#This is only for characters from The Great Ace Attorney or Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright

[askaceattorney]

Dear Iiashxlie,

Well, I've defended two assumed witches, Maya being one, does that count?

- Phoenix Wright

[alto-tenure]

To the Breaking Point: Suicide in Ace Attorney

A while ago I wrote a short version, and then a slightly longer version of this very post, after a discussion I had on Discord about the ending of Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright and generally the handling of suicide in the Layton games as a whole. And while I do generally tend to compare Espella's suicide attempt to a certain Professor Layton character, that game came out after the crossover, and the influences on it weren't the same. Takumi had a heavy hand in the crossover, and I want to talk about today another major example of suicide in Ace Attorney, which I'm sure every AA fan is already aware of: Farewell, My Turnabout.

I've already spoiled Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright, but additional spoilers for both AA2 and the crossover apply. Plus, content warning for in-depth discussions of suicidal thoughts & suicide attempts.

You might be asking at this point: River, what's the first part of that title about?

And the answer is simple: Edgeworth is to Adrian in Farewell as Layton is to Espella in the final chapter(s).

Espella, throughout Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright, is experiencing a downward mental health spiral. She is first introduced to us as someone who is fleeing from great peril, and then when we lose her, she's reintroduced with some form of hypnosis. While hypnotized, she tells Phoenix and Maya that she isn't a witch -- her paranoia has managed to break through. Labyrinthia's state and philosophy is deeply ingrained in her, even in this induced mindset. She associates the court with the witch trials, and therefore with the prospect of death.

And then we get to meet the real Espella again, and defend her. At the end of the trial, it's revealed that she was framed by Kira, who believed she was the Great Witch, the ultimate enemy of Labyrinthia. This is important, because this is the source of Espella's guilt, and the true beginning of her spiral. She confesses to being the Great Witch in front of the court to free Kira. This initial action is a sacrifice rather than a suicide attempt. The set-up here, however, is Espella's belief that her life is worth less than Kira's. Less than any other life, as Espella's lack of self-worth continues into the next trial and throughout the game. She later attempts to trade her own life for the life of Jean in the ending of Golden Court, where Maya attempts to dissuade her. And finally...we have the last Witch Trial, where Espella finally faces the allegations that she is the Great Witch.

This is where Espella is pushed to her breaking point. The trial opens with her confession -- this is debunked by Phoenix saying that Darklaw forced her into saying the words, but Espella still holds a genuine belief that she was responsible for the Legendary Fire, even if she is not responsible for her father's "death", and the Legendary Fire is ultimately the event that the trial rests on. This is the root of Espella's guilt: the belief that she was responsible for the deaths of everyone back then.

Remember: Espella has very little self-esteem at this point, and it has been actively torn apart by the events of the game. She believes that dying will cause everyone to be at peace. This is not an easily shaken belief, and it is likely that Espella has held these thoughts only for the trials she witnessed to exacerbate her low self-esteem and enable her suicidal thoughts.

We'll be coming back to this shortly.

Now for Adrian. Adrian lost her mentor to suicide, someone she considered an anchor in this world. She pinned all her hopes onto Celeste, and attempted suicide after Celeste's own death. Even though she makes no attempts again afterwards, she's still very deeply mentally troubled, falling back on anger and clinging to life for revenge. But her history of mental health struggles is still something she feels sensitive about, and given the right push...she could easily fall off that edge into despair again.

The final case of any given Ace Attorney game tends to feature a substitution in the prosecution. Miles Edgeworth takes back the bench with his "Great Revival" in Farewell, and the position of Inquisitor for the final trial is turned over not once but twice, with Hershel Layton ultimately taking the spot.

Both of these characters have struggled in the past mentally. Edgeworth is coming back off of having left a note that is purposefully vague to read as a suicide note, saying that he "chooses death" after the events of the first Ace Attorney game. While he ultimately doesn't die, one possible interpretation is that he initially planned on going through with his note, but ultimately chose not to. This interpretation is supported by Edgeworth's shaky state throughout Rise from the Ashes -- we can see how he's fallen apart in the wake of Manfred von Karma's conviction for Gregory Edgeworth's murder, and the situation with Lana Skye and Damon Gant only served as another punch to his already shaky state.

Hershel Layton is someone who has faced a lot of losses in his personal life. These losses have pushed him into a depressive state (he was shown sleeping in his office with his hat still on in the chronologically first game), which has only started to heal since he met Luke. He has been shown to be prone to taking damage for others, self-sacrifical tendencies, and potentially some suicidal recklessness, though that last one is again up to interpretation.

Note how both of these prosecutors reflect the people that they're pushing. Edgeworth's prosecuting career only existed because of Manfred von Karma. Losing him pushed Edgeworth to a point where he felt the need to uproot his entire life. Layton's personal life has been riddled with loss, pushing him into thinking that he is the one at fault for all of it.

Both cases have a similar theme surrounding the ethics of the truth. Is it correct to lie to people? Is the truth ever worse than a lie? And Ace Attorney is a series that advocates for the truth above all else, so the conclusion drawn here is that the truth is the correct response here, and the ethical complications can be resolved in other ways. Edgeworth and Layton both go to great lengths to convince everyone that the truth should be exposed regardless of the cause, and end up coming across as a bit (or a lot, in Edgeworth's case) callous. Edgeworth does care about Maya, and he doesn't want Adrian to kill herself, but he still values the truth, and places more importance in that value. While he is willing to stall for Phoenix in order to gain time, he's not so willing to stall as to give up on his own case. Meanwhile, Layton clearly cares about Espella's health, and has spent much of the game dedicated to keeping her out of the flames, but ultimately, they end up at similar points.

Edgeworth pushes Adrian into admitting to her own suicide attempt. Layton pushes Espella into attempting suicide. We know that both of these characters have preexisting mental health issues. Espella may have ended up attempting suicide no matter what. However, it cannot be doubted that Espella and Adrian are reacting to the actions of Layton and Edgeworth.

In Farewell, My Turnabout, we see Edgeworth's actions as going too far. He pushed Adrian to her ultimate breaking point in an attempt to get the outcome he wanted most, and this is framed as a negative thing, despite the fact that Matt Engarde is extremely suspicious (though he has not officially confessed to us at this point). We even see Edgeworth's callousness in reference to his own struggles and how they parallel Adrian's when he says to her directly that if she chose death again he wouldn't mind. He is being cruel, and that is a purposeful decision to make him so after his come back.

However, even though Layton can be seen as a bit careless, he's framed as much more heroic than Edgeworth. He's come back, he's finally here, and he's going to help us find the truth. He even becomes the player character at a certain point, where when we present evidence it's him saying "Have a look!" instead of Phoenix's "Take that!" Espella's suicide attempt, then, is not treated with the gravity of "a girl who attempted to kill herself", but as a moment of redemption for Eve, who is ultimately the one responsible for the Legendary Fire -- as is revealed right before Espella jumps.

In both cases, the prosecutor has pushed the person on the stand in a way that shows very little regard for the health of said person in the end. If Eve hadn't been there, Espella would have killed herself. She would have died, and while Layton certainly didn't force her to jump and in fact would not advocate for her death as a solution to any of this, he would be responsible for pushing her to that breaking point that lead to her jumping. She already saw death as the only way out, and Layton's pressing on the events is what led to her deciding to be proactive. And...as we've already seen, Edgeworth cares less about Adrian than he does about the truth. In both of these cases, these are character flaws, but only in one case is this flaw actually faced by the narrative.

In both cases, and in Ace Attorney as a whole, the truth is treated as the ultimate goal. But while Farewell, My Turnabout takes a more nuanced approach to talking about the truth and its exposure, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright never questions whether the truth should be exposed. To Labyrinthia, there is never a question. The answer to "is an easy lie or a hard truth better" is a hard truth, as far as Ace Attorney's ethics go, but it is nonetheless a moral worth testing.

[aawomenzine]

🌷 Questions and Answers

These questions come from our interest check! If your question isn't here, please check our previously answered questions and Info Doc—if you still don't see it, send us an ask!

And if you haven't yet, fill out our interest check!

Q: Are women of DGS allowed?

A: Yes! As stated on our Info Doc, all Ace Attorney games are included in this project, including The Great Ace Attorney and Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney!

Q: Will you be shipping internationally?

A: Yes! We'll be shipping to any countries accepting packages from USPS during preorders. A list of countries we cannot ship to will be listed on our store's Terms of Service page.

Q: Will this just be popular characters / can you make sure there's a variety of characters in this project?

A: During the pitching process, mods will keep count of the number of times a character is pitched. We'll be using this to make sure there's a balance of appearances!

Q: Is this fanzine "beginner friendly", I mean as in people who never participated in a fanzine before are free to apply for page/merch artist or writer?

A: Contributors don't need to have any previous zine experience! We'll only be considering samples and portfolios!

Q: Will minors be allowed to participate?

A: At the moment, contributors must be at least 16 years old by the end of contributor applications. Should this become a for-profit project, all contributors will be required to be 18 years or older.

