It's an odd game that at times can be a little too silly, but it's still a fun game that takes a good 30+ hours to beat.
THE BAD: Trial and error formula can get tiresome. Not much replay value.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a quirky game that is loosely based on the legal system.
GAMEPLAY is easy to learn and it has a good tutorial. You control Phoenix Wright, an amateur lawyer, who must interview witnesses and search for evidence. The game doesn't make full use of all the DS abilities, but that's okay. However, it can get frustrating when you don't know how to proceed.
GRAPHICS are for the most part just anime still pictures that look good. It doesn't do anything flashy, but that necessary isn't a bad thing. Considering this was a game originally on the GameBoy Advance, it looks decent for Nintendo DS standards.
SOUND has some great scores. Depending on the situation, the music will change and make the game more dramatic. Some voice acting other than "objection" could have given the game more personality.
VALUE is definitely in the game. It can take anywhere from 20-30+ hours to finish all 5 scenarios. Of course, it depends on how fast you can figure out the many puzzles in the game. There isn't much replay value considering if you already beat a scenario, it won't be much of a challenge since you already know what to do.
OVERALL Phoenix Wright is an interesting game that has its really fun moments and sometimes tedious ones. Unless you check a walk-through every 5 seconds, this game will last a good amount of time that makes it worth owning. However, if you can power through the game, renting is also an option.