Widely considered to be the black sheep of the original Ace Attorney Trilogy, to say Justice for All is a divisive entry among AA fans would be an understatement. And, while I certainly agree that it’s the weakest out of the original trilogy, I’d still consider it an absolutely delightful romp that not only introduces a ton of memorable characters and a brand new core mechanic, but one that tells a damn compelling series of vignettes, with one in particular sticking with you long after the credits roll. But alas, I’m getting ahead of myself; it’s time to re-enter the courtroom once more and see what it is that makes JFA so damn weird. Oh and uhh…. no whips please? Thank you very much.
(WARNING: this review contains minor/vague spoilers for each of the 4 cases featured in Justice for All)
In a shift from my review of the first game, where I essentially explained what an Attorney of the Ace variety even was, I’m mainly going to be discussing what new things JFA brings to the table (since, being completely honest as someone who adores this series, if you’ve played one entry, you’ve basically played them all). In this sense, JFA is probably the biggest trend setter of the series, establishing mechanics/additions that would go on to be utilised in pretty much every single game going forward. One of the most significant new toys added to the series in JFA would have to be the Psyche-Locks: given to you just before the midpoint of the 2nd Case, this glowing magatama allows you peer into the souls of any witness who’s being particularly defensive about a given subject, functioning essentially as the Cross Examination parts of Trials but this time during the Investigation segments and only focusing on presenting the correct evidence. It’s not the deepest mechanic in the world, but it adds a nice layer of tension to Investigations that the first game lacked, connecting the two styles of gameplay together a lot more cohesively. Psyche-Locks or a variation of their general gameplay formula would stick around in every AA game after this and I’d say it was definitely for the best.
After that would be the general trends JFA would lay the groundwork for for each subsequent game in the series (there’s a lot it sets up here so buckle up). Starting off the list would be the tradition of a new composer being brought on to work for each entry (most of the time anyway), giving each new game its own musical style. In JFA’s case, Naoto Tanaka took over the reins from Masakazu Sugimori this time round, delivering some absolutely excellent new tracks throughout (particularly with his Investigation and character themes which I still hold as some of the best in the series). Next would be in how it’s structured: JFA, the original Ace Attorney and almost every game after these two follow a very similar structure: Case 1 is very much a dressed up tutorial, getting you to grips with the game’s mechanics as it throws some generally pedestrian challenges your way, Case 2 is a mix of tutorial-ness (usually through it’s introduction of Investigation segments) along with setting up the main characters/story elements that will persist throughout the entire game (or even multiple games), Case 3 is usually tied to a unique location (e.g. JFA’s is a circus) that has a few moments that tie back to the overarching narrative but mainly exists as a filler case for the devs to flex their creative muscles on what they can come up with (to….let’s just say varying degrees of success) and Case 4/5 being where shit hits the fan and a ton of loose ends and tiny things set up in previous cases all culminate in an epic climax. Not every game follows this structure (The Great Ace Attorney is a particular deviant of this) but it’s one that JFA cemented as what would be the standard going forward. Finally, and undoubtedly the biggest, would be the concept of having Phoenix (/Apollo/Athena/Ryuunosuke, take your pick really) face off against a different prosecutor each game. And who is the one to kickstart this trend you ask? None other than the offspring of the demon known as Manfred von Karma, Franziska von Karma. Franziska as a character is certainly an interesting one and, while I wouldn’t call her as multi-faceted as her predecessor Edgeworth and a certain caffeine junkie that we’ll get to in due time, she still manages to be a fascinating study of the effects of succession on the mind and how someone acts when presented with the prospect of living up to the legacy of someone revered (or in this case feared) throughout the nation. Like I said, she isn’t the deepest character compared to many of the other prosecutors seen throughout the series, but she does a great job of chastising the player and being the centrepiece of some genuinely fantastic emotional moments (the post credits scene is particularly heartwrenching). Just...don't let me near her whip, OK?
In terms of JFA’s overall case quality, I’d say it’s pretty hit or miss. The tutorial case is pretty fun (with a delightfully hammy villain at the centre of it), the 2nd is pretty dull in my opinion, with not much of note happening past the first Investigation segment (it did introduce Pearls though so that’s definitely a positive) and Case 3, while maligned by the general AA fandom as the worst in the series, was one I found to be immensely enjoyable to go through (extremely weird and uncomfortable love triangle notwithstanding) with it’s sheer absurdity and genuinely heartbreaking villain.
And then there’s Case 4: Farewell My Turnabout.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Farewell My Turnabout is widely considered to be one of, if not THE best case in the entire series and for damn good reason; it sets up a highly unique scenario that hasn’t really been done in any other AA games since, is filled with tons of both new and returning faces (each with their own absolutely fascinating and deeply compelling quirks and backstories) and is fueled by one of the greatest moments in Ace Attorney history that’ll leave you reeling long after the credits roll. It’s hard to really say much about this case without giving away what makes it so damn enjoyable (as evident by how vague I’m being with the details here) but just know that it makes sitting through JFA’s admittedly wishy-washy quality so worth it in the end. All in all, it’s a fascinating crop of cases that serves to tee up stuff to come in T&T while also making for an (at the very least) extremely engaging journey throughout many different locales, helping you to slowly piece together the overall narrative as they progress before climaxing in one of the most unforgettable finales in the series.