[penumbraphantasm]

big old wordy post for anyone wanting to get into the layton series and support it in a slightly more legal manner loool

first off, the Original Trilogy. probably the easiest option is purchasing the first 3 games on mobile. yes, these are the full games that debuted on the DS but in HD with BONUS content.

oh hey katrielle and alfendi. i guess mystery journey and mystery room are there too but i'll get back to those.

anyways, the layton series comes in different parts with some spinoffs. the first three as seen are Curious Village, Diabolical Box and Unwound Future. these are first in order of Release. so you can't go wrong starting here.

the next three that came after are the Prequel trilogy: Last Specter, Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy. this means even though they were released later, they take place before Curious Village chronologically. so maybe you want to make LS a starting point if you like that sort of order? LS was the last layton game for the DS while MM and AL were for the 3DS. this is where it gets difficult.

currently, Last Specter has no other port. if you search on something like ebay, you will see a clear price difference compared to listings for the original DS trilogy. and with renewed interest in the series, the amount of ppl looking for copies has probably grown too. so i don't recommend joining the fight unless you really love layton and physical media lol. i still probably RecOMmend finding another way to play it.

also my fav part of Last Specter is London Life!! a game within a game where you can create an avatar, dress up, decorate your room, get a job, fish, meet characters from the past 3 games (and a couple from Eternal Diva!) HOWEVER, London Life is only available in versions for Japan, US and Australia. if you have a European copy, you won't see it... so keep this in mind...

but before you get to the 3DS titles, you should watch the movie i mentioned earlier. what, a movie? YES! Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva! released in 2009 and takes place between Last Specter and Miracle Mask. it's animated in the game's style and comes with subs and dubs. you can easily look it up on youtube.

okay now you can move on to 3DS. Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy are available digitally in 3DS eshop but that is CLOSING MARCH 27 2023. physical copies are also expensive to acquire. they currently do not have mobile ports either.

there's another 3DS title available as well and it's a wild one. Professor Layton Vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! a crossover spinoff where you get to enjoy the gameplay of both series and the work done here would later influence some stuff they did in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles so you can check that out too. but i rec this title if you are already a fan of PL and AA so you can get the most out of the experience. if you hope to get this physically, be aware it's an extremely expensive hassle. otherwise, just grab it from the 3DS eshop for $29.99 before it closes or brew up another method at home.

okay okay but what about Mystery Journey? well, the protagonist this time is Prof Layton's daughter Katrielle! her game's available on 3DS and mobile (with free demo) and there are extra purchases if you want more goodies. but you may want to consider the switch version instead. it comes with all DLC unlocked, extra outfits and nicer graphics. it also has some new and improved puzzles. why is that? well, some of the puzzles in the original release weren't popular. if you try out the mobile demo, you may notice a totally different vibe with the puzzles. well, why is That? sadly, the original puzzle master for the layton games passed away in 2016. Mystery Journey is a more divisive title so maybe don't make this your first layton adventure.

BUT WAIT! there's also a Mystery Journey anime you can watch! Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File! it goes through the events from Mystery Journey and MORE! yes, the story goes BEYOND the game!! it's only available in japanese though (but there are subs lol)

HOLD IT! there's one more mobile game to talk about. Layton Brothers: Mystery Room! this time, you follow Lucy Baker, a fresh detective constable assigned to assist Inspector Alfendi Layton, son of Prof Layton. this game is less about puzzles and more about investigation and interrogation. it's a freemium game, which means the prologue and first 2 cases are free. the rest of the cases are in-app purchases.

if you've already played all these games, well congrats! now we just sit here and wait for New World of Steam

(and keep praying for Mansion of the Deathly Mirror lol)

[muzumi-san]

Ace Attorney: 100Q Ask Meme

(If anyone sees the similar Ask Meme for DR, I did not rip them off, they were literally created by me too.)

1. Favourite Attorney?

2. Favourite Prosecutor?

3. Favourite Assistant?

4. Favourite Witness?

5. Favourite Culprit? 

6. Favourite Antagonist (in the role of the antagonist! e.g Edgeworth in AA1 counts but only in AA1.)

7. Favourite Design?

8. All time favorite character?

9. Least favourite character?

10. Favourite trial from all the games?

11. Least favorite trial?

12. Who would you want to defend you in court? (assuming everyone had a badge)

13. Favourite minor character?

14. Character you have the most headcanons about?

15. Random headcanon you can share?

16. Which culprit would you trust to help you break out of prison?

17. Case with the best cast?

18. Game with the best cast?

19. What do you think about the Ace Attorney Anime?

20. Did you ever write fanfiction for Ace Attorney? If so, which one is your best piece

21. Did you ever read fanfictions? Which one is your personal recommendation?

22. Your OTP?

23. Your BROTP?

24. Your OT3?

25. Favourite rare pair?

26. What character do you think is underrated?

27. What character do you think is overrated?

28. Prettiest character?

29. Cutest character?

30. Character you’d push off a cliff with no hesitation?

31. Character you wish was playable?

32. Character you wish to see return?

33. Favourite sibling dynamic?

34. Favourite biological sibling dynamic?

35. Smartest murder plan?

36. Prettiest eyes?

37. Culprit that came as the biggest surprise to you?

38. Plottwist that came as the biggest surprise to you?

39. Honest opinion on Larry Butz?

40. Honest opinion on Phoenix Wright?

41. Honest opinion on Athena Cykes?

42. Unpopular opinion?

43. Favourite OST?

44. Did you play Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright? What do you think about it?

45. Someone who would’ve made a fun prosecutor but isn’t?

46. Character you thought you were gonna dislike but loved in the end?

47. Character you thought you would like but disliked in the end?

48. Random fact people tend to forget that you wanna remind us of?

49. Victim you would’ve liked to see more of? (Not e.g. victim of the second case of the first game. A victim we haven’t seen basically anything of!)

50. Favourite moment?

51. Saddest moment?

52. Funniest moment?

53. Your personal dumbest moment while playing?

54. The moment you felt the smartest while playing?

55. Two characters you’d like to meet?

56. Two characters you’d like to meet with one from AA one from another verse?

57. Which character would you never want to meet in real life?

58. Which character would you like to meet in real life?

59. Choose one character you would take on a trip.

60. Character you relate to?

61. Character who is a little too similar to you for comfort?

62. Character you relate to but dislike?

63. Favourite quote?

64. Character who deserved better?

65. Outfit you’d like to wear?

66. What do you think of the fandom?

67. A character everyone else hates but you like even though you understand the hate that they get?

68. Describe Apollo Justice in 3 words!

69. Describe Klavier Gavin in 3 words!

70. Describe Dahlia Hawthorne in 3 words!

71. New Games or OG trilogy? Which do you prefer?

72. Do you like the Investigations games?

73. Do you like the Great Ace Attorney games?

74. Character you would hug?

75. Character you would kiss?

76. Describe every game you’ve played in one word!

77. What was the game you’ve played first?

78. Who or what got you into AA?

79. How long have you been in the fandom?

80. What case was the one that got you actually hooked?

81. Recommendations you have for others who also enjoy AA?

82. Was there a point in your life where AA made you want to choose a certain profession?

83. Character that you keep forgetting exists?

84. Character you’d like to buy ice cream for?

85. Which character would you introduce to your parents?

86. Which character would you introduce to your therapist?

87. 3 characters you would have a sleepover with?

88. You have to rob a bank. Which 2 characters do you choose as your partners in crime?

89. Which character do you think could win a talent show? Which one? Elaborate all you want on why, too.

90. Your NOTP?

91. Who would you trust to cook the menu for your wedding?

92. Was any character ever your icon, lock screen etc.?

93. Ship you feel like deserves more attention even though your not into it that much?

94. Your first ship?

95. Which character would you redesign?

96. Which case would you like to experience first hand?

97. Best non-human character? (Bobby Badger, Steel Samurai etc.)

98. Which character do you trust the least to pick out a movie for a movie’s night?

99. Which character would you not want on your wedding even though you like them?

100. Phoenix Wright or Miles Edgeworth? Who do you like better?

[aceattorneyheritageposts]

Tag list

Hello, making a list of tags I use on this blog to hopefully make it a little easier for people to find posts or find out whether something has already been posted. All names and titles will be English-localised. For those using screen readers, the tag names themselves as listed are hyperlinks to their respective pages.

This page is still a work in progress. if you can’t find a link here, feel free to send an ask with what you’re looking for.

