Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials & Tribulations

To start off with, it must be stated that this game is just a straight port of the GBA game, just as Justice for All was. Therefore, there are no re-worked visuals, the soundtrack is exactly as it was in the Japanese-only Game Boy Advance version and there are no extra cases, as there were in the first Phoenix Wright port to DS. Thankfully, though, as this is basically just a text adventure, the game does not need to rely on overly detailed graphics, with the clever script taking centre stage. Additionally, the hand-drawn characters that are included all still manage prove to be full of personality, with each character having their own unique set of facial expressions, strange dress sense and general style (be it menacing, cute, comical, or whatever, depending on the situation). Then there is the mood-setting music, with each character having its own trademark track, some wacky and some annoying, whilst others are moody and quite haunting. Overall, considering it was 'only' a GBA game, the presentation levels are so high they fit very nicely on the DS just as they are.

 

The game itself revolves around turning a bad situation on its head and proving that your defendant is actually 'Not Guilty'. Phoenix Wright, the Ace Attorney from the first two games and namesake of the English translated titles, is somewhat surprisingly not in the driving seat in Trials & Tribulations. In fact, even his name has less prominence on the box art, with 'Ace Attorney' taking the limelight, opening the series up for other protagonists, as seen with Apollo Justice earlier this year. In this particular case, whilst Phoenix Wright is still prominent within the game, this third in the series is all about explaining the past and tying up loose ends in the present time. Things certainly take a slight twist, so expect some surprises...

There are several different aspects to the actual gameplay, with the main split being between the in-court proceedings and the detective work. First and foremost you need to have done your homework before there is any hope of landing that much needed 'Not Guilty' verdict. This means moving from location to location in the detective phase (doing so via the menu screen – this game involves no walking; simply touch the location and you ‘warp’ there), talking about whatever subjects appear in the dialogue window to accrue clues, statements and sometimes even pieces of vital evidence, and even showing other pieces of evidence to members of the public in order to drag a different response out of them. Psyche Locks are back as well. These were introduced in the second game and represent bonds that lock certain topics that people do not want to discuss with the defence attorney. Basically, depending on how strongly the person wants to keep a snippet of information from you, a differing number of locks appear on-screen and you must break each one down by presenting evidence that contradicts what they are saying in their cover-up. This really does help to stop the game from being too linear as you often have to leave people behind, go fetch more clues and then eventually come back to unlock their secret(s).

 

Once you have chatted to everyone you can possibly talk to, plus gone around examining each place you visit (sometimes for more evidence, most of the time just for the fun factor of reading the humorous dialogue between the main and supporting characters), you are thrown into the perilous court arena with a scary bearded judge rapping his gavel repeatedly to get order in his courtroom. Here you will face the onerous task of combating the stand-in prosecutor's jibes, judge's shortcomings and the barefaced lies and bemusing responses of the numerous witnesses that take the stand. Each witness will provide their testimony, with key points broken into separate sections for you to absorb, analyse and then compare to whatever data you have stored in your Court Record (pieces of evidence, on-the-spot witness statements from the investigation and information on all persons involved in the case). You can then choose to 'Press' each point to squeeze more information out, and possibly gain key extra lines of testimony, or you can merely jump right in with an 'Objection!', revealing a gaping hole of a contradiction in the statement (both can be accessed via the microphone by shouting 'Hold It!' or 'Objection'). However, be warned, should you get the answer wrong (and this goes for when trying to unlock a Psyche Lock as well), you will face a penalty (which varies depending on the importance of the situation you are faced with). Lose the entire 'energy bar' and it is Game Over, forcing a re-start of the chapter currently in progress.

The game is not without its flaws, though, since many a time players will be left completely stumped and forced to go through every permutation of showing evidence to different people in order to progress. But thankfully the game has such class and wit in its lengthy script that it can just about get away with such a laborious task due to the fact that gamers will enjoy what they are reading…and if something is duplicated by asking the same or a very similar question, the response can simply be skipped through quickly by pressing and holding the stylus on the touch-screen throughout the conversation.

 

As for how long the game lasts, this game excels in all other areas when compared to the first two games and does so in terms of length as well. The DS remake of Gyakuten Saiban, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, had an extra case added onto the end that was brand new compared to the GBA edition, and Gyakuten Saiban 2 / Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright: Justice for All had a lengthy final case to keep people on their toes, but this third outing really takes the biscuit in terms of sheer value for money. Being the third and final entry into the Phoenix Wright trilogy, absolutely everything is tied together, meaning the fifth and final case this time lasts a ridiculously long time…to the extent that if you are not a particularly avid follower of the previous games, it could grow rather tiresome. For Gyakuten Saiban aficionados, though, it is a sublime ending to a fantastic trio of games. This is a must-buy for all adventure followers and is certainly worth every penny for those that have yet to take the plunge.