In a way, JFA’s choice of prosecutor and what they represent feels almost emblematic of the entire game to me: a sequel that couldn’t possibly hope to match the lasting legacy of their predecessor, fumbles when it tries too hard to recapture what worked in the past before ultimately soaring to new, near insurmountable heights once it decides to carve its own path, untethered by the expectations brought about from what came before. It’s this enrapturing level of perfect imperfection that lets JFA, despite of all of it's shortcomings, sit proudly alongside it’s more generally respected siblings in my eyes. Until we meet again....Mr. Phoenix Wright.
(WARNING: this review contains minor/vague spoilers for each of the 4 cases featured in Justice for All)
In a shift from my review of the first game, where I essentially explained what an Attorney of the Ace variety even was, I’m mainly going to be discussing what new things JFA brings to the table (since, being completely honest as someone who adores this series, if you’ve played one entry, you’ve basically played them all). In this sense, JFA is probably the biggest trend setter of the series, establishing mechanics/additions that would go on to be utilised in pretty much every single game going forward. One of the most significant new toys added to the series in JFA would have to be the Psyche-Locks: given to you just before the midpoint of the 2nd Case, this glowing magatama allows you peer into the souls of any witness who’s being particularly defensive about a given subject, functioning essentially as the Cross Examination parts of Trials but this time during the Investigation segments and only focusing on presenting the correct evidence. It’s not the deepest mechanic in the world, but it adds a nice layer of tension to Investigations that the first game lacked, connecting the two styles of gameplay together a lot more cohesively. Psyche-Locks or a variation of their general gameplay formula would stick around in every AA game after this and I’d say it was definitely for the best.
After that would be the general trends JFA would lay the groundwork for for each subsequent game in the series (there’s a lot it sets up here so buckle up). Starting off the list would be the tradition of a new composer being brought on to work for each entry (most of the time anyway), giving each new game its own musical style. In JFA’s case, Naoto Tanaka took over the reins from Masakazu Sugimori this time round, delivering some absolutely excellent new tracks throughout (particularly with his Investigation and character themes which I still hold as some of the best in the series). Next would be in how it’s structured: JFA, the original Ace Attorney and almost every game after these two follow a very similar structure: Case 1 is very much a dressed up tutorial, getting you to grips with the game’s mechanics as it throws some generally pedestrian challenges your way, Case 2 is a mix of tutorial-ness (usually through it’s introduction of Investigation segments) along with setting up the main characters/story elements that will persist throughout the entire game (or even multiple games), Case 3 is usually tied to a unique location (e.g. JFA’s is a circus) that has a few moments that tie back to the overarching narrative but mainly exists as a filler case for the devs to flex their creative muscles on what they can come up with (to….let’s just say varying degrees of success) and Case 4/5 being where shit hits the fan and a ton of loose ends and tiny things set up in previous cases all culminate in an epic climax. Not every game follows this structure (The Great Ace Attorney is a particular deviant of this) but it’s one that JFA cemented as what would be the standard going forward. Finally, and undoubtedly the biggest, would be the concept of having Phoenix (/Apollo/Athena/Ryuunosuke, take your pick really) face off against a different prosecutor each game. And who is the one to kickstart this trend you ask? None other than the offspring of the demon known as Manfred von Karma, Franziska von Karma. Franziska as a character is certainly an interesting one and, while I wouldn’t call her as multi-faceted as her predecessor Edgeworth and a certain caffeine junkie that we’ll get to in due time, she still manages to be a fascinating study of the effects of succession on the mind and how someone acts when presented with the prospect of living up to the legacy of someone revered (or in this case feared) throughout the nation. Like I said, she isn’t the deepest character compared to many of the other prosecutors seen throughout the series, but she does a great job of chastising the player and being the centrepiece of some genuinely fantastic emotional moments (the post credits scene is particularly heartwrenching). Just...don't let me near her whip, OK?
In terms of JFA’s overall case quality, I’d say it’s pretty hit or miss. The tutorial case is pretty fun (with a delightfully hammy villain at the centre of it), the 2nd is pretty dull in my opinion, with not much of note happening past the first Investigation segment (it did introduce Pearls though so that’s definitely a positive) and Case 3, while maligned by the general AA fandom as the worst in the series, was one I found to be immensely enjoyable to go through (extremely weird and uncomfortable love triangle notwithstanding) with it’s sheer absurdity and genuinely heartbreaking villain.
And then there’s Case 4: Farewell My Turnabout.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Farewell My Turnabout is widely considered to be one of, if not THE best case in the entire series and for damn good reason; it sets up a highly unique scenario that hasn’t really been done in any other AA games since, is filled with tons of both new and returning faces (each with their own absolutely fascinating and deeply compelling quirks and backstories) and is fueled by one of the greatest moments in Ace Attorney history that’ll leave you reeling long after the credits roll. It’s hard to really say much about this case without giving away what makes it so damn enjoyable (as evident by how vague I’m being with the details here) but just know that it makes sitting through JFA’s admittedly wishy-washy quality so worth it in the end. All in all, it’s a fascinating crop of cases that serves to tee up stuff to come in T&T while also making for an (at the very least) extremely engaging journey throughout many different locales, helping you to slowly piece together the overall narrative as they progress before climaxing in one of the most unforgettable finales in the series.
In a way, JFA’s choice of prosecutor and what they represent feels almost emblematic of the entire game to me: a sequel that couldn’t possibly hope to match the lasting legacy of their predecessor, fumbles when it tries too hard to recapture what worked in the past before ultimately soaring to new, near insurmountable heights once it decides to carve its own path, untethered by the expectations brought about from what came before. It’s this enrapturing level of perfect imperfection that lets JFA, despite of all of it's shortcomings, sit proudly alongside it’s more generally respected siblings in my eyes. Until we meet again....Mr. Phoenix Wright.