A worthy follow up to the smash hit original. This game is for fans of the original.
I'll skip the story part. It follows up on the events of the previous DS game and that's all I say. If I spoilt the stories, you have every right to hunt me down and burn me at the stake.
The game plays identical to the original. You still have to gather evidence, listen to testimonies and listen out for contradictions, examine crime scenes and so on. You can still yell into the microphone, either "Objection" or "Hold It" and everything is controlled with the stylus. It's very easy to get into the swing of things and the game has a fair challenge. The only thing missing is a DS Exclusive case that exploits the features of the DS. But I don't care, the four cases here is sufficient enough. Perhaps it is a step back in terms of gameplay, but, well, I don't care! The graphics would be considered to be lazy because the same sprites are used, but they're still brilliant. The courtroom is exactly the same, the Wright and Co Office is still the same; but it's just to build a coherent world. It's liking catching up with old pals. They still dazzle with personality and warmth, great art direction all round!
The music is perhaps the only thing to really change. There’s an instance of some music from the original, but other than that everything is brand new. I didn't think much of the music that accompanies the explanation of the crime (the original's theme was absolutely perfect) but I am willing to look past that tiny thing. Still no voice actors, but this is a DS give it some credit. If you can't, GO AWAY! Sound effects are crisp and though taken from the first title, eh.... FIFA does it all the time, to a less effective way.
The lifespan is actually shorter than the original. I managed to complete the whole game in a matter of 2 days (though I did play the whole game non stop). It's because it's missing a fifth case, but it offers a fair decent challenge without being unruly. Everything is always solvable if you just think about it. There's no real reason why you would want to go back to the game, but the quality of the script is commendable (despite a few grammatical errors) and the stories are simply divine. I'd play it again!
Phoenix Wright Justice For All is a worthy follow up to the smash hit sequel. It may be shorter, and it has gameplay elements missing from the original. But that doesn't stop the game from being highly enjoyable. The people who will get the most of this are the fans because a lot of references are made to the original. If you're new to the Phoenix Wright series, I suggest you try the original first. But if you love the original, like I do (and I still play it) then this is an essential purchase. Buy it, love it, complete it and tell people about it.