Disappointing installment in the Trails franchise. Doesn’t have progress the story in any meaningful way and doesn’t Rean or the cool motorcyclist guy, what the fuck
" the only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over " and you best believe i did when the credits hit 😭😭😭😭
This review contains spoilers
Don’t let the mysteries of yesterday mystify you today, only losers think like that. You got to change with times! That’s one of my rules!
The end of a trilogy!! And what an end it was. Out of all three games, this is the one that has the benefit of years of writing under its belt. T&T is tasked with taking everything Ace Attorney was and tying it up into a neat little bow. Now everything culminates together, the ultimate progression of these characters coming to a final close with a heartfelt bang. We see a capable Phoenix, who has long since grown from being an overly dependent rookie- and his friends who have all moved forward alongside him. The cases are complicated and something not only could a past Phoenix not handle- but it also puts more faith in the player's intelligence to put things together without aid. The writing is fantastic, focused, the best in the trilogy. It is a proper sendoff to the world of Ace Attorney people have come to love.
Or at least it would have been had Capcom not decided to kick Shu Takumi & his team into a closet and pretend Apollo Justice didnt happen. But T&T- I have a lot to say about T&T. This is my favorite game in the trilogy by far. It is the ultimate destination for what (classic) AA could be; it hits absolutely all the marks. Every single case is fucking cool. The overarching storyline is incredibly smart, the way they not only manage to connect seemingly unrelated characters but also to do so in such a thematic, spectacular way is laudable. Cases 1 and 4 in particular set a precedent for what a strong opening case could add to the overall story, replacing their utility as an overblown tutorial.
To talk about those two cases in more depth, getting to play as Mia Fey (twice!!!) was incredible. Against baby Edgeworth too- now thats a combination specifically created to make me smile. 1 & 4 also introduce us to our main villian of the game- Dahlia Hawthorne. Dahlia is an excellent and deeply misunderstood character. And by misunderstood- I dont mean by fans but rather by the writers themselves. She is first shown to us as an unusually deceptive and selfish girl who can make any man bend to her whim, but only later it is revealed that one of these men was in a relationship with her in his 20s while she was only 14; and thats observed as if she was the manipulator and in complete control. Obviously the situation is challenging to believe, its quite blatantly pedophilic, even if no one seems outraged. But Dahlia, her story is almost written as if she is a tragic hero. Rejected by her mother and mistreated by her father, she risks her life to steal his wealth to gain autonomy of her own. She gets the pedophile put in prison with the help of her step-sister, and absconds away into the river. That to me seems quite admirable, but Dahlia is treated as if innately demonic. They had an opportunity with her sister Iris to show that, though they were both mistreated, what seperates them is that Dahlia chose to be cruel, but it never seems to take that route. After all, she never really took in truly abusive, jaw-dropping schemes like Damon Gant or von Karma, but nonetheless shes treated as the most morally decrepit threat to boot.To put her against our beloved protagonist, Phoenix, is an attempt to show us how cruel she is. But it's not like Phoenix wasnt stupid himself, he was the perfect target back then. He ate glass. Dahlia had seen and been through more than Phoenix ever had at that point. How is she expected to not be selfish, under her circumstances? She is a great villian, but if it were modern times I have no doubt she would be treated with the insight she should already of had.
There is one, glaring problem the original Ace Attorney games have- Dahlia showcases it quite well. Its something the newer games (as new as Apollo Justice, perhaps) have already leagues outgrown- but it is the odd obsession with underage relationships. Larry hitting on Maya despite her age, Pearls fantasy involving Maya and Phoenix, these are constantly brought up. It is awkward every time. Its not good, but there is a leap from that logic to not in any way batting an eye against a 14 year old and a 20 year old. This happens twice, and it is ignored each time. Is it normal? I doubt it is, even in Japan that seems outrageous, for 2005 standards too. For a game that otherwise celebrates its female cast, its a kind of shocking inclusion. There are a few other things the trilogy could have done better at, more probing on the inherent failures of the law and justice system, but nothing really smacks you in the face like Iris calling Maya your girlfriend for the 500th time.
The problem with Dahlia also impacts the emotional resonance of case 5- Bridge to Turnabout. Putting that aside for a bit: this is my absolute favorite case of the first three games and in a vacuum, there is very little they could of done to make it better. You know my child self jumped for joy when I saw that part 1 would have me interact with the world AS Edgeworth- not only that but to act in as defense with him against Franziska... I wont lie, I was just as excited as an adult and it was exactly as cool as I remember. I feel like its very important that the game gave us this chance to see Edgeworth like this, its a very interesting contrast between him and Phoenix. And by that I mean it's really amazing how competent Miles is, he is clearly challenged by the situation but he never gets deeply tripped up, no one has to summon a spirit to tell him to look closer at a piece of evidence- he does it all by himself! Without me yelling at my 3ds at the obvious contradiction! Wow! Fransizka also gets many moments throughout the case to show a few sides to her character that were not obvious beforehand- even as Godot takes center stage.
Godot himself is a very captivating character from the get go- being written subtly as a defense attorney turned prosecutor. Its clear hes not trained well in doing what he does, but he is incredibly aggressive, and incredibly weird. He does feel threatening in that way no other prosecutor really got to, because in his situation the case at hand has very little bearing on any of his actions- just Phoenix. Despite the toaster on his head, everything about him comes off as kind of subtle. His quiet revelation as Diego in case 4, and the years spent in his coma, these arent things that beget flashbacks like how DL-6 is treated. Its a kind of oppressed, resentful agony that the series doesnt really attempt too much, even the more modern games. The emotional impact of the final act is very, very great and I did have to hold back tears as the last 30 minutes played out. How everything wraps back around to Mia Fey, the emphasis throughout the game on relations of love. But I just wish Dahlia was handled differently. The game wanted me to hate her so bad- look, shes even attacking Maya! THE Maya! She caused Elise to die, got her sister imprisoned, all because she hated Mia. But I just cant hate her and it impacts Godot's motivations as well. She did poison him, but why did the two get so up in arms that Terry Fawles died? Well, he kills himself in front of them so that was rather traumatizing, but its not like we should be rooting for him to begin with. Dahlia stole a jewel, psh, so what? Ron stole quite a lot and everyone loves Ron! But even if Dahlia got Terry sent to jail, even if it wasnt the truth, she was only 14. Killing her step sister as a 19 year old is a bit more insidious, but so what! No one wins because Dahlia is set up as a demon from the get go. I just cant hate her and I just cant feel empathy for the pedophile she got killed, and it is more understandable that she is apathetic than Godot risking his life digging for dirt on her. The real highlighted villian should be Morgan Fey as the greatest conspirator- but she takes a backseat against Mia's rivalry. Godots final gambit before the case ends will always be stuck in my memory, though. It is so harrowing. The build up and gradual realization that he cannot see the color red was a huge moment back when I first played. It is so, so clever to me. Putting a sick and desperate Maya on the stand, trying to protect Godot through her exhaustion...so intense and upsetting. Godots admittance that he would of stabbed the spirit medium regardless, even if it was Pearl, was another line that didnt get massive attention directed towards it but stuck with me very hard regardless. Trials and Tribulations just loves Ace Attorney so, so much. I wish half the games I played had the same kind of devotion for their own subject matter as Ace Attorney does.
Regardless of a few things, I absolutely adore this game. It was the perfect way to close out Phoenix Wright's story and say goodbye to the cast. It makes me so sad to beat these games each time, I really just dont want it to ever be over. I've now played through the trilogy at least five or six times now, each largely at a different stage in my life but man, it sticks with me every time. Bittersweet when it ends but the world seems a lot more colorful while its still fresh in my mind. I heard once before that after the first game, the series largely forfeits its commentary to become something of a melodrama. In this case, it might be partly true, but that doesnt mean it lacks meaning entirely. Theres a lot to be said about creating such an impactful and pervasive world that it still persists, now over 20 years later, to still be talked about and discovered anew. For now though, goodbye Phoenix and company. I'll see you again in another 5 years or so, till then, remember:
The only time a lawyer can cry is when its all over ),:
The end of a trilogy!! And what an end it was. Out of all three games, this is the one that has the benefit of years of writing under its belt. T&T is tasked with taking everything Ace Attorney was and tying it up into a neat little bow. Now everything culminates together, the ultimate progression of these characters coming to a final close with a heartfelt bang. We see a capable Phoenix, who has long since grown from being an overly dependent rookie- and his friends who have all moved forward alongside him. The cases are complicated and something not only could a past Phoenix not handle- but it also puts more faith in the player's intelligence to put things together without aid. The writing is fantastic, focused, the best in the trilogy. It is a proper sendoff to the world of Ace Attorney people have come to love.