Characters (Alphabetical by last name):

Kazuma Asogi / Larry Butz / Miles Edgeworth / Maya Fey / Mia Fey / Klavier Gavin / Kristoph Gavin / Godot / Dick Gumshoe / The Judge / Apollo Justice / Franziska von Karma / Manfred von Karma / Ryunosuke Naruhodo / Ema Skye / Redd White / Phoenix Wright / Trucy Wright

Media:

PW: Ace Attorney / PWAA: Justice For All / PWAA: Trials and Tribulations / Miles Edgeworth: Investigations / Miles Edgeworth: Investigations 2 / Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney / PWAA: Dual Destinies / PWAA: Spirit of Justice / The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles (spoilers from the two respective games are tagged tgaa1 spoilers and tgaa2 spoilers) / Ace Attorney Anime / Ace Attorney Movie (2012) / Phoenix Wright Vs Professor Layton

Type:

textpost / gif(s) / video / objection.lol / fanwork / screenshot(s) / audio / meta / ordinary post interupted by an argument using AA sprites / posts hijacked by the AA fandom / incorrect quotes / those posts where people use popular tumblr or twitter etc posts to describe characters or fit character scenarios

General blog admin:

heritage posts only / replies / asks / submissions / mod posts / has image or video description / mod's personal favourites / interacting with other heritage post blogs + varying shenanigans

[van-zieksy]

As someone who has never played a single Ace Attorney game but always kinda wanted to get into them, where would you recommend I start? Any games that I should skip? Any other interesting pieces of Ace Attorney media to consume?

Welcome to the wonderful world of AA! :)

Most people would probably recommend you start with the "original trilogy" (AA 1-3) and then play either 4-6 or The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (TGAAC) (Dai Gyakuten Saiban, DGS, was the name of the original release in Japan, so you will still happen across that title often).

TGAAC is really 2 games in 1. They need to be played as a bundle because it is one big coherent story.

Beware that 4-6 are somewhat controversial amongst the fan base, at least on social media. Or maybe we should say opinions on the "second trilogy" are polarised. But that doesn't have to mean much, so please don't let that deter you, because, in my humble opinion, they are still great AA games. I think it's important for people to form their own opinions rather than being told "these games are good, and these games are not that good." These three games introduced some new playable characters. Don't start out with 4-6 because one should have played 1-3 prior.

The reason people recommend starting with 1-3 is because TGAAC is a natural evolution of the original trilogy, meaning that you may or may not enjoy 1-3 as much after having played TGAAC. TGAAC introduced a few new gameplay mechanisms, told a lengthy, intriguing story, and serves like a prequel to the other games, as it features an ancestor of Phoenix Wright. It's quite the refined game. TGAAC also includes some historical aspects, but it really is not that much different from the other games in the series, which are loveably over-the-top and not necessarily grounded in reality. The TGAA games are still lighthearted AA games and don't try to be more than that.

I personally think it does not matter if you start with 1-3 or TGAAC. Both are amazing in their own respective ways and can be played independently from each other. My best friend started with TGAAC and then moved onto 1-3 and had a great time with all games involved. I think TGAAC is a great entry point into the series because they can be more accessible for some players.

As for other pieces of interesting AA media, I think it's best to play the games first to see in how far you like them and what appeals to you most and then move onto alternate pieces of media. I can only speak for myself, so here we go...

I personally think the art books are very interesting as they provide some nice background info. May contain spoilers, so recommended after the games.

I enjoy reading fanfics, but that should really only come after having played the games because not all are close to canon, also because of spoilers.

The two Asinine Attorney DLC episodes for Dai Gyakuten Saiban (Japan side + London side) are highly recommended as they provide some characterisation for certain characters and their relationships. They were never released outside of Japan but can be found on Youtube. Best watched after having finished the duology.

If you like the music, then the soundtracks are a nice way to connect with the world of AA. The orchestrated versions in particular are very beautiful.

The Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright game is a game you might want to play after having played the main series. Disclaimer: Main series to me is anything that retains the typical AA gameplay and charm and hence is not a spin-off, regardless of who the playable characters are. Even TGAAC is part of the main series to me; it's a prequel. Others see it differently and that's fine.

Then there's the AA manga and anime as well as the live action movie. Maybe do your own research. I don't want to say too much about them. They add some depth to the characters. Again, also best consumed after the games.

Whatever you end up playing first, 1-3 or TGAAC, you can't go wrong with any of the games. To me, every AA game ever released is excellent, some more enjoyable than others. More importantly...

Beware of any and all spoilers. I'd recommend adding certain tags here on tumblr to your list of blocked tags for now (e.g. tgaa spoilers, dgs spoilers, aa spoilers etc.). It's not that you can't enjoy the games if you're exposed to spoilers, but it takes away some of the mysteries and suspension surrounding the stories. Further, the games are most enjoyable with a lighthearted approach. They aren't meant to be viewed through a realistic lens/aren't really focused on reality. They may feature dark subjects like murder, assault, physical abuse etc., but it's not what defines the games. The games are super silly with captivating gameplay and characters. I hope I didn't forget anything.

Enjoy!! ☺️

[incompletionism]

Hands On with... Tyrion Cuthbert : Attorney of the Arcane

After the previously Japan-only The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles finally released worldwide this past summer, more people than ever have been able to sample the series' unique brand of judicial mayhem and what better time to share your own AA-inspired game with the world?

Unfortunately, the derivative defending of Tyrion Cuthbert : Attorney of the Arcane withers in the shadow of its inspiration. From the basic structure of cases (court case - investigation - more court case) down to lifting the very same character poses and breakdowns when battling in court, there was a strong sense of deja vu throughout my time with TC:AA's demo.

Now, although it can be creatively bankrupt to simply file the serial numbers off of someone else's creation, there have been some great games in recent years to take strong inspiration from classic games (take upcoming Zelda and Souls-like Tunic, for example). Judging from the admittedly WIP demo, TC:AA is not set to be one of them.

Comprising the first case, the plot is farily by the numbers : it's up to fresh-faced lawyer Tyrion Cuthbert to defend a poor girl accused of killing her father with magic for his very first case. In TC:AA's world, only the nobility can perform magic and typically only a few spells at that. The rules of magic will be familiar to players of D&D, with a detailed description of how the spell is performed and its school of magic, and are implemented as evidence in cases much like in Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright. Why rookie lawyers always get assigned life-or-death cases, I don't know, but the prosecutor for this case is also green. Aria Steelwind is your musically-named rival for at least the first case and despite being roughly the same age, she looks down on Tyrion as an "amateur". It's these kinds of odd character beats and dialogue choices that plague TC:AA's demo. At one point, your mentor (who's saddled with Edgeworth-esque allegations of falsifying evidence) refuses to let you look at the accused's spellbook to use as evidence for some kind of teaching moment - in the middle of a murder trial! Flashbacks are used between scenes to flesh out backstory to the case, but end up being recounted to Tyrion through exposition just 10 minutes later, grinding the pace to a halt. These little issues, along with the inconsistent artstyle that makes every character look like they're from a different game and just not at home with the backgrounds, add up over the course of the demo and made my time with TC:AA more frustrating than anything. Outside of court, you get the chance to harass talk with witnesses at the crime scene, as well as presenting evidence with the hope of loosening their lips, though without the hilarious "bad reactions" if you show them something completely irrelevant like in AA. Similar to the Psyche-Locks of AA: Justice for All, the persuasion system is perhaps TC:AA's most interesting wrinkle in the formula. About halfway through the investigation, Tyrion has to persuade the detective working on the case who hates his mentor to help out. The tutorial promises branching pathways in the full game based on how well you do with this, but funneled me to a "good" outcome despite how bad a job I did.

Beyond this, it's a fairly beat-for-beat retread of Ace Attorney's mechanics, but less inspiring in execution.

Stats

Playtime - 2 hours (DEMO)

Genre - Visual novel; Adventure game; Fantasy

Developer - Diamondhenge Entertainment

Publisher - Diamondhenge Entertainment

Platforms - Steam; Android

Release - 30/12/2022 (Tentative)

In 5 words - It's a... kind of magic. Set to feature music from YouTube stars Insaneintherain and Shady Cicada, TC:AA's IndiGoGo campaign fell 33% short of its £21,833 goal and has an uncertain future. I believe with a good editor, the game could be a good Ace Attorney clone, but hope that this setback leads to developer Stephen Charles to give Tyrion a bit of his own identity.

If you liked this preview, consider supporting my migration to Blogspot. It took surprisingly long to format the images and text across the two mediums, but I hope it came out okay on both ends.

[noxiatoxia]

hey !! sorry to bother you but i noticed that you like aa. im new to the series (currently playing the first game), i would like to know, which games are the best in your opinion and which are the worst? ty :)

HI OMG!! I'm flattered you asked me....

I think all the mainline games are worth playing, first of. Ace Attorney has a continuous storyline, so missing a game could cause confusion later down the line. That said, if you're asking bc you want to play some games and with others just watch a let's play/read them, then in my personal opinion,

my favorite game in the series is aa4, or Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice. The music, the characters, and the story line is all so magnificently done in my opinion, and it was sincerely such a fun game to play.

As for my least favorite, I would have to say Spirit of Justice, or aa6. I don't think any ace attorney game is bad per se or not worth playing, but aa6, in the scheme of the overall story line, made little sense. The music was great, but the new characters were overall not very interesting. Nahyuta, the game's new prosecutor, is the weakest in the series, and the final chapter is, on average, over 13 HOURS. Meanwhile, chapter 4 is my LEAST favorite case in the ENTIRITY of ace attorney.

