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[purseowner]

I love visual novels.

I love twists.

So why on earth hadn't I played these yet?

Well, the whole 'Eat your hamburgers, Apollo' localisation put me off trying the games for a long time. I didn't doubt that they were my cup of tea, I just disliked the idea of playing an Americanised version of something. I'm not asking for the most literal of translations, just for the original cultural context to remain intact. If there are references that go over my head because of it, fine by me. I wasn't the original target audience for the game, I don't need it adapted to fit another cultural context (that isn't my own either, not being American). So I just ignored them and played other games instead.

OBJECTION!

I finally got to playing the first game on 3DS a few days ago and just finished the fourth case.

This game is a masterpiece, and whilst I may dislike the direction the localisation chose, on its own terms it's a fantastically written script.

Was surprised by how much point and click style investigating there is to do. I played through the first case years back and assumed that was all there was to the gameplay loop. How wrong I was. It felt like playing Telltale's Sam & Max infused with Danganronpa. Heavenly.

Please tell me the others are this good, GAF. Is it worth hunting down Apollo Justice and Investigations on DS? Should I look into the Investigations 2 fan translation? Is the Layton team-up as appealing as it sounds? Should I fast-track my Japanese so that I can play The Great Ace Attorney?

 

[FluxWaveZ]

"Playing the first game on 3DS" can be interpreted in two different ways. I hope you're playing these games in order of release.

And yes, this series has some of the best localization in video games. All of them are worth playing, except for maybe Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright because it's way more "Layton starring Phoenix Wright" than anything. It's still decent until it starts wrapping up, though.

 

[jon bones]

AA1-3 is still one of my fondest gaming memories. Such a terrific trilogy filled with a super charming cast.

You're in for a treat - they manage to really bring it all together in the 3rd game to cap off the trilogy perfectly.

 

[purseowner]

"Playing the first game on 3DS" can be interpreted in two different ways. I hope you're playing these games in order of release.

I was referring to the original in the Trilogy collection on the eShop.

Regretting having not purchased Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice in the recent sale now.

 

[Aaronrules380]

The localization in Ace Attorney is fantastic though. The whole Japanifornia thing is honestly more just an endearing oddity to fans rather than a point of contention

 

[Ladekabel]

One of my favorite series. Glad you like it!

I think Apollo Justice is in the Appstore (don't know about a Android). Haven't played an Ace Attorney game on my phone yet though I can't talk about the quality.

 

[Fireblend]

I consider Ace Attorney to be the best franchise of that generation (whether you consider that to be GBA or DS)

 

[Stopdoor]

The first game is a massive highlight and it's hard to reach that high again when it's a new experience, but most of the games are great with some minor dips in quality. The main series is worth playing, Apollo Justice might seem the odd one out but sets up a lot of context for the 3DS games and their beautiful animations.

Investigations was alright but you might get sick of the series if you play too many of them in a row, though I haven't tried the recommended sequel.

I actually love the Layton crossover, I don't really understand the criticisms of it. If you've played or are open to the Layton gameplay and plot twists, it's a fantastic mixture of trials and slightly easier than usual puzzles. The humour is on point and the soundtrack is especially god-like.

 

[Wii Tank]

The first game is a massive highlight and it's hard to reach that high again when it's a new experience, but most of the games are great with some minor dips in quality. The main series is worth playing, Apollo Justice might seem the odd one out but sets up a lot of context for the 3DS games and their beautiful animations.

Investigations was alright but you might get sick of the series if you play too many of them in a row, though I haven't tried the recommended sequel.

I actually love the Layton crossover, I don't really understand the criticisms of it. If you've played or are open to the Layton gameplay and plot twists, it's a fantastic mixture of trials and slightly easier than usual puzzles. The humour is on point and the soundtrack is especially god-like.

The Layton crossover was just fine until the ending. Completely soured the game for me.

 

[takoyaki]

I was pretty late to the prosecution as well. Tried the first AAI game, wasn’t what I expected, quit after one case and didn’t touch the series until Layton vs. AA. That game got me into the main series and now I love it well.

