tx55
2002
Chulip certainly is not a perfect game. I could imagine it being incredibly draining if played on its original hardware. I could absolutely see it being frustrating to many, even with helpful tools like save states or fast forwards. I am a person easily won over by charm and style, and I do love some form of cruelty in a video game, though, so Chulip completely won me over.
I find Chulip hard to not adore. The music, sound design, art, and town designs are all absolutely stunning. Many of the kiss puzzles were very fun for me, personally. Even more sadistic ones, like the 20-year-old guy, sound terrible on paper, but I did not find them so horrible in practice. Specifically, I think Bell’s kiss was my favorite: the story of Bell and her father, the way that this story chains together with the main story, how it connects with other characters like Julie and Goro, and the gameplay mechanics employed, all made this specific portion of the game a high-point to me.
This may be a personal thing, but I like games that come with a manual that you are meant to use. I found going to my printed-out dinky manual to check off all my kisses very rewarding, and it made it possible for me to strategize where I would go and what I should do to maximize my time and save in-game currency. I think that is another one of Chulip's strongest traits. Yes, there are the on-the-surface puzzles of trying to get kisses, but figuring out your time and where you had to be made every moment of the game a more elaborate and encompassing riddle.
I think at the end of the day, you will love Chulip or you will find it tiring. I found it overwhelmingly charming. The last moments were particularly impressive and heartfelt to me in terms of presentation and how all the elements in the game stacked up for a final challenge. I just really adore how the ending section of the game looks and plays, it will stick with me for a long time. Most of all, I think I am just a sucker for when a game knows when to use gameplay and give the player direct control rather than a cutscene that you can only passively watch.
It is a game that could have been gross and torturous, but Chulip walks away charming and lovable.
I find Chulip hard to not adore. The music, sound design, art, and town designs are all absolutely stunning. Many of the kiss puzzles were very fun for me, personally. Even more sadistic ones, like the 20-year-old guy, sound terrible on paper, but I did not find them so horrible in practice. Specifically, I think Bell’s kiss was my favorite: the story of Bell and her father, the way that this story chains together with the main story, how it connects with other characters like Julie and Goro, and the gameplay mechanics employed, all made this specific portion of the game a high-point to me.
This may be a personal thing, but I like games that come with a manual that you are meant to use. I found going to my printed-out dinky manual to check off all my kisses very rewarding, and it made it possible for me to strategize where I would go and what I should do to maximize my time and save in-game currency. I think that is another one of Chulip's strongest traits. Yes, there are the on-the-surface puzzles of trying to get kisses, but figuring out your time and where you had to be made every moment of the game a more elaborate and encompassing riddle.
I think at the end of the day, you will love Chulip or you will find it tiring. I found it overwhelmingly charming. The last moments were particularly impressive and heartfelt to me in terms of presentation and how all the elements in the game stacked up for a final challenge. I just really adore how the ending section of the game looks and plays, it will stick with me for a long time. Most of all, I think I am just a sucker for when a game knows when to use gameplay and give the player direct control rather than a cutscene that you can only passively watch.
It is a game that could have been gross and torturous, but Chulip walks away charming and lovable.
2007
I have so much respect for the style of No More Heroes, but I find the plot and humor a little try-hard.
It is a game that loves to go, "Isn't this crazy? Isn't this messed up? Isn't this trope weird?" without any meaningful conclusions. It had questions and observations, but nothing actually interesting to say.
Despite all that, I can tell you that I do think about the ending of the Henry Boss fight a lot for some reason. For any other game I would walk away hating it, but I still view NMH somewhat fondly.
It is a game that loves to go, "Isn't this crazy? Isn't this messed up? Isn't this trope weird?" without any meaningful conclusions. It had questions and observations, but nothing actually interesting to say.
Despite all that, I can tell you that I do think about the ending of the Henry Boss fight a lot for some reason. For any other game I would walk away hating it, but I still view NMH somewhat fondly.
2019
I really enjoyed my time playing P5R, but it was something that, despite my enjoyment, all my grievances come to mind first. I gave it 5/5 since I unfortunately have a lot of love for it, but it's story is horribly hypocritical and it is hard to extend any good faith towards the game.
I played Persona 5 Royal with practically no experience with the base game. I have played a couple of Shin Megami Tensei games; I enjoyed them. I have played Persona 4 before, and it is my least favorite game ever. I didn't expect to come back and try out P5 ever again, but it happened for some reason. Due to my experiences with P4, I came in with really bad impressions, but I quickly found myself very addicted to the gameplay loop.
Just in terms of gameplay, I think P5 is very impressive and stunning. I have a lot of respect for the series for recognizing that things can be done to make its systems better, but not jumping to overhaul every single thing. I like turn-based combat, and I think the transition to everything becoming action RPGs is a little sad. I appreciate that the SMT series kept its core. I really like the technical status effect mechanics, I love everything with the guns, and I am very overjoyed to see demon negotiation and enemies that are not gloves and tables.
Palace designs are equally fun; even the typical SMT-type bland-ish dungeon, Mementos, is not boring to explore. Not all puzzles are winners, but most do not overstay their welcome. I think they also do a good job of changing up the palaces. By the time things get stale, they introduce Futaba’s palace, which is a very big shakeup. Afterwards, even the return to the more common type of palace is a little different due to how Haru was integrated and introduced.
The gameplay is near perfect, but turning to the story is where things get a bit troubling. P5 has a very similar issue to P4 in the way that it can be very hypocritical.
- Spoilers Start --------------------------
I think the most defining moment of P5 is when Ann is telling Kamoshida off for the way he treats women and minors, and then the game transitions into the battle screen, where Ann is always positioned bending over with her ass out in the camera. Ann is repeatedly made uncomfortable and harassed for “humor”. There are instances where control is taken away from the player in cutscenes and the main character makes Ann uncomfortable, and the player is invited to be creepy to her.
Kamoshida is a good villain, his palace is good, and he serves to show a real problem in the world, but it is hard to take the game seriously when it is often just as bad as him. He sexually harassed teenage girls; the game sexually harasses teenage girls. He abused the teen boys on his team; the game often has Ryuji getting hurt as a joke. He is a teacher that has relationships with his students; you can have a confidant with your homeroom teacher and date her. P5 wants to talk about issues in society when it cannot recognize that it itself, as a series, has existed making fun of minorities, being weird about women, and overall just putting people down.
Ann's arc is especially frustrating as the game opens by detailing the sexual harassment she faces, and the game follows this all up by introducing Yusuke through sexually harassing her. Yusuke's introduction is very aggravating, as he is not a standard "pervert character". He is a joke character in his introduction, and the joke is that he is so socially unaware that he sexually harasses Ann. Ann is told to repeatedly put up with it by her friends so they can get information on their next target, even though the entire opening of the game was about holding Ann's sexual harasser accountable and bringing his abuse to the public's attention. Overall, it is terrible to Ann's character for putting her through more abuse just for the sake of it, and it is terrible to Yusuke's character for treating his neurodivergencies as a joke and creepy.
During 6/11, after Joker tells Yusuke and Ryuji the circumstances of his arrest, Yusuke comments that,
"The woman sounds quite horrible as well. She's stayed quiet this whole time..."
This is full proof that the first arc of Persona 5 was not done with any true attempt to combat misogyny and the abuse women face.
One part of the Kamoshida arc that I praise is the complexity of the issue it focuses on: people know about the abuse women, in this case young teen girls, face; they just do not care and do not want to break the status quo. This is much more preferable than "abuse would not happen if woman just spoke out". At this moment, the game chastises a woman who was abused for not coming forward to the police. If this game meant what it preached, it would understand how ridiculous and insidious this line of dialogue is. This woman was assaulted by a famous politician with extreme power; even if she risked more assault by coming forward, there is no world where she is taken seriously, Joker was always doomed.
Either way, it is apparent that Joker saving this woman in the opening game entirely exists to make Joker seem like a good person, and how dare this woman he saved, who was assaulted moments ago, not do everything in her power to defend Joker from the police? Her abuse does not matter and misogyny does not matter to Persona 5, but pretending to care about those things does make the characters, and Persona 5, seem like heroes, right?
To top it all off, during this exact conversation on 6/11, Ryuji and Morgana both try to look up Ann's skirt as she lies down, and Ryuji comments as she is leaving,
"You convinced him, didn't you? You go, Miss Older-Dude-Charmer!"
It's ridiculous how hard Persona trips over itself to undermine its own messaging for no good reason at all other than making itself seem gross and uncaring.
I feel as though Persona's misogyny problems cannot go away due to how essential sexism is to the way Persona operates. Women cannot just exist in Persona. Women cannot just be friends, they cannot just be teachers, they cannot just be sisters, they must all fit into the dating simulation format; and they must all secretly want you no matter what. It frustrating. It feels like all of the girl's confidants cannot be serious and complex, as they all need to end with them confessing their feelings, since, as the protagonist, you are always effortlessly perfect, wanted, and irresistible.
I think the hypocrisy is the worst issue, but I also think it is sometimes hard to take the game seriously with how on the nose it is. It does do a lot of interesting things, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in itself or the player. In Futaba’s Palace, each mural describing her life is described to you by the characters. When you hear about someone doing bad things in the world through a Mementos request, all of the characters reinstate multiple times why what the person is doing is wrong. In the late game, I had a lot of issues with how "society" was represented in the game. Some things really reminded me of those "people are being controlled by their phones" type comics.
Once you meet Yaldabaoth, and it is introduced as the true main villain, you learn that its stance is that society is a mindless mass; the game rejects this, and yet this is directly how it has been portraying the people of the world. A mindless mass that will follow even the cruelest of people. There are multiple reasons why bad people get support besides direct approval. There is fear, oppression, coercion, restriction of knowledge, and a multitude of other things. P5 will sometimes acknowledge these things, but for the most part, the way it portrays the general masses of people in the world lacks nuance. Many of the scenes in between days or loading screens showing dialogue between people were very weak. The game's messaging feels very sloppy in terms of its final boss.
I think the framing of P5 is neat. I like the integration, and I like the suspense of knowing what's going to happen. I think they can cut back to the present too often, but for the most part, it is very good. I think Akechi is a great character. He's a perfect twist villain, though I don't feel fully right calling him that because I think the point of him is that you are supposed to know. The best parts of P5 come from it being a game about waiting for the other shoe to drop with multiple people and story beats. Talking to Akechi is tense and suspenseful since it's all about waiting for the moment when they're going to drop the character portrait where he has sharp teeth and hazy eyes. Not only that, but despite being a character you go in feeling like you know nearly everything about, he still manages to surprise by not being a sudden face-heel turn villain; he is telling you too much at every corner. Akechi is always just a couple words away from revealing it all when you would expect a character like him to keep playing dumb.
Things were nearly perfect, but then the game wanted to be smart. It wanted the player to think it was smart. I think they started to think about things on too many levels. They realized that everyone would know Akechi was a villain and didn't realize how perfect it was since they needed to be the ones on top. It feels like they wanted the twist not to be that he was villainous, but that everyone knew.
