Ace Attorney 5

[ZeronHitaro]

Both in the works and is supposedly coming stateside.

Article

Split down the middle on this one.

Good: A new 'proper' Ace Attorney game. (Investigations was good and all, but I like the more visual novel system much better.)

Bad: Phoenix is back. No, I'm being serious about this being a 'bad'. I thought the first three games wrapped up the character arcs nicely. Anything else now is just pointless padding/rebooting. Personally I'd rather have continued the Apollo story but I'd have also been just fine with a new character. Speaking of which...

Ugly: Phoenix is getting a new female partner. Article (no images or details). Because, you know, Maya and Emma weren't good enough for the job. XP

[Mickeymac92]

My first Phoenix Wright should be coming in the mail soon. I also look forward to the 3DS game, but you do make a good point about it possibly being padding, Zeron.

[Yggdrasil]

Never had the chance to get into this series. It looks nice, and for what I can see this totally seems like some kind of reboot but done nicely respecting the source material.

In andriasang they posted the first couple of screenshots recently.

Official site: http://www.capcom.co.jp/gyakutensaiban/5/

I'm really liking the design of the characters.

[ZeronHitaro]

Nice to actually see some images for this.

Huh...Phoenix actually looks a little more dignified in his new suit. Actually he almost 'looks' younger too; although I'm not entirely sure why.

As for his assistant...wow. Capcom's trying to compete with Final Fantasy and Yu-Gi-Oh for 'the stupidest hair in Japan' award. I actually thought she looked pretty cute and well designed until I scrolled down. She looks like some three year old who got ahold of the scissors and cut off half her hair; then refused to let anyone fix her mess afterwards.

Also considering that AA games often have character traits worked into the character outfit I have to wonder what's with her crescent moon motif. I swear it's just begging for a Sailor Moon joke. Especially considering that her outfit in general lends itself more to a 'street fighting girl' (insert Warrior of Justice joke here) than an 'attorney's aide'.

Yes I know Maya looked like she walked right out of an Asian ghost film. My point still stands. :-P

[Eusis]

Despite RPGFan coverage adventure games have traditionally been talked about in Miscellaneous games.

... Nice to know we didn't have to wait long to hear about intentions to bring it here.

[Dice]

- I liked Apollo.  I especially liked that game mechanic that made you look for a "tell" if they were lying.  On that note...
- Psych locks and all that psychic crap associated with Maya was stupid; I thought it was really weird they COMPLETELY avoid talking about her in AA4, but I wasn't sad she was missing in the Apollo arc.
- A lot of the female companions are inter-changeable; they're all slap stick, smartaleck, genki-girl tag-alongs.  I can't see this one being much different so far.
- I'm *REAALLY* sad they're just sticking to 3D graphics.  The 2D hand drawn graphics in Apollo Justice were amazing, I hope the characters will be still as ridiculously exaggerated and hope the 3D won't limit it.
- Suit vest = Baller

[Prime Mover]

Great news, and I'm liking everything I see so far. Too bad Maya isn't around, but the new girl (aside from the hair) strikes me as a bit more mature and professional, possibly a proper legal intern, so no complaints. At first when I heard people moaning about 3D graphics, I was worried, but seriously guys, those graphics perfectly capture the Ace Attorney feel, I don't think we have anything to worry about. It'll be interesting to see how they rectify the whole "7 years as a pathetic loser" plot that they introduced in Apollo Justice. AJ wasn't the worst game in the series (that honor goes to the infinitely-annoying "Justice for All") but what they did to Phoenix was nothing short of criminal. The man may now be back on track, but he's now in his 30s and his reputation has been forever marred by years of bad piano playing and being a grape juice lush. The days of "young upstart hero" and vague sexual tension between Pheonix and assistant (even if it takes a 5-year-old to notice it) are clearly over.

But one thing is clear. The Ace Attorney games would not be complete without Miles Edgeworth. The Wright and Edgeworth duo is what ultimately makes the series what it is. The games are at their best when the two are in full swing, walking the line between nemesis and bromance.

[Akanbe-]

How good is Apollo Justice?  I didn't play it first time around, but now that I haven't played the series in awhile, this seems like a good time to jump back in.  Loveable characters?  Fun chapters?

[Mickeymac92]

It makes a poor first impression. I hear it gets much better, but what little I played (the demo apparently contained a portion of the first episode) bored me very quickly.

