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I'm pretty sure half the post in this thread would be about how annoying Iris is if the game was fully voiced.
Literally almost every moment there is a random "Hold It!" from someone it's followed by new evidence that frequently is just the information you need.
But some other examples
1-4:What would Yogi have done if Edgeworth just tackled him on the boat, or never went to the lake at all?
1-5: Angel's constant evidence she kept for the trial and Lana's photo of Neil's body coming up the very second we needed it.
2-2: What would Morgan have done if Gray had shot Ini instead of missing? And it's a good thing Ini changed jackets or Pearl wouldn't have found the channeling key
3-1: How could Dahlia have poisoned someone? Oh sweet! She was dating a guy who was specifically researching poisons!
3-3: How can we prove something was missing from the crime scene? Oh wait! Gumshoe just presented this empty medicine bag!
On GAA1-1, it's almost as if Brett was researching a safe and untraceable way to kill Watson prior to this clearly premeditated murder that took advantage of his oral surgery and investigating a person of interest's possessions revealed damning evidence. And the reason Yujin told Susato to do the search was because he trusted your suspicions of this woman that the local police are clearly trying to cover for.
Also on the point about putting the gun in his way on the floor, if you look at the floor plans the table is directly adjacent to partition to the exit. You have to pass between the table to leave. And Brett was clearly watching Naruhodo's movements to time her shot. All she needed to do was wait for him to be close by it before firing and he becomes the only person with access to a gun. The fact he picked it up was icing for her.
But some other examples
1-4:What would Yogi have done if Edgeworth just tackled him on the boat, or never went to the lake at all?
1-5: Angel's constant evidence she kept for the trial and Lana's photo of Neil's body coming up the very second we needed it.
2-2: What would Morgan have done if Gray had shot Ini instead of missing? And it's a good thing Ini changed jackets or Pearl wouldn't have found the channeling key
3-1: How could Dahlia have poisoned someone? Oh sweet! She was dating a guy who was specifically researching poisons!
3-3: How can we prove something was missing from the crime scene? Oh wait! Gumshoe just presented this empty medicine bag!
On GAA1-1, it's almost as if Brett was researching a safe and untraceable way to kill Watson prior to this clearly premeditated murder that took advantage of his oral surgery and investigating a person of interest's possessions revealed damning evidence. And the reason Yujin told Susato to do the search was because he trusted your suspicions of this woman that the local police are clearly trying to cover for.
Also on the point about putting the gun in his way on the floor, if you look at the floor plans the table is directly adjacent to partition to the exit. You have to pass between the table to leave. And Brett was clearly watching Naruhodo's movements to time her shot. All she needed to do was wait for him to be close by it before firing and he becomes the only person with access to a gun. The fact he picked it up was icing for her.
I say this as someone who dislikes the Danganronpa games
Danganronpa clearly was heavily inspired by what AA had been doing with it's crime scene investigation and trial set up. The tone of AA is goofier then Dangan because the killer/victim aren't (usually) from the core group of main character.
The bullet time talk segments are fairly comparable to AA's cross examine segments
The various minigames are comparable to later AA gimmicks like the mood matrix or doing a deduction dance.
The only thing Danganronpa really added to the core fomula is the dating sim light elements where you spend time with people and give them gifts. AA just moves from murder case to murder case and in the rare instance you get to see more downtime life it's usually to set up something for a crime that'll happen soon.
Thank you! My least favorite parts of Danganronpa were the everyday life segments so this should be perfect.
Finished GAA2-2. Hmm... there's somthing going on, but I still can't put my finger on it, even knowing a certain plot twist later.
Reminds me of AAI2 in some aspects; everything has a relationship to the plot, but you certainly won't see it until the end of the game...
With respect to 2-2 itself:
Reminds me of AAI2 in some aspects; everything has a relationship to the plot, but you certainly won't see it until the end of the game...
With respect to 2-2 itself:
Much better paced than 1-4; still fairly interesting. The flip back to Inv. -> Trial -> Inv. -> Trial as opposed to Inv. -> Inv. -> Trial -> Trial is doing wonders so far.
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I like that it's a sedate, straightforward and professional theme to contrast with Sholmes' bombastic and eclectic mix of melodies. It's very emblematic of the two characters.