I think the story section where the game is finally in the present day is, frankly, terrible. Having the game purposely leave out things that the main characters were doing and saying, just so it can come back later and go "Of course everyone knew. Now all of the characters will explain to you all the cool stuff they did, while all the side characters comment on how cool and smart they are", is frustrating to experience. P5 so badly wants to seem smart at this moment, but it never has been. It's hypocritical, lacking in subtlety, and at this moment it's just cheap and annoying.
P5 can have small moments where it is smart or sneaky. Yeah, it's cool that there are hints at Akechi's true intentions. It's neat that the player may be able to pick up that he heard Morgana, but all of that is ruined when the game replays the "pancakes scene" over and over multiple times. It doesn't feel like a fun moment that the player may pick up on; it feels like a moment they made to rub in your face so you can praise the game. They do much better with the false Igor, which makes the fact that they did all of this so weird. Overall, it's just a very cheap and annoying part of the game.
I will be polite and end on a nicer note. Futaba’s Palace was perfect. A great shakeup and a good character study. I don't like the way the game treats Futaba like an animal that must be trained after the fact, but her palace itself is good. I equally loved Sae’s palace. I think the tension at this point is really good, and it’s just a palace kind of built for me to enjoy due to personal preferences. I really liked Akechi's purpose in the story, and I think his moment in the engine room as the climax of his character was also a highlight of the game. I think he works well as a character who has done a lot wrong but is still sympathetic and a sign of what the phantom thieves work to prevent and how many of them could have ended up if their lives didn't get better.
I thought the third semester was very good. I feel as though I have nothing to really add to the conversation there, as this is a pretty widely viewed opinion. Maruki, Sumire, and Akechi are all given a shocking amount of complexity compared to the writing of the base game. I think my one critique to give is that I wish ATLUS was braver. I think the limited party sections should have been much longer, and your other party members should have been obscured by delusions for much longer. Besides that, though, the final portion of the game is extremely enjoyable.
You always fight final bosses multiple times in RPGs. I enjoyed how the royal final fights justified themselves with desperation. I do think the game really struggles with letting itself end once March comes around, but I cannot deny P5 is talented at being sentimental.
The gameplay is incredible, and the high moments are wonderful, but there is nothing more aggravating than a Persona game during its many low points. I already want to restart and replay again, though. So despite all my grievances, I am forced to admit it is addictive and something very special.
I played Persona 5 Royal with practically no experience with the base game. I have played a couple of Shin Megami Tensei games; I enjoyed them. I have played Persona 4 before, and it is my least favorite game ever. I didn't expect to come back and try out P5 ever again, but it happened for some reason. Due to my experiences with P4, I came in with really bad impressions, but I quickly found myself very addicted to the gameplay loop.
Just in terms of gameplay, I think P5 is very impressive and stunning. I have a lot of respect for the series for recognizing that things can be done to make its systems better, but not jumping to overhaul every single thing. I like turn-based combat, and I think the transition to everything becoming action RPGs is a little sad. I appreciate that the SMT series kept its core. I really like the technical status effect mechanics, I love everything with the guns, and I am very overjoyed to see demon negotiation and enemies that are not gloves and tables.
Palace designs are equally fun; even the typical SMT-type bland-ish dungeon, Mementos, is not boring to explore. Not all puzzles are winners, but most do not overstay their welcome. I think they also do a good job of changing up the palaces. By the time things get stale, they introduce Futaba’s palace, which is a very big shakeup. Afterwards, even the return to the more common type of palace is a little different due to how Haru was integrated and introduced.
The gameplay is near perfect, but turning to the story is where things get a bit troubling. P5 has a very similar issue to P4 in the way that it can be very hypocritical.
- Spoilers Start --------------------------
I think the most defining moment of P5 is when Ann is telling Kamoshida off for the way he treats women and minors, and then the game transitions into the battle screen, where Ann is always positioned bending over with her ass out in the camera. Ann is repeatedly made uncomfortable and harassed for “humor”. There are instances where control is taken away from the player in cutscenes and the main character makes Ann uncomfortable, and the player is invited to be creepy to her.
Kamoshida is a good villain, his palace is good, and he serves to show a real problem in the world, but it is hard to take the game seriously when it is often just as bad as him. He sexually harassed teenage girls; the game sexually harasses teenage girls. He abused the teen boys on his team; the game often has Ryuji getting hurt as a joke. He is a teacher that has relationships with his students; you can have a confidant with your homeroom teacher and date her. P5 wants to talk about issues in society when it cannot recognize that it itself, as a series, has existed making fun of minorities, being weird about women, and overall just putting people down.
Ann's arc is especially frustrating as the game opens by detailing the sexual harassment she faces, and the game follows this all up by introducing Yusuke through sexually harassing her. Yusuke's introduction is very aggravating, as he is not a standard "pervert character". He is a joke character in his introduction, and the joke is that he is so socially unaware that he sexually harasses Ann. Ann is told to repeatedly put up with it by her friends so they can get information on their next target, even though the entire opening of the game was about holding Ann's sexual harasser accountable and bringing his abuse to the public's attention. Overall, it is terrible to Ann's character for putting her through more abuse just for the sake of it, and it is terrible to Yusuke's character for treating his neurodivergencies as a joke and creepy.
During 6/11, after Joker tells Yusuke and Ryuji the circumstances of his arrest, Yusuke comments that,
"The woman sounds quite horrible as well. She's stayed quiet this whole time..."
This is full proof that the first arc of Persona 5 was not done with any true attempt to combat misogyny and the abuse women face.
One part of the Kamoshida arc that I praise is the complexity of the issue it focuses on: people know about the abuse women, in this case young teen girls, face; they just do not care and do not want to break the status quo. This is much more preferable than "abuse would not happen if woman just spoke out". At this moment, the game chastises a woman who was abused for not coming forward to the police. If this game meant what it preached, it would understand how ridiculous and insidious this line of dialogue is. This woman was assaulted by a famous politician with extreme power; even if she risked more assault by coming forward, there is no world where she is taken seriously, Joker was always doomed.
Either way, it is apparent that Joker saving this woman in the opening game entirely exists to make Joker seem like a good person, and how dare this woman he saved, who was assaulted moments ago, not do everything in her power to defend Joker from the police? Her abuse does not matter and misogyny does not matter to Persona 5, but pretending to care about those things does make the characters, and Persona 5, seem like heroes, right?
To top it all off, during this exact conversation on 6/11, Ryuji and Morgana both try to look up Ann's skirt as she lies down, and Ryuji comments as she is leaving,
"You convinced him, didn't you? You go, Miss Older-Dude-Charmer!"
It's ridiculous how hard Persona trips over itself to undermine its own messaging for no good reason at all other than making itself seem gross and uncaring.
I feel as though Persona's misogyny problems cannot go away due to how essential sexism is to the way Persona operates. Women cannot just exist in Persona. Women cannot just be friends, they cannot just be teachers, they cannot just be sisters, they must all fit into the dating simulation format; and they must all secretly want you no matter what. It frustrating. It feels like all of the girl's confidants cannot be serious and complex, as they all need to end with them confessing their feelings, since, as the protagonist, you are always effortlessly perfect, wanted, and irresistible.
I think the hypocrisy is the worst issue, but I also think it is sometimes hard to take the game seriously with how on the nose it is. It does do a lot of interesting things, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in itself or the player. In Futaba’s Palace, each mural describing her life is described to you by the characters. When you hear about someone doing bad things in the world through a Mementos request, all of the characters reinstate multiple times why what the person is doing is wrong. In the late game, I had a lot of issues with how "society" was represented in the game. Some things really reminded me of those "people are being controlled by their phones" type comics.
Once you meet Yaldabaoth, and it is introduced as the true main villain, you learn that its stance is that society is a mindless mass; the game rejects this, and yet this is directly how it has been portraying the people of the world. A mindless mass that will follow even the cruelest of people. There are multiple reasons why bad people get support besides direct approval. There is fear, oppression, coercion, restriction of knowledge, and a multitude of other things. P5 will sometimes acknowledge these things, but for the most part, the way it portrays the general masses of people in the world lacks nuance. Many of the scenes in between days or loading screens showing dialogue between people were very weak. The game's messaging feels very sloppy in terms of its final boss.
I think the framing of P5 is neat. I like the integration, and I like the suspense of knowing what's going to happen. I think they can cut back to the present too often, but for the most part, it is very good. I think Akechi is a great character. He's a perfect twist villain, though I don't feel fully right calling him that because I think the point of him is that you are supposed to know. The best parts of P5 come from it being a game about waiting for the other shoe to drop with multiple people and story beats. Talking to Akechi is tense and suspenseful since it's all about waiting for the moment when they're going to drop the character portrait where he has sharp teeth and hazy eyes. Not only that, but despite being a character you go in feeling like you know nearly everything about, he still manages to surprise by not being a sudden face-heel turn villain; he is telling you too much at every corner. Akechi is always just a couple words away from revealing it all when you would expect a character like him to keep playing dumb.
Things were nearly perfect, but then the game wanted to be smart. It wanted the player to think it was smart. I think they started to think about things on too many levels. They realized that everyone would know Akechi was a villain and didn't realize how perfect it was since they needed to be the ones on top. It feels like they wanted the twist not to be that he was villainous, but that everyone knew.
I think the story section where the game is finally in the present day is, frankly, terrible. Having the game purposely leave out things that the main characters were doing and saying, just so it can come back later and go "Of course everyone knew. Now all of the characters will explain to you all the cool stuff they did, while all the side characters comment on how cool and smart they are", is frustrating to experience. P5 so badly wants to seem smart at this moment, but it never has been. It's hypocritical, lacking in subtlety, and at this moment it's just cheap and annoying.
P5 can have small moments where it is smart or sneaky. Yeah, it's cool that there are hints at Akechi's true intentions. It's neat that the player may be able to pick up that he heard Morgana, but all of that is ruined when the game replays the "pancakes scene" over and over multiple times. It doesn't feel like a fun moment that the player may pick up on; it feels like a moment they made to rub in your face so you can praise the game. They do much better with the false Igor, which makes the fact that they did all of this so weird. Overall, it's just a very cheap and annoying part of the game.
I will be polite and end on a nicer note. Futaba’s Palace was perfect. A great shakeup and a good character study. I don't like the way the game treats Futaba like an animal that must be trained after the fact, but her palace itself is good. I equally loved Sae’s palace. I think the tension at this point is really good, and it’s just a palace kind of built for me to enjoy due to personal preferences. I really liked Akechi's purpose in the story, and I think his moment in the engine room as the climax of his character was also a highlight of the game. I think he works well as a character who has done a lot wrong but is still sympathetic and a sign of what the phantom thieves work to prevent and how many of them could have ended up if their lives didn't get better.
I thought the third semester was very good. I feel as though I have nothing to really add to the conversation there, as this is a pretty widely viewed opinion. Maruki, Sumire, and Akechi are all given a shocking amount of complexity compared to the writing of the base game. I think my one critique to give is that I wish ATLUS was braver. I think the limited party sections should have been much longer, and your other party members should have been obscured by delusions for much longer. Besides that, though, the final portion of the game is extremely enjoyable.