One thing I noticed while playing 1-6 over the last couple of years: I found it best to take brakes between games, the AA games all follow a very similar structure and if you play two of them in a row, they tend to bleed into each other in your memory. I found it better to savor them one at at time and then take a break from the series.

edit: All AA games are worth playing imo, 4 has some problems and many people don't like the Layton crossover (or at least the ending), but I don't regret playing them in order and actually liked the Layton game a lot.

 

[Aaronrules380]

It's honestly a shame Great Ace Attorney is unlikely to ever come over. I really enjoyed the subbed playthrough of it I watched on youtube

 

[jimmygnome9]

The original trilogy is an incredible experience, especially 2-4, but I think the later games in the series lost something and aren't quite as good. If you're going on an Ace Attorney binge I highly recommend you play Ghost Trick sometime too, it's another one of Shu Takumi's masterpieces that you're sure to enjoy if you're a fan of his other games.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Please tell me the others are this good, GAF. Is it worth hunting down Apollo Justice and Investigations on DS? Should I look into the Investigations 2 fan translation? Is the Layton team-up as appealing as it sounds? Should I fast-track my Japanese so that I can play The Great Ace Attorney?

They're not. Case 5 of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney on the DS is the pinnacle of the series (and was actually made specially for the DS port after AA3 was finished on the GBA, taking advantage of the touch screen and mic - AA1 on the GBA only had 4 cases). AA2 is a step down but has a brilliant final case. AA3 is nearly as good as AA1.

The true DS one, Apollo Justice is a step down from AA3 (and bizarrely a step back from the cool ds features of case 5 of AA1

The first 3DS one is better then the DS one but not as good as 1 or 3. Layton team up is ok but nothing amazing, the newest English translated 3ds game I've never finished because someone spoilered me hard.

I really liked the first AAI miles edgeworth game, though some people think the final case went on too long. Still need to get to the fan translated AAI2, but I played the first couple of cases when it was in beta and they were great.

 

[Greatest Ever]

The final case in the first game is great.

 

[RionaaM]

I think they are all worth playing. The Phoenix Wright trilogy is amazing, with all 3 games connecting together. Many dislike AA2, but I enjoyed it a lot. AA4 is a bit stranger but still good, although I didn't like the ending. Investigations 1 is fun, not one of the best but very competent, and it sets the stage for AAI2 (with the fan translation in case you can't read Japanese), which is mostly fantastic (I say mostly because one part required some nasty pixel hunting which took me several days to solve). PLxPW is surprisingly good and fun, ended up loving it (it was my first Layton game).

As for the others, I started AA5 a few weeks ago and it didn't hook me yet, so I dropped it temporarily to play Zelda on my brand new Switch. Haven't tried AA6 yet (wanna go through them in order) nor The Great Ace Attorney (no localization, which sucks).

 

[NSESN]

I disagree with you OP. The goofiness of the localization is one of the motives I love it so much.

 

[Baleoce]

The final case in the first game is great.

Do you mean the original final case, or the bonus case? Doesn't matter tbh, because they're both amazing. Was just wondering. I wish I could play them over again for the first time.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

The original trilogy is an incredible experience, especially 2-4, but I think the later games in the series lost something and aren't quite as good. If you're going on an Ace Attorney binge highly recommend you play Ghost Trick sometime too, it's another one of Shu Takumi's masterpieces that you're sure to enjoy if you're a fan of his other games.

Lets not oversell parts of the original trilogy. Especially 2. 2-4 is the saving grace on what is otherwise easily the worst main series game.

If you liked the first 3 , you'll like the second trilogy too. The final case of spirit of justice might be my favourite case in the whole series, so there's that.

As for the others, I started AA5 a few weeks ago and it didn't hook me yet, so I dropped it temporarily to play Zelda on my brand new Switch. Haven't tried AA6 yet (wanna go through them in order) nor The Great Ace Attorney (no localization, which sucks).

AA5 is probably the hardest to get through because they seemed to make it a more straightforward in terms of mechanics and has little problem telling you almost exactly the correct answer if you get something wrong, I guess in an attempt to lure new players in. Could be very frustrating if you're experienced though. It's all worth it to get to AA6 either way.

 

[Stopdoor]

The Layton crossover was just fine until the ending. Completely soured the game for me.

Have you played other Layton games? It's not really much more of a stretch than usual to be honest.

