GamesRadar+ Verdict
Pros
- +
Lovely new character sprites
- +
Filled with terrific character personalities
- +
Upholds the writing smarts
Cons
- -
More of a cartoon than a game
- -
Needs more menace
- -
Doesn't do a whole lot new
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Owner of the finest pink suit in all gamedom, Miles Edgeworth has developed a cult following as the “hold it!” to Phoenix Wright’s “objection!”. Ace Attorney Investigations turns the tables, letting us see how the other half – the prosecution – lives.
In a radical move for the series, courtroom tussles are gone, but any fervent Wright-head can spot the constituent parts. Cases still revolve around investigation, cross examination and lots of dramatic pointing. Being out and about benefits the flow – without a judge overlooking proceedings, cases can unfold more naturally, with snappier testimonies punctuated with more sleuthing. We do miss the judge’s bumbling old man routine, though.
Thanks to a new third-person view of the scene you even get to see the legs of characters previously only known as torsos. And decked out in pink trousers, what a pair of legs Edgeworth has. And what a cast they are joined by; the great and the good of the Wright-verse popping in for cameos. But while the nostalgia gland goes into overdrive, we’re not sure if the new story holds up. Edgeworth’s female assistant is well written, but his philosophy-spouting rival hardly gives Edgeworth the grief he gave to Wright back in the day.
Where Wright’s outings balanced comedy and surprising brutality (you are, after all, sentencing criminals to death) Edgeworth’s case lacks the same subtle viciousness. In particular, the finale is missing a monstrous opponent. Yes, the jolly fan service is never soiled by unpleasantness, but for a prosecutor famed for his bite, Edgeworth can sometimes lack teeth.
Feb 16, 2010
