This review contains spoilers
Hot take: I like Justice for All a little better than the first game. Not by a ton; it has a lot of issues with the writing, which I'll get to in a bit, but I think the pacing is greatly improved and the magatama adds a lot to investigations.
The Lost Turnabout: A better first case than The First Turnabout, imo. Nick having amnesia is a pretty cool twist that also justifies re-tutorializing the mechanics. Maggie and The Drift King are really fun characters and Gumshoe is also there which is good.
Reunion and Turnabout: A very good second case. I like how it build's on the backgrounds of Maya, Kurain Village, and the Fey family. Pearl and Morgan are also great characters and it was fun getting to see Lotta again. The central mystery surrounding Ini Miney and how it plays out are also pretty neat. Franzy's my least favorite main prosecutor of the trilogy, but she's still got a lot going for her (even if it doesn't get fully resolved until Trials and Tribulations).
Turnabout Big Top: Hoo boy, this one's rough. You've probably heard before about how badly it handles the love triangle, and the defendant, and certain leaps in logic in the deduction, and certain parts of the trial, and all of those are true. With that said, I don't hate it, even if I think it's the weakest case in the trilogy. Moe the Clown is actually a pretty good character when he's not being so unfunny it gets a man convicted of murder, Acro's a really interesting killer, and I like the conversation between Franziska and Phoenix.
Farewell, My Turnabout: My second-favorite case in the trilogy. It has everything you could possibly ask for from an Ace Attorney case: High stakes, great characters, an intriguing mystery, Edgeworth catching the phone, and so much more. Edgeworth's return is absolutely glorious and really highlights how he's grown since the end of the first game, with him simultaneously being a rival and an ally. I love how the game tricks you into thinking it's just another Turnabout Samurai before immediately placing Maya's life on the line. And holy shit, Matt Engarde is a fantastic villain. Forcing Phoenix to defend a guilty man is probably the most interesting thing you could possibly do for his character, and it's fully explored here. All of this culminates in an insanely satisfying conclusion and an enticing set-up for the next game. This case deserves every bit of praise it gets.
The Lost Turnabout: A better first case than The First Turnabout, imo. Nick having amnesia is a pretty cool twist that also justifies re-tutorializing the mechanics. Maggie and The Drift King are really fun characters and Gumshoe is also there which is good.
Reunion and Turnabout: A very good second case. I like how it build's on the backgrounds of Maya, Kurain Village, and the Fey family. Pearl and Morgan are also great characters and it was fun getting to see Lotta again. The central mystery surrounding Ini Miney and how it plays out are also pretty neat. Franzy's my least favorite main prosecutor of the trilogy, but she's still got a lot going for her (even if it doesn't get fully resolved until Trials and Tribulations).
Turnabout Big Top: Hoo boy, this one's rough. You've probably heard before about how badly it handles the love triangle, and the defendant, and certain leaps in logic in the deduction, and certain parts of the trial, and all of those are true. With that said, I don't hate it, even if I think it's the weakest case in the trilogy. Moe the Clown is actually a pretty good character when he's not being so unfunny it gets a man convicted of murder, Acro's a really interesting killer, and I like the conversation between Franziska and Phoenix.
Farewell, My Turnabout: My second-favorite case in the trilogy. It has everything you could possibly ask for from an Ace Attorney case: High stakes, great characters, an intriguing mystery, Edgeworth catching the phone, and so much more. Edgeworth's return is absolutely glorious and really highlights how he's grown since the end of the first game, with him simultaneously being a rival and an ally. I love how the game tricks you into thinking it's just another Turnabout Samurai before immediately placing Maya's life on the line. And holy shit, Matt Engarde is a fantastic villain. Forcing Phoenix to defend a guilty man is probably the most interesting thing you could possibly do for his character, and it's fully explored here. All of this culminates in an insanely satisfying conclusion and an enticing set-up for the next game. This case deserves every bit of praise it gets.