The atmosphere, dramatics and hilarious witnesses were too much for me to sour on.

 

[Greatest Ever]

Do you mean the original final case, or the bonus case? Doesn't matter tbh, because they're both amazing. Was just wondering. I wish I could play them over again for the first time.

Bonus case. I thought the game was mostly good at that point, occasionally veering into more ok than anything territory but that last case is just the game rolling on all cylinders. Really compelling stuff.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

For the sake of being familiar with the cast of the later games and the context therein, I still feel Apollo Justice is a decent enough title to play. It's just... disappointing when you come off the original trilogy because of a rather unfortunate approach used to try and justify playing in a new perspective. Plus honestly it's still good, it's just the standards of the franchise are actually relatively high.

Well, that and one particular case got really annoying for some with the repetitive nature of one particular feature.

Ace Attorney Investigations is... alright, but honestly there's something off with the translation. It feels more stilted and literal than usual, and given these games so much rely on the charm of their localisation to carry the player through, that can make it honestly boring at times. Yet funnily enough the fan translation of its sequel is a master class among amateur efforts, with the benefit of being attached to a better game too.

Honestly, great franchise, worth digging into.

 

[chrominance]

Loved AA1 when I played it last year, but somehow haven't managed to play the others in the original trilogy yet. I should really correct that.

That and Professor Layton are the two big DS franchises I need to get through. A shame Layton's so expensive to buy nowadays, seems like all the games go for MSRP or higher now even used.

 

[RionaaM]

AA5 is probably the hardest to get through because they seemed to make it a more straightforward in terms of mechanics and has little problem telling you almost exactly the correct answer if you get something wrong, I guess in an attempt to lure new players in. Could be very frustrating if you're experienced though. It's all worth it to get to AA6 either way.

Yep, when pressing a witness Phoenix often said something like "This statement sounds fishy, I should check the Court Record". I haven't played much (day 1 of case 2), and I don't dislike the game, but it didn't make me want to keep playing either. Hopefully I haven't got tired of the series (which is one of my favorites), and the game will hook me later on. Rest assured, I'll come back to it after Breath of the Wild.

 

[Dee Dee]

Yep, when pressing a witness Phoenix often said something like "This statement sounds fishy, I should check the Court Record". I haven't played much (day 1 of case 2), and I don't dislike the game, but it didn't make me want to keep playing either. Hopefully I haven't got tired of the series (which is one of my favorites), and the game will hook me later on. Rest assured, I'll come back to it after Breath of the Wild.

I wasn't a fan of how AA5 was handholdey to the max either, and let the game rest a bit. The last case is cool though, you should come back to it once you feel like it.
Case 2 was the worst in that one. They literally show you who the murder is in the introduction cutscene, then make you slog through one whole day of investigation and court without letting you even learn their name. It felt overly long a case for something they lay out to you immediately.
I liked the backstory of the murder victim though... true Ace Attorney form.

AA6 was much better by the way, investigation was more fun, and the court duels great. You still get hints when you're stuck, but I never found them to be as annoying as in AA5. The first case actually has one of the best murder cross-examinations and breakdowns.


And concerning OP: AA2 feels pretty stale if you go pick up the game directly after AA1. I'd argue it's the weakest in the series, nearly every case feels like a filler case. The last one is very well done, and does some things that are still unique to the whole series. It's the one redeeming feature of AA2.
AA3 however will rope you right back in, since it's picking up a lot of the loose ends from AA1 and AA2 to close them up as a trilogy.
So don't burn out on AA2 too long.

I'm a fan of Apollo Justice by the way, even though the cases aren't up to par with others in the series - I liked the new stuff they put in there for investigations, and I liked how it was an effort to radically break with some of the series' staples. It fell quite flat unfortunately, and AA5 and AA6 happen as if AA4 was just a dream or something.
I'm still bitter about AA6's ending, but that's just me.

As for the spin-offs, while AA Investigations had some nice fanservicey moments like Edgeworth's first case in court, it dragged on way too long. AAI2 however improved the pacing a lot, and tied most cases to Edgeworth's past, making it the superior experience overall. If you end up playing AAI and find it at least passable, AAI2 is a must.