I'd say from fave to least fave, it'd go: aa4, aa1, aa3, aa5, aa2, aa6. The only ones I harbor any dislike for are aa2 and aa6 -- aa2 has a fantastic story, but I really, really don't like the music, and the cases aren't super riveting.

aa3 and aa5 are really, really good. I think aa3 has some of my favorite music in the series overall, and it has some amazing characters. The only downside is the main prosecutor, Godot, isn't really interesting to me, but he's one of those "love him or hate him" characters. As for aa5, it has some flaws, and Apollo imo is a little ooc, but I LOVE the story and the new characters Athena and Blackquill are some of my favorite. The music isn't bad, but it is a little generic and isn't super memorable to me besides a few tunes.

If you want to factor in The Great Ace Attorney chronicles, the newest games (because while technically part of the mainline, they are considered somewhat of a spinoff because of not playing into the main storyline) are REALLY GOOD. Great music and fantastic characters. If I factored that in to my ranking:

aa4, aa1, tgaa1, aa3, aa5, tgaa2, aa2, aa6.

The reason The Great Ace Attorney 2 is much lower than its first game is for a lot of story-based reasons. It resolves with some unanswered questions, and the ""twist"" of who the big baddie is was such a huge let down as, well, it was less of a twist and more like a "no duh". The final case was decent, but left a lot to be desired in terms of the relationship between Ryuunosuke and the prosecutor of that case; I feel like a lot was left unresolved and the ending felt rushed. Plus, they reused the same music from TGAA1, which gets REALLY grating when you play them both in a row.

And finally, as for the ACTUALLY spinoffs, Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations (otherwise known as AAI) 1 & 2...my list would look like:

aa4, aa1, tgaa1, aa3, aai2, aa5, tgaa2, aai1, aa2, aa6.

The only issue is AA12 was NEVER released in English. Thankfully a fan translation and patch exists, and so you can play the rom as if it were actually a real English port. AAI suffers from running around in circles a lot and some mind-numbingly stupid moments similar to Danganronpa (where you have to confirm the same thing over and over 5 million times) but they're good games. I think the second game is superior in its story and characters, especially Sebatian Debeste. AA1 is okay. It has AMAZING music, but the story is just mediocre and it really only lives for the novelty of being able to play as Edgeworth.

And THAT'S THAT ON THAT, BABY!!! I hope you enjoy the series as much as I do!! The only game I haven't included on this list is Phoenix Wright vs. Professor Layton, as that is a crossover spinoff and the only game I have yet to play (but I plan to once I find somewhere I can buy it!)

[probablygayattorneys]

Hold it!

Welcome to my blog! Please read this get to know me before continuing.

I'm Parker (the artist formally known as Cody and/or Katie), I'm 27, and pronoun neutral. (She/he/they- it is all okay! Gender is like religion to me, I recognize that it can mean a lot to someone and give them some sort of comfort and meaning, but personally I am not in a place where I'm one of those people, and I'll respect your view as long as you respect mine.) By day, I’m a mild-mannered but a little bit eccentric dirty soda shop employee, and by night, I’m a mild mannered but little bit eccentric dirty soda shop employee… sleeping. I’m also autistic but I’m also a silly goose, so if something seems odd, it might be because something isn’t clicking or it also might be because I’m doing a bit. I also have dyscalculia (which is a lot like dyslexia but for math) and often joke that I never learned how to count. I change my profile picture like once a week for no real reason other than I'm vibing with a different character now.

I grew up on the puzzle games of the early aughts but sort of fell out of love with them somewhere in the last 10 years and have only been getting back into it over the past few years. I have played the original Ace Attorney trilogy, both Great Ace Attorney Chronicles games, both Ace Attorney Investigations games, the “Apollo Justice trilogy” (derogatory), Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright, both Layton trilogies, Layton Brothers Mystery Room, Layton’s Mystery Journey, OneShot, Trace Memory, Another Code: Two Memories, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, and Hotel Dusk: Room 215. I am currently playing Another Code: Recollection and Last Window: The Secrets of Cape West. I plan to play Death Trick: Double Blind, Danganronpa, and AI: The Somnium Files. I try to be mindful of tagging spoilers appropriately, but proceed with caution regardless. I also queue my posts way in advance but then shuffle it regularly so what I’m playing may get posts immediately or may not get any for three months.

Also, Donkey Kong is my mortal enemy. He is my death and I am his. We are connected by the opposite of the red invisible string of fate. We are destined to destroy each other time and time again until we go over the Reichenbach Falls together.

Most of my fandom contributions are shitposts, but sometimes I'll also make graphic edits (most commonly text post memes) or video edits. Sometimes I also will cross post a piece of fanfiction from Ao3 (which is the same username as here). My tag for these is look what I made. For the most part this blog just is original posts because I don’t follow any other fandom blogs. For a long time this blog was just Ace Attorney, but now it’s just my general video game blog.

My personal favorite characters are Miles, Kay, Susato, Ema, Katrielle, Ashley Mizuki Robbins, and Kyle Hyde. I ship Wrightworth and Miego but I'm not, like, horny about it, and don't really give a shit about shipping discourse. Ship if you want, don't ship if you don't want, I don't really care. Even if I don't agree with your ships, I'm not here to start a fight.

My only real other passions are musical theatre, public libraries, Taylor Swift, and The Mountain Goats but I'll only post about them if it's also somehow crossing over to puzzle games. I also love a good farming simulator, such as Story of Seasons, my favorite being A Wonderful Life.

My ask box and submissions are both open, and you can always DM me. It doesn't matter if we've never spoken before, you can start a conversation with me for anything from homework help to "phantom of the opera aa au" and my response will always be trying to help (I'm better at language arts but I'll do my best with STEM) or "are we going with original POTO or LND and is godot the phantom”. I will only ignore you if you're making me uncomfortable, and even then, I'll probably tell you that due to the inappropriate nature the conversation has taken, I'm terminating it. My queue tag is 'queue takumi defense squad'.

That's all I can think of for now. If you've actually read this far, thank you and welcome to my blog!

[naehja]

ace attorney

1. Favourite Ace Attorney game? Well I love them all. I love AA2 a little less that the others.

So

1)  AA3/DD

2) AA1/AJ/Spirit of Justice

3) AA2/ PL vs PE (more because I was never able to finish it)

2. Favourite case? Hum It’s hard to choose. In AA1? Rise of Ashes + Whe we defend Miles. aa2? Circus case. AA3? All of them. AJ? The last case. AA5? Every case of the game. AA6? Hum...I says that one where Trucy is accused. 

3. Favourite defendant? 1) Will Power 2) Athena and Simon  3)  MAAAYYYYYAAA (please can you stop to be accused one time by game? thank) 4) Trucy 5) Ron Delite 6) Iris 7) Feenie

4. Favourite prosecutor? 1) Miles 2) Simon 3) Franziska 4) Klavier

5. Favourite ship? NaruMisu  (Asouryuu for DGS)

6. Favourite victim?  Mia Fey - Misty Fey (can you please STOP killing maya’s family? thank)

Also 

Clay

7. Favourite murderer? Grant (he scared me first time i played). 

The Murderer in the Circus case was great too but it was so freaking SAD.

Kristoph was scary in his own ways. A vilain who hads never explained his reasons. A vilain who has killed, manipuled, abused and a lot of other thing and never explained WHY.

Good vilain.

I hate him so much.

8. Favourite assistant? ALL OF THEM

9. Favourite witness? Olbag, and Larry

(also the parrot)

10. Favourite quote? “Almost Christmas meaning that it was still not Christmas” and the “udapted auptosie report”

YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE…?

11. Least favourite Ace Attorney game? Justice for All, I love the Circus case but it’s the only case that I love in this game. I admit that the first one was terrible and that the tutorial one is hilarous but....the last was....I didn’t like it.

12. Least favourite case? Farewell, My Turnabout

13. Least favourite defendant?

It would be nice if Maya was not a defendant anymore. Maya, stop being accused of murder dammit!

Seriously Matt Engarde.

14. Least favourite prosecutor? GODOT!!! Payne is the tutorial prosecutor so we forgive his bad sides but Godot? 

SAYING THAT MIA DEATH IS PHOENIX’S FAULT AND THAT HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE FOR PROTECT HER?

DOING NOTHING WHEN HE KNEW THE PLAN AND KILLING MISTY IN FRONT OF MAYA, ADMITTING THAT HE KILLED MISTY EVEN IF MISTY COULD HAVE RESISTED TO DAHLIA’S SPIRIT OR THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN PEARL?

Yuta comes in place 2, because he has triggered Athena’s trauma IN PURPOSE for trigger a breakdown and that was not cool.

Payne is the place 3 but he’s the tutorial and he’s cursed since 100 years to never be able to beat a nuruhodo (phoenix’s family) XD

15. Least favourite ship? KristophxPhoenix or DalhiaxPhoenix

16. Least favourite victim? The guy from Mia first trial. Terry Fawles. Also the Attorney who has been killed by Yogi in A-3.

17. Least favourite murderer? Hu....How was his name...the detective in AA3? Atmey (even if his plan was freaking clever)   ? Also the murderer in AA1-1 (boring). 

Yogi was boring too, until he finally stopped act like a idiot and assume his reponsabilities.

But the FIRST? THE ONE THAT I HATE THE MOST?