Or at least it would have been had Capcom not decided to kick Shu Takumi & his team into a closet and pretend Apollo Justice didnt happen. But T&T- I have a lot to say about T&T. This is my favorite game in the trilogy by far. It is the ultimate destination for what (classic) AA could be; it hits absolutely all the marks. Every single case is fucking cool. The overarching storyline is incredibly smart, the way they not only manage to connect seemingly unrelated characters but also to do so in such a thematic, spectacular way is laudable. Cases 1 and 4 in particular set a precedent for what a strong opening case could add to the overall story, replacing their utility as an overblown tutorial.
To talk about those two cases in more depth, getting to play as Mia Fey (twice!!!) was incredible. Against baby Edgeworth too- now thats a combination specifically created to make me smile. 1 & 4 also introduce us to our main villian of the game- Dahlia Hawthorne. Dahlia is an excellent and deeply misunderstood character. And by misunderstood- I dont mean by fans but rather by the writers themselves. She is first shown to us as an unusually deceptive and selfish girl who can make any man bend to her whim, but only later it is revealed that one of these men was in a relationship with her in his 20s while she was only 14; and thats observed as if she was the manipulator and in complete control. Obviously the situation is challenging to believe, its quite blatantly pedophilic, even if no one seems outraged. But Dahlia, her story is almost written as if she is a tragic hero. Rejected by her mother and mistreated by her father, she risks her life to steal his wealth to gain autonomy of her own. She gets the pedophile put in prison with the help of her step-sister, and absconds away into the river. That to me seems quite admirable, but Dahlia is treated as if innately demonic. They had an opportunity with her sister Iris to show that, though they were both mistreated, what seperates them is that Dahlia chose to be cruel, but it never seems to take that route. After all, she never really took in truly abusive, jaw-dropping schemes like Damon Gant or von Karma, but nonetheless shes treated as the most morally decrepit threat to boot.To put her against our beloved protagonist, Phoenix, is an attempt to show us how cruel she is. But it's not like Phoenix wasnt stupid himself, he was the perfect target back then. He ate glass. Dahlia had seen and been through more than Phoenix ever had at that point. How is she expected to not be selfish, under her circumstances? She is a great villian, but if it were modern times I have no doubt she would be treated with the insight she should already of had.
There is one, glaring problem the original Ace Attorney games have- Dahlia showcases it quite well. Its something the newer games (as new as Apollo Justice, perhaps) have already leagues outgrown- but it is the odd obsession with underage relationships. Larry hitting on Maya despite her age, Pearls fantasy involving Maya and Phoenix, these are constantly brought up. It is awkward every time. Its not good, but there is a leap from that logic to not in any way batting an eye against a 14 year old and a 20 year old. This happens twice, and it is ignored each time. Is it normal? I doubt it is, even in Japan that seems outrageous, for 2005 standards too. For a game that otherwise celebrates its female cast, its a kind of shocking inclusion. There are a few other things the trilogy could have done better at, more probing on the inherent failures of the law and justice system, but nothing really smacks you in the face like Iris calling Maya your girlfriend for the 500th time.
The problem with Dahlia also impacts the emotional resonance of case 5- Bridge to Turnabout. Putting that aside for a bit: this is my absolute favorite case of the first three games and in a vacuum, there is very little they could of done to make it better. You know my child self jumped for joy when I saw that part 1 would have me interact with the world AS Edgeworth- not only that but to act in as defense with him against Franziska... I wont lie, I was just as excited as an adult and it was exactly as cool as I remember. I feel like its very important that the game gave us this chance to see Edgeworth like this, its a very interesting contrast between him and Phoenix. And by that I mean it's really amazing how competent Miles is, he is clearly challenged by the situation but he never gets deeply tripped up, no one has to summon a spirit to tell him to look closer at a piece of evidence- he does it all by himself! Without me yelling at my 3ds at the obvious contradiction! Wow! Fransizka also gets many moments throughout the case to show a few sides to her character that were not obvious beforehand- even as Godot takes center stage.
Godot himself is a very captivating character from the get go- being written subtly as a defense attorney turned prosecutor. Its clear hes not trained well in doing what he does, but he is incredibly aggressive, and incredibly weird. He does feel threatening in that way no other prosecutor really got to, because in his situation the case at hand has very little bearing on any of his actions- just Phoenix. Despite the toaster on his head, everything about him comes off as kind of subtle. His quiet revelation as Diego in case 4, and the years spent in his coma, these arent things that beget flashbacks like how DL-6 is treated. Its a kind of oppressed, resentful agony that the series doesnt really attempt too much, even the more modern games. The emotional impact of the final act is very, very great and I did have to hold back tears as the last 30 minutes played out. How everything wraps back around to Mia Fey, the emphasis throughout the game on relations of love. But I just wish Dahlia was handled differently. The game wanted me to hate her so bad- look, shes even attacking Maya! THE Maya! She caused Elise to die, got her sister imprisoned, all because she hated Mia. But I just cant hate her and it impacts Godot's motivations as well. She did poison him, but why did the two get so up in arms that Terry Fawles died? Well, he kills himself in front of them so that was rather traumatizing, but its not like we should be rooting for him to begin with. Dahlia stole a jewel, psh, so what? Ron stole quite a lot and everyone loves Ron! But even if Dahlia got Terry sent to jail, even if it wasnt the truth, she was only 14. Killing her step sister as a 19 year old is a bit more insidious, but so what! No one wins because Dahlia is set up as a demon from the get go. I just cant hate her and I just cant feel empathy for the pedophile she got killed, and it is more understandable that she is apathetic than Godot risking his life digging for dirt on her. The real highlighted villian should be Morgan Fey as the greatest conspirator- but she takes a backseat against Mia's rivalry. Godots final gambit before the case ends will always be stuck in my memory, though. It is so harrowing. The build up and gradual realization that he cannot see the color red was a huge moment back when I first played. It is so, so clever to me. Putting a sick and desperate Maya on the stand, trying to protect Godot through her exhaustion...so intense and upsetting. Godots admittance that he would of stabbed the spirit medium regardless, even if it was Pearl, was another line that didnt get massive attention directed towards it but stuck with me very hard regardless. Trials and Tribulations just loves Ace Attorney so, so much. I wish half the games I played had the same kind of devotion for their own subject matter as Ace Attorney does.
Regardless of a few things, I absolutely adore this game. It was the perfect way to close out Phoenix Wright's story and say goodbye to the cast. It makes me so sad to beat these games each time, I really just dont want it to ever be over. I've now played through the trilogy at least five or six times now, each largely at a different stage in my life but man, it sticks with me every time. Bittersweet when it ends but the world seems a lot more colorful while its still fresh in my mind. I heard once before that after the first game, the series largely forfeits its commentary to become something of a melodrama. In this case, it might be partly true, but that doesnt mean it lacks meaning entirely. Theres a lot to be said about creating such an impactful and pervasive world that it still persists, now over 20 years later, to still be talked about and discovered anew. For now though, goodbye Phoenix and company. I'll see you again in another 5 years or so, till then, remember:
The only time a lawyer can cry is when its all over ),:
Seems like Capcom learned from their mistakes after making Justice for All and didn't want the trilogy to end on a sour note. And it worked.
Trials and Tribulations delves more into the backstory of already known characters and gives Mia her deserved screentime. The connection between the 'story-important' cases is well executed and help to establish an interesting main villain over the course of the game.
Unfortunately the two filler cases (3-2 and 3-3) being back-to-back hurts the story's pacing and their self-contained narratives aren't as intriguing as the main plot going on in the background. At least the wait is worth it, as the final case is widely regarded as one of the best cases in the series - for good reasons.
Trials and Tribulations delves more into the backstory of already known characters and gives Mia her deserved screentime. The connection between the 'story-important' cases is well executed and help to establish an interesting main villain over the course of the game.
Unfortunately the two filler cases (3-2 and 3-3) being back-to-back hurts the story's pacing and their self-contained narratives aren't as intriguing as the main plot going on in the background. At least the wait is worth it, as the final case is widely regarded as one of the best cases in the series - for good reasons.
no listen to me this game is a masterpiece i dont have anything else to say you got the most hideous and somehow likeable villain the sexiest the most charming the most husband material the number 1 coffee drinker prosecutor and the best story of any game in this fucking series no im serious i finished the game and i cried for an entire night and now every time i listen to the fragrance of dark coffee something within me breaks inevitably this game is something else i swear
It has Godot so definitely a must play
Godot fixed my broken marriage
This game is the perfect example of what makes Ace Attorney great. So many twists and turns, the vast majority of which feel fair enough that they keep you engaged through out the whole thing. It also ties up so many loose ends which makes it a very satisfying conclusion to the first 3 games.