Layton vs. Phoenix Wright is a Layton game with playful court elements. I had a lot of fun with it, but I do enjoy the Layton games by themselves anyway.
It's not part of the Ace Attorney universe, so unless you are thirsting for more Phoenix/Maya interaction, you don't miss much by skipping it from the story perspective. And gameplay wise, again, it's mostly a Layton game.

 

[GamerJM]

The others vary all over the place but the core stuff that makes the first game great is there the whole way through. I don't think any of them really give you that same feeling of shock the first time you play the first game just because novelty is part of the game's appeal, but you're in for a great experience. Trials and Tribulations is a masterpiece IMO.

 

[VegiHam]

The best way to think of it is that there's the Trilogy, which is amazing. Apollo justice is the controversial sequel which I love and a lot of people don't. The Layton crossover is fantastic if you like both series; but it is very much a Layton game; so play one of those first and see if you like them.

Everything else is pretty damn good high budget fanfiction which isn't the same level; but is still pretty good. Dunno about DGS though, don't speak Japanese.

 

[brickarts295]

Ace Attorney 1 and 3 + Case 1-5 were some of the finest and best pieces of storyline I have very had the pleasure to play.

If I could commit self amnesia in order to experience those games again with a blank slate I would.

The sequels are definetly improving after Apollo Justice. Last one was almost a return to form.

 

[BronsonLee]

AA1 is amazing
AA2 is ok
AA3 is also amazing
Apollo Justice is a fucking loser
Dual Destinies is good
Spirit of Justice is ok
Ghost Trick is wack

 

[Creamium]

Wait til you get to Trials and Tribulations OP, it's one heck of a journey.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

AA1, AA3, and AA6 are all top tier games IMO. The first one is my favorite for not falling into the trappings of the later entries:

-In later games, returning characters come back to be totally Flanderized and overstay their welcome, losing their original appeal
-The first game has a slightly more grounded setting, especially in case 5, which is one of my favorites in the entire franchise. The spiritual stuff is really thrown in your face in later games, where it was a background element in AA1

It also has the best soundtrack in the series, although they are ALL amazing. It feels so home-y and "right," and I know that's a weird explanation, but it's the only way I know how to describe it. It's like it took everydayness and made it entertaining to listen to.

Courtroom - Prelude - "This is my story of when I first became a lawyer."
Trial - Another day in the courtroom.
Investigation - Opening 2001 - "What kind of adventures will we go on today?"
Turnabout Sisters - The feeling of coming back home to your family, people you know and love and are familiar with, unlike your work environment.

When it did decide to raise the stakes, it did an amazing job at making the player tense up and move to the edge of their seat in anticipation, or even to evoke a feeling of triumph. TAKE THAT, indeed.

Objection 2001 - This is heroic justice. It even has the choir-like hymn of victory over evil in the background.
Investigation - Core 2001 - Manages to nail that feeling of something being off, but you don't know quite what it is yet. Tense and thought-provoking
Cross Examination - Allegro 2001 - "I've got you now!!"

Not to say the soundtrack or story in the later games is at all bad. I just think the first game was the pinnacle. That said, I'm really, really glad the later games were made, especially 3. 6 takes a different turn with its new setting and focus on Apollo, who is a very different person from Phoenix, which made it feel refreshing after 5 same-y entries. I liked this about the fourth game, too, but that still felt like Phoenix's story to an extent.

4 is easily the weakest link, but still a very good game. It peaks too early, during the first case - which is the best first case in the series. It doesn't pick up again until the last case, either. Overall, it feels much more laid back than the rest, which even bleeds over into its soundtrack and prosecutor, who acts more like a friendly rival than an antagonist. But the real antagonist in this game? Oh boy. He gives the others a run for their money.

 

[Emhemed]

AA1 is amazing
AA2 is ok
AA3 is also amazing
Apollo Justice is a fucking loser
Dual Destinies is good
Spirit of Justice is ok
Ghost Trick is wack

Pretty much.

AA3 is my favourite, the final turnabout was so dramatic It was the peak of the series. Loved it so much.

Edit: I haven't played 6 yet and I totally forgot about it, how is compared to AA1 & AA3 ?