You always fight final bosses multiple times in RPGs. I enjoyed how the royal final fights justified themselves with desperation. I do think the game really struggles with letting itself end once March comes around, but I cannot deny P5 is talented at being sentimental.
The gameplay is incredible, and the high moments are wonderful, but there is nothing more aggravating than a Persona game during its many low points. I already want to restart and replay again, though. So despite all my grievances, I am forced to admit it is addictive and something very special.
I think it is good and a classic, but I really do get sick of hearing the overwhelming praise for the final case, and the game as a whole, when it is so sloppily written.
I will be vague for spoiler reasons, but:
I think it is a poor critique to complain when things have an easy fix. People are people; they make mistakes, do unexpected things, and do not always do what they should, but this has limitations. It is hard to take Bridge to the Turnabout seriously when it would not have happened if Godot treated women like people. Worst of all, Godot walks out of the story rewarded and heroized for his actions.
It is a hard game to enjoy when most of the cases are all building up towards a sour conclusion, but the game still has the charm of pre-AA5 Ace Attorney.
I will be vague for spoiler reasons, but:
I think it is a poor critique to complain when things have an easy fix. People are people; they make mistakes, do unexpected things, and do not always do what they should, but this has limitations. It is hard to take Bridge to the Turnabout seriously when it would not have happened if Godot treated women like people. Worst of all, Godot walks out of the story rewarded and heroized for his actions.
It is a hard game to enjoy when most of the cases are all building up towards a sour conclusion, but the game still has the charm of pre-AA5 Ace Attorney.
2022
This review contains spoilers
The quality of the chapters can really fluctuate. On one hand, the near-future chapter might be one of my favorite short game stories ever. On the other hand, I found the distant future chapter so miserable that it took me a year to get back into playing the game. I would say that it is more likely for a chapter to be poor over being good.
I honestly started the game really loving it, but as time went on, I grew more and more disappointed. I found myself especially frustrated with the Middle Ages chapter. Maybe it's my fault for going in with expectations, as I heard it talked up as "a great subversion of classic SNES RPG tropes", but I find it to be either the second worst (behind the distant future) or the worst chapter. The overall routing and things you need to do can be a bit strange, but that's the least of my complaints. It feels extremely like it's contemporary (now and in the SNES era), and I'm not easily wowed by "the hero turned into a villain" stories. It felt like it thought it was something much more than it was.
Not only that, but it's hard to take anything that is trying to be subversive seriously when it still relies on age-old, misogynist tropes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's not fully in line with the tropes, but does Alethea exist outside of the men that surround her? I think the treatment of women in Live A Live is something to comment on as a whole. There is one decently written girl character (Lei), which is incredibly pathetic for a game about multiple places and time periods with multiple different batches of ensemble casts.
To be honest, I actually did not 100% finish the game. I got to one of the final bosses, found it aggravating, saw that all that was left was a boss rush and a final final boss, and called it there. The final chapter felt incredibly weak with no good payoff or reason for everything to be connected. It also felt very designed around the fact that the person playing it would be in love with the game, which is a fair assumption as the person playing had gotten to the very end, but still. I like hard video games, I like hard RPGs, the first Odio boss fight felt like a boring slog and grinding around the dungeon got absolutely meager results. It was not anything i wanted to put more time into.
I wanted to like it, and the game is interesting in concept, but it weakens as it goes on, and its charm does not last. It's an incredibly disappointing game.
I honestly started the game really loving it, but as time went on, I grew more and more disappointed. I found myself especially frustrated with the Middle Ages chapter. Maybe it's my fault for going in with expectations, as I heard it talked up as "a great subversion of classic SNES RPG tropes", but I find it to be either the second worst (behind the distant future) or the worst chapter. The overall routing and things you need to do can be a bit strange, but that's the least of my complaints. It feels extremely like it's contemporary (now and in the SNES era), and I'm not easily wowed by "the hero turned into a villain" stories. It felt like it thought it was something much more than it was.
Not only that, but it's hard to take anything that is trying to be subversive seriously when it still relies on age-old, misogynist tropes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's not fully in line with the tropes, but does Alethea exist outside of the men that surround her? I think the treatment of women in Live A Live is something to comment on as a whole. There is one decently written girl character (Lei), which is incredibly pathetic for a game about multiple places and time periods with multiple different batches of ensemble casts.
To be honest, I actually did not 100% finish the game. I got to one of the final bosses, found it aggravating, saw that all that was left was a boss rush and a final final boss, and called it there. The final chapter felt incredibly weak with no good payoff or reason for everything to be connected. It also felt very designed around the fact that the person playing it would be in love with the game, which is a fair assumption as the person playing had gotten to the very end, but still. I like hard video games, I like hard RPGs, the first Odio boss fight felt like a boring slog and grinding around the dungeon got absolutely meager results. It was not anything i wanted to put more time into.
I wanted to like it, and the game is interesting in concept, but it weakens as it goes on, and its charm does not last. It's an incredibly disappointing game.
I wasn't very into Innocent Sin, but I had respect for it, I understood that me not being very into it was very personal, and I had some general fondness for the plot.
Eternal Punishment has the same issues (poor combat and dungeon design), but everything that was good about Innocent Sin is not present.
The plot is messy in Innocent Sin, but it felt like there were some trough-lines. Even if the plot didn't feel concise, the similar themes tied everything together. On the other hand, Eternal Punishment feels completely all over the place, with no common ground.
Even the rumor system feels much less grounded and part of the world of Eternal Punishment than it did in Innocent Sin, which is a shame since rumors are so essential to the game's identity.
I think at the heart of it Innocent Sin was good since it was the story of Tatsuya, Eikichi, Lisa, and Jun; Eternal Punishment is also that, but wrapped around a bunch of other things that feel pointless.
Maybe it's a bit rude to compare the two so closely, but it is a duology, and Eternal Punishment is at its best when it's just the second half of Innocent Sin— which it is for the last five minutes.
Also, to end on an incredibly petty note, making Maya a silent protagonist is terrible. Tatsuya as a silent protagonist was also terrible, so they made the smart move and made him an actual character—at the cost of Maya's character.
I very desperately wanted to like Persona 2 as a whole— I am a pretentious person, honestly— but I just do not see anything interesting in the story of Eternal Punishment until the literal last moments. I do respect that the game was willing to end on an imperfect and somber note.
Eternal Punishment has the same issues (poor combat and dungeon design), but everything that was good about Innocent Sin is not present.
The plot is messy in Innocent Sin, but it felt like there were some trough-lines. Even if the plot didn't feel concise, the similar themes tied everything together. On the other hand, Eternal Punishment feels completely all over the place, with no common ground.
Even the rumor system feels much less grounded and part of the world of Eternal Punishment than it did in Innocent Sin, which is a shame since rumors are so essential to the game's identity.
I think at the heart of it Innocent Sin was good since it was the story of Tatsuya, Eikichi, Lisa, and Jun; Eternal Punishment is also that, but wrapped around a bunch of other things that feel pointless.
Maybe it's a bit rude to compare the two so closely, but it is a duology, and Eternal Punishment is at its best when it's just the second half of Innocent Sin— which it is for the last five minutes.
Also, to end on an incredibly petty note, making Maya a silent protagonist is terrible. Tatsuya as a silent protagonist was also terrible, so they made the smart move and made him an actual character—at the cost of Maya's character.
I very desperately wanted to like Persona 2 as a whole— I am a pretentious person, honestly— but I just do not see anything interesting in the story of Eternal Punishment until the literal last moments. I do respect that the game was willing to end on an imperfect and somber note.
1995
The 3/5 is only because I am reviewing the game from a modern perspective and because the game doesn't have much to it, not that it needs anything more.
It's a shockingly fun game, and it's not frustrating at all, which is surprising for how old it is. The game-play loop is good, and I really like the way the game uses time instead of a typical health bar.
I do object to ATLUS having "Jack the Ripper" as the third Jack Brother; he does not match up to Frost or Pyro's wonderful designs and characters. I think this is a fumble that will stain the franchise's past.
It's a shockingly fun game, and it's not frustrating at all, which is surprising for how old it is. The game-play loop is good, and I really like the way the game uses time instead of a typical health bar.
I do object to ATLUS having "Jack the Ripper" as the third Jack Brother; he does not match up to Frost or Pyro's wonderful designs and characters. I think this is a fumble that will stain the franchise's past.
2019
This review contains spoilers
Throughout my playthrough, I recognized that Hypnospace Outlaw was not for me. I do not have nostalgia for 90s forums, and I am less into the kind of puzzles at the root of the game. I still had fun, and I have a deep admiration for the effort and passion that were clearly put into the game.
I do have some thoughts on the ending, though, that are less subjective preferences, and something that I feel like is a valid criticism. Dylan is built up as a very strong heel, and to the last moment he toys with you, but the payoff feels rather weak. There is no catharsis. Dylan is rude and passively aggressive, until the game's ending, where he is deeply guilty and saddened. I love nuance, but this feels weakly done, and it would have been better for him to keep being rude and over his head. It does not really feel like justice was served; Dylan is honestly the least interesting part of all this. More focus on the families hurt or T1MAGEDDON would have been wiser.
It is a great game, though, all things considered. I hope the criticisms do not seem too harsh since it truly is a great game; it just does not perfectly land its ending.
I do have some thoughts on the ending, though, that are less subjective preferences, and something that I feel like is a valid criticism. Dylan is built up as a very strong heel, and to the last moment he toys with you, but the payoff feels rather weak. There is no catharsis. Dylan is rude and passively aggressive, until the game's ending, where he is deeply guilty and saddened. I love nuance, but this feels weakly done, and it would have been better for him to keep being rude and over his head. It does not really feel like justice was served; Dylan is honestly the least interesting part of all this. More focus on the families hurt or T1MAGEDDON would have been wiser.
It is a great game, though, all things considered. I hope the criticisms do not seem too harsh since it truly is a great game; it just does not perfectly land its ending.
I cannot say anything that's not already been said. Great game. Instant classic.
What I will say, though, is that I think the true demon ending and the true demon final boss are both huge disappointments. Yes, you can get other endings, and I wanted another ending. Maybe it’s partially my fault for getting caught up in wanting to see the “true” and “full” experience, but I do think it's still fully fair to be disappointed in a final boss that is not fun to fight.
What I will say, though, is that I think the true demon ending and the true demon final boss are both huge disappointments. Yes, you can get other endings, and I wanted another ending. Maybe it’s partially my fault for getting caught up in wanting to see the “true” and “full” experience, but I do think it's still fully fair to be disappointed in a final boss that is not fun to fight.
2009
My opinions on Persona 3 Portable are very neutral; I do lean towards a more negative outlook, though, sadly.
The portable version is certainly not the best way to play the game. I hate when people act like visual novels aren't a worthwhile medium, but portable is clearly a game pushed into a medium it wasn't originally intended for. I think it makes some of the story beats very weak, and the presentation as a whole feels very cheap, only made worse by the off-chance moments of Persona's stylistic flare.