DALHIA!!!

I HATE HER SO MUCH.

18. Least favourite assistant? I love everyone of them.

19. Least favourite witness? Haha...Generally they are great. But I’ll say the Orca XD (a least the parrot could talk)

20. Least favourite memory of Ace Attorney? The Bad ending in AA2

The panties thief too

DO YOU PREFER…?

21. Phoenix Wright or Apollo Justice? Phoenix

22. Maya Fey or Trucy Wright?  

*softly* how dare you make me choose?

Monster!

23. Investigations or trials? BOTH. Well except if Payne is the prosecutor. I rather investigate that dealing with him.

24. College Phoenix or Hobo Phoenix? Feenie or Hobo? Both are awesome. The first is adorable dumbass in love, the other is so sassy and depressed. I love them both.

25. Klavier Gavin or Kristoph Gavin? Klavier.

Kristoph can burn in Hell with Dalhia and Manfred.

26. Ace Attorney or Ace Attorney Investigations? Sadely I never played investigations =(, so Ace Attorney

27. Apollo’s perceive, Phoenix’s magatama or Athena’s Mood Matrix? ALL OF THEM

28. Ace Attorney trilogy or Apollo Justice and Dual Destinies?ALL OF THEM

29. 3D models or sprites? 3D are nice, but the remake in HD are great too

30. Ema Skye as she is in Rise from the Ashes or Ema Skye as she is in Apollo Justice? BOTH! Her relation with her sister for the first, and his sassy mode in AJ. 

MISCELLANEOUS

31. Did you like what they did to Phoenix in Apollo Justice?  I’m happy that he stopped to be a depressed hobo in DD. He breaks my heart in AJ.

32. Your opinion on Dai Gyakuten Saiban? I WANT TO PLAY TT

33. Do you think Dai Gyakuten Saiban and/or Miles Edgeworth Investigations 2 will get localised to the West? Maybe it will happen in 2021 for DGS 1 and 2, the rumors seems more accurate this time. (see the news about the hack of Capcom)

34. Do you think Miles Edgeworth should get another Investigation-game or do you think another character deserves a spin-off? YES YES YES A new Investigation with Phoenix, Franziska, Trucy, but then Athena, Fay and Klavier would follow Edegeworth too (he can’t have holiday with his husband, daugther and sister, right?)

A spin-off with Apollo would be nice too but with no Trucy, No Athena, no Klavier?

I would  pass.

Or maybe spin-off with Mia; with Phoenix as student/co-council but without Maya or Miles then

so I would pass too.

35. Opinion on the soundtrack of the Ace Attorney-franchise? It’s nice =) Some characters have a awesome theme XD

36. Do you like where the franchise is heading or did you prefer the atmosphere in the original trilogy? I think that getting Apollo out of the story was a mistake TT

37. Capcom suddenly announces that Phoenix will no longer appear in the Ace Attorney franchise! Your reaction?

38. Capcom suddenly announces that the Ace Attorney franchise has ended for good! Your reaction?

39. Would you like there to be another Ace Attorney/Professor Layton crossover game? YES!! YES!! Imagine Alfendi as inspector of the case XD

40. Would you like an Ace Attorney anime? We have one. It's super cool =) and there are fillers about baby Miles, Larry and Phoenix. Nick literally wrote a love letter diffused to radio to Miles XD And the whole cas with Iris? AWESOME!!

41. Opinion on anime cutscenes in Ace Attorney? They are cool =)

42. Would you want to play an Ace Attorney game where you take on the prosecutors role? If Phoenix is the adversaire, we couldn't win XD (welcome in Miles hell guys) Also it would mean all our clients would be guilty right?

43. Do you like having DLC in Ace Attorney-games? YES!! It's just a shame that you have to pay “so mcuh” for them when you already pay the game. But Phoenix defending a orca? Phoenix speak wedding with Miles? TAKE MY MONEY!!!

44. Opinion on Lamiroir’s storyline? Sad. Very sad. Now it would be great if she could talk to her kids. Phoenix is nice to respect her will but both Apollo and Trucy deserve to know.

45. One thing you think the Ace Attorney games can improve on? More Athena, More NaruMitsu. AND APOLLO BETTER TO RETURN!!

46. Capcom suddenly announces an Ace Attorney movie! Would you like it to be based on an already existing case or would you like an all new storyline? Why not do a movie with Rise of Ashes? =) Or a New Storyline But the story better to be cool.

47. Capcom suddenly announces an Ace Attorney movie! Would you prefer it being live-action, 3D animated or 2D animated? Like the anime we already had. The live-action wasn't so cool, compared to the anime.

48. If there could be an Ace Attorney crossover with whatever franchise you’d like, which one would you choose? (Does not need to be a video-game franchise) Hum. Professor Layton again. OR a time travel crossover with the Great Ace Attorney. OR Detective Conan.

49. Opinion on recurring witnesses? (Wendy Oldbag, Lotta Hart, Larry Butz, etc.) Olbag is a gift!!! Larry is a treasure!! Lotta is funny =)

50. Do you think Dual Destinies deserved its M-rating? OMG YES YES 1000X YES. I mean have you seen Athena trauma?

[askaceattorney]

4th of July is here!

I almost forgot and thankfully remembered just in time.

Holiday Letters for 4th of July are now available. Remember, you can only write letters to Ace Attorney characters from the trilogy, Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright and Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3. St. George's Day was the only day you could send any 4th of July adjacent letters to characters of The Great Ace Attorney since they live in London and Japan.

All of you have until July 6th at midnight at Pacific Time. I'm adding an extra day, because I announced this a day late. It's alright, since fireworks will still be going and this will give time for me to celebrate with my family.

Have fun!

- Chief Mod Edgeworth

[rivalsforlife]

ok, let's leave the false start au for now. instead pick from: 1) klavier, especially his brother related trauma and his working relationship with miles and phoenix (because i like the 'he's part of what cost phoenix his badge' but 'he's a genuinely good man' conflict) 2) your thoughts on aa anime (which was sooo bad but it had a few nice moments) if you watched it. 3) your next fic idea teaser (if applicable).

okay haha... why pick? I’ll do all three.

1) I love Klavier, I think he has a lot of potential to be a really interesting character, I think Capcom has no idea what they’re doing with him. He had the potential to be the “Edgeworth” of 456 but they just completely threw him to the side. I was having a similar conversation with someone else a little while ago... that what Capcom did with Klavier’s character arc is basically if Miles had the first game, then showed up briefly in Turnabout Big Top for JFA and that’s it, and then had an offhand mention in Trials and Tribulations. And, of course, no investigations games either. Klavier had that sorry cameo in Turnabout Academy, meanwhile Miles was part of the whole emotional arc of JFA. It’s just... very sad that he had so much potential but Capcom completely squandered it in exchange for “ja ja achtung herr forehead i’m a rockstar ;)” that he is now. Having a whole three games for him to work out his brother-related trauma, like how Miles got to work out his DL-6 related trauma in the original trilogy, would have been great for him! but alas.

I think his working relationship with Miles is pretty good; I think Miles probably had serious doubts at first, because he would have believed in Phoenix’s innocence, but we know that Klavier was abroad with his singing career during the seven-year-gap iirc and Miles wasn’t Chief Prosecutor until just after the events of AJ. So by the time they had any meaningful interactions, Miles knew Klavier as one of the few prosecutors that sought the truth and wasn’t corrupt, so I think they’d actually get along pretty well (as long as their conversation is restricted to Truth And Justice haha, probably don’t have a ton in common beyond that besides trauma.)

Phoenix on the other hand... probably spent seven years holding at least a bit of resentment against Klavier for taking away his badge. So I think it would probably always be at least a little awkward between them. But Phoenix did trust him enough by Turnabout Succession to run the Jurist Trial, and Phoenix would be able to recognize that, yeah, he is a genuinely good person and was as screwed over by Kristoph as Phoenix was. And Klavier probably will always feel guilty for having wrongfully accused Phoenix and throwing his life into turmoil for those seven years, plus Phoenix’s disbarment ties into all his complicated feelings regarding Kristoph, and I don’t think that either of them are actually all that good at having deep interpersonal conversations about their feelings. (See: Phoenix’s reaction to Miles being dead being “don’t ever speak of him to me again” instead of talking things through, Klavier having to deal with all the stuff that comes from being a rockstar re: having to keep everything private.) I think they’d eventually reach some sort of understanding, but I don’t think they’d ever /really/ be able to get over the events of disbarment, even though they each think the other is a good person and they can get along well enough.

(... That got long, that should be my longest one, though.)

2) Thoughts on the AA anime: I’m not an anime person, really, I’ve barely watched any at all, so I can’t vouch to its quality as an anime. I do know a lot about ace attorney though haha, and I definitely think it’s a pretty poor adaptation, though I guess it’s understandable given time constraints and the like. (But did they really have to make Adrian Andrews and Celeste Inpax sisters??? And erase Miles’ trauma?? come on.) I did like the bonus episodes though, the childhood ones with Miles and Phoenix, and I found the one with Kurain village very informative (and also influenced some of my headcanons regarding it.) I read a post a while back about how the anime would have been much better if it was all original cases or slice of life-type stuff, and I agree, the original episodes were much better than the adaptations, likely because the adaptations didn’t live up to the expectations set by the games. 

