Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): January 25, 2024
- Release Date (EU): January 25, 2024
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- Genres: Visual novel
- Also For: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Game Features:
Releasing this week is Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, a remastered collection featuring three games in the Ace Attorney series; namely Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice. Apollo Justice first launched on the Nintendo DS in 2007 while Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice debuted on the Nintendo 3DS in 2013 and 2016, respectively. So it was indeed about time that they become playable on consoles other than Nintendos. As remastered featuring special episodes (for Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice) and technical improvements, this new trilogy might be the optimal way to (re)visit entries 4-6 in the Ace Attorney series. Let’s take a closer look at what this collection offers in this review!
No objection! Courtroom drama is back!
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy’s entries serve as the origin stories of series newcomers Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes as they tackle their first courtroom cases in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies, respectively. But these entries don’t distance themselves much from the iconic Phoenix Wright himself who is still a main character in each. While distancing from the original protagonist and having Apollo and Athena stand on their own might have made for a different narrative dynamic, having a returning cast does play on nostalgia while also being accessible to new players of the series.
The stories still capture the Ace Attorney flair with over-the-top courtroom drama, narrative twists and eccentric yet relatable characters. The plot and character development can be slow paced, and players might not immediately latch onto the story; but by spending enough time with them, each entry of this trilogy can eventually grow on the player. I know they each did grow on me.
Witnessing newbie attorneys Apollo and Athena struggling with confidence and being struck with imposter syndrome as they tackle their first cases made them relatable. Adding a touch of originality is the ensemble of NPCs they come across from a fast food vendor to a police officer who talks through a text-to-speech device. Yes, NCPs also have their own quirks that make them standout and memorable. Courtroom proceedings in the Ace Attorney series might not progress in a way akin to what you’d expect in real life but it is the overdramatised element that make the encounters captivating in the first place. It might be a niche appeal but it’s one that can definitely grow on you.
An aced glow-up of the attorneys
Capcom did a remarkable job at providing a visual glow-up in each of the entries. Each of the remastered versions in this trilogy looks like a contemporary visual novel. The models and background art are of higher definitions and animations are smoother. Thanks to these enhancements, you’d easily be able to compare the games to contemporary titles. On PC, the trilogy features additional configuration options such as resolution, window mode, vertical sync and anti-aliasing.
However, there is a visual dissonance by the noticeable shift between 2D character sprites in Apollo Justice and 3D models in Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice. That said, keeping the original artstyle, rather than swapping 2D models for 3D models, is appreciated to keep the original feel of the game while still providing improved and higher-res visuals.
In addition to the in-game visuals, the games’ menu has been reworked. When booting the game, you can choose to swap between any entry and they each have their own individual save. In each game, you can further select the episode and chapter you’d like to play from the get-go.
New menu options have also been added. Most notably is the “Museum” which features the Orchestra Hall and Art Library. The former provides access to soundtracks of all three games, and the latter includes character designs, background art and concept art for the games.
These definitely add an impressive layer of glow-up to the trilogy that makes them feel contemporary. However, I’d personally would have liked to have seen the games feature voice overs. That might be a bit nit-picky but I think that such additions would have further improved the appeal, especially considering the dozens of hours of text-reading involved.
Take those quality of life improvements!
As with the other entries in the Ace Attorney series, the titles in this trilogy each play as a visual novel. They consist of text-heavy sequences interspersed with point-and-click evidence-inspection as you give it your most to defend your client. To do so, you’ll have to question them as well as witnesses, often interjecting to press them further so as to gain further information. You will have to find flaws and irregularities in statements and present evidence of such contradictions.
This is where the game tests your deduction skills as finding out the correct element to present isn’t always obvious. You’ll have to pay attention to what has been said and make the connection. You should be careful as if you make too many mistakes, you can even lose the case.
Luckily, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy provides some assistance in case you get stuck. By a simple button tap, you can toggle the Story Mode. This will lead the game to progress automatically through the text as well as solve puzzles for you. Once it has provided you with the solution, you can then toggle Story Mode off and continue your playthrough. And to further facilitate your courtroom battle marathon, the remastered Apollo Justice instalment includes the backlog system from Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice. This allows you to scroll back through text that has been displayed and that you might want to revisit during your cross-examinations.
A feature that is present in Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice is that of ‘Consultation’. By toggling the latter on, you will be able to receive hints from your courtroom partner if you make too many mistakes. It’s also a handy feature but I wish it was also integrated in the remastered version of Apollo Justice.
These UI enhancements make for a smoother as well as more accessible gameplay experience. Each entry in this trilogy plays like a contemporary game. In fact, they translate well to single-screen devices, even if they were initially made for the DS/3DS.
While these and the visual enhancements definitely revamp the experience, there are some persisting gripes to the Apollo trilogy. Considering the visual novel genre, you’re bound to mash through walls of text. The remaster does allow you to toggle Autoplay to automatically proceed dialogues for you. But each game easily lasts over 20h and having some voice over would address this text monotony. There are also other repetitive aspects over the actions you take during cases as well as the animations you’ll encounter. These could have used a touch-up as well.
Then there’s the divisive aspect of the reliance on fantasy elements in this trilogy. Apollo’s sight and Athena’s hearing can help them each determine subtle cues in other people, whether they're witnesses or defendants. These aren’t unlike Phoenix Wright’s magatama but there is a greater reliance on these aspects that somewhat veer away from the Ace Attorney’s original feel. This much hasn’t changed since the individual games launched.
Indeed, each game in the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is still very much the same as when they each launched; except they look and play better. This remaster makes it the definitive way to revisit or experience for the first time the courtroom battles of Apollo Justice, Phoenix Wright, and Athena Cykes.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy - Release Date Trailer
Verdict
- Number of quality of life improvements
- Improved visuals
- Handy Story Mode to progress when stuck
- Repetitive actions during gameplay
- Same-y character animations
- Reliance on fantasy elements in the Apollo games