Personally, I find the combat to be terribly weak. It's boring and tedious. It doesn't have the reward or addictive feeling of good SMT combat. An extra turn for hitting weaknesses or criticals doesn't really amount to much. In SMT, you reach this point where you are suddenly much stronger than you were before in a way that is rewarding and apparent; this is true of most RPGs. I never felt like I got this moment in P3, despite being the correct level for bosses. My damage always felt so low; nothing ever scales to be that big or grand. Also, I really hate the buff/debuff system in P3. Not being able to stack or extend the time of support skills is just annoying. I like the idea of one big dungeon, but when paired with poor combat, it makes for a tedious experience. The boss fights were very poor and uninteresting. The final boss is one of my least favorite final fights I have witnessed in an RPG, which tainted my view of the ending overall.
This may be a silly point to make, but I do not understand making a SMT game without demon talk. I think when putting SMT against other RPGs, SMT stands out due to its surprising nature. SMT will catch you off guard and force you to engage in demon talk mechanics: hold-ups, demons forcing themselves into your party, demons begging for their lives, etc. It's very charming and a core foundation of SMT's identity. P3 doesn't have any of that, though. I know the game doesn't have demon talk since the enemies are not demons, but that is another issue I have with the game. I dislike that the typical SMT demon designs are reserved for just Personas. In a series known for fun enemy designs, I grew a little sick of seeing the same tables, sludge monsters, dice, and gloves over and over again.
My issues with the combat and presentation are separate from the story, but they taint the experience as a whole, and I find it hard to view the story just as it is. I like how focused the game is on its main themes; it is very insistent on death and moon imagery, and I commend it for that. There are some very strong moments in the game. 10/4, Akinari's social link, and Aigis's social link, but the issue for me was that those moments were incredible, but they were the only ones I found myself really caring about. Take my opinions of the story as fully subjective, but I found it as a whole uninteresting and shallow. The parallels between characters are strong and drawn beautifully, but that's the only major praise I have to give. I think many of the twists are built up very poorly. The ending, to me, felt like it went out with a whimper. Not that stories need to feel bombastic and grand; there is beauty in quieter moments (I like how understated and bleak the ending was), but that's not what it was; it felt empty. Once again, I do think my issues with the combat and presentation give me a negative outlook on the story as a whole.
I think if I played Persona 3 FES or base Persona 3, maybe I would have given the game a 3.5/5, but, to me, portable takes an already weak game and makes it weaker. When it is good, it is incredible, heartfelt, and tragic; at any other moment, though, I felt nothing.
The portable version is certainly not the best way to play the game. I hate when people act like visual novels aren't a worthwhile medium, but portable is clearly a game pushed into a medium it wasn't originally intended for. I think it makes some of the story beats very weak, and the presentation as a whole feels very cheap, only made worse by the off-chance moments of Persona's stylistic flare.
Personally, I find the combat to be terribly weak. It's boring and tedious. It doesn't have the reward or addictive feeling of good SMT combat. An extra turn for hitting weaknesses or criticals doesn't really amount to much. In SMT, you reach this point where you are suddenly much stronger than you were before in a way that is rewarding and apparent; this is true of most RPGs. I never felt like I got this moment in P3, despite being the correct level for bosses. My damage always felt so low; nothing ever scales to be that big or grand. Also, I really hate the buff/debuff system in P3. Not being able to stack or extend the time of support skills is just annoying. I like the idea of one big dungeon, but when paired with poor combat, it makes for a tedious experience. The boss fights were very poor and uninteresting. The final boss is one of my least favorite final fights I have witnessed in an RPG, which tainted my view of the ending overall.
This may be a silly point to make, but I do not understand making a SMT game without demon talk. I think when putting SMT against other RPGs, SMT stands out due to its surprising nature. SMT will catch you off guard and force you to engage in demon talk mechanics: hold-ups, demons forcing themselves into your party, demons begging for their lives, etc. It's very charming and a core foundation of SMT's identity. P3 doesn't have any of that, though. I know the game doesn't have demon talk since the enemies are not demons, but that is another issue I have with the game. I dislike that the typical SMT demon designs are reserved for just Personas. In a series known for fun enemy designs, I grew a little sick of seeing the same tables, sludge monsters, dice, and gloves over and over again.
My issues with the combat and presentation are separate from the story, but they taint the experience as a whole, and I find it hard to view the story just as it is. I like how focused the game is on its main themes; it is very insistent on death and moon imagery, and I commend it for that. There are some very strong moments in the game. 10/4, Akinari's social link, and Aigis's social link, but the issue for me was that those moments were incredible, but they were the only ones I found myself really caring about. Take my opinions of the story as fully subjective, but I found it as a whole uninteresting and shallow. The parallels between characters are strong and drawn beautifully, but that's the only major praise I have to give. I think many of the twists are built up very poorly. The ending, to me, felt like it went out with a whimper. Not that stories need to feel bombastic and grand; there is beauty in quieter moments (I like how understated and bleak the ending was), but that's not what it was; it felt empty. Once again, I do think my issues with the combat and presentation give me a negative outlook on the story as a whole.
I think if I played Persona 3 FES or base Persona 3, maybe I would have given the game a 3.5/5, but, to me, portable takes an already weak game and makes it weaker. When it is good, it is incredible, heartfelt, and tragic; at any other moment, though, I felt nothing.
It is certainly better than Ace Attorney Investigations, but I do not find it nearly as endearing or interesting as the main series.
I did not like the final case of Ace Attorney Investigations at all, and I really liked the first case of Ace Attorney Investigations 2. I went into the game with a positive outlook. It instantly fell apart, though; the first case is the high point of the game to me.
The second case drags on for too long. I liked Sebastian. He is a fun addition, but that is about it. I did not like Raymond, on the other hand. He reminds me of a pestering man at a gas station. I want to like Courtney but she is too one-note.
The third case is even worse. I think people get a little wrapped up in the mythos of the series with this case, I do not understand people's enjoyment of it. It drags on even more than the second case, and the characters are not very interesting. Gregory is way too flat for me to care much about him.
Personally, I found myself not caring for Edgeworth much after Justice For All, but objectively, he was still good in Trials and Tribulations. The Ace Attorney Investigations games are him at his worst. I think his charm in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Justice For All comes from him being a bit of a mess of a person despite seeming well put together. I have heard that Edgeworth seems like he is more put together in the Ace Attorney Investigations games since he is putting on a front for Kay. If that is true and what they were going for, that is really lame, and they went about it in a bad way. It makes his character boring, and it is just retreading ground already gone through in previous Ace Attorney games. I think the right turn for his character should always be pushing him to open up more.
The last two cases are better, but I do not find myself caring much. I think Justice for All and Apollo Justice are the only Ace Attorney games to pull off a twist villain. They serve a purpose in the story of the games and support the main themes, and that is why they work and are enjoyable. Ace Attorney Investigations 2 feels like it is just trying to be shocking. It has a leg up on Dual Destinies as they make it so you can realize what is happening and figure out the twist ahead of time, but still I do not see much value in it.
It is an alright game, but I do not think it is even close to being the best in the series. It is comparatively mediocre to the trilogy and Apollo Justice. I think people get too impressed by a visible, interconnected story. All of the games are interconnected through themes, even if they are not following one set story. Justice For All had the worst case in the series, but still had a really impressive level of cohesion, and its story all fit together beautifully. I would rather take a more fun and interesting game over something visibly interconnected.
This might be kind of harsh, but I think some people's enjoyment of Ace Attorney Investigations 2 comes fully from it being an "underground" untranslated game. I do not find it shocking at all that the team that made the Ace Attorney Investigations games went on to make the worst games in the Ace Attorney series.
I did not like the final case of Ace Attorney Investigations at all, and I really liked the first case of Ace Attorney Investigations 2. I went into the game with a positive outlook. It instantly fell apart, though; the first case is the high point of the game to me.
The second case drags on for too long. I liked Sebastian. He is a fun addition, but that is about it. I did not like Raymond, on the other hand. He reminds me of a pestering man at a gas station. I want to like Courtney but she is too one-note.
The third case is even worse. I think people get a little wrapped up in the mythos of the series with this case, I do not understand people's enjoyment of it. It drags on even more than the second case, and the characters are not very interesting. Gregory is way too flat for me to care much about him.
Personally, I found myself not caring for Edgeworth much after Justice For All, but objectively, he was still good in Trials and Tribulations. The Ace Attorney Investigations games are him at his worst. I think his charm in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Justice For All comes from him being a bit of a mess of a person despite seeming well put together. I have heard that Edgeworth seems like he is more put together in the Ace Attorney Investigations games since he is putting on a front for Kay. If that is true and what they were going for, that is really lame, and they went about it in a bad way. It makes his character boring, and it is just retreading ground already gone through in previous Ace Attorney games. I think the right turn for his character should always be pushing him to open up more.
The last two cases are better, but I do not find myself caring much. I think Justice for All and Apollo Justice are the only Ace Attorney games to pull off a twist villain. They serve a purpose in the story of the games and support the main themes, and that is why they work and are enjoyable. Ace Attorney Investigations 2 feels like it is just trying to be shocking. It has a leg up on Dual Destinies as they make it so you can realize what is happening and figure out the twist ahead of time, but still I do not see much value in it.
It is an alright game, but I do not think it is even close to being the best in the series. It is comparatively mediocre to the trilogy and Apollo Justice. I think people get too impressed by a visible, interconnected story. All of the games are interconnected through themes, even if they are not following one set story. Justice For All had the worst case in the series, but still had a really impressive level of cohesion, and its story all fit together beautifully. I would rather take a more fun and interesting game over something visibly interconnected.
This might be kind of harsh, but I think some people's enjoyment of Ace Attorney Investigations 2 comes fully from it being an "underground" untranslated game. I do not find it shocking at all that the team that made the Ace Attorney Investigations games went on to make the worst games in the Ace Attorney series.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is an Ace Attorney mascot. It is trying so hard to be the most Ace Attorney thing it can be, but tramples over everything the series has existed as. At the very least it has the charm and enjoyment that Ace Attorney inherently has.
Dual Destinies is not good at all and it is a sad downturn to see the series take. Every single interesting development and future plot point alluded to in Apollo Justice is completely dropped and ignored. The game's main philosophy and "moral" completely contradicts what the series and specifically Apollo Justice stood for. For a series about how corrupt the legal system is and how people, specifically in the legal system, will abuse their status and power for their own benefit, it is unfortunate to see it take a "We need to help people learn to trust the legal system again!" stance.
Phoenix's character has completely reverted and the game just jumps right into him being an attorney again. Apollo Justice didn't have many "weird fanservice moments" and it feels like Dual Destinies is trying to make up for it by having Juniper swoon over Apollo and have the game remark weirdly often that he's extremely masculine. Apollo's character seems to have become whatever the game needs him to be. The complexity of Trucy's character is completely ignored and she's just some quirky girl that's an accessory to Phoenix.
This is the introduction to Athena and it would not be a stretch to say Dual Destinies seems like it should be her game, but ten minutes in when you are switched from playing as her to being Phoenix in the first case, you know it's not true. It is weird they even pushed her into the series since it seems like the writers do not like her. It never seems like they like women very much, but Athena always seems so trampled over.