And even though I feel that way about the anime, I probably would still want adaptations of other games too, though I don’t think they would because Capcom only likes the original trilogy. It’s fun to see them animated in some ways, and more bonus episodes would be nice.

3) there are a lot of fic ideas floating around in my docs, but the one that /should/ be done next is basically “Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright but it goes horribly wrong”, which I can’t get into much detail without spoiling the game and/or the fic and I don’t know if you’ve played that one haha.

[yunaffie]

Shu Takumi interview

Several years ago, Official Nintendo Magazine UK (now no longer existent) had an interview with Shu Takumi and it was even on their website. Now their website is no longer around, but I did manage to find the interview on the Wayback Machine and I figured I’d repost it to make it easier to find, as well as give people who haven’t seen it yet the opportunity to do so.

    On the day that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is released, Takumi talks to us about his best-loved series

Shu Takumi's most famous creation, Phoenix Wright, is famed for his 'turnabouts'. These whiplash-inducing twists of logic see him step into the unknown in order to seek his client's innocence; he's essentially a chancer, blagging his way to victory. Talk to Takumi, however, and you sense that he leaves nothing to fate. His stories are intricately plotted, his jokes laser-targeted and his heroes full-bodied personalities.

In a medium in which storytelling starts and ends with 'man hates thing, man shoots thing', Takumi is a rare exception to the rule. With his latest yarn, Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney, on the horizon, Associate Editor Matthew Castle was lucky enough to cross-examine one of gaming's definitive voices.

Matthew Castle: Before we start, just for any readers who might not know who you are, could you tell us about your role at Capcom?

Shu Takumi: I'm a director, which means that I propose ideas for new titles, design the games, write the scenarios and direct the projects. In addition, I mutter complaints and, when the intense pressure of an impossible schedule finally gets to me, escape into a fantasy world of my own creation [laughs].

MC: Before developing Ace Attorney you worked on Dino Crisis. How does one go from dinosaur survival horror to virtual courtrooms?

ST: Dino Crisis was the brainchild of my then boss, Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami. Working on his projects taught me not only how to make games, but also how to think about them. After Dino Crisis 2 wrapped, Mr Mikami gave me six months in which to create any kind of game I wanted.

I was still pretty wet behind the ears, but as I'd originally joined Capcom with a desire to create mystery and adventure games, this was a huge chance for me to make my mark as a creator. In the end it took a team of seven 10 months to produce the first GBA Ace Attorney title. Having the freedom to create exactly the kind of game I wanted was amazing and it was a real pleasure to work on that project.

MC: Can you remember when the idea of Ace Attorney first came to you? How did your bosses respond to the idea of a lawyer-based adventure game when you first described it to them?

ST: It was in 2000 when Mr Mikami said I could make my own game and my original idea was a fairly typical adventure with a detective as the main character. Most mystery adventures have the player choose from a number of different dialogue options for their character in order to progress the story, but I wanted a new gameplay style that enabled players to deduce for themselves what was happening, rather than just selecting canned responses. I developed this into the concept of facing off against the suspect in a crime and exposing the contradictions in their statements.

I was sure my new idea would be a fun and original take on the genre, so I started to revise the main character, since a detective would be too traditional for such an original concept. I asked myself, "What kind of professional would face off against a suspect and expose their contradictory statements?" The answer, of course, was a lawyer and so the Ace Attorney concept was born.

Incidentally, I wrote the game design document at home during my summer holiday straight after Dino Crisis 2 finished. One day, I got a call from Mr Mikami. Despite having supposedly given me free rein to design whatever I wanted, he warned me off doing a game about courtroom trials!

MC: Ace Attorney paints the police and legal profession in a silly light. Have you ever had feedback from lawyers or policemen about your portrayal of them?

ST: A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak with some police detectives and they told me that their real-life investigations are nowhere near as absurd as those that were depicted in Ace Attorney. I thought to myself, "Well, I had sort-of guessed that already..."

I've never had feedback from any lawyers, but I imagine it would be the same. They'd tell me they don't scream out "Objection!" as vigorously as our characters and I'd think to myself, "Well, I had sort-of guessed that already..."

MC: Every Ace Attorney game is full of great characters, so when you wrote each sequel how did you decide which people to bring back?

ST: The first time a previously featured character returned in a later case was Larry Butz. Phoenix defended him on a murder charge in the very first case of the first game and he showed up later in the same game as a supporting character in the fourth case.

He wasn't originally planned to be a recurring character, however. The schedule for designing and drawing a new character for that case was so tight that there was a serious risk we wouldn't make it in time, so we decided to reuse an existing character simply to save time on asset creation. Thus, Larry made his encore appearance, which ended up being a well-received element of the first game's storyline, so from the second game onwards, we started bringing old characters back intentionally.

How we choose who to bring back is simple: it's usually either characters who are popular with fans, or those I am fond of [laughs].

MC: For all the madness, there's something traditional about the mysteries at the heart of Ace Attorney. Did you draw on any classic crime writers for inspiration?

ST: You could say that there is a mixture of the spilled blood of victims, the guilty tears of killers and the sweat of hard-working detectives flowing through my veins... To put it less graphically, from the time I came across the Sherlock Holmes series as a child, all the way through to my university days, I've been obsessed with reading classic murder mysteries. It's safe to say that Ace Attorney would not exist were it not for Perry Mason.

When writing the cases for the games I've found inspiration in the works of GK Chesterton, Ellery Queen and Anthony Berkeley, to name but a few. And I can't leave out that modern classic of the genre, Columbo.

MC: How hard is it to devise a juicy twist and to hide it from view? In storytelling you often want to obscure the details, but videogame design often requires clarity. Did you find it hard to rectify those two things?

ST: They say that it's harder to create a puzzle than to solve one and that's certainly proved to be the case in my experience. For the first game, with my lack of experience I found it less like a challenging task than a hobby with which I became obsessed.

You need to control the information presented in the game so that there is a single right answer for the player to deduce, but also weave in plenty of initial inconsistencies for them to uncover and our trademark 'turnabout' twists to confound their expectations. This is where reading all those mystery novels in my youth has really paid off.

MC: Having worked on four Ace Attorney games, how did it feel to step away and work on Ghost Trick? Were you nervous to leave that safety bubble?

ST: I first started working on the Ghost Trick concept in 2004, after the completion of the original GBA version of Ace Attorney 3. The third game was supposed to be the last one, but plans changed and I ended up working on the first DS Ace Attorney, which, as you know, was the first Ace Attorney title to be localised and released in the west. My next project after that was Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, so by the time I got around to finishing Ghost Trick it was 2010, six years after I first thought up the concept.

I certainly felt a lot of pressure when making Ghost Trick, as it was a brand new IP and I had just left the Ace Attorney series, but I was grateful for the chance to take on a new challenge.

MC: Ghost Trick featured some incredibly gruesome murder concepts - death by giant roast chicken is my favourite. From where did you draw inspiration for such a huge variety of deaths? Did any not make the cut?

ST: I feel that the most violent way of murdering someone is by directly shooting, stabbing or strangling them, so for Ghost Trick I wanted to have more indirect ways of killing someone, with a darkly comical, more symbolic feeling to them.

Combining this approach with the fact that the Nintendo DS screens are not the largest, or most high-resolution displays out there, it became important to make sure that whatever death we were presenting to the player was visually easy to comprehend. So being crushed to death by some giant object was a perfect fit for our requirements, whether it was under a big rock or a huge roast chicken.

As far as cut ideas, there was going to be a stage where the victim had been crushed by a huge safe that fell from the ceiling, but time restrictions meant the whole stage was cut. I do love having giant objects fall on people, don't I? That's probably the influence of Tom and Jerry on the young Shu Takumi showing through.

MC: More importantly, how did your team react as you presented these death ideas to them. Was anyone worried for your sanity?

ST: Yes, and not only that, but I also made it my goal to cause the team to worry for my sanity whenever I presented an idea, because if they were, it meant it was a good one. I would hear a little voice in my head saying, "You win!" at times like that. The more "You win!" moments one can have in life, the better.

MC: There were nods in Ghost Trick to Ace Attorney - Missile the dog, for example; a character who looked like Wright - do you see the two games as existing in the same universe?

ST: Those are really just coincidences: the guy who looks like Phoenix actually only has the same colour suit on and the dog is not the same breed as Missile, which, coincidentally, is the name of my pet Pomeranian.

Ghost Trick takes place in what is obviously a much more fantastical world than Ace Attorney. You may have noticed that the level backgrounds in Ghost Trick never have any kind of writing in them. This was an intentional design choice to prevent the game's setting from being identifiable as taking place in any particular country or era from the real world.

MC: Could you imagine an Ace Attorney/Ghost Trick crossover? Any deaths that we couldn't prevent by way of possession could then go to trial in a courtroom...