20 minutes into Case 3 and I still can't get over it.
The last Ace Attorny game that shocked me quite this much was probably AAI2. Bodes well, I guess.
If you don't know who the apprentice is, don't hover.
It's Kazuma! I though I'd known from an accidental spoiler, but what Runo (thanks Iris, I can't stop calling him that) says totally gives it away. How in hell is he still alive? Why did the Lord Justice force von Zieks to take him on? Does this have something to do with the list at the end of 1-5? I have so many questions.
It's Kazuma! I though I'd known from an accidental spoiler, but what Runo (thanks Iris, I can't stop calling him that) says totally gives it away. How in hell is he still alive? Why did the Lord Justice force von Zieks to take him on? Does this have something to do with the list at the end of 1-5? I have so many questions.
The last Ace Attorny game that shocked me quite this much was probably AAI2. Bodes well, I guess.
Hahahaha. That's great.
Ryunosuke's default state
Lol! Totally! Constant deer in headlights.
Beat GAA1. That was honestly kind of incredible. Pretty much every case in the game is intricately woven so that even the most minor details end up being massively important (which is fitting for a Holmes-inspired story), and the entire structure and narrative is clearly designed to be a huge twist on the expectations of anyone who thinks they're just getting the regular AA formula in Victorian England.
Also, yeah: GAA1 was clearly written to be Volume 1 of a larger whole story, and I can see why people were upset that they were left hanging for two years after the first game came out. I think every single case (only one of which you could stretch to call filler) introduces one or more mysterious tantalizing threads left dangling.
Also, yeah: GAA1 was clearly written to be Volume 1 of a larger whole story, and I can see why people were upset that they were left hanging for two years after the first game came out. I think every single case (only one of which you could stretch to call filler) introduces one or more mysterious tantalizing threads left dangling.
-Why did Brett kill Dr. Wilson?
-What was Kazuma really after in England?
-Why did Lord Stronghart assign the McGilded case to Ryunosuke? He even said "you can't lose, really" as if he knew the outcome in advance.
-Why did Stronghart act so oddly when Ryunosuke said he wanted to fulfill Kazuma's will? It was more than surprise at Ryunosuke's resolve; he clearly had some inkling of what Kazuma's true goal was.
-What is the real nature of the Reaper's curse? If Graydon killed McGilded, then why did the other victims die?
-Who was the other tenant in the Garrideb's townhouse? The jester guy having the argument.
-What's going to happen at the Great Exhibition?
-What was Wilson's true mission in Japan? Being a visiting professor of medicine was obviously a cover.
-Why doesn't Sholmes want Hound of the Baskervilles to be published yet?
-How did Susato know the full title of the story?
-Why is Van Zieks so angry about Japanese people? Who is the Japanese person who betrayed him in the past?
-Why were Kazuma, Gregson, and Wilson's names in the government message?
-Who was the fourth person in the message?
-What was Kazuma really after in England?
-Why did Lord Stronghart assign the McGilded case to Ryunosuke? He even said "you can't lose, really" as if he knew the outcome in advance.
-Why did Stronghart act so oddly when Ryunosuke said he wanted to fulfill Kazuma's will? It was more than surprise at Ryunosuke's resolve; he clearly had some inkling of what Kazuma's true goal was.
-What is the real nature of the Reaper's curse? If Graydon killed McGilded, then why did the other victims die?
-Who was the other tenant in the Garrideb's townhouse? The jester guy having the argument.
-What's going to happen at the Great Exhibition?
-What was Wilson's true mission in Japan? Being a visiting professor of medicine was obviously a cover.
-Why doesn't Sholmes want Hound of the Baskervilles to be published yet?
-How did Susato know the full title of the story?
-Why is Van Zieks so angry about Japanese people? Who is the Japanese person who betrayed him in the past?
-Why were Kazuma, Gregson, and Wilson's names in the government message?
-Who was the fourth person in the message?
I noticed Capcom's localization uses a lot of very advanced vocabulary, including a lot of words accurate to the time period portrayed. Which is fantastic in some ways, but I have to wonder how much of this would go over some people's heads, especially younger players getting into the series for the first time. That might just be the English teacher in me speaking.