Simon is interesting as an idea for a prosecutor, but, due to the core concept of him being in jail, you never get the "outside of courtroom" interactions with him like you would see with previous prosecutors in the series. It feels like there's not as much time to connect with him.
The twist villain is lame and offers nothing interesting at all. Justice for All's Farewell, My Turnabout was so wonderful that it seems to have rebound and Ace Attorney forgot why it worked. Farewell, My Turnabout worked so well since it understood and supported the themes and ideas of Justice for All. Also it had been subtlety built up to through game mechanics through each case. Apollo Justice's Turnabout Trump on a fundamental level did the same thing as Farewell, My Turnabout. Not only that but Turnabout Trump was a unique version of the Ace Attorney twist villain since it happened so fast but it still managed to build up strong expectations and shatter them. Dual Destinies has a twist villain since it thinks that is what will make it's story and mysteries good. It offers nothing to the plot at all. Well maybe that's being a bit harsh. Maybe the twist villain is trying to communicate the theme of "Nothings wrong with the legal system, all issues are actually being caused by some foreign spy and we're all in a quasi-cold war, it's us vs them."
The most charming, dumb fun case, The Monstrous Turnabout, is made vapid due to being weirdly homophobic. The Cosmic Turnabout was good but, everything it stands for, and everything it leads to, sucks. I guess the game at least has an interesting structure. The only positive takeaway from Dual Destinies is it really is a showcase at how strong the charm of Ace Attorney is.
Dual Destinies is as bad as it is since I love Ace Attorney. Dual Destinies is only good since I love Ace Attorney. If not for these facts I would call it a bland game. For an Ace Attorney game, it is extremely bland honestly.
Dual Destinies is not good at all and it is a sad downturn to see the series take. Every single interesting development and future plot point alluded to in Apollo Justice is completely dropped and ignored. The game's main philosophy and "moral" completely contradicts what the series and specifically Apollo Justice stood for. For a series about how corrupt the legal system is and how people, specifically in the legal system, will abuse their status and power for their own benefit, it is unfortunate to see it take a "We need to help people learn to trust the legal system again!" stance.
Phoenix's character has completely reverted and the game just jumps right into him being an attorney again. Apollo Justice didn't have many "weird fanservice moments" and it feels like Dual Destinies is trying to make up for it by having Juniper swoon over Apollo and have the game remark weirdly often that he's extremely masculine. Apollo's character seems to have become whatever the game needs him to be. The complexity of Trucy's character is completely ignored and she's just some quirky girl that's an accessory to Phoenix.
This is the introduction to Athena and it would not be a stretch to say Dual Destinies seems like it should be her game, but ten minutes in when you are switched from playing as her to being Phoenix in the first case, you know it's not true. It is weird they even pushed her into the series since it seems like the writers do not like her. It never seems like they like women very much, but Athena always seems so trampled over.
Simon is interesting as an idea for a prosecutor, but, due to the core concept of him being in jail, you never get the "outside of courtroom" interactions with him like you would see with previous prosecutors in the series. It feels like there's not as much time to connect with him.
The twist villain is lame and offers nothing interesting at all. Justice for All's Farewell, My Turnabout was so wonderful that it seems to have rebound and Ace Attorney forgot why it worked. Farewell, My Turnabout worked so well since it understood and supported the themes and ideas of Justice for All. Also it had been subtlety built up to through game mechanics through each case. Apollo Justice's Turnabout Trump on a fundamental level did the same thing as Farewell, My Turnabout. Not only that but Turnabout Trump was a unique version of the Ace Attorney twist villain since it happened so fast but it still managed to build up strong expectations and shatter them. Dual Destinies has a twist villain since it thinks that is what will make it's story and mysteries good. It offers nothing to the plot at all. Well maybe that's being a bit harsh. Maybe the twist villain is trying to communicate the theme of "Nothings wrong with the legal system, all issues are actually being caused by some foreign spy and we're all in a quasi-cold war, it's us vs them."
The most charming, dumb fun case, The Monstrous Turnabout, is made vapid due to being weirdly homophobic. The Cosmic Turnabout was good but, everything it stands for, and everything it leads to, sucks. I guess the game at least has an interesting structure. The only positive takeaway from Dual Destinies is it really is a showcase at how strong the charm of Ace Attorney is.
Dual Destinies is as bad as it is since I love Ace Attorney. Dual Destinies is only good since I love Ace Attorney. If not for these facts I would call it a bland game. For an Ace Attorney game, it is extremely bland honestly.
This review contains spoilers
When I played Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney for the first time I overall had a fun experience but found myself scorned on the final case and some other details throughout the game. Since that point every time I have thought about the game I have grown to love it more and more to the point of it now being one of my favorite games and my favorite in the series. Simply: it's charm is enchanting and it's story, characters, and themes are extremely strong. The worst part about it is: it was meant to have a sequel it never got.
Anyway here's my stupid long review/analysis of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Turnabout Trump
-
The first cases in Ace Attorney games are often not extraordinary. Nothing is ever expected of them. They are an introduction to characters and a reintroduction of mechanics.
Turnabout Trump is pretty unanimously loved and seen as the best first case, because despite what was expected of it, it actually tried and delivered an incredible case.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney exists almost as a subversion of typical Ace Attorney tropes. Characters types that are typically antagonistic are kind and character types that are typically kind are antagonistic.
The clear example here is Kristoph, the mentor turned twist villain, but I think another example is Phoenix himself. Phoenix throughout Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is unkind, unhelpful, and manipulative to Apollo. In my opinion I believe there is more of Phoenix treating Apollo poorly on screen than there is Kristoph treating Apollo poorly on screen. The difference between these characters, though, is of course motive. Kristoph is trying to save his bruised ego, Phoenix is honestly also doing the same, but he is also trying to bring a murderer to justice and reform the legal system for the better.
I fully believe this is Phoenix at his best. He is a worse person and he's not kind, but there's something about on screen seeing how horribly Dahlia and Kristoph treated him and seeing him doing all the same to Kristoph and Apollo. He does truly have a good goal but similar to Kristoph his bruised ego leads him to handing Apollo forged evidence and wrapping him up in everything. Phoenix starts a trend that will be seen throughout the game's defendants, guilt of some actual crime. For Phoenix that is forged evidence and crime scene tampering.
The case itself is wonderful the mystery is fun and of course shocking, and I honestly like this games supernatural aid power, perceiving. I understand where some people's frustration lies, but I liked the feature and it's execution. I think it was a fun approach to focus on the more physiological and physical parts of a testimony.
Besides all that, I don't have much to add to what everyone else has already said: it's one of the best cases in the series.
Turnabout Corner
-
Every Ace Attorney game has an obligatory comfort/charming case that's just plain fun. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney had Turnabout Samurai and Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations had Recipe for Turnabout (it's a guilty pleasure I'll agree with the majority that it sucks). I think Turnabout Corner stands well alongside these two and is honestly the best of them. It's just all around enjoyable, but it also works really well as it's own story and contributes well to the game's overall narrative.
I will apologize for the tangents and ramblings now there is a lot in Turnabout Corner to discuss as it is the introduction for many important characters.
Months after the whirlwind of Turnabout Trump Apollo has been left jobless and is left to return to his last option: Phoenix Wright. I really like how Apollo and Phoenix's relationship to each other is handled in this game and I think it's an absolute shame it gets ignored by many for the sake of fluffy, ignorant, and out of character, found family. Apollo is rightfully upset at Phoenix and only returns to him when Apollo has no other choice.
Before bumping back into Phoenix though, the player and Apollo are given a proper and full introduction to Trucy Wright, a fun, bubbly, sly, child magician. Trucy is easily my favorite of the co-counsel and investigation partner characters. I think she has an incredible depth to her character and she's genuinely very funny. She works very well with every character in the game.
Apollo and Trucy find themselves quickly wrapped up in multiple small mysteries that are all strangely related. Which is a very fun concept for a case and I like the way it builds up and plays out. It starts out with small petty crimes before revealing the central murder.
Following on Turnabout Trump's tail Turnabout Corner also shakes up series foundations with the relationship the player has with the investigative police and the prosecutor. I really love Ema in this game and she's my favorite of the police detectives. I think her bitter attitude fits well with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney's overall tone, but unlike Gumshoe she is more so working with Apollo and Trucy and wants to help them out once she learns about their relation to Phoenix. I think she's just a joy to see on screen and I like her dumb forensics mini games. Also unlike previous games' Gumshoe, she has a poor relationship with this game's main prosecutor, Klavier, due to his involvement with Phoenix's disbarment.
Klavier, similar to Ema, is also vastly different to the prosecutors before him and is also very likable, and probably the best prosecutor in the series. Ace Attorney is often about the prosecutor's path to working alongside the defense for the sake of justice, but from the beginning Klavier is helpful, kind, and not hostile. Though his character does have some strong depth to it too, he is not instantly trustful of Apollo, although this trust is built up somewhat quickly. Apollo put Klavier's brother (who through subtext and actions we can assume Klavier had a high respect for) in jail. Throughout the beginnings of Turnabout Corner it feels like Klavier is trying to figure out who Apollo is as a person. Once Klavier learns about Apollo's drive and passion for the truth and justice, Klavier learns to place his trust in him. His and Apollo's dynamic is plainly just really good. I think they contrast well with Phoenix and Kristoph and parallel each other quite well.
The case itself is a fun trial and investigation. I really enjoy all the characters here, I like Wocky as a defendant and I like the small arc he goes through with his family. I also really like how he continues the trend of somewhat guilty defendants. Wocky wants to go to jail, he wanted to kill Meraktis. He's not a fully innocent person, but he did not kill anyone.
I think Pal Meraktis is an interesting victim, and I like Alita as culprit. This case does feature the worst character in the whole game, Wesley Stickler, but he is in my opinion the only unlikable character in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney which is a little impressive.
Overall it's as stated just a fun time. It's mystery is fun to unravel and fitting together just how everything fits together is very satisfying. My memory of playing through this case is overall warm and fluffy, it's high up on my overall case rankings.
Turnabout Serenade
-
Similar to Recipe for Turnabout: It may suck but I like it.
Turnabout Serenade exists for a good reason: more development for Klavier and to introduce Lamiroir and Valant, it does all of these things well.
After a murder at the Gavinners' concert Machi Tobaye is arrested for the murder for Romein LeTouse.
From the beginning the case is on rocky ground because it's very clear that Machi could not be the culprit. Klavier could just be ignorant because he does not want to face the truth: Daryan clearly being the culprit, but it's still a bit silly that others would believe that Machi is the culprit too. This is something that honestly didn't bother me much, it's an Ace Attorney game, but I fully understand other's irritation to it.
Similarly the music video that played constantly was also not much of a bother to me. I understand how it would be annoying to others, but bright orange Klavier Gavin having to pathetically stomp out fire is essential to me.
I think I am overall more forgiving of this case since I'm a sucker for when a case has a good backstory and I honestly loved the smuggling some weird cocoon to cure a disease call incuritis plot. I liked the conflict between Machi, Romein, and Daryan and how Machi truly was guilty of smuggling and he had to admit to that for the best outcome. How Daryan was in contact with and constantly blackmailed/manipulated Machi. The cat mouse case between Romein and Daryan. It's all goofy, but it's an Ace Attorney game and I was having fun.