ST: ...or Phoenix Wright could be killed and Sissel could prosecute his killer in court! Whatever form it might take, a crossover between these games is something I would love to see happen.

MC: When you return to Ace Attorney after a period of absence - whether it was to write Apollo Justice or Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney - how easy do you find it to slip back into that world and that writing voice?

ST: Writing for Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney was the first time in several years that I wrote in the voice of Phoenix and Maya, but those characters are so dear to me that I carry them around everywhere in my heart, so it was very easy to pick it up again. It was like a reunion with old friends and was a very pleasurable and nostalgic experience for me.

MC: When you came to write the scenario for Professor Layton Vs. Ace Attorney, how hard was it to make those two universes gel? Layton's world traditionally dispels the paranormal, while Wright tends to embrace it.

ST: I worked together with Level 5 to develop the world in which the crossover takes place. It took quite a lot of time for both sides to find a setting into which we were happy to place our biggest characters. The starting point for me was when I wondered to myself if one could still use logic to solve a case in a world in which crimes could be committed using magic. I really liked this idea, so it was hard, but fun, work to design the court sections of the game around it.

MC: Putting all diplomacy aside, who would win in a battle of the wits between Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright?

ST: If you ask me, I don't think Phoenix would be able to hold a candle to Layton in a real battle of wits. However, we all know that the hand of fate somehow always manages to bring a 'turnabout' in Nick's fortunes, no matter how sticky the situation, which means, well, sorry, Professor, but you're out of luck!

MC: With Ace Attorney 5 and Ace Attorney Investigations how does it feel to see your characters in the hands of other Capcom employees? We imagine it must be like a parent sending their child to school for the first day.

ST:

That's an apt comparison. I do have mixed feelings about it sometimes. For instance, I was really surprised to see that after we focused on the new character of Apollo in the fourth game, the Dual Destinies team decided to bring Phoenix back. Ultimately, though, having creators other than myself take the helm of the series is a valid choice, as it brings new directions and new story possibilities.

The team on the new game have looked at what the essence of Ace Attorney is, and as long as they can give the fans another great game to enjoy, I'll be happy. After all, the fact that the series is still going over a decade after I made the first game is something I couldn't possibly have imagined in the first place.

MC: Have you seen the Ace Attorney film? If so, what did you think of it? Was it funny to see characters you sketched out all those years ago in the flesh?

ST: I saw it, and I even got to make a little cameo when the film company invited some Capcom staff to visit the set. You can see me briefly in the spectators' gallery in the final court scene.

It was really something to see the story I wrote for the first game brought to life on the big screen by real-life actors.

And those costumes! They were such perfect recreations. The director, Takashi Miike, is an expert at making existing works from other media into entertaining live action films and he did a great job with Ace Attorney. I highly recommend that everyone reading this check it out, if they can.

MC: This interview is part of our 100th edition and we're looking back over some of our magazine highlights. Looking back over your own career, what is your personal highlight to date?

ST: As a creator, the greatest compliment to me is when someone tells me that they played one of my games and enjoyed it. In the course of the press tour for Ghost Trick in 2010, many players from around the world expressed their love of Ace Attorney to me and it's moments like those that make me glad I became a game creator. Also, I'm deeply honoured to have been asked to take part in this special issue and having myself, my team and our work considered a highlight of your magazine's history. I'd like to thank you on behalf of everyone at Capcom. This opportunity is in itself a highlight for us.

MC: Many of our readers are keen to know, what's next for Shu Takumi?

ST: Game projects are a complex balance of so many factors: what I want to make, what players might make of my concept, what Capcom as a company wants from the game, and also broader trends in the gaming industry. My next project is in the preparation stages and I still don't know myself what form it might take by the time it's finished.

Whatever happens, though, I'll be pouring my heart and soul into it and working towards that eternal goal of hearing positive reactions from the players at the end of all the hard work.

[cyberramblings]

3DS: Time for Playtime

It's been fun getting a Wii U lately, but I wanted to look back on all the use I've gotten out of my 3DS in the last year by running down my most played games.

Super Smash Bros. - 154 Hours

This is still my most played game after recently getting back into the 3DS, despite playing zero Smash in that time. I played a lot of this game when it came out and then leading up to the release of Ultimate. This game was a godsend for someone like me who didn't own a Wii U but wanted to stay involved with the series.

Pokemon X - 56 Hours

Again, this is from when I first got my 3DS. I played this one over a whole summer vacation off and on! I still can't decide how I feel about XP Share.

Pokemon Ultra Moon - 51 Hours

Okay, this one is this high because after beating the game, my girlfriend tried to catch all the Pokemon and collect all the totem stickers. I really enjoyed this one, but the Ultra Necrozma fight kicked my butt.

Link Between Worlds - 49 Hours

I actually own the special edition Triforce 3DS which came bundled with this game! As my first game on the system, it is no surprise to see it so high, even though I got stuck on the final boss. I consider this to be one of the best Zelda games.

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask - 41 Hours

This one makes a lot of sense. When I played all that Smash Bros before the release of Ultimate, this was the one other game I played during that time, to the point of actually beating it and a good chunk of the daily puzzles! I even missed a college lecture because I was so wrapped up in the climax.

Pokemon Alpha Sapphire - 27 Hours

Finally, a game I played recently with no shenanigans or excuses. This was an interesting "book ends" with Omega Ruby, as OR was the first Pokemon game I played in my recent endeavor to play them all, while AS was towards the end. Backwards of their names, huh?

Pokemon Omega Ruby - 26 Hours

Fitting that this game should be so close to Alpha Sapphire. I would think that one of these two games would've been left running overnight or somehow had the playtimes differ more, but it somehow makes me hapy to see them side by side. I appreciated Wally's Theme much more the second time through.

Pokemon Y - 23 Hours

Considerably less than the time I spent in X all those years ago. This was one of the last Pokemon games I played in my recent playing of all the games, since I had already technically beaten X. It was a lot of fun to revisit though, and I love Sylveon!

Ocarina of Time 3D - 21 Hours

This one also makes sense, since I owned it during my original teenage years of owning the 3DS. I can't believe I paid 40 bucks for this just to get stuck on the Forest Temple for years! OoT doesn't resonate with me the same way as everyone else seemingly.

Pokemon Red - 19 Hours

Again, this makes sense. I think this was the third game of my recent Pokemon marathon, right after Alpha Sapphire and Ultra Moon. It was a short run thanks to an overlevelled Venasaur and the three legendary birds. I enjoyed crushing this game.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy - 16 Hours

This is the game I just finished. I love the series and it was nice to finish it out. I think the ending was silly but the presentation value was nice to see.

Pushmo - 14 Hours

This was my go-to breakfast game for weeks, but phone-scrolling has replaced it as my morning activity while eating.

Shovel Knight - 14 Hours

This used to be the premiere downloadable title on 3DS. I think this game still holds up, but it has lost the sheer novelty of being a Kickstarter retro success over time.

Shin Megami Tensei IV - 13 Hours

I liked Persona 4 so I thought I would like this. It was too difficult for me back then, but now I don't have the patience. This was one of the games I actually paid 15 bucks to download back in highschool.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - 13 Hours

The first of my several attempts to get into Monster Hunter. I bought, played, quit, and sold this game all back in high school. I would later go on to buy, try, and sell Monster Hunter World as well. It just isn't for me.

Metroid: Samus Returns - 12 Hours

I tried and hated this game on PC emulator, but it has a lot more charm on the actual system. I still generally dislike the melee mechanic but I generally enjoyed this game. It helps that I even beat the original first! Hopefully Dread fixes the few things wrong with this game.

Kid Icarus: Uprising - 12 Hours

I don't know if I ever fell in love with the "unique" control scheme of this game, but I definitely fell in love with all of the characters! This was a great one to play with my girlfriend watching. It's also great to have more of a context for Pit, Palutena, and Dark Pit in Smash now!

Pokemon Sun - 11 Hours

I haven't beaten it yet, whoops.

Rhyhm Heaven Megamix - 11 Hours

One of the last purchases I made before the Switch came out and killed my 3DS playing nearly permanently. I paid 30 bucks! As much as I love this game, I don't know if it was worth that.

Super Mario 3D Land - 10 Hours

A rare game that I played before AND after the rift of me playing 3DS. It's...fine. Definitely Mario.

Picross 3D: Round 2 - 9 Hours

I have always loved Picross and this is no exception. I really should dive back in sometime!

Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 8 Hours

I just can't get into it, I've tried but I can't.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright - 8 Hours

This was actually a birthday gift! I was very excited for the concept but hugely turned off by the time travel and setting. I need to give it another shake, perhaps after replaying some of the Ace Attorney games.

Resident Evil The Mercenaries 3D - 7 Hours

One of my few highschool digital purchases. I played a lot of Mercenaries in 6 and 5 (which this is based on, seemingly). It's...fine. But I should have just replayed Revelations on 3DS instead.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy - 6 Hours

It was 7 bucks at GameStop used, so I guess I almost got a 1:1 ratio of hours to dollars. I would've enjoyed this game more now, after playing FF7 Remake.

