This review contains spoilers
Trials and Tribulations is the best game in the trilogy, but I know I'm far from the first to say it, so I might as well give my reasons why, one case at a time.
Turnabout Memories: This is an awesome twist on the classic AA formula. We get to learn about Mia's career, Phoenix's past, and of course, Grossberg's hemorrhoids. Dahlia is a great villain and I love how blatantly guilty she is thanks entirely to Mia's POV. It also sets up a great central mystery, though we won't see the fruits of it until much later. The best first case in the trilogy.
The Stolen Turnabout: The best "filler case" in the trilogy. A case that's not a murder mystery (at first) is incredibly refreshing and something I wish the series would do more often. Seeing Adrian and Larry return and how they've moved on with their lives is awesome, and the new characters are just as good. Luke Atmey is a really entertaining villain, and Ron and Desiree are very sweet and I love them. But that's not even the best part of the case. No, this case graces us with my favorite character in the trilogy: Godot. His design and mannerisms are top-notch and the mystery behind his character is both immediately intriguing and immensely satisfying (but more on that later).
Recipe for Turnabout: ...Okay, nobody's perfect. I consider this the second-weakest case in the trilogy, just behind Big Top. I know a lot of stupid shit happens in Ace Attorney, but the Sonic Adventure 2 plotline with Don Tigre is where I draw the line. Also, I don't like Kudo or Armstrong. It's not all bad, though. Maggie's still a fun character and I like the arc with her and Gumshoe. And despite my complaints about his mysterious shapeshifting abilities, I think Don Tigre's a good villain. Also, I like how we get more time to learn about Godot as a prosecutor and the foreshadowing about how he can't see red. That's cool.
Turnabout Beginnings: Speaking of Godot, OH NO HE'S HOT. With that out of the way, this case is great. I love its use of dramatic irony and twists on the AA formula to set up the tragedy of Terry Fawles: You're gonna lose this case, and you know it. You just don't know how. It manages to build up Mia, Godot, Edgeworth, and Dahlia as characters in an interesting way. It's effectively half a case that exists as setup, but it's really good setup that leads to an even better payoff.
Bridge to the Turnabout: Talk about saving the best for last. Bridge to the Turnabout is, without question, my favorite case in the trilogy. True, the setup may seem convoluted and require a little suspension of disbelief, but those are minor nitpicks in the face of everything this case does right. It immediately sets up the mystery of a girl who looks mysteriously like Dahlia, set against the backdrop of a serene temple in the mountains. Then it raises the stakes, placing both Nick and Maya in mortal peril, leaving Edgeworth to step in and defend Iris. Franziska finally gets the conclusion to her arc in a fantastic twist on the series' signature courtroom battles. And it only gets better: Upon Nick's revival, everything involving DL-6, the Fey family, and Godot's past comes to a head, using everything the trilogy has built to craft an intricate web for the murder of Maya's mother. Immediately after, we get what is easily the best use of spirit channeling in the series: a cross-examination of a ghost revealing a plan to keep Maya safe, ending in Phoenix banishing Dahlia's soul to Hell (I am not joking).
But that's not even the best part. The reveal of the true killer finally gives Phoenix the conclusion to his arc, proving his capability as a lawyer to the man who doubted him the most. And of course, Godot's backstory and motivations are an expertly crafted combination of compelling and tragic. This is the only case in the original trilogy where I cried, and it's all thanks to him. Overall, Bridge to the Turnabout, like the game that bears it, is a perfect finale.
Turnabout Memories: This is an awesome twist on the classic AA formula. We get to learn about Mia's career, Phoenix's past, and of course, Grossberg's hemorrhoids. Dahlia is a great villain and I love how blatantly guilty she is thanks entirely to Mia's POV. It also sets up a great central mystery, though we won't see the fruits of it until much later. The best first case in the trilogy.
The Stolen Turnabout: The best "filler case" in the trilogy. A case that's not a murder mystery (at first) is incredibly refreshing and something I wish the series would do more often. Seeing Adrian and Larry return and how they've moved on with their lives is awesome, and the new characters are just as good. Luke Atmey is a really entertaining villain, and Ron and Desiree are very sweet and I love them. But that's not even the best part of the case. No, this case graces us with my favorite character in the trilogy: Godot. His design and mannerisms are top-notch and the mystery behind his character is both immediately intriguing and immensely satisfying (but more on that later).
Recipe for Turnabout: ...Okay, nobody's perfect. I consider this the second-weakest case in the trilogy, just behind Big Top. I know a lot of stupid shit happens in Ace Attorney, but the Sonic Adventure 2 plotline with Don Tigre is where I draw the line. Also, I don't like Kudo or Armstrong. It's not all bad, though. Maggie's still a fun character and I like the arc with her and Gumshoe. And despite my complaints about his mysterious shapeshifting abilities, I think Don Tigre's a good villain. Also, I like how we get more time to learn about Godot as a prosecutor and the foreshadowing about how he can't see red. That's cool.
Turnabout Beginnings: Speaking of Godot, OH NO HE'S HOT. With that out of the way, this case is great. I love its use of dramatic irony and twists on the AA formula to set up the tragedy of Terry Fawles: You're gonna lose this case, and you know it. You just don't know how. It manages to build up Mia, Godot, Edgeworth, and Dahlia as characters in an interesting way. It's effectively half a case that exists as setup, but it's really good setup that leads to an even better payoff.
Bridge to the Turnabout: Talk about saving the best for last. Bridge to the Turnabout is, without question, my favorite case in the trilogy. True, the setup may seem convoluted and require a little suspension of disbelief, but those are minor nitpicks in the face of everything this case does right. It immediately sets up the mystery of a girl who looks mysteriously like Dahlia, set against the backdrop of a serene temple in the mountains. Then it raises the stakes, placing both Nick and Maya in mortal peril, leaving Edgeworth to step in and defend Iris. Franziska finally gets the conclusion to her arc in a fantastic twist on the series' signature courtroom battles. And it only gets better: Upon Nick's revival, everything involving DL-6, the Fey family, and Godot's past comes to a head, using everything the trilogy has built to craft an intricate web for the murder of Maya's mother. Immediately after, we get what is easily the best use of spirit channeling in the series: a cross-examination of a ghost revealing a plan to keep Maya safe, ending in Phoenix banishing Dahlia's soul to Hell (I am not joking).
But that's not even the best part. The reveal of the true killer finally gives Phoenix the conclusion to his arc, proving his capability as a lawyer to the man who doubted him the most. And of course, Godot's backstory and motivations are an expertly crafted combination of compelling and tragic. This is the only case in the original trilogy where I cried, and it's all thanks to him. Overall, Bridge to the Turnabout, like the game that bears it, is a perfect finale.