I felt so bad for Mr. Garrideb. His wife is clearly abusive. The tea pouring thing was also getting old the second time it happened, and they literally did it like 15 more times. I can say with complete certainty and no exaggeration that that was the worst gimmick in the franchise.
I did feel bad for the couple in the end. The "Oh deary me" style dialogue at the end, with all the quavering and sweating, made me feel an immense amount of sympathy for the two. Unlike pretty much any previous guilty parties before this game, and much like the second case in this game, they came off as tragic characters with absolutely no murderous intention whatsoever, who also felt extremely guilty about what happened.
Although, I will admit, rage can indeed lead to accidents similar to this, minus the contrivance of a hundred coincidences happening at once. Maybe it was time for the abuser to face serious consequences for her outbursts.
I did feel bad for the couple in the end. The "Oh deary me" style dialogue at the end, with all the quavering and sweating, made me feel an immense amount of sympathy for the two. Unlike pretty much any previous guilty parties before this game, and much like the second case in this game, they came off as tragic characters with absolutely no murderous intention whatsoever, who also felt extremely guilty about what happened.
Although, I will admit, rage can indeed lead to accidents similar to this, minus the contrivance of a hundred coincidences happening at once. Maybe it was time for the abuser to face serious consequences for her outbursts.
Again, agree to disagree. I don't find any of the examples from the older games as hard to swallow as the multiple things that had to go according to plan in order for Brett.
I honestly didn't look at the floor plans that closely, but if it was in a spot that the MC absolutely had to pass by, wouldn't it have been more than a little odd for Brett to get up, walk over there, and walk back to her seat? Oh wait, never mind, no one happened to be looking at the girl wearing a live bird on her head while she did that, that's right.
Plus there's other ridiculous aspects I didn't even mention.
How long was Brett sitting there waiting for the perfect moment? The professor's body just stayed perfectly upright the entire time?
I don't even really understand the whole plot in the first place. Brett says she had to frame the MC because he came over and ruined her plan to make it look like a suicide. But the waiter obviously would have seen her, and it's already established that the other diners saw her. Why was the MC seeing her such a big deal?
There's so many aspects that feel extremely contrived. It's not a single what-if like "What if Edgeworth had tackled Yogi?" And that feels like a lame comparison to me. Like I said, all of those examples have much easier explanations. Sure, Edgeworth could have grabbed Yogi. But he was shocked from hearing the gunshot. He was already in a weird head space because of the circumstances. He was practically suicidal. It doesn't feel like a stretch at all that he just stood there shell-shocked.
But why do Brett and the professor both carry guns? Why did the MC pick up a random gun, which for all he knew was loaded, without saying anything? Why didn't the professors body slump over? Why did it matter so much that the MC in particular saw Brett? All of these questions about an event that took place over a few minutes, and there's really no answer beyond "So the story can happen."
And then there's so much unnecessary padding. Why did I have to sit through all the dialogue about the mesh handbag? That's cool if you liked it, but in my opinion the case is poorly written and horribly paved.
I honestly didn't look at the floor plans that closely, but if it was in a spot that the MC absolutely had to pass by, wouldn't it have been more than a little odd for Brett to get up, walk over there, and walk back to her seat? Oh wait, never mind, no one happened to be looking at the girl wearing a live bird on her head while she did that, that's right.
Plus there's other ridiculous aspects I didn't even mention.
How long was Brett sitting there waiting for the perfect moment? The professor's body just stayed perfectly upright the entire time?
I don't even really understand the whole plot in the first place. Brett says she had to frame the MC because he came over and ruined her plan to make it look like a suicide. But the waiter obviously would have seen her, and it's already established that the other diners saw her. Why was the MC seeing her such a big deal?
There's so many aspects that feel extremely contrived. It's not a single what-if like "What if Edgeworth had tackled Yogi?" And that feels like a lame comparison to me. Like I said, all of those examples have much easier explanations. Sure, Edgeworth could have grabbed Yogi. But he was shocked from hearing the gunshot. He was already in a weird head space because of the circumstances. He was practically suicidal. It doesn't feel like a stretch at all that he just stood there shell-shocked.