A few soundtracks are such downgrades compared to the other 2 games though. This honestly bothered me quite a lot.
A few soundtracks are such downgrades compared to the other 2 games though. This honestly bothered me quite a lot.
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.
Bitches be like: Daltonism suck.
Bitch, you chose this nae nae virtual boy lookin ass headgear.
Bitch, you chose this nae nae virtual boy lookin ass headgear.
genuine masterpiece
the final case alone is a 5/5 and it wraps up the trilogy beautifully
the final case alone is a 5/5 and it wraps up the trilogy beautifully
I really want to go on about how much I love this game but no matter how many times I rethink this review I just can't put it into words, please play this game trust me you are not going to regret it.
Probably one of the best endings in all of gaming. The writing of the final case is basically untouchable for any other story-based game, and I can't wait to see what else Ace Attorney has hidden up his sleeve.
"The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over."
"The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over."
Haven't gotten around to it yet, but as someone with a crippling caffeine addiction it gets five stars for representation
The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over.
This review contains spoilers
Dahlia Hawthorne. And my current profession? Permanently retired.
I think there's a very important direct parallel in the final cases of both this game and the first Ace Attorney: In both, the final piece of evidence to incriminate the prosecutor in their wild murder charge is that they've been hiding an incriminating injury their entire time in court. It's a weirdly specific thing to happen at the end of both games, which I think shows how far this series has progressed in its characters. In AA1, you were up against the cartoon villain that is Von Karma, someone seemingly responsible for every bad thing that's happened to our cast in the past 15 years either directly or indirectly. It's catharsis, it's David toppling Goliath. The confetti rains as we celebrate Edgeworth's innocence. Conversely, Godot is a man who we have, whether intentional or not, taken everything from. Having lost all he loves and hates, he seeks to redeem himself through self-centered means and in turns ends up hurting those he should've protected, while at the same time reminding them of their shortcomings. He is the owner rubbing his dog's face in their own shit. Once Iris is found innocent, there's no celebration, at least for her.
Now, this isn't to put down AA1, I still enjoy the game for what it was. I just think AA3 is a much more meaningful and interesting experience. Just in brief I'd like to go over my thoughts of each case.
-3-1: Great introductory case. Establishes a bunch of important ideas that will be reincorporated greatly, and adds good detail to the backstory of Phoenix and Mia. Dahlia is a girlboss icon.
-3-2: Obvious low point of the game, but not bad by any means. The switch from grand larceny to murder trial was cool and unexpected, and most of the main cast was fun, but mostly simple and overall unimportant. (Also, they did my boy Larry DIRTY!) Godot's introduction is phenomenal, however, and I would like to say that the investigations in this game have gotten significantly better than the previous two, which is a consistent throughout. Investigating stuff doesn't suck anymore!
-3-3: Very fun filler case! While it doesn't contribute much to the grand scheme, aside from introducing Godot's colorblindness, and Armstrong is a .... weird gay stereotype, to say the least, it's still very fun and every other character introduced was great! Also, I'm glad Maggey finally has a case that isn't dogshit. Also weenies.
3-4: This was the point when I realized this game was a big step up from the previous two. The entire time my anus was fucking clenched from how intense everything was, how the outcome of the case and the people involved is already known, so it's just a matter of finding out how everything is going to go wrong. Fuck's gonna happen to Armando? How does Dahlia get away from this? What's this "disaster" that happens in the courtroom? Terry's suicide made my fucking jaw drop, real impressive how this game made me feel for a pedophile I tell ya.
3-5: Kinography. I don't think it reaches white the same height as 2-4, but it comes damn close. Absolutely insane twists and turns this one takes. Pays off almost every loose end left in this very clearly intended trilogy. Manages to reintroduce all the major characters from the other games we love (or don't give a shit about) without coming off as pandering. Somehow managed to make 2-2, a forgetable, mediocre-at-best slog of an investigation, one of the key parts of the series out of nowhere and has it stick the fucking landing perfectly. And, as I already mentioned, Godot, my sexist king, is the piece de resistance, the final bow on a near perfect case. My only gripe? They did Larry fuckin dirty bro!!!!
So yeah, phenomenal game. My few minor issues with it aren't enough to detract from how much I fucking enjoyed this. Kino swag. I'd say play it if you haven't but if you're reading this without playing it you got spoiled on a lot, so uhhh, don't ignore spoiler tags next time. I can't wait to see how shit the sequel trilogy is!
I think there's a very important direct parallel in the final cases of both this game and the first Ace Attorney: In both, the final piece of evidence to incriminate the prosecutor in their wild murder charge is that they've been hiding an incriminating injury their entire time in court. It's a weirdly specific thing to happen at the end of both games, which I think shows how far this series has progressed in its characters. In AA1, you were up against the cartoon villain that is Von Karma, someone seemingly responsible for every bad thing that's happened to our cast in the past 15 years either directly or indirectly. It's catharsis, it's David toppling Goliath. The confetti rains as we celebrate Edgeworth's innocence. Conversely, Godot is a man who we have, whether intentional or not, taken everything from. Having lost all he loves and hates, he seeks to redeem himself through self-centered means and in turns ends up hurting those he should've protected, while at the same time reminding them of their shortcomings. He is the owner rubbing his dog's face in their own shit. Once Iris is found innocent, there's no celebration, at least for her.
Now, this isn't to put down AA1, I still enjoy the game for what it was. I just think AA3 is a much more meaningful and interesting experience. Just in brief I'd like to go over my thoughts of each case.
-3-1: Great introductory case. Establishes a bunch of important ideas that will be reincorporated greatly, and adds good detail to the backstory of Phoenix and Mia. Dahlia is a girlboss icon.
-3-2: Obvious low point of the game, but not bad by any means. The switch from grand larceny to murder trial was cool and unexpected, and most of the main cast was fun, but mostly simple and overall unimportant. (Also, they did my boy Larry DIRTY!) Godot's introduction is phenomenal, however, and I would like to say that the investigations in this game have gotten significantly better than the previous two, which is a consistent throughout. Investigating stuff doesn't suck anymore!
-3-3: Very fun filler case! While it doesn't contribute much to the grand scheme, aside from introducing Godot's colorblindness, and Armstrong is a .... weird gay stereotype, to say the least, it's still very fun and every other character introduced was great! Also, I'm glad Maggey finally has a case that isn't dogshit. Also weenies.
3-4: This was the point when I realized this game was a big step up from the previous two. The entire time my anus was fucking clenched from how intense everything was, how the outcome of the case and the people involved is already known, so it's just a matter of finding out how everything is going to go wrong. Fuck's gonna happen to Armando? How does Dahlia get away from this? What's this "disaster" that happens in the courtroom? Terry's suicide made my fucking jaw drop, real impressive how this game made me feel for a pedophile I tell ya.
3-5: Kinography. I don't think it reaches white the same height as 2-4, but it comes damn close. Absolutely insane twists and turns this one takes. Pays off almost every loose end left in this very clearly intended trilogy. Manages to reintroduce all the major characters from the other games we love (or don't give a shit about) without coming off as pandering. Somehow managed to make 2-2, a forgetable, mediocre-at-best slog of an investigation, one of the key parts of the series out of nowhere and has it stick the fucking landing perfectly. And, as I already mentioned, Godot, my sexist king, is the piece de resistance, the final bow on a near perfect case. My only gripe? They did Larry fuckin dirty bro!!!!
So yeah, phenomenal game. My few minor issues with it aren't enough to detract from how much I fucking enjoyed this. Kino swag. I'd say play it if you haven't but if you're reading this without playing it you got spoiled on a lot, so uhhh, don't ignore spoiler tags next time. I can't wait to see how shit the sequel trilogy is!
This review contains spoilers
Great game, but very irresponsible of Godot to glorify crushing a cup in your hand and bleeding from the cuts
that happened to me once and if you think that's "cool and poignant", well it's not that shit fucking hurt dude
that happened to me once and if you think that's "cool and poignant", well it's not that shit fucking hurt dude
we live in a society where power and structure are against us, always; if not with intent (though it often is), then by design, by circumstance, by unspoken nature.
to cope with this contradiction between personal and social justice, between objective truth and constructive outcomes, the ace attorney trilogy lays out a commonly found but powerfully stated thesis:
the most important thing we have is other people, and supporting each other through active love and active connection is sometimes all we have against hostile and generally unchangeable circumstances. the power of these connections won't always be able to do miracles. But if we don't lose sight of them, and we trust them, and they're reciprocated, though they can't get us out of hardships or injustices, they can get us through them.
