Over the past few years, Ace Attorney fans have been blessed with remasters and remakes alike, from the recentApollo Justice Trilogyto the first-time localizedGreat Ace Attorneytitles. The last entries remaining for long-time fans were the Ace Attorney Investigations titles. The first one saw localization on DS, but the sequel sadly never saw this treatment and would for years leave fans yearning for a release. Although it still took some time, we’re now closer than ever thanks to the reveal of the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection to finally give fans the chance to play through Miles Edgeworth’s entire solo adventure.
The story of the Investigations titles takes place in the midst of the original Ace Attorney Trilogy, so for anyone new to the series, it’s worth checking those out before jumping into this particular duology. Instead of playing the titular Phoenix Wright, players take the role of prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. The unique twist is stepping away from the court and instead entirely taking place outside in a more exploration-based experience. While many court cases are implied, Edgeworth’s adventures become a battle of wits before the fight on the court has even begun and showcase his prowess as a prosecutor on the side of finding the truth and seeing fit that the right criminal is put to justice. What’s great is this change in perspective also entirely changes the core mechanics, while still feeling familiar to those who have played Ace Attorney.
Investigations takes on its lovable, bizarre adventures outside the courtroom
Investigations don’t take the first-person approach when looking for evidence or information and instead lets players fully control Edgeworth on a field he can explore and examine. This, of course, includes other characters in the area who can be spoken to to question them and present evidence if it becomes relevant. The areas available to search are typically limited to one zone at a time, making it feel straightforward in progression, so there isn’t any aimless wandering trying to figure out what the next objective is. Edgeworth is also often along with someone who can give him tips for those who aren’t sure where to consider checking next.
Review: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
With nearly all the Ace Attorney titles now available on modern platforms, it’s time to take a look at what Apollo Justice has to offer.
Although Edgeworth is a man who often comes across as working completely solo, aside from everyone’s favorite detective Gumshoe, Edgeworth finds himself working with quite a few allies across both of these titles. Most notably, however, is none other than the Great Thief Yatagarasu, also known as young Kay Faraday. This happy-go-lucky self-proclaimed thief finds herself intertwined in Edgeworth’s own cases while quickly taking a liking to his ability to get wrapped up in mysteries and deciding to force herself onto his misadventures despite his wishing she’d stay out of harm’s way. Edgeworth also runs into an old friend of his late father who pushes his buttons almost a little too hard given his choice to become a prosecutor instead of a defense attorney, but still seems set on helping his old friend’s son along the way.
Edgeworth brings a fantastic cast of new characters to help him to the answers
Despite his protests at her joining, Kay brings to the table her own unique scope of skills to help Edgeworth investigate that proves continually important throughout. She’s stealthy enough to slip into places unnoticed and take a look around, and can use her Little Thief device to recreate the scene of an incident based on gathered evidence available. This enables Edgeworth to investigate otherwise impossible-to-access scenarios. He’s also occasionally aided by other reoccurring characters who all bring their own talents to the table either through their skill or smooth talking.
While Edgeworth himself might not take on battles in court, there’s still plenty of time for him to examine statements and find the truth hidden among the lies. Cross-examination of statements plays out exactly as seen in previous Ace Attorney titles, but they tend to be much shorter and to the point to keeping things moving right along. This isn’t the only way Edgeworth challenges his opponents to a battle of wits either, as he can take them on more head-to-head through Mind Chess, wherein he must actively go up against a timer to whittle down the rival he’s up against to uncover the information they’re withholding. Sometimes this means taking a back seat while they’re enraged or going on the offensive with information gathered. It makes for a more active mini-game with time ticking down, especially as time decreases faster with incorrect answers along the way.
Get ready for the final mainline entry in the Ace Attorney franchise to be available
For fans of the series, Ace Attorney Investigations is the last mainline title we’ve been clamoring to get and it’s wonderful that all these years later we are soon going to have a way to play it on modern platforms. What’s great is that it genuinely looks and sounds better than ever with multiple sound and visual options for those wanting a modern or classic-styled adventure with the easy option to switch between at any time from the main menu. Those who just can’t wait to check out the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection can get prepared for when it launches on September 6 for Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
