The Sakamoto redemption arc continues! This one is a smoother experience than The Missing Heir on a gameplay front while still forcing you to use your brain to figure out how to progress. Once again, this is a great murder mystery, though compared to the first I didn't think the twists and turns along the way were quite as engaging. That said, it all delivers in the finale, which is executed way better than the first game's. The soundtrack in this one is also an improvement, providing a real sense of ambiance and dread. I'd definitely recommend playing both this and The Missing Heir if you have any interest in VNs or mysteries, they both are really satisfying.

Some of the gameplay revolving around haphazardly trying every single option multiple times until the game decides to progress is extremely archaic, but honestly props to Nintendo/MAGES for keeping the core game exactly the same as it was back in the day. Of course it's not playing the original, but just as a matter of historical record, it was really cool to have essentially that same experience as fans of this game had over 30 years ago.

What's also great is that confusing progression aside, it still really holds up! This is just a fun murder mystery in the classic tradition, and all of the twists are well foreshadowed/set up beforehand, which makes it very satisfying to see everything revealed and find out what twists you saw coming vs. which ones did manage to take you by surprise. If I had one complaint about the story it's that the ending is slightly abrupt, the culprit's plan having so many complex stages only to end in a final step that seems very poorly thought out on their part felt a bit "too easy." But the rest of the ongoing developments really had me along for the ride, and I thought the story was well paced.

Can't believe I'm saying this but you gotta give props to Yoshio Sakamoto for writing this. Other M is a colossal failure on every level, but I think this game proves that he's capable of crafting a great story as well. I have a lot more sympathy for him now after getting to see his talents in that area really shine here. Hopefully the west getting these games is the start of a turnaround in public perception, maybe that ends with a good story for a new 2D Metroid... it's nice to dream!

Getting to experience this for the first time was something I'll never forget. Being someone coming to this after Automata, I feel similarly that this is not a perfect game, but it is a 10/10 game.

Personally I think Automata is better structured - the way the endings are "formatted" for lack of a better term in that game has you constantly unraveling new layers and pushing the story forward. The journey to ending C and D by comparison feels somewhat redundant - though it can be argued that this monotony and the fact that you have to put in what genuinely feels like "work" to get the end of the game makes some of it's final moments that much more impactful.

With that being said, the characters in this game are even more vibrant and fully realized than what Automata offers. Stellar voice performances and Okabe's soundtrack just carrying the emotion on it's shoulders create a cast that you really empathize with. The writing really has to be commended too - the visual novel segments are some of the highlights of the game narratively, proving that even when you strip out all of the other presentational aspects what's left is still gripping.

The combat is actually great for what it needs to be. Yes, it's monotonous, yes, it requires little to no thought - but what would really be accomplished by adding complex combo trees and 50 enemy types to a game like this? The combat feels bloody and brutal, and that's all it needs to do for the game to pull it's trick. While perhaps predictable, that trick is still so incredibly effective and such an obvious way to emotionally invest a player through their actions that it's amazing that only Taro (and shockingly... Neil Druckmann???) are doing it.

So yeah, I'm a Yoko Taro fan for life now. This was deeply earnest. Also, perhaps the greatest and most awe inspiring soundtrack ever put to a game.
...though they do lean on Kaine's theme kind of often lol

In general I think this is the best game of the trilogy. Edgeworth is fantastic, but Godot is probably my favorite prosecutor in the trilogy now. The character arc he goes through is extremely well done and he's just fun to go up against. Even the filler cases manage to be engaging, and the main story is the most emotionally resonant. The cases manage to all have tons of twists and turns with satisfying set ups and payoffs, while not getting as obtuse as the ones in the second game. There I found that the logic tied to what to present and where was often a bit arbitrary, but this entry does a much better job of making the cases as implausible as ever but still giving you enough of a clear flaw in testimonies to follow through.

I'm also very impressed by how this game managed its large ensemble cast with such cleverness and care. Almost every notable character from the first two games is brought back along with fresh new faces, and they all manage to get time to shine.