The Truth isn't just Objectively What Happened here. The truth is our convictions, our notions, our willingness to embody our ideals, and our trust in our loved ones to do the right things and/or trust us in return.
it's a pivot towards the personal over AA1's relatively straightforward delivery of the world and 2's critiques of the systems that fail victims and protect even the smallest and most banal systems of power, which still bring ruin to the people under them. i think that pivot is a necessary rounding out and payoff to these ideas. the system isn't going to change, but we can't just abandon it, or more specifically we can't abandon each other to die in it.
so those are my Very Serious Thoughts About Themes but i also think this game just fucking slaps dude. the play isn't innovated at all over Justice For All but it IS further refined; this gameplay loop is so clean you could eat off of it. investigations finally condense themselves to reasonable lengths and uniformly follow sensical progression paths. the worst recurring characters are entirely absent here and the ones who do show up are all at their most likeable and well-integrated into the cases. the midgame filler case, bar one deeply offensive and (perhaps more importantly) annoying guy, is actually funny and fun. the game in general and especially the localization are at the height of their powers in terms of Serious Thematic Writing AND Comedy here, imo. godot is a great example of this; he's a bizarre guy even by the standards of this trilogy, with like three different quirks, any of which could easily define a lesser character, but all of which are funny and good. the first time he slammed his hand down on the table and a coffee mug slid into it from offscreen i was hooting and hollering. AND he's a character with a lot of depth who offers a direct thematic counterpoint not only to phoenix but to the prosecutors of past games as well. the music is at a series high too, a HUGELY NOTICEABLE improvement over JFA.
the game is firing on all cylinders and easily the best of the trilogy. this could have been it and i would have been happy, but there's a lot of this world that could just as easily be further elaborated on thematically, and what little i know of the second trilogy i'm excited that it seems like they're gonna go in interesting directions.
to cope with this contradiction between personal and social justice, between objective truth and constructive outcomes, the ace attorney trilogy lays out a commonly found but powerfully stated thesis:
the most important thing we have is other people, and supporting each other through active love and active connection is sometimes all we have against hostile and generally unchangeable circumstances. the power of these connections won't always be able to do miracles. But if we don't lose sight of them, and we trust them, and they're reciprocated, though they can't get us out of hardships or injustices, they can get us through them.
The Truth isn't just Objectively What Happened here. The truth is our convictions, our notions, our willingness to embody our ideals, and our trust in our loved ones to do the right things and/or trust us in return.
it's a pivot towards the personal over AA1's relatively straightforward delivery of the world and 2's critiques of the systems that fail victims and protect even the smallest and most banal systems of power, which still bring ruin to the people under them. i think that pivot is a necessary rounding out and payoff to these ideas. the system isn't going to change, but we can't just abandon it, or more specifically we can't abandon each other to die in it.
so those are my Very Serious Thoughts About Themes but i also think this game just fucking slaps dude. the play isn't innovated at all over Justice For All but it IS further refined; this gameplay loop is so clean you could eat off of it. investigations finally condense themselves to reasonable lengths and uniformly follow sensical progression paths. the worst recurring characters are entirely absent here and the ones who do show up are all at their most likeable and well-integrated into the cases. the midgame filler case, bar one deeply offensive and (perhaps more importantly) annoying guy, is actually funny and fun. the game in general and especially the localization are at the height of their powers in terms of Serious Thematic Writing AND Comedy here, imo. godot is a great example of this; he's a bizarre guy even by the standards of this trilogy, with like three different quirks, any of which could easily define a lesser character, but all of which are funny and good. the first time he slammed his hand down on the table and a coffee mug slid into it from offscreen i was hooting and hollering. AND he's a character with a lot of depth who offers a direct thematic counterpoint not only to phoenix but to the prosecutors of past games as well. the music is at a series high too, a HUGELY NOTICEABLE improvement over JFA.
the game is firing on all cylinders and easily the best of the trilogy. this could have been it and i would have been happy, but there's a lot of this world that could just as easily be further elaborated on thematically, and what little i know of the second trilogy i'm excited that it seems like they're gonna go in interesting directions.
trials and tribulations is one of the few games that is exactly as good as everyone says it is. every case is a banger, the main cast is at its best, and the overarching narrative is amazing. i was worried going into it that it wasn't going to have been worth it to have slogged through justice for all to get here, but my eyes were glued to the screen throughout those last few cases. absolutely spectacular showing, though i do worry that a game like this would be pretty difficult to follow up.
A perfect ending to a budding lawyer's personal saga
It's hard to nail the final game in a trilogy in a narrative and thematic sense but Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations manages to do just that. Brand new characters are well written and existing characters are done incredible service and given great conclusions. The weaving narrative is at its strongest here being able to take away from the previous two titles and makes this the best game of the trilogy.
As before, I won't mention the gameplay flow as the trilogy rarely changes in that department other than the addition of Psyche-Locks in the second game. Case quality is at its most consistent here including a case that actually doesn't involve a murder for a change. The cases themselves weave well around to a final case that is probably the best case in the whole trilogy for the characters thematically and manages to tie everything up without feeling forced or not completely thought out beforehand. The soundtrack is an improvement from the second game and I personally feel it's as good as the first game here. I was initially mixed on Godot during my playthrough but by the end, he was redeemed in my eyes bringing forth some memorable lines.
I think the only thing that sort of suspended my disbelief for some of the greater moments in this game was the premise of some twists being the same in almost every case. I won't explain what the premise is due to spoilers but you might notice it if you look for it which does include the final case sadly.
I'm going to miss the characters in this game as I've spent around 50-60 hours completing the trilogy and the ending really gave me some good closure and the ability to put some things to rest. I know there are more Ace Attorney games after the initial trilogy but it's gonna be hard to match the charm of the cast like seeing Maya at the office pushing you towards a case, Gumshoe at the scene trying not to say anything without spilling the beans anyway, the Judge in general. Trials and Tribulations is Phoenix's most personal period of his life yet and ends the original trilogy in a high note that will be hard to match going forward.
How many cups of darkness have I drank over the years? Even I don't know...
I'll tell you though...
Right now, this one here is the greatest cup I think I've ever had.
It's hard to nail the final game in a trilogy in a narrative and thematic sense but Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations manages to do just that. Brand new characters are well written and existing characters are done incredible service and given great conclusions. The weaving narrative is at its strongest here being able to take away from the previous two titles and makes this the best game of the trilogy.
As before, I won't mention the gameplay flow as the trilogy rarely changes in that department other than the addition of Psyche-Locks in the second game. Case quality is at its most consistent here including a case that actually doesn't involve a murder for a change. The cases themselves weave well around to a final case that is probably the best case in the whole trilogy for the characters thematically and manages to tie everything up without feeling forced or not completely thought out beforehand. The soundtrack is an improvement from the second game and I personally feel it's as good as the first game here. I was initially mixed on Godot during my playthrough but by the end, he was redeemed in my eyes bringing forth some memorable lines.
I think the only thing that sort of suspended my disbelief for some of the greater moments in this game was the premise of some twists being the same in almost every case. I won't explain what the premise is due to spoilers but you might notice it if you look for it which does include the final case sadly.
I'm going to miss the characters in this game as I've spent around 50-60 hours completing the trilogy and the ending really gave me some good closure and the ability to put some things to rest. I know there are more Ace Attorney games after the initial trilogy but it's gonna be hard to match the charm of the cast like seeing Maya at the office pushing you towards a case, Gumshoe at the scene trying not to say anything without spilling the beans anyway, the Judge in general. Trials and Tribulations is Phoenix's most personal period of his life yet and ends the original trilogy in a high note that will be hard to match going forward.
How many cups of darkness have I drank over the years? Even I don't know...
I'll tell you though...
Right now, this one here is the greatest cup I think I've ever had.
de putisimos locos el ultimo caso lo que un poco rara la escena de wright y edgeworth teniendo sexo anal durante 20 minutos
🎶No motive, no crime.🎶
🎶No motive, no crime. No motive, no crime.🎶
🎶Sing it with me.. I remember, when we used to search...🎶
🎶 in the Channeling Room in Kurain...🎶
🎶Good cases we have, good cases we've lost... Along the way...🎶
🎶Every case is gonna be air tight... Every case is gonna be air tight...🎶
🎶No motive, no crime. No motive, no crime.🎶
🎶Sing it with me.. I remember, when we used to search...🎶
🎶 in the Channeling Room in Kurain...🎶
🎶Good cases we have, good cases we've lost... Along the way...🎶
🎶Every case is gonna be air tight... Every case is gonna be air tight...🎶
It is both surprising to me and uplifting that the Ace Attorney trilogy found its way on its ending mark, a game that neatly ties all of its threads and themes set up and brings home the real deal on the nature of humanity, why we put ourselves on the line in the pursuit of truth. Not just the truth about others but also our own mindsets, biases, and understandings.