Pokemon Picross - 6 Hours

Free AND Picross? Yes, but also grindy and scummy. I wish you could just buy a physical copy of this game with everything unlocked.

Paper Mario Sticker Star - 5 Hours

Ten dollars on clearance was too much for this game. Maybe I will try it again sometime knowing ahead of time that it is a joke of a video game. I spit on this game's grave.

Mario Tennis Open - 5 Hours

A lot of the games I acquired within the last year have much lower playtimes, so I was not expecting to see this game this high. I guess I played a few tournaments. I feel like I quit because Waluigi cheated, then played just the tutorial of Mario Golf before quitting that too.

Elite Beat Agents - 4.5 Hours

This game rules.

Tetris Axis - 4.5 Hours

This game drools.

Kirby Planet Robobot - 4.5 Hours

Cute game, but I only play it with my girlfriend.

New Super Mario Brothers 2 - 4.5 Hours

I am surprised it is this low considering I got stuck on the final boss in single player and beat around 2 worlds in coop.

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward - 4 Hours

I need to play more!

Super Smash Brothers Demo - 4 Hours

Hell yeah this was such an exciting time to be a Nintendo fan! Trying to get ahold of this demo was like getting a Willy Wonk golden ticket. I was so excited to play as Mega Man, Villager, Mario, Link, and Pikachu even if just on Battlefield.

Kingdom Hearts 3D - 3.5 Hours

A surprisingly competent action RPG. This game kind of reeks as part of the PS4 collection, but it really shines on the original version.

Layton's Mystery Journey - 3 Hours

I like the idea of playing as Layton's daughter, but I don't like having a talking dog and an insufferable simp as sidekicks. I hope the next game just returns to the original crew.

Mario Kart 7 - 3 Hours

It's...Mario Kart. Not a ton more to say.

Mario Party Island Tour - 3 Hours

I have trouble keeping the different 3DS Mario Party games separate in my mind, but anything that's not Top 100 is fun with friends. Top 100 only has one, miserable board! Why???

Ultimate NES Remix - 3 Hours

A great game for pick up and play, but not for long sessions.

Art of Balance Touch - 3 Hours

Recently got into this. Tons of fun until the difficulty gets a little too high!

Warioware Gold - 2.5 Hours

I completely beat this game and it is still this low. Fun, but hard to recommend at any price but free.

Luigi's Mansion 2 - 2.5 Hours

Cute game....but feels hard to play for more than 20 minutes at a time.

Dead or Alive Dimensions - 2.5 Hours

Again, all I did was beat the game and then quit. Surprsingly competent for a 3DS fighting game, but too barebones with content compared to Smash.

Boxboy - 2.5 Hours

I feel like I played this game way more. It's cute and fun, but now I have a hard time picking up the puzzles where I left them.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Demo - 2.5 Hours

This tricked me into buying the game! Dangit

Mario Party Star Rush - 2.5 Hours

Oh god, I can't keep this one and Island Tour straight.

Pokemon Shuffle - 2 Hours

I feel like I played this one way more, but that is probably because the phone version also exists.

VVVVVV - 2 Hours

Beat the whole game! Not a bad way to spend time, but this makes it worth only 2 dollars according to my 1:1 ratio of dollars to hours.

Final Fantasy Explorers - 2 Hours

I like some things about this game but I just cannot play anything related to Monster Hunter.

Tri Force Heroes - 2 Hours

This suffers from "Overcooked syndrome" where you have to rely on your teammates so much that it becomes a total chore.

Theatrythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call - 1.5 Hours

I played that much just to unlocked multiplayer.

Super Street Fighter IV - 1.5 Hours

I think I paid for this game full price back in high school and then barely played it. I've always tried to delude myself into thinking that I can play real fighting games that are not Smash.

Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX - 1.5 Hours

Again, I feel like I played this game for days and days. I suppose rhythm games feel like time slows down when you play them. Thumbs up for including Puyo Puyo! I am surprised this game released in the West at all.

Rune Factory 4 - 1.5 Hours

I got this far as a favor to a friend. I just can't play any game where there is an optimal way to act that sounds exhausting but possible to me. I know I could easily talk to all the NPC's every day... but I do not want to.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - 1.5 Hours

This was exclusively played with friends. Not a fan.

Pokemon Rumble World - 1.5 Hours

Free games. Novelty as a kid. No time for them as an adult. Nothing about this game is appealing beyond the price point.

Attack of the Friday Monster - 1.5 Hours

My biggest memory of this game is playing it on the schoolbus when a little kid asked if he could play/watch and I told him I was playing a boring game that he wouldn't like. As cute as this game is, yes, it is boring and not very fun.

Sonic Generations - 1.5 Hours

I somewhat enjoyed this game until the Shadow boss fight. Can't figure it out. Not fun.

Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn - 1.5 Hours

Cute, played it with girlfriend.

Super Mario Land 2 - 1 Hour

I think I got this with Club Nintendo points?

Rage of the Gladiator - 1 Hour

Medieval offbrand Punch-Out.

Mario Party: The Top 100 - 1 Hour

ONE BOARD?!? At least it has the storybook minifame from gamecube Mario Party.

Trace Memory - 1 Hour

Bought used from GameStop. I was told it was a hidden gem, but I didn't have the patience.

Mario and Sonic Rio 2016 - 1 Hour

Cute game to play with friends but some of the minigames suck. Thumbs up for less common Sonic characters.

Azure Striker Gunvolt - 1 Hour

Not bad, just helped me realize that I don't really like Mega Man style games all that much. The genre of "Mega Man" just feels like a Metroid with no exploration or meaningful progression.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - 1 Hour

I tried to get into this franchise but it is so booooorring and slow and unappealing to me.

I've been rounding to the half hour, so the next game is Zelda Oracle of Season at 44 minutes, which would round down to half an hour. I will take that as my cue to finish here.

In conclusion: games I owned longer tended to be played longer. Shocker. This was all just an excuse to ramble about Nintendo games anyways.

[jrpgbookclub]

JACK’S JUKEBOX - EPISODE 3 - EPIC THEME SONGS

This week on Jack’s Jukebox I’ve been listening to some pretty epic songs and I thought I’d share some of them with you. These are some songs that I’ll put on just to relive the feelings I felt from the games. Some games have very ambitious stories, and the music has to match that ambition. These are songs that help one connect with the grand story that they belong to. They encapsulate the emotions of the stories they are trying to convey.

Tomohito Nishiura’s “Opening Theme ” - Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Let’s start off things off Write with a wonderful video game collaboration on the 3DS. The Professor Layton and Ace Attorney series are favorites of mine. For those who don’t know, Professor Layton is a mystery puzzle game series while Ace Attorney is a mystery visual novel series. This game harmonizes the best parts of both series and creates a fun exciting adventure. This song is a great example of this as it incorporates each series thematic instruments to create this exhilarating piece. It is a great theme that sets up the feel for the rest of the game.

Bear McCreary’s “God of War” - God of War (2018)

This is such a powerful song. Bear McCreary somehow managed to capture Kratos’ whole character arc within the notes of this song. Not only does the song go through the different emotions Kratos has, but the lyrics cover the story of the game as well as address his past. The lyrics are sung in Iclandic as it is the closest modern language we have to Old Norse which the story is themed after. The game itself is a powerful journey of a burdened man coming to terms with the tragedy of his past and trying to find redemption for what he’s done all while raising a son. I feel that this song encompasses Kratos’ longing for redemption as well as his rage. 

Sarah Schachner’s “Valor” - Anthem

The one thing Anthem seems to have gotten right was the music. Sarah Schachner did an incredible soundtrack that paints a thrilling and engrossing image that the game itself, unfortunately, could not live up to. The music makes you believe you are about to go on this epic adventure with mech suits and take on the impossible. It’s ok if you don’t like Anthem, but do not skip on the soundtrack. There are many good tracks that, sadly, many people will miss because of how the game itself turned out.

Keiichi Okabe’s “Shield of the King - “Theme of Episode Gladiolus” - Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy 15 has so many good tracks in it it’s hard to pick just one. “Shield of the King” is the theme they made for the Episode Gladiolus DLC and I think it truly captures Gladio���s character. He is a childhood friend and Crownguard to Noctis, the main character. He figuratively and literally acts as a shield for Noctis throughout the story. His loyalty is tested many times throughout the story, but his relationship with Noctis is never broken. He’s not your conventional knight, but he sure has the spirit of one and this song absolutely captures that noble spirit. 

Hiroyuki Sawano’s “Opening Theme” - 3594e

It almost feels like cheating by putting a song by Hiroyuki Sawano on here. He makes some of the most thrilling and grandiose music you’ll ever hear. I am a big fan of him and his work. If you’ve ever watched or played Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, and Xenoblade Chronicles X he did the music for those just to name a few. This song is from a mobile game by Square-Enix that is an adaption of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms story and if you know me you know I love that story.

I love this stuff. Gives me chills every time I hear them. I find that a lot of “epic music” can sound pretty generic and forgettable, but I feel that when done right those tracks can really stand on their own. These songs are pretty memorable to me and I catch myself humming them all the time. Hopefully you’ll find them just as memorable as I do.