Such a perfect piece of AAA action adventure. This game uses every trick up Remedy's sleeve to create a complete and unique atmosphere that only a video game could create (despite so obviously wearing its cinematic influences on its sleeve).

It's got its flaws but its such a complete piece of video game auteurism that pushes the medium forward that any flaws are easy to dismiss.

Easily among the best games released this year.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a tough game to follow up, as it pretty much establishes a perfect formula and ends you on an incredible high. A follow-up to the game seems simple, but was probably presented a difficult issue: do we risk going back to the well too much, or do we risk turning the formula on its head? The developers chose to incorporate a little bit of both into Justice for All, and as a result ended up with the worst of both worlds.

The game follows the same formula as the previous: every case will be a new, mostly standalone mystery with a somewhat loose connecting thread between them all. The game fails to really iterate on the gameplay of the prior game, with only two new substantial mechanics (Soul Locks and profiles as evidence) being introduced so I'd recommend giving the first and second games some space between each other.

The first case is fine, albeit a little annoying. It utilizes a common video game trope that is quickly grating, although the case is fairly short so you won't have to tolerate it for much longer. The first thing you'll really notice is that the music, which was so essential to the first game, is noticeably worse. It's not a major dropoff in quality, but none of the themes hit with the same intensity as the first game.

The second case is pretty good! I had a very satisfying moment where all the pieces clicked and I understood where the case was going at exactly the same moments as the characters. That feels pretty essential for any mystery stories, and it feels like the writers did a good job at drip feeding the information to the player.

Anyone who's played this game knows about the third case. It sucks, and feels pretty throwaway (although the resolution ties pretty nicely into the overall themes of the game). The characters, the central mystery, and the resolution to the mystery all irritated me. Definitely pace yourself once you get to this case, because if you can get past this case you are golden.

Case four is a straight banger. It neatly ties together all the themes of the previous cases, including call backs to almost every case thus far. It puts the central characters in a truly difficult situation that is fantastic to watch play out, and it never is predictable. I was on the edge of my seat this entire case, and it has a truly satisfying and thrilling finale.

Justice for All had a difficult job, and it doesn't entirely succeed. The cases are uneven, the gameplay a tad stale, and it has inferior music to the predecessor game. But like the previous game, it absolutely ends on a high that pretty much makes up for any misgivings I had about the previous cases. If you like the first game, this is an ultimately worthy follow-up.