Trials and Tribulations threads the needle perfectly both in terms of characterization for all its major characters including new ones brought up, as well as general writing. The prose and charm is still at its top notch here, and it makes most sentences a delight to read, even at the game's lowest point. The casewriting is at its best, with good logical points to follow, and investigations that are well paced and make sense this time around. Breaking down testimony is still immensely satisfying as the solid music plays in the background.
There's really only one fumble to mention, that despite everything being set up so well and executed on with a perfect fashion, it still puts two mostly throw-away filler cases I can do without. 3-2 is tolerable, but 3-3 is so stupid that I go back and forth whether it was the stupidest shit to be added to this game in particular, or if it's just funny and self aware enough to be excused. Either way, there's a whole middle point that needs to be passed.
Even still, 3-1, 3-4, and 3-5 are where the bulk of the storytelling is and it's all a delight to read, managing to get me teary-eyed near the end as the case writing wrapped up. It was an amazing journey, a complete far cry from how I felt about the first two games. (9/10)
Trials and Tribulations threads the needle perfectly both in terms of characterization for all its major characters including new ones brought up, as well as general writing. The prose and charm is still at its top notch here, and it makes most sentences a delight to read, even at the game's lowest point. The casewriting is at its best, with good logical points to follow, and investigations that are well paced and make sense this time around. Breaking down testimony is still immensely satisfying as the solid music plays in the background.
There's really only one fumble to mention, that despite everything being set up so well and executed on with a perfect fashion, it still puts two mostly throw-away filler cases I can do without. 3-2 is tolerable, but 3-3 is so stupid that I go back and forth whether it was the stupidest shit to be added to this game in particular, or if it's just funny and self aware enough to be excused. Either way, there's a whole middle point that needs to be passed.
Even still, 3-1, 3-4, and 3-5 are where the bulk of the storytelling is and it's all a delight to read, managing to get me teary-eyed near the end as the case writing wrapped up. It was an amazing journey, a complete far cry from how I felt about the first two games. (9/10)
This review contains spoilers
“It’s only natural for living creatures to fight to protect their own lives. But what makes us human is that we fight for others. But who do you fight for? How hard must you fight…? That’s the true measure of what human life is worth.”
In a way, the entire Ace Attorney Trilogy revolves around this ending remark. After all, we wouldn’t even be playing as a defense attorney if not for that very thing. Many major character arcs throughout the series thus far have been about questioning and growing out of one’s own, often selfish ambition. And it’s perfect that this game is the culmination of all of that, and it’s especially perfect that the main antagonist of the game is the complete antithesis to that statement.
But to call Trials and Tribulations merely just a perfect conclusion would honestly be underselling it. It ties everything up from the first and second game so well that I was genuinely shocked to have learned that a trilogy was not originally planned. In fact I found myself liking cases from older games more because of how effortlessly some of the cases here contextualize them. In my AA1 review, I wrote about the game case by case but while I felt like it was a good way to represent that game, Trials & Tribulations is different. Every single episode flows so well into one another that I think covering it all individually would be doing it a disservice. That’s how well paced everything is.
Everything throughout the games is at its peak here. Even though no new gameplay mechanics have been added to the main investigation sequences, like the Psyche-Locks in Justice For All, they are still easily at their best here, they're much more cohesive, and much better paced, relying far less on just looking in another area after you're done with another and doing a better job of linking you along and giving you a clearer idea of exactly what you need to do, who you need to talk to, etc. The trials are still as engaging to play through as ever, with some moments that genuinely just made me giddy, on top of some actual "holy shit" twists. None of these parts feel forced or as if they're desperately trying to evoke a reaction out of you, no - they are just that well written. The filler case trials too, which I usually wouldn't be as invested in really caught me this time around. And it doesn't really ever feel like there are any significant leaps in logic when cross examining or presenting evidence, as borderline silly some of the trials can get. For all I care the killer could have been an angel that fell from the sky and I would still be following through the whole way. That is a testament at how good Trials and Tribulations is at handling it's cases.
Even in spite of the middle act being largely filler, the writing is still fantastic, this especially shines through at the fourth and fifth cases, the latter of which even managing to get me misty-eyed by the end of it. Above I briefly talked about what I think to be the most prevalent themes throughout the trilogy, that being altruism and identity. And I think that’s the true tragedy of Trials and Tribulations. Throughout the game characters often hide things in the interest of others, even when it’s extremely risky and they often hide things to protect others, even when it’s eating them from inside, the main mystery solving of the game being based around finding what they’re hiding. But how hard must they fight? Ultimately it comes down to one thing, which I’m sure you’ve heard time and time again between this game and the last two, being the truth. That sometimes the best thing to do is to let the truth come out, even if you believe that it will hurt others. Ron DeLite believes that if his wife were to find out he was Mask DeMasque, it would make her hate him, but Desiree ends up loving Ron more for it. Misty Fey conceals her identity from us because she believes that she’s tarnished the name of the Fey clan and can't face Maya, but when it comes to light that she acted and died only to protect her daughter only strengthens her resolve. Iris doesn’t reveal that she was in Dahlia’s place while dating Phoenix in fear that it would ruin his memories with her, but Phoenix reassures her that it’s exactly what he needed to hear. So on, and so forth.
And of course, you’ll notice that every culprit throughout each and every case is the subversion of this, they act out of pure self interest, going to extreme lengths to make sure the truth is as buried as possible and making sure that others suffer for their deeds. The obvious one being of course Dahlia Hawthorne. In fact, she says it straight, she has never cared about anyone except herself. Almost everything she’s done within the game has resulted in a death or a near-death. If our fight for others is how we weigh human life, then Dahlia is inhumane, which I think frankly is the point.
”For all of eternity, you’ll have to remain as Dahlia Hawthorne. A miserable, pathetic, weak creature who can never win at anything…”
A more tragic, but in my opinion also more interesting example is Godot. Of course, it would be a crime to discuss this game without bringing him up. Over the course of the game’s story he’s presented as enigmatic and vengeful towards Phoenix, and as a prosecutor, he’s a pretty entertaining character, not quite as arrogant as others but his suave personality makes him very fun to face off against and it makes what comes next hit all the more harder. There are clues dropped here and there, but it’s not until the fourth and fifth cases until we get any real insight into his origin, and damn is it a sad one. Of course he did still kill somebody, and make no mistake, the game doesn’t try to glorify that in any way but I think it’s interesting to see how he represents both sides of the coin, he’s constantly fighting himself between vengeance and a genuine desire to protect Maya, but in the end the former gets the best of him and he gets Misty killed. But again, once the truth comes out, he feels healed. I think it’s especially interesting what he says to Phoenix at the end of the final trial.
“You never ran away from Mia’s death. Instead, you picked up where she left off, as a true defender of the people.”
And that’s where we come full circle. Even when facing tragedy, we have to remain strong for ourselves and those around us. I remember after beating the game and watching the credits roll, I just sat there pondering everything the game was telling me, and when it all came together it felt magical. Trials and Tribulations is a mastery. It is a story of closure, not just for the characters but for the player. Not just within itself, but for the games that came before it. I couldn’t possibly think of a better way to cap this trilogy off, so for now, all I can really say? Bravo.
In a way, the entire Ace Attorney Trilogy revolves around this ending remark. After all, we wouldn’t even be playing as a defense attorney if not for that very thing. Many major character arcs throughout the series thus far have been about questioning and growing out of one’s own, often selfish ambition. And it’s perfect that this game is the culmination of all of that, and it’s especially perfect that the main antagonist of the game is the complete antithesis to that statement.
But to call Trials and Tribulations merely just a perfect conclusion would honestly be underselling it. It ties everything up from the first and second game so well that I was genuinely shocked to have learned that a trilogy was not originally planned. In fact I found myself liking cases from older games more because of how effortlessly some of the cases here contextualize them. In my AA1 review, I wrote about the game case by case but while I felt like it was a good way to represent that game, Trials & Tribulations is different. Every single episode flows so well into one another that I think covering it all individually would be doing it a disservice. That’s how well paced everything is.