Despite Klavier's accusations against Machi not being well grounded, I think this is still a strong case for him. It feels like Klavier always knew in his heart that Daryan was at fault and he just did not want to believe it was true. Even before Daryan was starting to be questioned Klavier already had him registered as a witness. Klavier places his trust in Apollo, for Apollo to prove to and convince Klavier what he already knows but doesn't want to face.
Turnabout Succession
-
After I first played Turnabout Succession I was upset and did not like it, but it has really grown on me. I think my main issue was the focus on Phoenix, which I still hold, but I think the case is still really enjoyable despite it's faults.
Another complaint for the game that I see often, but don't have an issue with is the MASON system. I like it's weird techy aesthetics and I found the investigation to be honestly fun. Running around as Phoenix or Apollo and collecting halves of evidence and ideas to bring together into wholes is rewarding.
I liked the case of Phoenix's disbarment a lot. The Gramaryes are honestly fun to deal with and learn about, they sound horrible. I actually really liked the jarring use of the old sprites. It was, as stated jarring, and likely just to save money, but I found it charming and nostalgic (despite the fact I had only just finished the trilogy a week prior). I really love the impact of having to present the evidence you know is going to get Phoenix disbarred and the way it parallels Turnabout Trump with forged evidence. It also is a very strong point for Klavier's character and a good point of drama that will be at the center of the case.
The present day trial is equally enjoyable. I liked digging around the Drew studio and learning about the forgeries and watching everything click into place. I liked the locked room elaborate mystery with a killing that was seven years in the making.
At the center of it all, of course, is Kristoph and Phoenix's ego battle, once again. The reveal of Kristoph's hatred and actions all stemming from a lost poker game and losing Zak as a client, who would later hire Phoenix, feels similar to the story of the Capulets and Montagues' hatred in Romeo and Juliet, which was left unexplained, but has a similar effect: long term violent and destructive hatred for a pathetic reason. Something Phoenix himself has gotten caught up in. Yes he wants his badge back, yes he has seen the failures of the legal system and would like to amend it, but at the lengths he goes to at a point it feels like Phoenix's true goal is to just run laps around Kristoph.
Klavier though is somewhere in the center of this all. He has learned that his brother, who he respects, has been manipulating him for a long time and due to that manipulation Klavier has inadvertently ruined an innocent man's life. Once again like before Klavier relies on Apollo to prove to him and show him the truth. Throughout the game Apollo and Klavier have felt like the core and heart of the cases. They both just bounce off of each other well and they're both just pawns of Phoenix and Kristoph, but through this case it feels like they finally get to succeed them.
Trucy similarly succeeds her father, who abandoned her, and gains the rights to Gramarye performances. Trucy similar to Klavier has been at the heart of everything. Throughout the game she really is a great character and to see her act so strong and goof around despite it all makes her very charming.
As stated before I am still upset that not enough focus was on Apollo he is very central to this case and I like it thematically, but still I think Apollo did not get to experience his own story enough.
Kristoph in the end is defeated by the jurist system. There is no definitive proof for his crimes, but the system has grown to combat him and his actions/word are enough for conviction. I find myself conflicted on this. It feels somewhat anticlimactic and like it could be built up better. Honestly in my mind I wonder if Turnabout Serenade was lost directly because of a lack of evidence, or even better if Kristoph was never jailed in Turnabout Trump because of a lack of evidence would have led to a stronger impact of the jurist system in the final case.
I have neglected to talk about Apollo himself since there is both a lot to say and nothing to say. I do not think he gets enough focus and it seems like he was clearly going to be expanded on more on the Apollo Justice 2 there never sadly was. Despite it all though, he follows the trend of what I have said about Trucy, Ema, and Klavier. He's my favorite player character in the series. I find him to be way more likable and intriguing than Phoenix and I think the hardships he faces are gripping. He would perfectly fit into a loony toons cartoon. He's earnest, funny, charming, and gels well with the other characters. His relationship to Trucy is sweet, and his growing companionship to Klavier is one of the strong points of the game. His passion and rashness to stand up for what he believes in and the fact he punched Phoenix makes him a number one in my books.
During Turnabout Succession we learn that Apollo and Trucy are half-siblings and Lamiroir is Thalassa Gramarye. This is a shocking twist, but is it a good shocking twist, does it add anything? I think it does: in a story about Apollo, Trucy, and Klavier being manipulated at every turn by people they love and trust and Trucy specifically being moved around and harmed horribly by family, I think there's something to her gaining a brother who truly cares. Apollo and Trucy never learn about this, but in regard to Apollo, Trucy charmingly states, "It's like.. like I've found my long-lost, big, little brother!", in the credits. It doesn't matter that they are secretly blood related, what matters is that they chose to be siblings and connected to each other over the course of Apollo's time at the agency.
As a final wrap up I would like to make a comment about something I noticed about the game as a whole. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney was originally posed as a reboot with no returning characters (besides probably some cameos) this of course did not happen, but something about the game retains this element of being separate from the rest, on the outside looking in. I think this comes from how reflective this game is about Ace Attorney as a series. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney plays close mind to long time Ace Attorney series tropes and puts them on their heads.
The prosecutor is very friendly, the detective is more on your side over anybody else, all of the defendants legitimately do something wrong or illegal, and most of the victims (save Romein LeTouse) also did something wrong or illegal. The most impactful and important trope change is the mentors role in the story. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is centered around your mentor being a bad person. The best part about it is, it not just Kristoph, it's Phoenix too. Phoenix is the biggest example of any of this, he is not just your mentor he is the main character and symbol of justice of the first three games. He is not evil in the way Kristoph is but he is certainly not a good person.
All of these changes are a neat reflection on the series as a whole and what it exists as, but it also adds a lot of complexity to the tropey Ace Attorney character and makes them fresh. Nobody is who they seem or what you expect.
This I will not praise as much since I think it is purely coincidental, I have seen what the writers wrote and will continue to write like, but Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have many typical weird/gross fan service moments at all. I think the only true moment of any of this is Wesley Stickler in Turnabout Corner and his gross thing and that's practically it.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have moments of women falling to Apollo's feet so the player can feel good about themselves. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not try to make Apollo out as this masculine perfect figure. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have random gross moments of fan service and it does not have random moments of bigotry for a quick laugh.
Even within Ace Attorney itself there are moments that I can think to and think back on and go "That was weird and gross, it had no reason to happen". Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney only has one. Do not mistake this as me praising it for a minimum. I think this is my long winded way of saying part of my enjoyment of this game comes from the fact it's not tripping over it's feet to do something aggravating.
There are loose threads that sadly will never be solved by an Apollo Justice 2, which is heartbreaking. The direction the game was heading really could have been interesting, the jurist system was likely supposed to stay, Apollo would truly get to be in focus, Trucy and Apollo would get to learn about their relation, Klavier could have an 1-4 style case or something, but I guess for Capcom it's more fun to throw a new lawyer at the wall and under develop her.
Anyway here's my stupid long review/analysis of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Turnabout Trump
-
The first cases in Ace Attorney games are often not extraordinary. Nothing is ever expected of them. They are an introduction to characters and a reintroduction of mechanics.
Turnabout Trump is pretty unanimously loved and seen as the best first case, because despite what was expected of it, it actually tried and delivered an incredible case.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney exists almost as a subversion of typical Ace Attorney tropes. Characters types that are typically antagonistic are kind and character types that are typically kind are antagonistic.
The clear example here is Kristoph, the mentor turned twist villain, but I think another example is Phoenix himself. Phoenix throughout Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is unkind, unhelpful, and manipulative to Apollo. In my opinion I believe there is more of Phoenix treating Apollo poorly on screen than there is Kristoph treating Apollo poorly on screen. The difference between these characters, though, is of course motive. Kristoph is trying to save his bruised ego, Phoenix is honestly also doing the same, but he is also trying to bring a murderer to justice and reform the legal system for the better.
I fully believe this is Phoenix at his best. He is a worse person and he's not kind, but there's something about on screen seeing how horribly Dahlia and Kristoph treated him and seeing him doing all the same to Kristoph and Apollo. He does truly have a good goal but similar to Kristoph his bruised ego leads him to handing Apollo forged evidence and wrapping him up in everything. Phoenix starts a trend that will be seen throughout the game's defendants, guilt of some actual crime. For Phoenix that is forged evidence and crime scene tampering.
The case itself is wonderful the mystery is fun and of course shocking, and I honestly like this games supernatural aid power, perceiving. I understand where some people's frustration lies, but I liked the feature and it's execution. I think it was a fun approach to focus on the more physiological and physical parts of a testimony.
Besides all that, I don't have much to add to what everyone else has already said: it's one of the best cases in the series.
Turnabout Corner
-
Every Ace Attorney game has an obligatory comfort/charming case that's just plain fun. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney had Turnabout Samurai and Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations had Recipe for Turnabout (it's a guilty pleasure I'll agree with the majority that it sucks). I think Turnabout Corner stands well alongside these two and is honestly the best of them. It's just all around enjoyable, but it also works really well as it's own story and contributes well to the game's overall narrative.
I will apologize for the tangents and ramblings now there is a lot in Turnabout Corner to discuss as it is the introduction for many important characters.
Months after the whirlwind of Turnabout Trump Apollo has been left jobless and is left to return to his last option: Phoenix Wright. I really like how Apollo and Phoenix's relationship to each other is handled in this game and I think it's an absolute shame it gets ignored by many for the sake of fluffy, ignorant, and out of character, found family. Apollo is rightfully upset at Phoenix and only returns to him when Apollo has no other choice.
Before bumping back into Phoenix though, the player and Apollo are given a proper and full introduction to Trucy Wright, a fun, bubbly, sly, child magician. Trucy is easily my favorite of the co-counsel and investigation partner characters. I think she has an incredible depth to her character and she's genuinely very funny. She works very well with every character in the game.
Apollo and Trucy find themselves quickly wrapped up in multiple small mysteries that are all strangely related. Which is a very fun concept for a case and I like the way it builds up and plays out. It starts out with small petty crimes before revealing the central murder.
Following on Turnabout Trump's tail Turnabout Corner also shakes up series foundations with the relationship the player has with the investigative police and the prosecutor. I really love Ema in this game and she's my favorite of the police detectives. I think her bitter attitude fits well with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney's overall tone, but unlike Gumshoe she is more so working with Apollo and Trucy and wants to help them out once she learns about their relation to Phoenix. I think she's just a joy to see on screen and I like her dumb forensics mini games. Also unlike previous games' Gumshoe, she has a poor relationship with this game's main prosecutor, Klavier, due to his involvement with Phoenix's disbarment.
