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- mod
Har-de-har har, I am a clever one for that pun of a topic title, now aren't I? Hello again! Been a bit of awhile since I've posted a review, and I've been meaning to do this one for awhile, so...here we go.
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The Phoenix Wright series is one of those sorts of franchises that do inexplicably well, mostly due to the dimensional pocket of ingenuity and creativity that the DS generates around itself. They're adventure games, point and click being the only real means of interactivity in the game, especially in the latter two games (the ones which I'm basing this review on, as the first game is harder to find than the clitoris on a midget). There's no actual use of the DS' features besides the obvious "use your stylus to click things", which actually becomes rather painful, because it's like constantly holding a pen, and unless you are sitting upright with perfect posture, you're likely going to start cramping up in those tender muscles between your thumb and forefinger, likely because if you are like me, you don't handwrite much anymore and prefer to express all of your literary thoughts via the keyboard.
To establish, I actually like the Phoenix Wright series. I got into them rather late (A few weeks ago, really, en route to going to watch the Incredible Hulk), but so much praise and adoration for the trilogy's story was espoused by a number of my online colleagues that I figured I'd give it a shot. It was either this or Professor Layton--which, foolishly, I passed over today in order to purchase Tomb Raider Anniversary, which is very, very dull.
The selling point of the Phoenix Wright games really is the storyline, because much of the games' espoused legal system is mostly just "guess until right or dead"--a process that seems easy in principle, but difficult in execution, as this game oftentimes follows a brand of moon logic that simply cannot be deciphered. Oftentimes I had figured out obvious flaws with testimonies or evidence, but was unable to adequately prove them, forcing me to think outside the box and use the game's evidence to reach the same conclusion in a roundabout manner. This works fine for the first few cases, but there was one case in the second game that just seemed destined to make my brain explode. Its a very emotionally charged case too, one you don't want to lose at all no matter what, but the logic presented in solving the case is just plain SILLY. I know the main character is famous for bluffing his way out of difficult situations, but having to twist my brain into the shape of a lemon square in order to possibly see the one, singular correct course of action to take proved extremely painful, especially since, as I said before, I could solve the case far quicker using my own reasoning.
That said, though, the games tend to be pretty fair, and are usually just difficult enough so that when you DO find a crack in a testimony, you feel really pleased with yourself. Its that feeling of pleasure, added with a definite atmosphere of hit legal shows like Law and Order, that make the games really addictive. Seriously, they play out like an interactive television show--albeit, one with a lot more anime-style silliness, but in this case I actually find that refreshing and serious, as it takes the edge off when you find yourself accidently sending your defendant to the electric chair over and over again because the Judge is a simple-minded asshole.
The games use all the same graphics, with a few new characters added per game, and the characters really drive the story. They're genuinely interesting, and most avoid typical anime stock cliches by having a bit of depth or an extra twist of cleverness that makes you genuinely cheered to see them, even if they're antagonists. My favorite is Detective Gumshoe, because first off: he's a detective, and second off, his name is "Gumshoe", which basically means his name is "Detective Detective", and I find this very amusing. Plus, he's like a more melancholy Inspector Zenigata from the Lupin III series, which is awesome because, personally, after being bested so many times by Lupin, I'm surprised Zenigata didn't turn to heavy drinking and perform oral sex on his pistol. Gumshoe's eternal optimism in the face of overwhelming odds and the fact that he's actually very rarely ever correct is heartwarming, because no matter how bad it gets, Gumshoe will be there to valiantly fight on--for the wrong side.
The Phoenix Wright games aren't for everyone. They are, effectively, puzzle/adventure games, and they require a lot of patience and the ability to think logically AND illogically at the right times, a dedication to paying very close attention to case details, and an excellent memory, because some clues only make sense if you think back to some very early on conversations.
My biggest flaw isn't with the repetative graphics, its with the fact that the gameplay stays exactly the same in and out of the courtroom. Even when getting information out of people who are not on the stand, you have to present evidence, bluff, lie, and harass them until they tell you what you need to know--and then, they go up on the witnesses stand and you do the EXACT SAME THING again. It gets old fast. Much like a television show, it is addictive, but also much like a television show, oftentimes you'll realize that nothing is actually ever changing--every turn in the right direction just reveals about twenty more turns you have to take, and finishing a case leaves you more relieved than triumphant, because so often you'll want to pull your hair out at some of the loopy logic the game presents.
If you like a good mystery, law shows, anime or adventure games, pick this game up. If you like a game that makes you think, teaches you a few things, and is fairly time-consuming, pick this up. If you like the fact that at some point, and eight-year old spirit channeler grows DD breasts and shouts advice at you, pick this series up, because at the very least, its something different.
