Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies: Review

If you are asked to name the most famous detectives who immediately come to mind? Without doubt, we can predict the answer: Sherlock Holmes, Poiro, Colombo … And only very few residents of the CIS countries mention Phoenix Wright – the protagonist of the original and exciting series of games about detective investigations and judicial debt. During its twelve -year existence, the project swept through many Japanese mobile consoles. New release of the series, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, Released on Nintendo 3ds gives a great chance to get acquainted with another genius of deduction in the gaming world.

Lawyer from the ashes

Phoenix Wright is not quite a detective: officially he is engaged in advocacy. Each of the parts of the series structurally reproduced the same scenario: a certain character is accused of a crime that he did not perfect, after which Wright as a result of a long investigation, search for evidence and trial proves the invisibility of the defendant, while detecting a real villain. Sometimes another character acted as a protagonist, one way or another associated with Phoenix.

Dual Destinies continues the storyline of the series. Phoenix Wright, previously removed from advocacy for falsification of evidence, returns to duty and founds its own agency. His members, in addition to the guru himself, are a familiar to the previous parts of Apollo Justis and the very green Athena Six – the girl who barely ended the academy. This time we can feel in the skin of each of the heroes – the plot consists of several episodes, each of which is a separate business.

Interactive reading

It is quite difficult to create a decent gameplay for a project that simulates investigative activity. Ideally, I would have to take into account an infinite number of possible options;Otherwise, the user would be in a situation of “imposition” by the developers of certain steps. At the same time, there would be an opportunity to shine independently by the miracles of deduction.

Phoenix Wright It does not bother with the creation of illusions, relying on an ornate story with an interesting intrigue and a fascinating presentation, which naturally, like a solid detective movie, wakes up the imagination and activates mental activity. The gameplay here is greatly simplified even compared to previous parts.

However, game the process can be https://agentspinscasino.co.uk/ called only with a big stretch. The fact is that we will engage in 99 percent of time … reading. All information about events is transmitted through a huge number of dialogs and funny, but repeated pictures. Five to ten animations were prepared for all characters, each of which exaggeratively illustrates this or that emotion.

The investigation is conducted by lawyers

In general, the local gameplay looks as follows: a character appears on the screen, under it – his replica. We read it, press the pass button, after which a new figure arises, under it – another phrase;and so on. Heroes replace each other, amusing us with exaggerated images and solid dialogues, but at first you feel some discomfort at the sight of such a simple performance.

Of course, sometimes we are given a chance to more actively participate in the case. This primarily concerns work with evidence. Such episodes look like classic quests with first-person view: we find ourselves in any room and click on interior items in search of the right point. After the right choice, the game again goes into the “book” mode in which the characters discuss the significance of our find for a long time.

The second part of the gameplay is a directly court session. Here the dialogs between the characters are interrupted so that the hero can point out evidence that contradicts the words of the witness. Finding inconsistencies in the testimony is the only thing that can justify the client. Inappropriate heroes are also calculated using the special abilities of our lawyers. For example, Apollo Justis has a bracelet – a kind of polygraph, thanks to which we can notice how his fingers tremble or run eyes.

If we incorrectly indicate evidence or make a wrong conclusion from the words of the witness, the judge will reprimand us, which is why the green strip of “life” will be reduced. Several errors will lead to the early end of the meeting and the conviction. Therefore, you need to get acquainted with the materials of the case very carefully – this is exactly what is the charm Phoenix Wright.

This is not elementary!

Yes, it may seem like a gameplay Dual Destinies Extremely primitive. Nevertheless, we expect a certain level of interactivity from the game, and there is little it to disgrace here. Even in case of defeat, we will get a chance to rely the episode and, as a result of mechanical overlap of possible actions, indicate the desired evidence.

But despite all his passivity in relation to the user, Phoenix Wright It is possible to achieve the main goal: to absorb the viewer, make him penetrate with every phrase of the characters, build his own guesses about the personality of the criminal, and not wait until the plot gives all the answers. This is possible thanks to an excellent scenario, bright characters and, most importantly, logical credibility of both the behavior of the criminal and the progress of the investigation.

Phoenix Wright He fascinates completely especially: not as a game, but as an illustrated detective book, sometimes arranging an attentive test to the reader. Therefore, you can look at the struggle of minds that unfold in the courtroom until one of the parties has trump cards, and even the most acute thought will not be able to save the situation.

You will not have a feeling of far -fetched or artificiality of certain conclusions. Yes, sometimes from the courtroom it blows some naivety: a criminal with a kite on his shoulder acts as a prosecutor, and the girl in a cardboard box gives the testimony. However, colorful characters only give charm to the project. The quality of the drawing is at such a level that you look at the same pictures with great pleasure.

In general, the style of the story in the games of the series at the height. And it doesn’t matter if you love anime or not: about big eyes and streams sweat in moments of uncertainty, you quickly forget. The course of court hearings and the behavior of heroes on them create an excellent dramatic taste. They are fighting for victory, often forgetting about formalities and moving to persons, juicy “Objection on both sides!", Music corresponds to what is happening.

There are also moments that are characteristic of the detective genre when, it would seem, the defense is completely disarmed, but at the last moment an unexpected thought overshadows a lawyer, and he inspiredly turns the whole picture upside down. After that, a minute of silence occurs in the courtroom, and the viewer nervously tries to digest what he heard. The plot is replete with sudden turns and is crowned with an unexpected denouement.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies it will definitely not disappoint fans. The next part is made in the best traditions of the genre: there are colorful characters, witty dialogs and an excellent plot here. Only now you can feel the charm of the series only when you fulfill two conditions: firstly, you need to speak English, and secondly, you must love good detective stories very much.

Pros: unexpected scenario moves;Bright heroes;Interesting dialogs.
Cons: monotony and ease of gameplay.