Klavier, similar to Ema, is also vastly different to the prosecutors before him and is also very likable, and probably the best prosecutor in the series. Ace Attorney is often about the prosecutor's path to working alongside the defense for the sake of justice, but from the beginning Klavier is helpful, kind, and not hostile. Though his character does have some strong depth to it too, he is not instantly trustful of Apollo, although this trust is built up somewhat quickly. Apollo put Klavier's brother (who through subtext and actions we can assume Klavier had a high respect for) in jail. Throughout the beginnings of Turnabout Corner it feels like Klavier is trying to figure out who Apollo is as a person. Once Klavier learns about Apollo's drive and passion for the truth and justice, Klavier learns to place his trust in him. His and Apollo's dynamic is plainly just really good. I think they contrast well with Phoenix and Kristoph and parallel each other quite well.
The case itself is a fun trial and investigation. I really enjoy all the characters here, I like Wocky as a defendant and I like the small arc he goes through with his family. I also really like how he continues the trend of somewhat guilty defendants. Wocky wants to go to jail, he wanted to kill Meraktis. He's not a fully innocent person, but he did not kill anyone.
I think Pal Meraktis is an interesting victim, and I like Alita as culprit. This case does feature the worst character in the whole game, Wesley Stickler, but he is in my opinion the only unlikable character in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney which is a little impressive.
Overall it's as stated just a fun time. It's mystery is fun to unravel and fitting together just how everything fits together is very satisfying. My memory of playing through this case is overall warm and fluffy, it's high up on my overall case rankings.
Turnabout Serenade
-
Similar to Recipe for Turnabout: It may suck but I like it.
Turnabout Serenade exists for a good reason: more development for Klavier and to introduce Lamiroir and Valant, it does all of these things well.
After a murder at the Gavinners' concert Machi Tobaye is arrested for the murder for Romein LeTouse.
From the beginning the case is on rocky ground because it's very clear that Machi could not be the culprit. Klavier could just be ignorant because he does not want to face the truth: Daryan clearly being the culprit, but it's still a bit silly that others would believe that Machi is the culprit too. This is something that honestly didn't bother me much, it's an Ace Attorney game, but I fully understand other's irritation to it.
Similarly the music video that played constantly was also not much of a bother to me. I understand how it would be annoying to others, but bright orange Klavier Gavin having to pathetically stomp out fire is essential to me.
I think I am overall more forgiving of this case since I'm a sucker for when a case has a good backstory and I honestly loved the smuggling some weird cocoon to cure a disease call incuritis plot. I liked the conflict between Machi, Romein, and Daryan and how Machi truly was guilty of smuggling and he had to admit to that for the best outcome. How Daryan was in contact with and constantly blackmailed/manipulated Machi. The cat mouse case between Romein and Daryan. It's all goofy, but it's an Ace Attorney game and I was having fun.
Despite Klavier's accusations against Machi not being well grounded, I think this is still a strong case for him. It feels like Klavier always knew in his heart that Daryan was at fault and he just did not want to believe it was true. Even before Daryan was starting to be questioned Klavier already had him registered as a witness. Klavier places his trust in Apollo, for Apollo to prove to and convince Klavier what he already knows but doesn't want to face.
Turnabout Succession
-
After I first played Turnabout Succession I was upset and did not like it, but it has really grown on me. I think my main issue was the focus on Phoenix, which I still hold, but I think the case is still really enjoyable despite it's faults.
Another complaint for the game that I see often, but don't have an issue with is the MASON system. I like it's weird techy aesthetics and I found the investigation to be honestly fun. Running around as Phoenix or Apollo and collecting halves of evidence and ideas to bring together into wholes is rewarding.
I liked the case of Phoenix's disbarment a lot. The Gramaryes are honestly fun to deal with and learn about, they sound horrible. I actually really liked the jarring use of the old sprites. It was, as stated jarring, and likely just to save money, but I found it charming and nostalgic (despite the fact I had only just finished the trilogy a week prior). I really love the impact of having to present the evidence you know is going to get Phoenix disbarred and the way it parallels Turnabout Trump with forged evidence. It also is a very strong point for Klavier's character and a good point of drama that will be at the center of the case.
The present day trial is equally enjoyable. I liked digging around the Drew studio and learning about the forgeries and watching everything click into place. I liked the locked room elaborate mystery with a killing that was seven years in the making.
At the center of it all, of course, is Kristoph and Phoenix's ego battle, once again. The reveal of Kristoph's hatred and actions all stemming from a lost poker game and losing Zak as a client, who would later hire Phoenix, feels similar to the story of the Capulets and Montagues' hatred in Romeo and Juliet, which was left unexplained, but has a similar effect: long term violent and destructive hatred for a pathetic reason. Something Phoenix himself has gotten caught up in. Yes he wants his badge back, yes he has seen the failures of the legal system and would like to amend it, but at the lengths he goes to at a point it feels like Phoenix's true goal is to just run laps around Kristoph.
Klavier though is somewhere in the center of this all. He has learned that his brother, who he respects, has been manipulating him for a long time and due to that manipulation Klavier has inadvertently ruined an innocent man's life. Once again like before Klavier relies on Apollo to prove to him and show him the truth. Throughout the game Apollo and Klavier have felt like the core and heart of the cases. They both just bounce off of each other well and they're both just pawns of Phoenix and Kristoph, but through this case it feels like they finally get to succeed them.
Trucy similarly succeeds her father, who abandoned her, and gains the rights to Gramarye performances. Trucy similar to Klavier has been at the heart of everything. Throughout the game she really is a great character and to see her act so strong and goof around despite it all makes her very charming.
As stated before I am still upset that not enough focus was on Apollo he is very central to this case and I like it thematically, but still I think Apollo did not get to experience his own story enough.
Kristoph in the end is defeated by the jurist system. There is no definitive proof for his crimes, but the system has grown to combat him and his actions/word are enough for conviction. I find myself conflicted on this. It feels somewhat anticlimactic and like it could be built up better. Honestly in my mind I wonder if Turnabout Serenade was lost directly because of a lack of evidence, or even better if Kristoph was never jailed in Turnabout Trump because of a lack of evidence would have led to a stronger impact of the jurist system in the final case.
I have neglected to talk about Apollo himself since there is both a lot to say and nothing to say. I do not think he gets enough focus and it seems like he was clearly going to be expanded on more on the Apollo Justice 2 there never sadly was. Despite it all though, he follows the trend of what I have said about Trucy, Ema, and Klavier. He's my favorite player character in the series. I find him to be way more likable and intriguing than Phoenix and I think the hardships he faces are gripping. He would perfectly fit into a loony toons cartoon. He's earnest, funny, charming, and gels well with the other characters. His relationship to Trucy is sweet, and his growing companionship to Klavier is one of the strong points of the game. His passion and rashness to stand up for what he believes in and the fact he punched Phoenix makes him a number one in my books.
During Turnabout Succession we learn that Apollo and Trucy are half-siblings and Lamiroir is Thalassa Gramarye. This is a shocking twist, but is it a good shocking twist, does it add anything? I think it does: in a story about Apollo, Trucy, and Klavier being manipulated at every turn by people they love and trust and Trucy specifically being moved around and harmed horribly by family, I think there's something to her gaining a brother who truly cares. Apollo and Trucy never learn about this, but in regard to Apollo, Trucy charmingly states, "It's like.. like I've found my long-lost, big, little brother!", in the credits. It doesn't matter that they are secretly blood related, what matters is that they chose to be siblings and connected to each other over the course of Apollo's time at the agency.
As a final wrap up I would like to make a comment about something I noticed about the game as a whole. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney was originally posed as a reboot with no returning characters (besides probably some cameos) this of course did not happen, but something about the game retains this element of being separate from the rest, on the outside looking in. I think this comes from how reflective this game is about Ace Attorney as a series. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney plays close mind to long time Ace Attorney series tropes and puts them on their heads.
The prosecutor is very friendly, the detective is more on your side over anybody else, all of the defendants legitimately do something wrong or illegal, and most of the victims (save Romein LeTouse) also did something wrong or illegal. The most impactful and important trope change is the mentors role in the story. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is centered around your mentor being a bad person. The best part about it is, it not just Kristoph, it's Phoenix too. Phoenix is the biggest example of any of this, he is not just your mentor he is the main character and symbol of justice of the first three games. He is not evil in the way Kristoph is but he is certainly not a good person.
All of these changes are a neat reflection on the series as a whole and what it exists as, but it also adds a lot of complexity to the tropey Ace Attorney character and makes them fresh. Nobody is who they seem or what you expect.
This I will not praise as much since I think it is purely coincidental, I have seen what the writers wrote and will continue to write like, but Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have many typical weird/gross fan service moments at all. I think the only true moment of any of this is Wesley Stickler in Turnabout Corner and his gross thing and that's practically it.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have moments of women falling to Apollo's feet so the player can feel good about themselves. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not try to make Apollo out as this masculine perfect figure. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney does not have random gross moments of fan service and it does not have random moments of bigotry for a quick laugh.
Even within Ace Attorney itself there are moments that I can think to and think back on and go "That was weird and gross, it had no reason to happen". Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney only has one. Do not mistake this as me praising it for a minimum. I think this is my long winded way of saying part of my enjoyment of this game comes from the fact it's not tripping over it's feet to do something aggravating.
There are loose threads that sadly will never be solved by an Apollo Justice 2, which is heartbreaking. The direction the game was heading really could have been interesting, the jurist system was likely supposed to stay, Apollo would truly get to be in focus, Trucy and Apollo would get to learn about their relation, Klavier could have an 1-4 style case or something, but I guess for Capcom it's more fun to throw a new lawyer at the wall and under develop her.
1997
i dont even know where to start since theres so much to say and so much to go over but i think a good jumping point might be just how charming final fantasy vii is. its bursting with it. the npc dialogue is wonderful and a shocking amount of love and time is put into small details of characters that all build up to create people who feel real. people you may have meet before. people you relate heavily too. the writing is stellar but i think the art direction also plays a big role in fleshing out the world. i have no nostalgia for ffvii (i was born years after its release and played it for the first time a couple years ago) and i think some of the art in this game is still wonderful and beautiful. the locations are incredible- midgar as a whole. junon. the forgotten city. and even smaller scale things like random npc houses that are lovingly designed and truly look like someone lives their life there. character and charm bursts from every corner. and i think the fmv cutscenes look so cool im heavily attached to the plasticy early 3D renders of 1990s square works.
all this work in character and small details does wonders for the story. a story which i have a high respect for its themes and messages. ffvii conflicts at their center all stem from shinra. a fascist imperialistic typical evil awful empire. the early parts of the game are spent in midgars lower class area. this is an impactful depiction of shinras crimes since the piles of ruble. trash. and overall misery of the people on the lower plate is immediately noticeable and everywhere. i think shinra is an excellent villain and i think the story told about them environmental stuff and such is still very important. i especially appreciate that ffvii never sways into an "all people are evil and ruin the planet" its more nuanced and makes sure to point out how shinra hurts the people of gaia and the planet. there are issues here and there with characters and parts of the plot and message i dont like but i think its overall good
i really like the main party. i think everyone is likable and has some form of cool mechanic in battle. the only bad party member is cid.
ffvii is about many things. life death love environment capitalism and understanding of ones self and others. each point is handled with grace in my opinion. and interesting perspectives and ideas are brought to each topic.