 

[The Thnikkaman]

I think they are all worth playing. The Phoenix Wright trilogy is amazing, with all 3 games connecting together. Many dislike AA2, but I enjoyed it a lot. AA4 is a bit stranger but still good, although I didn't like the ending. Investigations 1 is fun, not one of the best but very competent, and it sets the stage for AAI2 (with the fan translation in case you can't read Japanese), which is mostly fantastic (I say mostly because one part required some nasty pixel hunting which took me several days to solve). PLxPW is surprisingly good and fun, ended up loving it (it was my first Layton game).

As for the others, I started AA5 a few weeks ago and it didn't hook me yet, so I dropped it temporarily to play Zelda on my brand new Switch. Haven't tried AA6 yet (wanna go through them in order) nor The Great Ace Attorney (no localization, which sucks).

AA5 isn't that great, but I enjoyed AA6 quite a bit.

Is the fan translation for AA:I2 well done? I should really play it since I really enjoyed the first one.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

AA5 isn't that great, but I enjoyed AA6 quite a bit.

Is the fan translation for AA:I2 well done? I should really play it since I really enjoyed the first one.

Yes, it is.

 

[The Thnikkaman]

-The first game has a slightly more grounded setting, especially in case 5, which is one of my favorites in the entire franchise. The spiritual stuff is really thrown in your face in later games, where it was a background element in AA1

You're totally right, but I kind of enjoyed being along for the ride when AA6 went off the rails.

 

[entremet]

AA1 is amazing
AA2 is ok
AA3 is also amazing
Apollo Justice is a fucking loser
Dual Destinies is good
Spirit of Justice is ok
Ghost Trick is wack

Ghost Trick is pretty good! Too bad it bombed.

 

[EndMerit]

I've played 2 and 3, and finished Apollo Justice just earlier this week. Out of those, I think I like Apollo Justice most, so I definitely recommend trying to hunt it down.

AFAIK, first game doesn't have equivalent gameplay gimmick, but 2nd game slightly expands upon that supernatural aspect of first game, giving you ability to "see" when people are hiding something from you. Not what they're hiding, mind you, just the fact that they are hiding something. It'll be up to you to figure out what evidence to present to them and what to say in order to "break" them, forcing them to tell the truth. It's a neat gameplay gimmick that brings more complexity to the investigation part of the game.

Apollo Justice kind of reinvents that concept by introducing ability to know when court witnesses suddenly get nervous (read: hide something) in court. It's not as complex gimmick as the one in 2 and 3, plus it's painfully obvious when to take advantage of it (which is every time it's available, it stays locked when you don't need it), but I personally appreciate it more regardless, since it's not tied to supernatural elements.
Also, while Apollo Justice is still sprite-based, it starts taking steps towards 3D by letting you observe some of the evidence in 3D.

Anyway. I'd say the quality of writing stays very good overall. Last case of 2nd game is one of the best ones in the whole series, while 3 and AJ have stronger overall plots, managing to kind of bring every case together at the end.

Haven't played 5 and 6 yet. I'm currently debating whether to buy them physically, digitally or go back to 1 first.

 

[MoonFrog]

I went through the original trilogy, Apollo Justice, and Investigations 1 this past fall, for the first time.

It was a great fucking ride. AJ was the weakest link, but wasn't bad imo. I wish they localized Investigations 2.

Haven't played the 3DS generation games yet.

 

[Spiritwalker]

I got into the series last year and have played everything except for the Dai Gyakuten Saiban game and the Layton crossover. It really is a fantastic franchise. My faves are AA 1-4 and Investigations 2 (which I'm currently finishing up). I didn't like the 3DS games that much tbh, but they're still worth playing.

 

[Mattakuevan]

AA1-3 are amazing, one of the best triologies in gaming.

As for the rest of the main series... AA6 was alright in some places but honestly all three are kind of forgettable compared to the original trilogy.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

You're totally right, but I kind of enjoyed being along for the ride when AA6 went off the rails.

AA6 totally embraced it. It knew what it wanted to be and it felt right because of that. I do prefer the realness of AA1 but I also, ironically, liked AA6 for the same reason as you

 

[Murkas]

We're never getting the 19th century spinoff series or Ace Attorney Investigations 2

 

[EndMerit]

4 is easily the weakest link, but still a very good game. It peaks too early, during the first case - which is the best first case in the series. It doesn't pick up again until the last case, either. Overall, it feels much more laid back than the rest, which even bleeds over into its soundtrack and prosecutor, who acts more like a friendly rival than an antagonist. But the real antagonist in this game? Oh boy. He gives the others a run for their money.

