Paper Perjury is a visual novel mystery game that wears its inspiration on its sleeve. Simply looking at screenshots and trailers, one can tell that the developers are fans of Capcom’s beloved Ace Attorney series. Yet any game that mirrors another so closely is liable to get scrutinized. Does Paper Perjury do enough to stand on its own merits? A solid, altogether memorable adventure awaits those who give this indie VN a chance; Paper Perjury helps to sate an Ace Attorney itch, but with its own personality and take on the vaunted series’ formula.
Paper Perjury stars Justina Smith, a newly hired Azure City Police Department paper clerk. Still trying to find herself, Justina’s a young woman uninterested in the dangerous odds and ends of police work. However, it isn’t long before she’s roped into aiding two police detectives, seasoned Ernest Hunt and rookie Sophie Swift, after uncovering a discrepancy in a witness’s taped testimony while filing paperwork on a case involving the powerful and wealthy Eubank family. What at first seems like a simple robbery case soon spirals into a series of mysteries that eventually culminate in a murder investigation. Can Justina help find the truth, or is she way out of her depth?
Azure City has colorful, quirky, and diverse characters with names like Luna Hart, Fry Noil, and Lowell Ledger. Anyone familiar with the naming conventions of Ace Attorney will catch on to the homage right away. Similar to that series, the cast of Paper Perjury provides memorable lines of dialogue throughout the various cases you investigate. Justina is a phenomenal main character with believable reactions and observations to what’s happening around her and a passion for coffee that warms my heart.
Ernest is the worldly mentor figure who’s seen it all but still wants to believe in goodness. However, he has trouble finding redeeming qualities in the city’s more affluent and ruthless populace. Sophie is a police novice who needs the occasional confidence boost but still has faith in the system. The partner bond between her and Justina, especially its potential hinted-at romantic undertones, is quite sweet. The Eubank family are more nuanced and complicated than they initially appear to be, particularly wife, mother, and corporate lawyer Ferris Eubank, who serves as the defense attorney in all of the game’s cases. The plot has real-world social commentary seamlessly and realistically woven into the cases, but it manages not to come across as preachy. That’s an impressive feat, especially when one particular case has someone trying to steal from orphans!
Paper Perjury’s five cases have an investigation segment where you gather evidence and statements from witnesses and others involved. Gathering evidence from the environment occurs in a simple point-and-click fashion, with amusing observations from Justina and other characters. Once a character gives their statement, you can talk to them about different topics to gather more intel and evidence, or you can review their statements and choose whether to dispute what they said with any proof you possess. A helpful menu option called “leads” provides a checklist to help you figure out what you need to do to advance.
Suspects are brought back to the police station for questioning once the investigation phase is over. At this point, the goal is to prove whatever theory or suspect the gathered evidence points to while Ferris tries to counter your findings every step of the way. You can question suspects and witnesses to elaborate on their testimonies or dispute what they said using the previously collected evidence. It’s a simple back-and-forth dynamic, yet effectively engaging. The game’s relatively forgiving, too, since there are no real penalties for picking the wrong evidence or prolonging cases with constant questioning. I found points in some cases where I’d get stuck, as there’s no helpful indication in the UI for which line leads to disputing, even if you know you have the correct evidence. You have to cycle through statements until happening upon the exact dialogue line the game is looking for despite some being excessively similar.
Visually, I love how expressive the character sprites are. Each one has several animations that amusingly showcase their personalities and quirks. Justina’s eye roll, in particular, is wonderfully inspired! The backgrounds can be a bit sparse, but that makes the character sprites stand out in contrast. The sound effects are fantastic, such as smacking items against a table or the one used for spoken dialogue, which is noticeably absent for inner character thoughts or when a character such as Luna writes something down. I also adore the limited music tracks, particularly the catchy BGM that plays whenever a breakthrough happens in a case.Β “Case Climax” and “Reveal the Truth” are great samples if you’re curious.
Truthfully, there isn’t anything Paper Perjury does that’s inherently negative.Β It’s a solid VN experience, albeit with a more straightforward and relaxed gameplay loop than the Ace Attorney games. The script is error-free, and I like how the plot is mainly self-contained but still manages to hint at further stories to tell in Azure City. For those craving another Ace Attorney-like experience, Paper Perjury delivers. Justina’s sleuthing makes for an entertaining adventure in its own right.