---
If you like what I say, or just want to hear more, check out my blog:
www.don't-advertise-on-our-forums.com
- mod
Har-de-har har, I am a clever one for that pun of a topic title, now aren't I? Hello again! Been a bit of awhile since I've posted a review, and I've been meaning to do this one for awhile, so...here we go.
---
The Phoenix Wright series is one of those sorts of franchises that do inexplicably well, mostly due to the dimensional pocket of ingenuity and creativity that the DS generates around itself. They're adventure games, point and click being the only real means of interactivity in the game, especially in the latter two games (the ones which I'm basing this review on, as the first game is harder to find than the clitoris on a midget). There's no actual use of the DS' features besides the obvious "use your stylus to click things", which actually becomes rather painful, because it's like constantly holding a pen, and unless you are sitting upright with perfect posture, you're likely going to start cramping up in those tender muscles between your thumb and forefinger, likely because if you are like me, you don't handwrite much anymore and prefer to express all of your literary thoughts via the keyboard.
To establish, I actually like the Phoenix Wright series. I got into them rather late (A few weeks ago, really, en route to going to watch the Incredible Hulk), but so much praise and adoration for the trilogy's story was espoused by a number of my online colleagues that I figured I'd give it a shot. It was either this or Professor Layton--which, foolishly, I passed over today in order to purchase Tomb Raider Anniversary, which is very, very dull.
The selling point of the Phoenix Wright games really is the storyline, because much of the games' espoused legal system is mostly just "guess until right or dead"--a process that seems easy in principle, but difficult in execution, as this game oftentimes follows a brand of moon logic that simply cannot be deciphered. Oftentimes I had figured out obvious flaws with testimonies or evidence, but was unable to adequately prove them, forcing me to think outside the box and use the game's evidence to reach the same conclusion in a roundabout manner. This works fine for the first few cases, but there was one case in the second game that just seemed destined to make my brain explode. Its a very emotionally charged case too, one you don't want to lose at all no matter what, but the logic presented in solving the case is just plain SILLY. I know the main character is famous for bluffing his way out of difficult situations, but having to twist my brain into the shape of a lemon square in order to possibly see the one, singular correct course of action to take proved extremely painful, especially since, as I said before, I could solve the case far quicker using my own reasoning.
That said, though, the games tend to be pretty fair, and are usually just difficult enough so that when you DO find a crack in a testimony, you feel really pleased with yourself. Its that feeling of pleasure, added with a definite atmosphere of hit legal shows like Law and Order, that make the games really addictive. Seriously, they play out like an interactive television show--albeit, one with a lot more anime-style silliness, but in this case I actually find that refreshing and serious, as it takes the edge off when you find yourself accidently sending your defendant to the electric chair over and over again because the Judge is a simple-minded asshole.
The games use all the same graphics, with a few new characters added per game, and the characters really drive the story. They're genuinely interesting, and most avoid typical anime stock cliches by having a bit of depth or an extra twist of cleverness that makes you genuinely cheered to see them, even if they're antagonists. My favorite is Detective Gumshoe, because first off: he's a detective, and second off, his name is "Gumshoe", which basically means his name is "Detective Detective", and I find this very amusing. Plus, he's like a more melancholy Inspector Zenigata from the Lupin III series, which is awesome because, personally, after being bested so many times by Lupin, I'm surprised Zenigata didn't turn to heavy drinking and perform oral sex on his pistol. Gumshoe's eternal optimism in the face of overwhelming odds and the fact that he's actually very rarely ever correct is heartwarming, because no matter how bad it gets, Gumshoe will be there to valiantly fight on--for the wrong side.
The Phoenix Wright games aren't for everyone. They are, effectively, puzzle/adventure games, and they require a lot of patience and the ability to think logically AND illogically at the right times, a dedication to paying very close attention to case details, and an excellent memory, because some clues only make sense if you think back to some very early on conversations.
My biggest flaw isn't with the repetative graphics, its with the fact that the gameplay stays exactly the same in and out of the courtroom. Even when getting information out of people who are not on the stand, you have to present evidence, bluff, lie, and harass them until they tell you what you need to know--and then, they go up on the witnesses stand and you do the EXACT SAME THING again. It gets old fast. Much like a television show, it is addictive, but also much like a television show, oftentimes you'll realize that nothing is actually ever changing--every turn in the right direction just reveals about twenty more turns you have to take, and finishing a case leaves you more relieved than triumphant, because so often you'll want to pull your hair out at some of the loopy logic the game presents.
If you like a good mystery, law shows, anime or adventure games, pick this game up. If you like a game that makes you think, teaches you a few things, and is fairly time-consuming, pick this up. If you like the fact that at some point, and eight-year old spirit channeler grows DD breasts and shouts advice at you, pick this series up, because at the very least, its something different.
---
If you like what I say, or just want to hear more, check out my blog:
www.don't-advertise-on-our-forums.com
