I must begin with a brief explanation of my personal gaming preferences. Typically, I lean towards action-oriented video games or puzzle games. For me, the core essence of a video game lies in the interaction with the game mechanics and its responsive nature. Therefore, I've always considered visual novels to be on the borderline of what can be considered a video game. Without a gentle push from a friend, I likely would have never ventured into this genre, as it's completely outside my comfort zone.

So, it came as no surprise to find the gameplay of visual novels to be somewhat lackluster and rigid, with minimal rewards for the player and a fixed progression system. Should I have expected more? Perhaps not, as these limitations are likely common constraints of the genre and shouldn't necessarily be the basis for judging the game. However, it's important to acknowledge these aspects.

Moving on to the heart of the matter, let's delve into the game itself, focusing on its primary elements: the story and the cases.

Objection!

The legal cases presented in this game are truly exceptional, representing a significant improvement compared to the previous title. Each case is intricately linked to the broader narrative, weaving a cohesive and engaging storyline. Building upon the groundwork laid out in the Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, the narrative explores and addresses any lingering loopholes, adding depth and complexity to the overarching plot.

The pacing of the cases is commendable; they are never dragged out and flow seamlessly, brimming with plot twists and connections to previous cases. Furthermore, the character development is outstanding, with each character's motives and personality traits explored in detail, enriching the overall experience.

While the game may feel more akin to a TV series or a simplified gamebook, the sheer enjoyment of following Naruhodo and his friends' journey is unparalleled, especially for fans of the genre. The music deserves special mention for its ability to enhance the dramatic elements of the storyline.

In conclusion, I must say that this game is a must-play for anyone who enjoys captivating storytelling and I must say:

Not Guilty

Much better than the first game. This game has the luxury of not having to introduce every character in the cast and instead gets to use the cast in more interesting ways. Susado gets to shine a lot more in this one and the side characters feel more fleshed out as we begin to learn their backstories a bit more. All the lingering loose threads from the first one are nicely followed up and concluded. In fact, this game's cases just feel more tightly written in general with less fluff and more brevity that really helps with the pacing. The game has an awesome conclusion that worried me initially as I felt it was going to tread familiar ground with its twist villain. But it did end up managing to do something different which I thoroughly appreciating. Everything that seemed like an obvious twist was lampshade by the game and not so obvious twists were foreshadowed enough to where I was very satisfied with this game's writing. For all the missteps that previous game took with its writing, it was well worth it to get to the sparkling conclusion of this duology.