Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice Reviews
From prisoner prosecutors to astronaut defendants, the Ace Attorney series has built a reputation on turning legal proceedings into over-the-top battles for the truth. You’d think after five games, three spinoffs (two of which we’re unlikely to see in the West) and one crossover, every possible plotline would be played out, but the writers behind Ace Attorney just keep coming up with new scenarios, new gimmicks and new memorable characters. In fact, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice proves the franchise still has a lot of life in it yet, and ranks among its best entries.
Although Spirit of Justice doesn’t utilize all of its mechanics to their full potential, it is filled with the strong storytelling and humor fans of the series expect. It is a must-play for any Ace Attorney fan.
If you’re a fan of the series and haven’t picked this game up yet, I can’t fathom why. It’s easily one of the strongest entries and while there may be some pandering to nostalgia, it feels like its continuing Dual Destinies’ work to get the series back on track.
Obwohl ich mich nicht als Ace-Attorney-Experte bezeichnen würde, kann ich der Reihe schon einige positive Seiten abgewinnen. Bislang habe ich als großer Fan der Professor-Layton-Serie lediglich das Crossover von Capcom und Level 5 aus dem Jahr 2014 gespielt und dieses auch sehr genossen. Allerdings sollte sich jeder angehende Star-Anwalt auch über die Eigentümlichkeiten bewusst sein, die zur DNA eines jeden Phoenix Wright zwingend dazugehören. Die Inszenierung der Gerichtsprozesse kommt in ihrer Anmutung schon sehr japanisch daher. Der Schlagabtausch zwischen Richter, Staatsanwalt und Verteidigung erinnert in seiner Hektik an die Aufgeregtheit eines Duracell-Hasen. Unentwegt schmettern die Protagonisten "Einspruch, Euer Ehren!". Und wenn mal eine der handelnden Personen in die Defensive gerät, fließen die Schweißperlen in einer völlig überzeichneten Ästhetik an der Stirn herab. Auch die Texte, obwohl mit viel Witz und Liebe zum Detail ins Englische übersetzt, arten zum Teil in nicht enden wollende Klickwüsten aus. Auch der klackernde Sound der Buchstaben kann nach einiger Zeit schon ein bisschen nerven. Dafür kann man die Serie nur lieben oder hassen. Einen Mittelweg gibt es wahrscheinlich nicht. Von daher können alle Fans der Serie bedenkenlos zugreifen, während Skeptiker auch diesmal einen großen Bogen darum machen.
Review in German | Read full review
At this stage, it feels incongruous to state whether or not this is the best Ace Attorney game. A lot of the aspects in the game are nothing new, but whilst there are elements that separate it from its predecessors, there is nothing that instantly makes it significantly better than the rest. In part, this is because the main series has been so continuously strong. Even though there has been an increase in the number of visual novel type games to come to the West, Ace Attorney is still one of the best, and Spirit of Justice does not detract from that. The fact that it holds its own against previous entries, as well as providing the most engaging overall narrative in the series makes it worth playing. What's more, it retains the humour and character (and not to forget great music) that makes the Ace Attorney series so exceptional. Now if there aren’t any objections, the verdict can now be given…
Spirit of Justice proves that Ace Attorney can still manage to be fresh, exciting, and most importantly tell a great story.
All in all, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice is a solid addition to the franchise. At times, it feels like it's more of the same and just spinning its wheels, but even at that point, it's charming and fun to play. The cases are strong, the characters are funny, and the visuals are delightful. It doesn't reinvent the wheel or drastically change up the series, but it doesn't need to. The title provides enough satisfying payoff for long-term subplots that it carries itself through the weaker moments. Fans should have a lot of fun, but newcomers may want to play Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy and Dual Destinies first.
Bringing together the key players from recent Ace Attorney outings, whilst developing some of the newer characters to flesh out their stories for future entries, is a very difficult balancing act, yet with Spirit of Justice Capcom expertly navigates any pitfalls to deliver the most in-depth, enthralling episode of Phoenix Wright's adventures so far. It might, for better or worse, feel like Apollo Justice 2 to some, but the way the story unfolds over the five cases is magnificent and leaves players - new and old, alike - hungry for much more.
I hope the next Ace Attorney game has more structure in its overarching narrative and the developers actually have the cases flow naturally from one to the next. Even with its flaws, Spirit of Justice is good fun, through, and another quality example of a narrative from the ever-growing stable of visual novels we are now getting translated into English.
The game starts out slowly, and there's a lot to read, and not all of it is interesting, but it keeps what makes the series’ what it is, from great characters and music, a story that starts out weird and just goes crazier from there, and a unique gameplay system of using clues to uncover contradictions and ultimately the truth. As the 6th main entry it doesn't add a lot to the series, and some of what it does add isn't always a success, but if you're a fan of the series then this is an overall great entry, especially its final case, which is also its longest and most bonker, and a must play.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
It’s ostensibly that game but with a new, better story, a new gimmicky mechanic, and some fan service to boot. The game is finally starting to show its age fifteen years and ten games later, but the fact that it has taken this long is nothing short of a miracle. And make no mistake: a solid Phoenix Wright game with a strong story is still a game that demands one’s attention.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice is yet another worthy Ace Attorney successor. It’s ultimately not the series at its highest peak, but it’s hardly the nadir, and that it continues to feel this fresh in light of its flaws already has me hungry for the next turnabout. No objections here, Your Honor.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice does everything you’d expect from a sequel, and whilst some issues from the past linger you’ll be too engrossed to be bothered. A great instalment for series fans and newcomers alike.
I never thought I would enjoy being a lawyer, but Spirit of Justice definitely has me imagining that strange fantasy.
While the overall writing and story is a little weak here, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice is still a fun game, featuring characters you all know and love. Sadly, it's starting to prove that living up to the quality of the first three games is a hard feat to pull off.
The atmosphere, music and overall writing of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice are spot on.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice has some flaws in its testimony, but it’s ultimately a winning entry in the prolific series, and a welcome return to form. No objections here.
Spirit of Justice is recommended to just about everybody.
Capcom has the Ace Attorney foundations firmly mastered at this point, meaning fans know what to expect from a new entry in the series.
Gorgeous, but let down by a lack of confidence