Everything throughout the games is at its peak here. Even though no new gameplay mechanics have been added to the main investigation sequences, like the Psyche-Locks in Justice For All, they are still easily at their best here, they're much more cohesive, and much better paced, relying far less on just looking in another area after you're done with another and doing a better job of linking you along and giving you a clearer idea of exactly what you need to do, who you need to talk to, etc. The trials are still as engaging to play through as ever, with some moments that genuinely just made me giddy, on top of some actual "holy shit" twists. None of these parts feel forced or as if they're desperately trying to evoke a reaction out of you, no - they are just that well written. The filler case trials too, which I usually wouldn't be as invested in really caught me this time around. And it doesn't really ever feel like there are any significant leaps in logic when cross examining or presenting evidence, as borderline silly some of the trials can get. For all I care the killer could have been an angel that fell from the sky and I would still be following through the whole way. That is a testament at how good Trials and Tribulations is at handling it's cases.
Even in spite of the middle act being largely filler, the writing is still fantastic, this especially shines through at the fourth and fifth cases, the latter of which even managing to get me misty-eyed by the end of it. Above I briefly talked about what I think to be the most prevalent themes throughout the trilogy, that being altruism and identity. And I think that’s the true tragedy of Trials and Tribulations. Throughout the game characters often hide things in the interest of others, even when it’s extremely risky and they often hide things to protect others, even when it’s eating them from inside, the main mystery solving of the game being based around finding what they’re hiding. But how hard must they fight? Ultimately it comes down to one thing, which I’m sure you’ve heard time and time again between this game and the last two, being the truth. That sometimes the best thing to do is to let the truth come out, even if you believe that it will hurt others. Ron DeLite believes that if his wife were to find out he was Mask DeMasque, it would make her hate him, but Desiree ends up loving Ron more for it. Misty Fey conceals her identity from us because she believes that she’s tarnished the name of the Fey clan and can't face Maya, but when it comes to light that she acted and died only to protect her daughter only strengthens her resolve. Iris doesn’t reveal that she was in Dahlia’s place while dating Phoenix in fear that it would ruin his memories with her, but Phoenix reassures her that it’s exactly what he needed to hear. So on, and so forth.
And of course, you’ll notice that every culprit throughout each and every case is the subversion of this, they act out of pure self interest, going to extreme lengths to make sure the truth is as buried as possible and making sure that others suffer for their deeds. The obvious one being of course Dahlia Hawthorne. In fact, she says it straight, she has never cared about anyone except herself. Almost everything she’s done within the game has resulted in a death or a near-death. If our fight for others is how we weigh human life, then Dahlia is inhumane, which I think frankly is the point.
”For all of eternity, you’ll have to remain as Dahlia Hawthorne. A miserable, pathetic, weak creature who can never win at anything…”
A more tragic, but in my opinion also more interesting example is Godot. Of course, it would be a crime to discuss this game without bringing him up. Over the course of the game’s story he’s presented as enigmatic and vengeful towards Phoenix, and as a prosecutor, he’s a pretty entertaining character, not quite as arrogant as others but his suave personality makes him very fun to face off against and it makes what comes next hit all the more harder. There are clues dropped here and there, but it’s not until the fourth and fifth cases until we get any real insight into his origin, and damn is it a sad one. Of course he did still kill somebody, and make no mistake, the game doesn’t try to glorify that in any way but I think it’s interesting to see how he represents both sides of the coin, he’s constantly fighting himself between vengeance and a genuine desire to protect Maya, but in the end the former gets the best of him and he gets Misty killed. But again, once the truth comes out, he feels healed. I think it’s especially interesting what he says to Phoenix at the end of the final trial.
“You never ran away from Mia’s death. Instead, you picked up where she left off, as a true defender of the people.”
And that’s where we come full circle. Even when facing tragedy, we have to remain strong for ourselves and those around us. I remember after beating the game and watching the credits roll, I just sat there pondering everything the game was telling me, and when it all came together it felt magical. Trials and Tribulations is a mastery. It is a story of closure, not just for the characters but for the player. Not just within itself, but for the games that came before it. I couldn’t possibly think of a better way to cap this trilogy off, so for now, all I can really say? Bravo.
Shu Takumi, I'm so sorry, I should've trusted you
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, easily a fan favorite entry in the series, and for reasons that are pretty easy to understand, compared to its predecessors, TnT has a far more dynamic story that feels a bit more like a full story rather than a few semi-connected episodes, it fleshes out old characters, introduces some new great ones, and wraps up the trilogy in a really satisfying way. Trials and Tribulations is a game I do love, though I do have some personal issues with it that sorta prevent it from being my favorite. Still though, this is an undeniable highlight of the series, though the gameplay is quite literally 100% unchanged from JFA which I do think is just a tad lame, but thankfully the soundtrack here is my favorite of the original trilogy, it kinda has a bit of a cheap-tune feel to it which I know isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee in this case), but the compositions here are still really catchy, epic, and emotional, even if there aren’t all too many new ones, with the game opting to reuse a lot of tracks from the earlier games which I’m cool with. Anyways, time to look at the cases!
Turnabout Memories starts the game with a REALLY compelling hook, putting you in control of Mia Fey during her second ever trial, depicting her first encounter with Phoenix Wright as she defends him in court, eventually managing to convict the infamous Dahlia Hawthorne. This set-up does a far better job at contextualizing the tutorials compared to The Lost Turnabout, it’s really fun getting to see Grosberg and Payne through this new lens, and it does a great job subtle hiding things from you which created further intrigue, it is Mia’s second trial after all. The murder itself is not all too complex, but being the first chapter of the game, it does a really great job, easily the best opener in the trilogy.
The Stolen Turnabout is a really fun and subversive one! Part of me does wish the premise a case where the crime isn’t murder wouldn’t have been dropped halfway through, as I think the series could really benefit from covering more non-homicide crimes, but at the very least the little bit we do get of the Mask☆DeMasque case is really cool. Ron Delite is a really great defendant, as soon as he starts screaming about being Mask☆DeMasque, you immediately think that’s BS, and proceed to prove him innocent of that, but later when it turns out he was telling the truth in order to avoid a different crime, it’s a really surprising and memorable twist. The highlight of the case though is easily its villain, Luke Atmey, who pulls off one of the absolute dumbest murder plans in the whole series which literally INVOLVED him getting arrested over theft to avoid his actual crime. He’s very much just a flat jerk, but man he’s just so fun, unraveling everything with him and the whole blackmail ring he has going on is just really enjoyable, and the final testimony where you have to hold one correct statement out of like 15 is really cool. it’s a simple fun dumb case, which is NOT a knock against it whatsoever. I love how it lets you acclimate back into the series and sorta transitions you from the second game to the third, supported by the returning Adrian Andrews, who’s just a joy to see actually doing a lot better with her life, even if not quite perfect. Maya and Pearl get a lot of fun screentime, We get to see Larry again who was MIA during the last game, and as always, we’re introduced to the game’s main prosecutor, this time being the weirdo coffee lover Godot, who I’ll touch more on in case 5, but for now I’ll just say is a really fun rival for the game. But anyways yeah! Not a highlight of the series or anything, but a really creative one nevertheless.
Recipe for Turnabout then is kinda also just a really dumb fun one, though it’s not really quite as creative as the case its following up. I feel like your enjoyment of this one kinda really depends on how much you really gel with the game’s humor, like you pretty much discover NOTHING during the first trial, kinda just dicking around with Victor Kudo for an hour, which I usually would’ve found frustrating, but its saved by the games great writing, with there being a lot of “funny moments™”. That mostly comes from everyone BUT Victor though, because he, alongside others like Jean Armstrong and Lisa Basil, I really don’t care much for at all. Viola Cadaverini is easily the biggest disappointment here though, she has a really cool design and backstory, but her arc kinda just abruptly ends out of nowhere which is really disappointing. My favorite character beats here probably come from Gumshoe and the returning Maggey Byrde who is once again the defendant. They have a pretty cute dynamic, and Gumshoe coming in clutch near the end is a really cool moment, it’s not really much of a focus, but you know it’s neat. Once again the villain is a highlight though, Furio Tigre is kinda just a really dumb angry guy who is inexplicably red yeah, but again, I find him funni so it’s cool. So yeah I think this case is good enough, though it does kinda feel undercooked (eh) in some places, like the whole setup at the start with the culprit pretending to be Phoenix and failing to defend Maggey on purpose is really cool! But the game really doesn’t do anything with that setup which is really lame, like you could completely write that plotpoint out and barely anything would really be hindered, it really just screams mispotential and I wish THAT part was played around with more. But I mean eh, the case is fun to play through, I like the crime method, motivation, and backstory associated, and the finale with Phoenix pulling a fast one on Tigre is really creative, which is good enough for me.
