Name: Phoenix Wright 3: Trials and Tribulations
Platform: Nintendo DS
Players: 1
Developer: Capcom
Now, if you haven't played the first 2 Phoenix Wrights all the way through, and want to play this, don't talk to me. Cloudy will tell you better than anyone. I demand that everyone with a DS play and complete Phoenix Wright 1 and 2. And now I add number 3 to that list. I also must point out that people who don't like the genre that Phoenix Wright is (essentially, interactive novel), get out now. You won't like this. You need to have a sharp mind, and a deep interest in the story to get into this. Finally, I shall try to avoid spoilers.
Phoenix Wright is a game about a defense attorney named.. Phoenix (Nick) Wright. He is known as a smart defense attorney, who has almost never lost a case, and is able to pull a win out of his ass every time. This time around, we are shown a few cases from Phoenix's past, and we pick up information that is continued from Justice for All (Phoenix Wright 2). The last game in the series ties everything together very well, and will please fans of the games.
This is Phoenix Wright. You'd trust him to defend you, right?
The game sees you interacting with a number of interesting characters; without too many spoilers, I shall provide a list of characters that appear in the 3 games.
Maya fey: Phoenix's assistant. A spirit channeler, that helps Phoenix with his work. I would hit that.
Mia Fey: Phoenix's Mentor. A famous defense attorney, helps Phoenix with very tough cases.
Miles Edgeworth: Phoenix's main rival in court. A prosecuting prodigy, he will do anything to get a guilty verdict.
Dick Gumshoe: A detective at the local precinct. Very loyal to Edgeworth, but is fairly friendly with the defense too.
Pearl Fey: 8 years old and Maya's cousin. A channeling prodigy, she spends time at the Wright & Co. office, and is very vocal about her view that Phoenix and Maya should be a couple.
Franziska von Karma: Prosecuting Attorney of Justice for All. A powerful young prosecutor with a whip, looking for revenge for her fathers disgrace.
Godot: The Prosecuting Attorney of Trials and Tribulations. A coffee chugging, mask wearing man, little is known about him until the very end.
Now, that took me 20 minutes to get all those pictures up. Appreciate it. Anyway, throughout the game, you will present evidence, search for clues, and interview people involved with cases to progress. While it may feel slightly linear to some players, it is a breath of fresh air for me, and I really enjoy it.
Now, everyone must be wondering. Graphics? Admittedly, the game does not break any barriers graphics-wise. The game has been made in a very anime-like way. The characters seem cartoon-ish, but this adds to their appeal. This is another one of those gameplay over graphics games. And that's fine by me.
Many people know that this is a port from the GBA games, only released in Japan (they were also on PC, but were very rarely distributed). As such, the game can be controlled using the DS buttons, like A, B, L, R, etc. However, it is much easier to let your stylus do the talking. Speaking of talking, while in court, when you wish to present evidence, or question someone, you can hold the Y button, and yell "OBJECTION!" "HOLD IT!" or "TAKE THAT!" into the DS microphone. This adds a layer that allows you to feel more immersed in the game.
I know full well how much bias I have for this game, so please excuse the rather bias review. Take this with a pinch of salt. But I promise you, a better storyline there is not. This is a fantastic game right up to the finish. And I cannot wait until Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (Ace Attorney 4, no longer called Phoenix Wright 4, as Phoenix is not the defense attorney)is translated into English.
Graphics: Not barrier breaking, but solid. 8/10
Length: You will be finding easter eggs over and over. I've played each game through at least 3 times, and am not bored yet. 9/10
Gameplay: Incredible. A better script there is none. 10/10
Overall: 9.5/10
Now, I'm off to finish Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker before Phantom Hourglass comes out. Oh, and for those of you wondering just how deep my passion for the Phoenix Wright series is, check back when I post images of my formal.