But why do Brett and the professor both carry guns? Why did the MC pick up a random gun, which for all he knew was loaded, without saying anything? Why didn't the professors body slump over? Why did it matter so much that the MC in particular saw Brett? All of these questions about an event that took place over a few minutes, and there's really no answer beyond "So the story can happen."
And then there's so much unnecessary padding. Why did I have to sit through all the dialogue about the mesh handbag? That's cool if you liked it, but in my opinion the case is poorly written and horribly paved.
Mod edit: Added spoiler tag to entire post
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Finished my replay of Adventures. Thoughts on GAA 1-5 and the game as a whole before finally moving on to the sequel!
Time for escapades, and then Resolve!
It really needs to be said IMO that 1-5's trial is just electrifyingly good. That they're able to take a case so seemingly low stakes during the investigation phase, with a (almost literally on account of his fashion sense) blindingly obvious culprit, and the only two eyewitnesses being a pair of gag characters, and make it so compelling is a wonder. What seems like your standard locked room mystery ends up being… exactly that, your standard locked room mystery. But everything surrounding that mystery pushes the case way above its weight class.
-Ryunosuke and Gina's parallel coming to terms with their actions in The Adventure of the Runaway Room, and, on a larger scale, their willingness to trust again after betrayal. That final shot of Gina with her full smile is IMO the true "gotcha" of the game. It's not about making a culprit break down in sadness, it's about making an innocent child break down in joy.
-Some of the most explicit commentary yet on the classist rot festering in London that exists in tandem with its already very explored problem with racism, showing yet again that the city is no fairy tale dreamland
-Graydon, despite perpetrating a fairly simple crime by series standards, proves to be one of the most tenacious adversaries in the entire series. And while there can be no doubt he ended up the monster van Zieks said he was, it's so very easy to see how he ends up that way. Damn if his monologue at the end doesn't hurt- it makes his father's passing feel so much more tragic, he's not just some random victim icon in the court record anymore.
-Iris being a wonderfully competent courtroom assistant doubles as an opportunity for Ryunosuke to act without Susato for a change, further showing his growth as a lawyer.
-This case is also the most explicitly frustrating one from the perspective of forensic technology, and that's amazing. It's so frustrating when we know the bloodstains solve this case, especially when similar technology saves our butts in the mainline games over and over. But that's not valid in this world and this case makes it very explicitly that we get no cheat codes
-Gregson being the shadiest piece of shit on the stand is an absolute joy. Just wonderful use of the multiple witness mechanic in this case. Presenting Nash Skulkin's profile at the end will always be one of my favorite presents in the series.
-Speaking of the Skulkin's they're just plain hilarious. They practically justify AA's transition to 3D models in their own, they're just that funny. The gag with Gregson being the third member of their crew never gets old.
Honestly there's so much more to say, but I really want to play more! I was always very positive on GAA1, but I feel even more warmly on replay. I think the first two cases have some startling pacing problems (although I still have a fairly good opinion of them despite that, especially 2 for how heartrending it is), but from the third case on, this game fires on all cylinders. This is the heaviest AA game yet in many regards, and it works really well. It's not interested (at least at this point, who knows about the sequel) in that immediate "gotcha" gratification like the other games in the series, and as much as I do enjoy that, I think it's better off for it. Instead we get a focus on how the world and its crimes affect the characters in each case, on the alienation one feels living in a society that doesn't see you as equal (whether because you're a foreigner, because you can't afford a maid, or even can't afford anything at all); on the pain of being involved in one of these cases, and how it feels to be betrayed by other people and by your own expectations. Just as Ryunosuke, Susato and friends do, it asks us to question and to challenge the existing systems of society. It's just great stuff.
Final Case Rankings: 5>3>4>2>1
-Ryunosuke and Gina's parallel coming to terms with their actions in The Adventure of the Runaway Room, and, on a larger scale, their willingness to trust again after betrayal. That final shot of Gina with her full smile is IMO the true "gotcha" of the game. It's not about making a culprit break down in sadness, it's about making an innocent child break down in joy.