But alright, now we’re finally getting to the big boys! Turnabout Beginnings starts with one of my favorite case opening sequences in the series, the atmosphere with the cold blue computer screen taking a look back at the case from ages past is just really chilling in the best way possible. This being Mia’s first ever case, there’s both a neat sense of finally finding some answers to just what was fully going on in Turnabout Memories, but also a really great sense of dramatic irony, as you KNOW who Dahlia Hawthorne is and that she’s bad news, but also that Mia Fey is doomed to lose this trial. This cases strongest suit is EASILY its atmosphere, even past the opening the whole thing just has this dreary dark feel to it, with the blurry old photo of the decaying bridge upon with the crime was committed, and everything just feels a tad off, not even the judge is the same as usual, and you get to go against Miles Edgeworth at his absolute cockiest, which provides a lot of great moments, all leading up to that absolutely CHILLING climax where the defendant Terry Fawles literally commits suicide on the wittness stand, regardless of if he knew his actions would lead to that or not, it’s extremely chilling, and Diego Armando responding by literally breaking his coffee cup out of sheer rage, with the blood of his glass-scratched hands literally dripping down his arm, MAN it’s such a fucking strong moment something about it just feels like a taboo as REALLY been broken. It's really here where it’s semented to the player just how evil Dahlia really is, you know she’ll end up getting arrested which is cool, but still it’s impossible not to be furious here. I know that as the years have gone on, this case along with Dahlia herself have grown to be pretty divisive, what with the game painting her as a pure evil which, and the defendant who has a pretty large age gap dating her, I feel like the intent was that she was manipulating people into doing her bidding from even a young age, but yeah… looking back now it is kinda awkward which sucks, I can kinda overlook it because this didn’t bother me back when I first played TnT, seeing as I was too young to really understand what was so wrong with the situation, but I wouldn’t blame you if this aspect kinda puts you off the case. Still though, I really do love this one, it’s really engaging throughout, and set up the finale superbly.
And here we have it, Bridge to the Turnabout! The final case in the original trilogy and easily among the most beloved in the series. As a finale, this case honestly excels in pretty much every way, loose ends set up throughout the whole series thus far are neatly tied together, pretty much every major character from all games is presents, and it generally just ends in a really epic and memorable fashion, Though they don’t really progress the plot much, I love the segments in which Wright is out of commission and you get to take control of Edgeworth for the first time, he works surprisingly well as a protagonist, and this framework was basically what the Ace Attorney Investigations games would go on to be based on, Edgeworth is generally a lot more held back outside of the courtroom which is an aspect of his character I feel a lot of people tend to miss, his interactions with Gumshoe are great, and I love that he gets some semblance of peace with Fransizka. The case itself largely revolves around Iris, who mysteriously looks like Dahlia and is later revealed to be her twin sister, I personally like Iris, and I think the twist with her being the one who was dating Phoenix all along was good, but I do have some issues with how she connects to the overall plot, particularly I found her and Dahlia benign secretly connected to the Fey clan felt a tad forced in order to tie things together, and while I why it was done, I feel that this case goes a little too hard using spirit channeling as a crux, I was fine with it as long as it didn’t interfere with the crimes, but personally it just makes this murder plan feel sorta cheap, even if it’s really cool getting to see Maya’s mother, and Bikini is a really fun and likable witness. I know a lot of people really get annoyed with Larry here, but eh, again I think the court segment with him is funny enough. by the end, I do still really enjoy Dahlia Hawthorne’s role here and her take down, though she’s definitely far from the best villain in the series as the game could’ve portrayed her as a tad more gray, and when Iris asks you to forgive her, it really just feels like too little too late. And then we go to the final confrontation against the games TRUE final culprit, Godot, who’s easily one of the best characters in the trilogy, I know a lot of people dislike him because he’s kinda sexist, but to that I say: let characters have flaws, Godot literally commits murder, but it’s too much to like him just because he has cringe opinions on woman? Godot is a flawed character with dumb, twisted worldviews, but that just what makes him so compelling, he’s so hell bent on his petty revenge against Wright, but at the same time he’s willing to throw away pretty much everything just so that he could save Maya here, he’s wonderfly gray in the best way possible, his relationship with Mia is really believable I find, and MAN, it’s kinda just a plot dump, but the moment where he reveals his backstory and motives hits so hard every time, largely thanks to his second theme song, “The Bitter Taste of Truth” one of the best in the whole freaking series honestly. And this has been said to death, but yeah, the final moment with Pursuit 2001 playing and Mia’s shadow backing Phoenix up with nailing Godot down, instant classic man, so freaking good.
At the end of the day, yeah I love Trials and Tribulations! I think it’s a tad more flawed than most do, but it has enough hard hitting fun and emotional moments to make up for that, I don’t care much for the actual overarching plot, but the characters here easily make up for that, this was the perfect finale to the trilogy, and despite being far from the series best, from the perspective of people who just played the original trilogy and called it a day, yeah man, I can see it.
Turnabout Memories starts the game with a REALLY compelling hook, putting you in control of Mia Fey during her second ever trial, depicting her first encounter with Phoenix Wright as she defends him in court, eventually managing to convict the infamous Dahlia Hawthorne. This set-up does a far better job at contextualizing the tutorials compared to The Lost Turnabout, it’s really fun getting to see Grosberg and Payne through this new lens, and it does a great job subtle hiding things from you which created further intrigue, it is Mia’s second trial after all. The murder itself is not all too complex, but being the first chapter of the game, it does a really great job, easily the best opener in the trilogy.
The Stolen Turnabout is a really fun and subversive one! Part of me does wish the premise a case where the crime isn’t murder wouldn’t have been dropped halfway through, as I think the series could really benefit from covering more non-homicide crimes, but at the very least the little bit we do get of the Mask☆DeMasque case is really cool. Ron Delite is a really great defendant, as soon as he starts screaming about being Mask☆DeMasque, you immediately think that’s BS, and proceed to prove him innocent of that, but later when it turns out he was telling the truth in order to avoid a different crime, it’s a really surprising and memorable twist. The highlight of the case though is easily its villain, Luke Atmey, who pulls off one of the absolute dumbest murder plans in the whole series which literally INVOLVED him getting arrested over theft to avoid his actual crime. He’s very much just a flat jerk, but man he’s just so fun, unraveling everything with him and the whole blackmail ring he has going on is just really enjoyable, and the final testimony where you have to hold one correct statement out of like 15 is really cool. it’s a simple fun dumb case, which is NOT a knock against it whatsoever. I love how it lets you acclimate back into the series and sorta transitions you from the second game to the third, supported by the returning Adrian Andrews, who’s just a joy to see actually doing a lot better with her life, even if not quite perfect. Maya and Pearl get a lot of fun screentime, We get to see Larry again who was MIA during the last game, and as always, we’re introduced to the game’s main prosecutor, this time being the weirdo coffee lover Godot, who I’ll touch more on in case 5, but for now I’ll just say is a really fun rival for the game. But anyways yeah! Not a highlight of the series or anything, but a really creative one nevertheless.
Recipe for Turnabout then is kinda also just a really dumb fun one, though it’s not really quite as creative as the case its following up. I feel like your enjoyment of this one kinda really depends on how much you really gel with the game’s humor, like you pretty much discover NOTHING during the first trial, kinda just dicking around with Victor Kudo for an hour, which I usually would’ve found frustrating, but its saved by the games great writing, with there being a lot of “funny moments™”. That mostly comes from everyone BUT Victor though, because he, alongside others like Jean Armstrong and Lisa Basil, I really don’t care much for at all. Viola Cadaverini is easily the biggest disappointment here though, she has a really cool design and backstory, but her arc kinda just abruptly ends out of nowhere which is really disappointing. My favorite character beats here probably come from Gumshoe and the returning Maggey Byrde who is once again the defendant. They have a pretty cute dynamic, and Gumshoe coming in clutch near the end is a really cool moment, it’s not really much of a focus, but you know it’s neat. Once again the villain is a highlight though, Furio Tigre is kinda just a really dumb angry guy who is inexplicably red yeah, but again, I find him funni so it’s cool. So yeah I think this case is good enough, though it does kinda feel undercooked (eh) in some places, like the whole setup at the start with the culprit pretending to be Phoenix and failing to defend Maggey on purpose is really cool! But the game really doesn’t do anything with that setup which is really lame, like you could completely write that plotpoint out and barely anything would really be hindered, it really just screams mispotential and I wish THAT part was played around with more. But I mean eh, the case is fun to play through, I like the crime method, motivation, and backstory associated, and the finale with Phoenix pulling a fast one on Tigre is really creative, which is good enough for me.
