From the crazy characters to outrageous courtroom plays, the Ace Attorney series has made a name for itself and is revered for its quirky antics and heartwarming moments. Even after completing the legendary Phoenix Wright trilogy, the franchise has found ways to keep going. Since then we’ve had new lawyers like Apollo Justice, spin-offs with Miles Edgeworth, and a crossover with Professor Layton. One of the more creative endeavors to restart the formula, however, is with the Great Ace Attorney series, which transports players to another time and place: Britain’s Victorian era. Unfortunately, the Great Ace Attorney’s two entries have never made their way west until now. Capcom’s The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles includes both games, dual Japanese and English audio, eight Slice of Life escapades, and a new auto-progressive story mode. I couldn’t recommend a better way to experience one of the most exaggerated stories in Ace Attorney history.
Sometimes a change of scenery makes all the difference. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles takes players back to the turn of the twentieth century. Of course, Chronicles has a lot of focus on both legal systems and how their courtrooms work. At this point in history Britain is increasingly modernizing and the Japanese are learning a great deal from their methods. However, as we all know, no system is perfect, and each case exposes some of the flaws and corruption that are at play. This time you play Phoenix Wright’s ancestor Ryunosuke Naruhodo, who is just discovering his passion for law. Ryunosuke travels overseas to the UK to learn more, but in true Ace Attorney fashion, does whatever can go wrong, forcing him into the courtroom before he’s ready.
Fans will quickly notice that in addition to having the same bad luck as Phoenix Wright, Ryunosuke uses similar mannerisms. His paralegal Susato Mikotoba also channels some key Mayan Fey vibes in her unwavering support for Ryunosuke and Fangirling via Herlock Sholmes. I enjoyed the familiar overtones of these characters, but they also feel like their own people with personal trips. Susasto, for example, is a little more reserved and thoughtful than Maya and has to assert himself in a time when women were often not taken seriously. The similarities and connections are fun to see, but you don’t have to play previous games to follow The Great Ace Attorney storylines. These are brand new stories and characters so this collection is a good place to start.
As a stand-alone story, this is one of the most edgy plots in the Ace Attorney universe. I mean, you team up with the great detective “Herlock Sholmes” who is just a stupid man who has little idea what is going on. Even with a rather comical inclination, I like that the narrative doesn’t lose sight of how messy and imperfect the judicial system can be, and sheds light on collateral agreements and government interference. However, sometimes the game struggles with its black humor, which leads to some awkward moments, such as a character spitting blood and one waving a gun near his head, threatening his very existence.
Aside from these few cases, the unpredictable mystery and interesting characters preoccupied me; I especially love the overly lively man who loves literature and speaks in haikus. Herlock Sholmes made me shake my head pretty much, but there is also something charming about his dense nature. My new favorite character is Iris, a child prodigy who is the real mastermind behind the famous Sholmes stories. Iris is extremely astute and clever, but she also has a lovable innocence that reminds you that she is still a child. I wanted to immediately protect her from the darker truths of life.
I’m glad Capcom put the two games in one collection as the stories are closely related. You reach the end of the first game and notice several strings hanging, and I enjoyed the interesting way returning characters and events found their way into the falls in the second game. Part of the magic is never knowing when, if or how someone might return to an investigation from a previous case. The writing is smart and creative, but the way it’s done in The Great Ace Attorney really shines because you empathize with the joke and quickly realize that there has to be a reason why the same characters keep popping up.
Most of the gameplay revolves around defending clients in the courtroom and investigating crime scenes for evidence. It also involves a lot of dialogue to gather more information. Sometimes the slow pace is dragging on as cases, especially later ones, often require an investigation and interview with witnesses in multiple locations. At the same time, the trials contain several testimonies, which often take two to three pauses. Each case takes a lot of focus and patience, but once things start to resolve they are extremely rewarding, especially when you make connections with what really happened. My favorite moments are when I realize I have the evidence to completely end a witness and expose their lies.
The Great Ace Attorney offers some new tactics to keep the investigation and judicial drama more exciting. Herlock Sholmes often draws wrong conclusions in his Logic and Reasoning Spectaculars, so naturally you will have to correct his initial conclusions about what happened. This requires examining things more closely, such as looking at a character’s line of sight to find a clue, or looking at the object from a different angle to find new information. I like the thought behind this aspect and see new revelations coming to light, but that was way too easy in the first game so I never felt too successful in solving them.
The totals check is another new feature where you pit jury members against each other to uncover their thinking mistakes and get them to your side. I like the idea of interacting with the jury and finding ways to get them to back up my argument, but this is another component that seems better in theory. The inconsistencies you discover are random, and I’ve rarely felt like they made much of a difference in trying to figure out what really happened in the case. Instead of feeling like a fun mental battle, these moments seem to prolong the falls without enough surprise revelations.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a solid package that keeps the charm and entertainment of previous entries. It’s not the best of the series, but there’s plenty to keep you entertained as you work your way through case-by-case. The new scenery and characters made things seem fresh, but playing another Ace Attorney game felt a bit like coming home too.