-Some of the most explicit commentary yet on the classist rot festering in London that exists in tandem with its already very explored problem with racism, showing yet again that the city is no fairy tale dreamland
-Graydon, despite perpetrating a fairly simple crime by series standards, proves to be one of the most tenacious adversaries in the entire series. And while there can be no doubt he ended up the monster van Zieks said he was, it's so very easy to see how he ends up that way. Damn if his monologue at the end doesn't hurt- it makes his father's passing feel so much more tragic, he's not just some random victim icon in the court record anymore.
-Iris being a wonderfully competent courtroom assistant doubles as an opportunity for Ryunosuke to act without Susato for a change, further showing his growth as a lawyer.
-This case is also the most explicitly frustrating one from the perspective of forensic technology, and that's amazing. It's so frustrating when we know the bloodstains solve this case, especially when similar technology saves our butts in the mainline games over and over. But that's not valid in this world and this case makes it very explicitly that we get no cheat codes
-Gregson being the shadiest piece of shit on the stand is an absolute joy. Just wonderful use of the multiple witness mechanic in this case. Presenting Nash Skulkin's profile at the end will always be one of my favorite presents in the series.
-Speaking of the Skulkin's they're just plain hilarious. They practically justify AA's transition to 3D models in their own, they're just that funny. The gag with Gregson being the third member of their crew never gets old.
Honestly there's so much more to say, but I really want to play more! I was always very positive on GAA1, but I feel even more warmly on replay. I think the first two cases have some startling pacing problems (although I still have a fairly good opinion of them despite that, especially 2 for how heartrending it is), but from the third case on, this game fires on all cylinders. This is the heaviest AA game yet in many regards, and it works really well. It's not interested (at least at this point, who knows about the sequel) in that immediate "gotcha" gratification like the other games in the series, and as much as I do enjoy that, I think it's better off for it. Instead we get a focus on how the world and its crimes affect the characters in each case, on the alienation one feels living in a society that doesn't see you as equal (whether because you're a foreigner, because you can't afford a maid, or even can't afford anything at all); on the pain of being involved in one of these cases, and how it feels to be betrayed by other people and by your own expectations. Just as Ryunosuke, Susato and friends do, it asks us to question and to challenge the existing systems of society. It's just great stuff.
Final Case Rankings: 5>3>4>2>1
Time for escapades, and then Resolve!
It was right next to her table, she didn't need to get up at all.
Also, "These two other people focused on their meal didn't look at her for a span of like 20 seconds!" isn't as crazy as you're making it sound to be honest.
Also, "These two other people focused on their meal didn't look at her for a span of like 20 seconds!" isn't as crazy as you're making it sound to be honest.
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I don't know if my game was bugged or if I'm just a screw up, but I could not open the bloody thing even though I noticed it early and tried to open it the couple of times I was inside the omnibus before I needed to inspect it. I could inspect the bench but I just couldn't hit the compartment for whatever reason, so when the game later had van Zieks say "surely you looked inside it when you first inspected the bus", I got a bit mad at the game. "What the hell, game? I would've searched it if you'd let me! Fuck you, too, I'm gonna say it was full of shit, because I bet it really would've been." That's more or less what went through my mind.
Not sure how I feel about 1-4 having just wrapped it up
No problem my magnetic man, I'm sure as someone in the know for the game over the years, that you've probably had to face many an eyebrow raising take based on how that one character was handled.
It's interesting having a case end without any actual murdering going on, no clear villainy, just unravelling a scenario of unfortunate circumstances.
I was thinking for sure it was going to be a 2 day deal when the overly flamboyant man and the big chinned Layton series expy popped up right at the end of investigation but I suppose they're for 1-5.
Coming to think of it, I'm half expecting this entry at least to pass without any multiday cases, maybe the jury system plays into this with how they could just render a verdict and end it anyway.
Anyway it felt a bit like one of the series trademark goofier cases with more eccentric characters, which being in the world of GAA still felt pretty grounded. In any case I enjoyed the landlord and his totally not wife, one could say they overused the scalding tea animation but somehow the dialogue would make it work every time.
The case kind of lacked a big wow moment in the progression of its events, though I do find it funny to think about how this version of "the body was moved trope" is delightfully quaint compared to how silly the Yamazaki games would get with the moving of a body to alter a crime scene, the ultimate conclusion had shades of turnabout big top so I was already way ahead with how the knife ended up in the lady's back.