But alright, now we’re finally getting to the big boys! Turnabout Beginnings starts with one of my favorite case opening sequences in the series, the atmosphere with the cold blue computer screen taking a look back at the case from ages past is just really chilling in the best way possible. This being Mia’s first ever case, there’s both a neat sense of finally finding some answers to just what was fully going on in Turnabout Memories, but also a really great sense of dramatic irony, as you KNOW who Dahlia Hawthorne is and that she’s bad news, but also that Mia Fey is doomed to lose this trial. This cases strongest suit is EASILY its atmosphere, even past the opening the whole thing just has this dreary dark feel to it, with the blurry old photo of the decaying bridge upon with the crime was committed, and everything just feels a tad off, not even the judge is the same as usual, and you get to go against Miles Edgeworth at his absolute cockiest, which provides a lot of great moments, all leading up to that absolutely CHILLING climax where the defendant Terry Fawles literally commits suicide on the wittness stand, regardless of if he knew his actions would lead to that or not, it’s extremely chilling, and Diego Armando responding by literally breaking his coffee cup out of sheer rage, with the blood of his glass-scratched hands literally dripping down his arm, MAN it’s such a fucking strong moment something about it just feels like a taboo as REALLY been broken. It's really here where it’s semented to the player just how evil Dahlia really is, you know she’ll end up getting arrested which is cool, but still it’s impossible not to be furious here. I know that as the years have gone on, this case along with Dahlia herself have grown to be pretty divisive, what with the game painting her as a pure evil which, and the defendant who has a pretty large age gap dating her, I feel like the intent was that she was manipulating people into doing her bidding from even a young age, but yeah… looking back now it is kinda awkward which sucks, I can kinda overlook it because this didn’t bother me back when I first played TnT, seeing as I was too young to really understand what was so wrong with the situation, but I wouldn’t blame you if this aspect kinda puts you off the case. Still though, I really do love this one, it’s really engaging throughout, and set up the finale superbly.
And here we have it, Bridge to the Turnabout! The final case in the original trilogy and easily among the most beloved in the series. As a finale, this case honestly excels in pretty much every way, loose ends set up throughout the whole series thus far are neatly tied together, pretty much every major character from all games is presents, and it generally just ends in a really epic and memorable fashion, Though they don’t really progress the plot much, I love the segments in which Wright is out of commission and you get to take control of Edgeworth for the first time, he works surprisingly well as a protagonist, and this framework was basically what the Ace Attorney Investigations games would go on to be based on, Edgeworth is generally a lot more held back outside of the courtroom which is an aspect of his character I feel a lot of people tend to miss, his interactions with Gumshoe are great, and I love that he gets some semblance of peace with Fransizka. The case itself largely revolves around Iris, who mysteriously looks like Dahlia and is later revealed to be her twin sister, I personally like Iris, and I think the twist with her being the one who was dating Phoenix all along was good, but I do have some issues with how she connects to the overall plot, particularly I found her and Dahlia benign secretly connected to the Fey clan felt a tad forced in order to tie things together, and while I why it was done, I feel that this case goes a little too hard using spirit channeling as a crux, I was fine with it as long as it didn’t interfere with the crimes, but personally it just makes this murder plan feel sorta cheap, even if it’s really cool getting to see Maya’s mother, and Bikini is a really fun and likable witness. I know a lot of people really get annoyed with Larry here, but eh, again I think the court segment with him is funny enough. by the end, I do still really enjoy Dahlia Hawthorne’s role here and her take down, though she’s definitely far from the best villain in the series as the game could’ve portrayed her as a tad more gray, and when Iris asks you to forgive her, it really just feels like too little too late. And then we go to the final confrontation against the games TRUE final culprit, Godot, who’s easily one of the best characters in the trilogy, I know a lot of people dislike him because he’s kinda sexist, but to that I say: let characters have flaws, Godot literally commits murder, but it’s too much to like him just because he has cringe opinions on woman? Godot is a flawed character with dumb, twisted worldviews, but that just what makes him so compelling, he’s so hell bent on his petty revenge against Wright, but at the same time he’s willing to throw away pretty much everything just so that he could save Maya here, he’s wonderfly gray in the best way possible, his relationship with Mia is really believable I find, and MAN, it’s kinda just a plot dump, but the moment where he reveals his backstory and motives hits so hard every time, largely thanks to his second theme song, “The Bitter Taste of Truth” one of the best in the whole freaking series honestly. And this has been said to death, but yeah, the final moment with Pursuit 2001 playing and Mia’s shadow backing Phoenix up with nailing Godot down, instant classic man, so freaking good.
At the end of the day, yeah I love Trials and Tribulations! I think it’s a tad more flawed than most do, but it has enough hard hitting fun and emotional moments to make up for that, I don’t care much for the actual overarching plot, but the characters here easily make up for that, this was the perfect finale to the trilogy, and despite being far from the series best, from the perspective of people who just played the original trilogy and called it a day, yeah man, I can see it.
Damn it, I was ready to give this a 9 because of a few issues I had with how earlier cases felt really rushed towards the end (e.g Recipe for Turnabout) but goddamn if the final case didn't make up for where the game fell behind and then some. Such a goddamn incredible case in the series and easily one of the best (still dunno if it's tied with 2-4 but I'm sure it'll age like wine in my mind and will eventually overtake it as my favorite case in the series). I won't speak any more about the storyy itself but I would like to mention Godot as a prosecutor. His inclusion and his arc is truly phenomenal and easily makes him one of the best Ace Attorney characters if not the best. His arc truly represents the finality of this game and how the last case (and T&T by extension) tie everything together into a very, VERY neat package and yeah, this is an awesome conclusion to the trilogy, AA4 is up next, but I'm sure this one will always be the shining star among all Ace Attorney games.
"The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over."
"The only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over."
I did, indeed, cry once it was all over
Esse jogo é uma AULA de narrativa e de conclusão de uma trilogia. Ace Attorney 3 é um jogo que parece genuinamente uma puta evolução em tudo em ambos os jogos que vieram antes dele, não tem um caso ruim no jogo.
ALERTA: A partir daqui não tem nada que seja exatamente um spoiler mas se você ainda não jogou Ace Attorney 3 ou qualquer outro AA não leia, esse jogo vale a pena jogar de olhos vendados.
O Caso 1, apesar de ser um tutorial, não tem como não achar interessante, controlar a Mia defendendo o Phoenix é muito hype e a Dahlia é o literal capeta encarnado(odeio aquela mulher), além de ser um caso super importante pro jogo.
O Caso 2 pra mim ao menos é o mais fraco do jogo, porém isso não o desmerece em nada e ele continua sendo bom.
O Caso 3 é ótimo, ver a Maggey de volta é muito legal e todo o desenrolar dele é muito divertido. Além do último caso esse é o caso que eu mais gostava de tentar adivinhar como subverter a situação pra achar o verdadeiro culpado.
O Caso 4 é mais um caso da Mia e eu me sinto na obrigação de destacar o final desse caso, não vou falar o que aconteceu mas quem sabe sabe.
O Caso 5 é INCRÍVEL, facilmente o meu favorito da franquia, é como se toda as peças de um grande quebra-cabeça se encontrassem, como se todos os casos(incluindo os dos jogos anteriores) estivessem ali pra esse momento, pro ápice da trilogia.
Enfim, esse jogo é genial, eu nunca pensei que iria gostar tanto de uma VN e ver ele acabar foi como finalmente acabar um livro enorme.
ALERTA: A partir daqui não tem nada que seja exatamente um spoiler mas se você ainda não jogou Ace Attorney 3 ou qualquer outro AA não leia, esse jogo vale a pena jogar de olhos vendados.
O Caso 1, apesar de ser um tutorial, não tem como não achar interessante, controlar a Mia defendendo o Phoenix é muito hype e a Dahlia é o literal capeta encarnado(odeio aquela mulher), além de ser um caso super importante pro jogo.
O Caso 2 pra mim ao menos é o mais fraco do jogo, porém isso não o desmerece em nada e ele continua sendo bom.
O Caso 3 é ótimo, ver a Maggey de volta é muito legal e todo o desenrolar dele é muito divertido. Além do último caso esse é o caso que eu mais gostava de tentar adivinhar como subverter a situação pra achar o verdadeiro culpado.
O Caso 4 é mais um caso da Mia e eu me sinto na obrigação de destacar o final desse caso, não vou falar o que aconteceu mas quem sabe sabe.
O Caso 5 é INCRÍVEL, facilmente o meu favorito da franquia, é como se toda as peças de um grande quebra-cabeça se encontrassem, como se todos os casos(incluindo os dos jogos anteriores) estivessem ali pra esse momento, pro ápice da trilogia.
Enfim, esse jogo é genial, eu nunca pensei que iria gostar tanto de uma VN e ver ele acabar foi como finalmente acabar um livro enorme.
Definitely going to give this game a full review when a replay it soon in another month or so, though I just want to review other games as of now lol.