fictional characters, the game allows you to embody being a lawyer to these characters without any risk and all of the reward, which makes the game even more fun.
As for mechanics, I found the feature where you tab out and click through all the pieces of evidence to be particularly immersive. It effectively mimics how a lawyer would meticulously sift through their documents and notes in real life, enhancing the sense of realism in the game. This design choice not only adds to the authenticity but also makes you feel more engaged in their role as a lawyer. I enjoyed how the game incorporated this mechanic into its puzzles, requiring you to carefully analyze the prosecution’s arguments to identify logical fallacies. For me, it was really satisfying to find the right pieces of evidence that could counteract these flaws. This added problem-solving to the game, making it much more rewarding than a normal narrative game.
Overall, I would rate the game a 8/10. A lot of this rating comes from the exaggerated art style and the mechanics of the game surrounding finding the flaws in other people’s arguments. However, I could find myself getting bored of the game after finishing the whole thing, and not being able to replay the game. As such, I am interested in the spinoff games to see what is different or new, in terms of art, narratives, and mechanics.