Now to see if Case 5 brings the mystery victim into the picture and if the reaper claims the not guilty defendant before he makes it over for sherlock supper...
I was thinking for sure it was going to be a 2 day deal when the overly flamboyant man and the big chinned Layton series expy popped up right at the end of investigation but I suppose they're for 1-5.
Coming to think of it, I'm half expecting this entry at least to pass without any multiday cases, maybe the jury system plays into this with how they could just render a verdict and end it anyway.
Anyway it felt a bit like one of the series trademark goofier cases with more eccentric characters, which being in the world of GAA still felt pretty grounded. In any case I enjoyed the landlord and his totally not wife, one could say they overused the scalding tea animation but somehow the dialogue would make it work every time.
The case kind of lacked a big wow moment in the progression of its events, though I do find it funny to think about how this version of "the body was moved trope" is delightfully quaint compared to how silly the Yamazaki games would get with the moving of a body to alter a crime scene, the ultimate conclusion had shades of turnabout big top so I was already way ahead with how the knife ended up in the lady's back.
Now to see if Case 5 brings the mystery victim into the picture and if the reaper claims the not guilty defendant before he makes it over for sherlock supper...
No problem my magnetic man, I'm sure as someone in the know for the game over the years, that you've probably had to face many an eyebrow raising take based on how that one character was handled.
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Oh, are the Escapades safe to view before starting the second game?
Just going to say, as vaguely as possible, that one of your issues is actually something that's supposed to be strange even if the story doesn't directly bring it up during the case itself.
OP
OP
dev blog said this:
So should be? idk personally I'm saving them for last
Yep, they were part of a what I'm gonna be very generous and call a *season pass* that was available for the first game to mimic a monthly magazine subscription.
I'll check out the escapades after I beat both games. Too invested in what's going on to waste time on optional character stuff.
I gotta say, 1-4 dragged for me a bit, but in every other case I got legitimately upset when I had to put the game down to go do other things. It's like a real page-turner of a book.
I'm on the trial of 1-5 now and I have to go do stuff!! What a nuisance.
I'm on the trial of 1-5 now and I have to go do stuff!! What a nuisance.
God, I hope it picks up in the court part. Took me all day to get through the investigation part of case 4, thought it was so boring.
Don't really have a super positive impression of the game so far, unfortunately. Hopefully things start picking up soon in general, not just wrt this case.
I had the same issue too! I noticed it but didn't find a way to open it at all, shrugged it off until after the recess where I suddenly could open it and then also got to the point you mentioned with complete confusion lol.
I have a more positive impression than you in general but as someone who just finished the investigation segment of case 5, the threads seem to start coming together and making the game more than the sum of its parts at the end.
Sherlock having a particularly porous "brain-attic" is a funny twist on his original "brain-attic" philosophy… but… I'm not entirely sure if his bad memory is just a joke. Just me? Guess we'll see.
Also, I'm not sure how many knew about the window tax, but this game was my first encounter with that idea. It certainly feels like an apt encapsulation of Britain and its class strata.
On a totally different note, though, I'm just now seeing the latest dev blog for these games and it's an emotional essay from Chronicles' producer on his efforts to give the games a second chance (and a worldwide release) after they failed to meet expectations the first time. It includes a passage on him having to sift through all of the negative reviews the first game got for its ending!
Also, I'm not sure how many knew about the window tax, but this game was my first encounter with that idea. It certainly feels like an apt encapsulation of Britain and its class strata.
On a totally different note, though, I'm just now seeing the latest dev blog for these games and it's an emotional essay from Chronicles' producer on his efforts to give the games a second chance (and a worldwide release) after they failed to meet expectations the first time. It includes a passage on him having to sift through all of the negative reviews the first game got for its ending!
I'm gonna be triple dipping this game lol. Just bought the digital PS4 version, I'm waiting for my Japanese copy of the Turnabout Collection to arrive and I'll get the US release of the Switch version.
Gonna try and finish the last case of the OG trilogy tonight and start this tomorrow.
Gonna try and finish the last case of the OG trilogy tonight and start this tomorrow.
I have beaten the first game.