Not agreeing with "weakest link", but I can agree with the rest. 1st case is great even on it's own, but even further so when you have the context of playing the earlier games and know who it is you're defending. Last case, especially it's second half, and especially the final revelations are so good though, top tier in the series for me. That antagonist, goddamn...

As for your rival prosecutor, after 1, 2 and 3 I definitely appreciated someone whose base motivation was to find out the truth instead of defeating you no matter what. Getting boiling hot coffee thrown at his face several times isn't even the worst thing that's been done to poor Phoenix in court...

 

[GSR]

1-3 are generally agreed to be required playing. 2 sags a bit but has a great ending and 3 is wire-to-wire great.

4 is divisive. I like it a lot, but it's got some major flaws and I understand why it doesn't click with a lot of folks.

5 is divisive in a different way. A lot of people like it, but I think it's one of the weaker games in the series. If nothing else, it's a lot less subtle in its writing, and this is coming from a series that isn't tremendously subtle to begin with.

6 is just wild. I liked it more for the spectacle of it all than for the actual plot.

 

[purseowner]

Have read through all responses - thanks for the advice!

I fully intend to play through the entire series.

Few questions though:

Do you have to play 1-3 before Apollo Justice?

Do the Investigations games spoil 1-3 or have returning characters from them?

Does the Layton spin-off spoil any of the other games?

 

[bobawesome]

I thought the first two games were okay at best. The very definition of a 6 out of 10. I should play the third sometime but I don't really care for playing games on my iPad these days.

 

[GSR]

Do you have to play 1-3 before Apollo Justice?

Do the Investigations games spoil 1-3 or have returning characters from them?

Does the Layton spin-off spoil any of the other games?

1. It's not strictly necessary, but I recommend playing them in release order anyway.

2. Lots of returning characters, not any big spoilers IIRC.

3. Not at all.

 

[Xbro]

Have read through all responses - thanks for the advice!

I fully intend to play through the entire series.

Few questions though:

Do you have to play 1-3 before Apollo Justice?

Do the Investigations games spoil 1-3 or have returning characters from them?

Does the Layton spin-off spoil any of the other games?

I'm not sure if you absolutely have to play the trilogy before Apollo Justice, but it is recommended.

Investigations games absolutely have returning characters. They don't necessarily spoil the plot, but the characters themselves can be considered spoilers.

I don't recall the Layton spin-off even tying into any of the games.

 

[Otherspacing]

The original Trilogy is damn good, ending of AA1 and AA3 make some of the most memorable game experiences I've ever had.

This series used to be my favorite, but after AA5 the games become more about the development team without Takumi trying to find how to progress the story without pissing off Phoenix fans and things start going too much to the "fan fiction" end of things, I'd still recommend playing them though.

Regarding spin-offs, AAI is alright, play it so you can understand AAI2 at least, which is great, with fan-translation and all that. Everyone should play AAI2. :B

Do you have to play 1-3 before Apollo Justice?

I'd go with the chronological order, but I have some friends who played AA4 first, and then got the interest to play through 1-3.

Do the Investigations games spoil 1-3 or have returning characters from them?

They have tons of returning characters, I'd leave them for after finishing AA1-3, you'll appreciate the fan-service more that way.

 

[mrmickfran]

Definitely play 1-6. They're all worth it. Apollo less so, but it's still a decent game.

Don't bother with the Layton crossover. It's basura.

Afterwards you can share our pain of never getting Investigations 2/ The Great Ace Attorney.

 

[Xbro]

They're not. Case 5 of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney on the DS is the pinnacle of the series (and was actually made specially for the DS port after AA3 was finished on the GBA, taking advantage of the touch screen and mic - AA1 on the GBA only had 4 cases). AA2 is a step down but has a brilliant final case. AA3 is nearly as good as AA1.

I'd argue that Case 5 of the third game is the pinnacle of the series. I don't think there's ever been a more perfect case, or if it's even possible to top it.