[Ashton]

Great news, and I'm liking everything I see so far. Too bad Maya isn't around, but the new girl (aside from the hair) strikes me as a bit more mature and professional, possibly a proper legal intern, so no complaints. At first when I heard people moaning about 3D graphics, I was worried, but seriously guys, those graphics perfectly capture the Ace Attorney feel, I don't think we have anything to worry about. It'll be interesting to see how they rectify the whole "7 years as a pathetic loser" plot that they introduced in Apollo Justice. AJ wasn't the worst game in the series (that honor goes to the infinitely-annoying "Justice for All") but what they did to Phoenix was nothing short of criminal. The man may now be back on track, but he's now in his 30s and his reputation has been forever marred by years of bad piano playing and being a grape juice lush. The days of "young upstart hero" and vague sexual tension between Pheonix and assistant (even if it takes a 5-year-old to notice it) are clearly over.

I dunno, I think that the Apollo Justice stuff really established how Phoenix has grown. He used to be wound a bit too tight, and got shocked a bit too much, but now he's really laid back, in control, and smooth. I, for one, am happy about the new game taking place after Apollo Justice. It lets us see the new awesome Phoenix as an acting lawyer and not as a sometimes-absentee mentor.

How good is Apollo Justice?  I didn't play it first time around, but now that I haven't played the series in awhile, this seems like a good time to jump back in.  Loveable characters?  Fun chapters?

I liked Apollo Justice, but I didn't like Trucy. A bit too generic for my tastes. Also, either I misread the lines, or the weird sexual tension between her and Apollo turns really creepy after a revelation near the end of the game. Eugh.

[ZeronHitaro]

But one thing is clear. The Ace Attorney games would not be complete without Miles Edgeworth. The Wright and Edgeworth duo is what ultimately makes the series what it is. The games are at their best when the two are in full swing, walking the line between nemesis and bromance.

Which is an element of why I really dislike that Phoenix is back. Edgeworth does not need to be back. These two do not need any development. AA 1-3 quite firmly developed both characters and brought their arcs to full conclusions. Note that even in Investigations there wasn't any real 'development' to Edgeworth; just allowing his basic personality to bounce of some of the more 'colorful' people outside of a courtroom setting. The writer's have basically admitted through that his growth is done.

Code:

Edgeworth playing Defense Attorney for once pretty much highlights exactly how knot-tying the third game was with its developments.

If he returns for this game about the only thing it's going to do is create Goku/Vegeta syndrome.

Goku: Let's be friends!
Vegeta: I begrudgingly respect you all tsundere style!
*repeat for over 200 episodes*

Nothing will change or develop because it's all ready reached the point where nothing more can be gained.

Unless they re-boot it. In which case ho-freaking-hum; seen it already. ~-~

[Prime Mover]

Also, either I misread the lines, or the weird sexual tension between her and Apollo turns really creepy after a revelation near the end of the game. Eugh.

The only way you could have read any sexual tension between Apollo and Trucy was the fact that they were male and female leads in the same story. That's IT! No need to get creeped out, cuz it didn't exist, as far as I understood it.

Phoenix/May,a on the other hand, were obviously close and the plot became incredibly romantic at times. Also, Pearl's insistence at them being a couple came across less as "naive child figuring that boy and girl were romantic," but "wise, outside party who knew more about their relationship than they themselves did." And the fact that both of them freaked every time she said something to that effect pretty much confirms it. Their relationship was very sweet. Why Maya suddenly disappeared from Phoenix's life is beyond me, I'm hoping she makes some sort of return in 5.

In someways, Maya's absence is probably the thing that made me the saddest about Apollo Justice. Phoenix receives his redemption (to a degree), and in fact, you could possibly assume that he had actually been secretly working with the system for quite some time... his loser bar life being simply a cover. Ema Skye's transformation is disappointing, and though you get the feeling she's improved a bit by the end, she's no longer the passionate, young genius she used to be. If the writers are able to redeem and re-unite these characters in the next game, I'll be able to look back on Apollo Justice as the "dark middle period" of a saga, and it won't seem so bad. That said, it doesn't fix the fact that Apollo himself is boring and clueless, and Trucy is just ridiculous. Great prosecutor though.

[Ashton]

This seems apt.

[Dice]

Waaaaaaiiit a miinute...  Moved to "Miscellaneous Games"... but, covered by RPGFan.....

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK.

[kyuusei]

Because

Despite RPGFan coverage adventure games have traditionally been talked about in Miscellaneous games.

... Nice to know we didn't have to wait long to hear about intentions to bring it here.

.