...That was much more of an essay than I intended it to be.
I feel like this game has the opposite problem of the Yamazaki-directed entries in the series. Whereas AAI1-2 and AA5-6's cases tend to be very high-stakes with wide-reaching consequences to the point of suffocation and feature pretty over-the-top culprits, GAA1's cases feel... small. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's certainly a breath of fresh air after AA6's ridiculous final case. But I dunno, even comparing this game to the original trilogy + Apollo Justice, the stakes and culprits feel a bit underwhelming. Only two of the crimes have motives for the deaths (one of which we don't even learn about), two of them are pretty much accidents, and even the final case of the game only features a half-intentional murder.
Like honestly, the final case mostly just felt like a normal case to me. The culprit is just a little too goofy, it felt like I was taking down a slightly more threatening Team Rocket rather than a terrifying, cold-blooded villain (although I did find his lackeys pretty entertaining). He even has a silly bit in the credits, which felt pretty odd. Isn't this dude going to be hanged!? In terms of stakes, I guess there's the government secrets, but that's mostly a background thing/set-up for the next game. We never really learn the true nature of these secrets during the case proper, so I never felt like that element made the case much more intense. I think back to the very second case of the franchise, which, in contrast, made the threats and stakes involved with dealing with Redd White and his company very clear.
That being said, I did enjoy the subplot of Inspector Gregson desperately trying to hide anything related to the government secrets, unintentionally hindering Ryunosuke in the progress. It uses the "pursue" mechanic (which feels superfluous for the most part, both in this game and in Layton vs Wright) in a clever and interesting way, and getting Gregson to come clean about his dealings with the culprit by more-or-less threatening to indirectly whistleblow is very satisfying. I love Ryunosuke responding to Gregson's threats of inciting the government's wrath by saying he'd protect his client "by fair or foul means" (like Gregson has done his own job), regardless of what enemies he makes. Sums up the series in some ways.
I think Case 3 is the highlight of this game. It plays around with Ace Attorney tropes more than any other case in the game, most notably in that you help a guilty man get off scot-free (very briefly, anyway). McGilded is the most compelling culprit in the game, a man who seems jovial at first, speaking in a calm gentle tone and seemingly helping an innocent teenager escape from the scene of the murder to prevent suspicion from falling upon her. A front that is broken through racist outbursts when Ryunosuke doesn't act according to plan and through laughing and clapping maniacally when his plan works. A man who forges evidence during the trial, leaving mysterious changes in the omnibus that you may or may not notice yourself at first. Discovering the huge bloodstain he planted and thinking "did I just not bother to check the floor?" was a confusing and unforgettable experience.
Not sure where this game falls in relation to other entries, given the last time I played one was AA6 in 2016, IIRC. I will say there weren't any moments where I thought "this is fucking stupid" or "this is fucking exhausting", unlike with AA6. For all my gripes, there aren't any Ace Attorney games I haven't found myself hopelessly addicted to, so flawed Ace Attorney is better than no Ace Attorney.
Happy to hear GAA2 is supposed to be the superior game. Though honestly, playing a small amount of the first case and hearing almost entirely recycled music is a bummer of a first impression. I figured there'd at least be a new cross-examination theme. Is this just a thing for the first case, or does the rest of the game have music from the first game primarily too?
Rei is right about Susato disguised as a male student looking dashing, BTW.
Like honestly, the final case mostly just felt like a normal case to me. The culprit is just a little too goofy, it felt like I was taking down a slightly more threatening Team Rocket rather than a terrifying, cold-blooded villain (although I did find his lackeys pretty entertaining). He even has a silly bit in the credits, which felt pretty odd. Isn't this dude going to be hanged!? In terms of stakes, I guess there's the government secrets, but that's mostly a background thing/set-up for the next game. We never really learn the true nature of these secrets during the case proper, so I never felt like that element made the case much more intense. I think back to the very second case of the franchise, which, in contrast, made the threats and stakes involved with dealing with Redd White and his company very clear.
