Ace Attorney Investigations

Full title: Ace Attorney Investigations review

Whenever a series is created, it's almost inevitable that one character will end up more popular than the rest, typically a villain or morally uncertain rival.  When this happens in video games, it's not uncommon for a spin-off series to be made starring the character.  Sometimes this results in a series that is every bit a good, and sometimes even better than the original (Wario Land, Megaman Zero), other times… not so much (Shadow the Hedgehog).  

The game we're reviewing today, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth is one such spin-off.  Taking the role of Miles Edgeworth, the calm, professional, and logical rival to the protagonist of the first Ace Attorney games, players can search crime scenes and interview witnesses in hopes of discovering the culprits behind the various murders, eventually leading to taking down an international smuggling ring.  

From a gameplay perspective, Investigations is very similar to the rest of the series.  The game can roughly be split into two types of gameplay: "Investigation" and "Confrontation."  In an attempt to change the formula a bit, rather than making the evidence gathering investigation segments in a first person, point and click style, players control Edgeworth's movements, letting him walk around a crime scene in a third person perspective, and examine objects in front of him.  

That may sound like a large difference on paper, but in practice, it feels identical to the play style of the previous games' investigation segments.  This wouldn't be so bad, but when the player is frequently allowed to search only one area at a time, the game feels even more restricted than the original series.  Ironic, given the developers made this feature hoping to give the player a greater sense of freedom in these segments than the previous games did.  The developers have also added a new feature in the investigation segments called "Logic Mode" allowing players to connect abstract facts to develop new leads.  However, the feature is underused, and at times wasted on trivial, obvious connections.  

Confrontation segments are carbon copies of the Cross Examination segments in the previous games.  A witness will make a number of statements, which the player may disprove with evidence gathered during an investigation or press for clarification, occasionally resulting in humorous optional dialog.

Throughout both segments, the player has a "Truth Gauge" that will decrease when the player presents the wrong evidence.  When the meter reaches zero, the game will be over, and the player will be forced to start again from the last point they saved.  This might have been more of a punishment if the player weren't allowed to save at almost any time without consequences.  

This just compounds another problem this game has: for the most part, it's too easy and unsatisfying.  Most clues are easily put together, and if for some reason a player is having trouble, there will often be a character in the background giving unsubtle hints. Though there are some moments where difficulty comes when disproving a testimony requires using poorly explained evidence (the fact that three costumes were stolen from a theme park proves two conspirators didn't know they were relatives), or times when multiple pieces of evidence could lead to the same conclusion, but only one will be accepted as correct, solving these leads more to frustration than to satisfaction.

In every aesthetic sense, Investigations is pleasing.  Almost every character is drawn in a colorful anime style, smoothly animated, and very, very expressive.  The catchy music almost always fits the mood of the scene or characters, quickly conveying the tension of a confrontation, or the intrigue of investigation.

Like every other game in the Ace Attorney series, the general tone of Investigations is delightfully over the top.  Dramatic close ups and speed lines, in combination with the aforementioned expressive animations and music, turn simple debates into fast-paced and fun to watch battles of wit.

Also like any other Ace Attorney game, Investigations has, apart from the occasional typo, an excellent script and brilliant localization.   Plenty of pop-culture and character based humor abounds in the generally light-hearted story, from Edgeworth's dry sarcasm to newcomer Kay Faraday's boisterous declarations of her intention to become the greatest thief ever, nearly all the characters will keep the player amused.  Plus, several of the series running gags continue, though not in such a way that new players will be left confused.  Which is not to say that Investigations is incapable of handling dramatic moments or somber moods, it simply doesn't dwell on them, and given the irritating belief that things need to be "darker and edgier" in video games nowadays, that's a breath of fresh air.

There is however, one glaring flaw in the script, and that is poor pacing.  Many cases simply drag on too long or move slowly for long periods while characters reiterate what happened at the crime scene for the third time.  The final confrontation in particular, can take over an hour.  

Ace Attorney Investigations is the kind of game that might've been viewed as pretty good, were it not part of a series known for outstanding quality.  However, fans of the Ace Attorney and the seemingly reviving Adventure genre will probably be able to endure the slow pace and simple gameplay, to enjoy the gems to be found in the music, characters, and script.  Those who aren't big fans of the genre, however, would get a better first impression from one of the earlier games in the series.