Oh, for the love of Justice, how the times have changed! The once stubborn, always-looking forward Phoenix Wright has fallen on hard times. No longer an Ace Attorney, he spends his days playing piano and poker at his bar until a crime hauls him back into the spotlight, at the mercy of the new protagonist, Apollo Justice.
And my what a difference does having a new defense at the helm make. Every game of the Ace Attorney series is heavily story-driven, and we spend a lot of time getting to know the characters. We just spent three games with Phoenix! Suddenly diving into the ring with a brand new guy felt weird, and likely will for a lot of returning players. Did much of the game change from previous entries? Not a whole lot. You’re still searching for clues, rocking out in court with a prosecutor/rock artist (because why not?), and bullying whichever hapless soul ends up on the witness stand before you. Yet there is still a difference, particularly in who you meet in this game.
Most of the old faces are gone, largely due to the seven years passing between this game and Trials & Tribulations. Apollo Justice is intended as a whole new start for the series, and it shows. It’s a much friendlier game to newcomers than the last two entries of the series. In that same vein, it may be disconcerting to older players. The gameplay hasn’t changed, but the world itself has shifted. Your attachment to previous characters in the series can really dictate how much you enjoy this game as a result. Apollo is a solid lead, and his sidekick, Trucy, is a delightful addition to the cast, but it’s hard not to miss all the characters we came to know before. And even for newbies, I’d be more tempted to point them to the original trilogy first, as the writing in the original Phoenix Wright game is a bit stronger than this particular entry. Is it a bad starting point? No, not at all. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is a good game, and I’m glad I took the time to play it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t quite live up to his predecessor’s standards.