That being said, I did enjoy the subplot of Inspector Gregson desperately trying to hide anything related to the government secrets, unintentionally hindering Ryunosuke in the progress. It uses the "pursue" mechanic (which feels superfluous for the most part, both in this game and in Layton vs Wright) in a clever and interesting way, and getting Gregson to come clean about his dealings with the culprit by more-or-less threatening to indirectly whistleblow is very satisfying. I love Ryunosuke responding to Gregson's threats of inciting the government's wrath by saying he'd protect his client "by fair or foul means" (like Gregson has done his own job), regardless of what enemies he makes. Sums up the series in some ways.
I think Case 3 is the highlight of this game. It plays around with Ace Attorney tropes more than any other case in the game, most notably in that you help a guilty man get off scot-free (very briefly, anyway). McGilded is the most compelling culprit in the game, a man who seems jovial at first, speaking in a calm gentle tone and seemingly helping an innocent teenager escape from the scene of the murder to prevent suspicion from falling upon her. A front that is broken through racist outbursts when Ryunosuke doesn't act according to plan and through laughing and clapping maniacally when his plan works. A man who forges evidence during the trial, leaving mysterious changes in the omnibus that you may or may not notice yourself at first. Discovering the huge bloodstain he planted and thinking "did I just not bother to check the floor?" was a confusing and unforgettable experience.
Not sure where this game falls in relation to other entries, given the last time I played one was AA6 in 2016, IIRC. I will say there weren't any moments where I thought "this is fucking stupid" or "this is fucking exhausting", unlike with AA6. For all my gripes, there aren't any Ace Attorney games I haven't found myself hopelessly addicted to, so flawed Ace Attorney is better than no Ace Attorney.
Happy to hear GAA2 is supposed to be the superior game. Though honestly, playing a small amount of the first case and hearing almost entirely recycled music is a bummer of a first impression. I figured there'd at least be a new cross-examination theme. Is this just a thing for the first case, or does the rest of the game have music from the first game primarily too?
Rei is right about Susato disguised as a male student looking dashing, BTW.
lmao, true. I think the Beates are pretty cute though.
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finished game 1.
Lots of unresolved mysteries for the second game are left at the end, some that seem pretty easy to guess at and some that we clearly don't have the info to put together yet
Lots of unresolved mysteries for the second game are left at the end, some that seem pretty easy to guess at and some that we clearly don't have the info to put together yet
Up to halfway through GAA 1-4 so far.
I am finding the Herlock Sholmes trademark dodge absolutely delightful. I thought they'd at least change anything iconic about Sherlock to make doubly sure it's not the guy, but he still lives on 221B Baker Street, and the stories published about him have all the official names. It is absolutely hilarious.
Points for Iris being a 10-year-old mad scientist, though. That's kind of funny. I'm assuming her name is Watson in the original?
Points for Iris being a 10-year-old mad scientist, though. That's kind of funny. I'm assuming her name is Watson in the original?
You won't be hearing too much new music unfortunately, it's not the usual Ace Attorney game where you get a fully new OST, which is a shame. DGS2 was... not given much of a budget, unfortunately, so you won't be seeing any anime cutscenes in the second game either.
Correct, her name was Iris Watson and the victim of the first case was John Watson.
It's so funny. They kept everything except the name. He gives direct quotes from the stories (or close paraphrasing) and everything. I'm happy with this outcome, though. It's like a Dumb Starbucks approach. It helps, of course, that it's an Ace Attorney-fied Holmes, so they twist many references into jokes, like how the elaborate Speckled Band homage ends up skewering the original story.
And yes, Watson.
And yes, Watson.
Damn, that is a shame. I knew the first game underperformed on the 3DS in Japan, but I didn't think it'd hit the following game's budget this hard. I kinda figured this game would have less or no anime cutscenes when I saw the in-engine intro cinematic. While I think AA5-6's anime cutscenes are jarring more than anything else, I actually liked what few anime cutscenes GAA1 had. It's cool how close some of the shots are to the game's concept art.
I hope this series will have more success with this second chance it's been given.
TES-TI-FY!
Absolutely loving everything about GAA thus far. The dance of deduction segments are slick.
Absolutely loving everything about GAA thus far. The dance of deduction segments are slick.
It is a bummer once I realized how much asset reuse is going to happen here, but the fact that both games are essentially one big continuous story kind of removed the sting of that a little bit.