i really appreciate ffviis perspective on death. a very important point in this game is that no one is sacrificed or dies for a reason. at one point cloud implies so and is immediately corrected by tifa. death is just a thing that happens. it just happens and you cant live your life trying to look for why things happened the way they did.
the characters are wonderful. barret and tifa are very admirable with how hard they work to make the world a better place. i like clouds story a lot and i think with the twists his character makes he becomes very relatable and i think it was kinda cool for square to show some flaws with the cool action guy trope to create something more human.
the combat system is a treat and i find myself wanting to replay just so i can mess around and have fun materia builds. the overworld is fun. the music is stellar. the art is incredible. and over all i think its themes and messages are very important and will continue to be. i think its a masterwork of a game.
all this work in character and small details does wonders for the story. a story which i have a high respect for its themes and messages. ffvii conflicts at their center all stem from shinra. a fascist imperialistic typical evil awful empire. the early parts of the game are spent in midgars lower class area. this is an impactful depiction of shinras crimes since the piles of ruble. trash. and overall misery of the people on the lower plate is immediately noticeable and everywhere. i think shinra is an excellent villain and i think the story told about them environmental stuff and such is still very important. i especially appreciate that ffvii never sways into an "all people are evil and ruin the planet" its more nuanced and makes sure to point out how shinra hurts the people of gaia and the planet. there are issues here and there with characters and parts of the plot and message i dont like but i think its overall good
i really like the main party. i think everyone is likable and has some form of cool mechanic in battle. the only bad party member is cid.
ffvii is about many things. life death love environment capitalism and understanding of ones self and others. each point is handled with grace in my opinion. and interesting perspectives and ideas are brought to each topic.
i really appreciate ffviis perspective on death. a very important point in this game is that no one is sacrificed or dies for a reason. at one point cloud implies so and is immediately corrected by tifa. death is just a thing that happens. it just happens and you cant live your life trying to look for why things happened the way they did.
the characters are wonderful. barret and tifa are very admirable with how hard they work to make the world a better place. i like clouds story a lot and i think with the twists his character makes he becomes very relatable and i think it was kinda cool for square to show some flaws with the cool action guy trope to create something more human.
the combat system is a treat and i find myself wanting to replay just so i can mess around and have fun materia builds. the overworld is fun. the music is stellar. the art is incredible. and over all i think its themes and messages are very important and will continue to be. i think its a masterwork of a game.
This review contains spoilers
For context: I did not grow up with or during FFVII. The first time I paid interest to FFVII was actually around the time the remake came out. I saw the opening to it and thought it was neat, so I decided to check out the original, which I fully beat then played FFVIIR months later.
FFVIIR is a game I've grown to hate the more time and thought I put into it.
The graphics are incredible, which should go without saying. The location design and art direction are wonderful. Wall Market at night is a jaw-dropping view.
The OST is perfect, and the fun remixes you find around the game are incredible.
I do think some characters are improved and have more to them, but in the same breath, Aerith, Jessie, and Tifa almost feel like slight back-steps. The fan service and cute flirty moments feel worse than the original, but that just may be personal. Tifa in particular—I know her whole thing is being strong and sensitive; everyone understands this, and I like this aspect of her. I think she's a great counter to Aerith, but I feel like FFVIIR can push this characteristic to its limit, and it ignores how Tifa's kindness and sensitivity directly lead her to become a passionate member of Avalanche. All of Tifa's goals and aspirations have been ignored just so she can just be another cute girl who's Cloud's arm-candy.
I think my main issue with Tifa is that she is emblematic of something in this game that I absolutely despise. Games adding gray morality to their stories has become almost a trend. Developers see other games do it and the positive reception nuance gets, but they don't understand that it's not going to work in every situation. Some grass-roots eco-terrorist group is just not on the same level as a fascist and imperialistic government. That's not even a political debate that has to be entertained since FFVIIR takes all the moments from FFVII where Avalanche did something bad and has Shinra do them instead. It's hard to not be incredibly frustrated when the game throws an aggravating section where townsfolk are crying, trying to make the player feel bad about their involvement in Avalanche, right after showing that Shinra was directly at fault. Near the end of the game, Aerith says something along the lines of "Shinra isn't the enemy!" which is just laughable since they lead to literally every bad event in the plot. From my knowledge, FFVIIR has the same writers as the original, I don't understand how they are messing up the Shinra plot so much.
Now onto the additions and ending. To preface, I am not fully for the wave of constant remakes, and I actually love when remakes try to shake things up and do something special. I adore when games acknowledge what they are and how they exist and tell a story about that. MGS2 is one of my favorite games ever, if not my absolute favorite. I love FFVIIR as a concept. Taking one of the most important games ever, one that people have wanted a remake of for ages, and messing with it and making it a story about being a remake of one of the most anticipated games ever is an incredible concept, but in practice it is less ideal. Hammering in "Fans are like evil ghosts that force the characters to suffer so the plot can go on how they want it to!" just feels lame. It is so blatant as well. They are shoving fifth-grade reading-level dialogue about fighting destiny so often that it becomes annoying.
Not only that, but in FFVIIR's quest for meta-narrative, it completely tramples over important events and meanings from the original game. FFVII was very aptly not about fate; everything that happened in that game had an inciting incident. One of the most important moments in FFVII is when Cloud implied Aerith sacrificed herself, and Tifa stopped him in his tracks because Aerith didn't. She died because someone killed her. That's it.
The desire to show Sephiroth every second and the constant teasing of later plotlines, all seem to be done to in Square's attempts to "appease fans". Even if it can be argued they succeeded, these changes ruin all subtly of the original game's plot and pacing. The constant push to keep a teen rating and tone down both Avalanche and Shinra removes the iconic grit and edge of the original game to make some kind of mascot in its image.
The writers put all their focus into this "meta-narrative" that they seemed to have dropped the main Shinra one, which is an absolute shame since the story of Shinra is more relevant than ever. Not only that, but I would argue that Shinra is the centerpiece of everything in FFVII. FFVII is about so many things: life, identity, the planet, etc. It is able to be about all of these things and feel concise since it is about life in a world with Shinra, identity in a world with Shinra, truth in a world with Shinra, the planet in a world with Shinra, I could go on. I've seen the theories, but I don't think anything FFVIIR leads to can justify what it's done and sacrificed.
For some small and general negatives, some of the boss fights feel like they go on longer than they should have. The padding is incredibly apparent, and the ratio of good new content to bad new content isn't good enough for them to justify the game being stretched out to 30/40 hours. Just because something can be expanded on does not mean it should. At what point is it too much? The train graveyard area is less entertaining than some of the jobs I've had. That, combined with Tifa and Aerith constantly jumping into clouds arms, and the horrid pacing and slog to the big climax with the plate falling, made me want to bite my arms off.
A decent concept that entirely fails, and a story that treats me like a fifth grader at best and is frustratingly contradictory at its worst.
FFVIIR is a game I've grown to hate the more time and thought I put into it.
The graphics are incredible, which should go without saying. The location design and art direction are wonderful. Wall Market at night is a jaw-dropping view.
The OST is perfect, and the fun remixes you find around the game are incredible.
I do think some characters are improved and have more to them, but in the same breath, Aerith, Jessie, and Tifa almost feel like slight back-steps. The fan service and cute flirty moments feel worse than the original, but that just may be personal. Tifa in particular—I know her whole thing is being strong and sensitive; everyone understands this, and I like this aspect of her. I think she's a great counter to Aerith, but I feel like FFVIIR can push this characteristic to its limit, and it ignores how Tifa's kindness and sensitivity directly lead her to become a passionate member of Avalanche. All of Tifa's goals and aspirations have been ignored just so she can just be another cute girl who's Cloud's arm-candy.
I think my main issue with Tifa is that she is emblematic of something in this game that I absolutely despise. Games adding gray morality to their stories has become almost a trend. Developers see other games do it and the positive reception nuance gets, but they don't understand that it's not going to work in every situation. Some grass-roots eco-terrorist group is just not on the same level as a fascist and imperialistic government. That's not even a political debate that has to be entertained since FFVIIR takes all the moments from FFVII where Avalanche did something bad and has Shinra do them instead. It's hard to not be incredibly frustrated when the game throws an aggravating section where townsfolk are crying, trying to make the player feel bad about their involvement in Avalanche, right after showing that Shinra was directly at fault. Near the end of the game, Aerith says something along the lines of "Shinra isn't the enemy!" which is just laughable since they lead to literally every bad event in the plot. From my knowledge, FFVIIR has the same writers as the original, I don't understand how they are messing up the Shinra plot so much.
Now onto the additions and ending. To preface, I am not fully for the wave of constant remakes, and I actually love when remakes try to shake things up and do something special. I adore when games acknowledge what they are and how they exist and tell a story about that. MGS2 is one of my favorite games ever, if not my absolute favorite. I love FFVIIR as a concept. Taking one of the most important games ever, one that people have wanted a remake of for ages, and messing with it and making it a story about being a remake of one of the most anticipated games ever is an incredible concept, but in practice it is less ideal. Hammering in "Fans are like evil ghosts that force the characters to suffer so the plot can go on how they want it to!" just feels lame. It is so blatant as well. They are shoving fifth-grade reading-level dialogue about fighting destiny so often that it becomes annoying.
Not only that, but in FFVIIR's quest for meta-narrative, it completely tramples over important events and meanings from the original game. FFVII was very aptly not about fate; everything that happened in that game had an inciting incident. One of the most important moments in FFVII is when Cloud implied Aerith sacrificed herself, and Tifa stopped him in his tracks because Aerith didn't. She died because someone killed her. That's it.
The desire to show Sephiroth every second and the constant teasing of later plotlines, all seem to be done to in Square's attempts to "appease fans". Even if it can be argued they succeeded, these changes ruin all subtly of the original game's plot and pacing. The constant push to keep a teen rating and tone down both Avalanche and Shinra removes the iconic grit and edge of the original game to make some kind of mascot in its image.
The writers put all their focus into this "meta-narrative" that they seemed to have dropped the main Shinra one, which is an absolute shame since the story of Shinra is more relevant than ever. Not only that, but I would argue that Shinra is the centerpiece of everything in FFVII. FFVII is about so many things: life, identity, the planet, etc. It is able to be about all of these things and feel concise since it is about life in a world with Shinra, identity in a world with Shinra, truth in a world with Shinra, the planet in a world with Shinra, I could go on. I've seen the theories, but I don't think anything FFVIIR leads to can justify what it's done and sacrificed.
For some small and general negatives, some of the boss fights feel like they go on longer than they should have. The padding is incredibly apparent, and the ratio of good new content to bad new content isn't good enough for them to justify the game being stretched out to 30/40 hours. Just because something can be expanded on does not mean it should. At what point is it too much? The train graveyard area is less entertaining than some of the jobs I've had. That, combined with Tifa and Aerith constantly jumping into clouds arms, and the horrid pacing and slog to the big climax with the plate falling, made me want to bite my arms off.
A decent concept that entirely fails, and a story that treats me like a fifth grader at best and is frustratingly contradictory at its worst.