I don’t always review game collections, normally I just do each game individually in a package. But, in what has been an over 3 year period, starting on March 13th 2021 and ending today on May 15th 2024, I’ve finished the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trilogy with almost 90 hours of gameplay logged. I never would have imagined it would have taken this long, but I’m happy to finally have them under my belt. Eventually, I’ll be moving on to 4, 5 and 6. But as for these games, it’s easy to see why they are so iconic in the visual novel genre. When these game and your mind are not on the same wavelength, they can be kind of frustrating, because you dont know what the game wants of you. But when you are, its some of the most satisfying puzzle solving you can get out of a game. It makes you feel like your really interacting with a real person, not just a computer. (Also, insane music)

In 2023 I saw a bundle of this trilogy and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for crazy cheap on the eShop and thought those were a perfect fit to be played on the Switch. I had a hunch I’d enjoy these games, I’d always see memes and pics of its characters, but after playing the original trilogy, I didn’t really like it. No, I absolutely LOVED it!

[This review contains spoilers, so be sure to have played the games before reading!]

For a series that simply boils down to clicking on the screen and reading, it’s crazy just how riveting Ace Attorney is. I guess point and click appreciators and visual novel readers probably know how enrapturing games of those genres can be, but I had never played anything like that, so my experience with this series opened a brand new door for me.

What makes it so appealing are the characters and the narrative. The main cast is SO endearing and their dynamic is just a blast to see. Phoenix having to deal with Maya’s dumb remarks, Edgeworth being an absolute tsun, the Judge being the most malleable person in the world, Gumshoe being the most adorable AND trustworthy dork in the world (he’s THE BEST!!!)... I quickly got attached to all of them, and even to some recurring side characters and case-specific characters. There’s no shortage of personalities that will make you intrigued and get you laughing.

It’s because of all those characters that the cases become so gripping, along with the writing that rarely ever disappoints. The first game doesn’t get too crazy with the narrative, but starting from the second game they turn the supernatural elements up to eleven, with a huge focus on the mediums of the Fey Clan. The third game dives deep into the backstory of the main cast with its flashback cases, something that gives you an even greater appreciation for them and makes the finale incredibly gratifying.

Oh yeah, and the music! There are so many catchy tunes in these games, and their impact during the trial segments cannot be understated. As you’re cross-examining witnesses, a calm but intriguing theme plays, but as you get closer to uncovering their lies, the same tune gets faster and with more elements added to it, giving you an extra push to finish them once and for all. And nothing feels more empowering than presenting the right evidence, the music going completely silent, saying OBJECTION!!! and hearing the objection theme start. Same thing for when the pursuit theme starts as the culprit is about to break down. It’s an unrivaled rush of adrenaline and satisfaction.

If I were to rank each game individually, my order would be the first game, then Trials and Tribulations, then Justice for All. They’re all great, though! And yes, I’m aware 90% of Ace Attorney fans consider the third game to be the best in the whole series, which is totally deserved, given the strength of its cases, how they’re connected together and how nicely it wraps the trilogy up (and also the fact it has Godot, one of the best characters in the series), but my experience with the first one was truly special.

Of course, there’s the fact I was experiencing the thrill of trials and all the crazy plot twists of the narrative for the first time, which you start getting used to as you play the games, but the aspect that makes my time with the first game stand out is the fact I didn’t savescum. Every Ace Attorney veteran knows how it’s almost muscle memory to save right before an important decision, but I only found out about that strategy after I had finished the first game! So the trials were much more tense due to the fear of getting a game over, which did happen 3 or 4 times.

Something else that helps this game take the top spot is the fact it contains my favorite case out of all 3 games: Rise from the Ashes. I wasn’t prepared for how long this case would be - I started playing it early in the morning during a weekend and finished it by 1 AM, playing basically nonstop, because I was totally immersed in it! It has so many memorable elements to it, such as its cast of characters, from the quirky Ema to the smooth Marshall, and of course Damon Gant, my fav “villain” in the series so far; all the twists that kept surprising me constantly during its LONG trial sections, which you gotta remember I didn’t savescum; the slew of new mechanics it introduces, such as the forensics stuff and the video footage review... I kept thinking about this case for at least a month after finishing it.

There are several cases I would’ve loved to talk about, like the one you defend Edgeworth against the most despicable prosecutor in the world (and you expose him BY USING A METAL DETECTOR THAT WAS SITTING ON YOUR EVIDENCES AND YOU THOUGHT WAS WORTHLESS AND IT’S SO SATISFYING), or the one you gotta cross-examine a serial killer who’s talking through a walkie-talkie, or the one with a Phoenix impersonator who actually looks nothing like him, or the one where the defendant fucking kills himself by poisoning and drops dead on the stand... but then we’d be here all day.

I got into many new game series in 2023, such as Pikmin and Yakuza, but Ace Attorney is certainly one of the franchises I’m most grateful for getting into. I still didn't get around to play The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles and the new Apollo Justice Trilogy, but I'll definitely do so in the near future.

This trilogy is a 60 hour journey! But it is a great journey, I was surprised how many of the background story threads got intertwined to the cases to form a narrative across the three games. I found the dialogue and the little side jokes entertaining, but the humor could be described as finely aged dad comedy.
There’s not much I can say without spoilers, apart from beware that this is a visual novel and there is not much of a gameplay otherwise. If you are expecting puzzles and minigames, this might be a disappointment.

to me perguntando por que nunca joguei isso antes caras!! pra quem entende inglês, vale muito a pena, todos os jogos são incríveis e já to com saudade de bater na mesa e gritar objection!

no geral mesmo algumas partes sendo meio longas me diverti bastante, é uma visual novel click and point mas tem tanta coisa pra fazer que nem da pra achar chato. senti que voce realmente joga ao invés de só ficar lendo o tempo inteiro. fora que tinha uns personagens que só de aparecerem na tela eu já dava risada.

acho que o terceiro jogo é meu favorito e o último caso cheio de mistérios me prendeu a atenção do início ao fim. um advogado só chora uma vez, e é quando tudo acaba!!

First game: such a good game if solving mysteries and story is your thing.

Second game: Alright, starts introducing some ... interesting characters that I'm not too fond of

Third game: Has a great closer to the trilogy and is really rewarding to experience.

Ace Attorney trilogy is one of my favorite visual novel games. Even though the OG games are very old, I still really enjoyed a majority of the game. I love mysteries and the mysteries in this game are amazing. I enjoyed most cases even though there were a few I didn't like as much. But my favorite cases were 2-4 and 3-4 with 3-4 being my goat. Both of these cases have tons of great emotion and easily the best twists in this trilogy. A main reason this game works so well is the characters. If the characters weren't as interesting the game would be a lot more boring. Overall I love this game and it is one of my favorites visual novels rn. 9/10

Reviewing every game i've fully completed #55