Objectionable!
Funny, this is my blog about games and crap and I've yet to write anything relevant to the blog's very purpose. So, here we go.
About three weeks ago I received a brand new copy of Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney for the DS. I was intrigued by the concept of a courtroom-based text adventure, its popularity on the Intertron, and its latent rarity. I had to order it from Capcom's Web site, and I was lucky to get it, as the entire shipment sold out that same night.
A little background: I've been playing games since I was three. Though I was too young to reap the benefits, I've been on the ground floor of videogaming since its inception. One of the most unique and unquestionably appealing types of game has been the text adventure. "Zork" is probably the most famous of these types of games, but my all-time favorite has to be The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. Of course, in today's society of high-powered graphics and "cool" factor, this type of game doesn't cut it anymore. It has since evolved into the point-and-click adventure, consisting of classics such as Maniac Mansion and Secret of Monkey Island. And now, that brings us to Phoenix Wright.
You play the role of a fresh-from-the-bar defense lawyer, continually forced into different cases that, from their outset, he couldn't possibly win. But by pressing the witnesses, examining the evidence, and objecting to even the most minor contradictions, Phoenix can and does win -- provided you don't tick off the judge. Press the witness to much and you'll get called on the carpet for badgering; object to a statement to which you cannot present evidence of a clear contradiction and the judge will overrule you. If you're penalized five times in the course of a single trial, the judge will end the proceedings immediately and rule against your client, ending the game. Being a DS title, it does indeed employ some limited voice recognition. You have to hold down the Y button to "activate" the microphone, but you can shout "HOLD IT!" to press the witness, "TAKE THAT!" to present evidence, and "OBJECTION!" to... well, object.
Before the courtroom battles begin, you need to gather evidence. Visit the crime scenes and other locations, examine every square inch of the area, and talk to anyone who has anything to say. A great deal of this game's personality comes from the characters you meet and the things they have to say. Phoenix himself is a great character, easily flustered by his opponents and clearly inexperienced. In the second chapter, you gain a partner, a pre-teen girl who tackles the caseload with just a bit too much energy. The prosecuting attorneys range from serious and business-like to preening and arrogant; the last one, whom you face in the fourth and fifth chapters, runs the proceedings with an iron fist, intimidating even the judge.
Needless to say, I love this game.
I've also dredged up the Super NES classic Secret of Mana for another playthrough. I'm almost done, and I still like this game, though I'm disappointed that it doesn't move as quickly or as smoothly as I remember. I'm tempted to go after its spiritual successor, Secret of Evermore, when I'm done, even though I didn't care much for that game the first time I played it.
About three weeks ago I received a brand new copy of Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney for the DS. I was intrigued by the concept of a courtroom-based text adventure, its popularity on the Intertron, and its latent rarity. I had to order it from Capcom's Web site, and I was lucky to get it, as the entire shipment sold out that same night.
A little background: I've been playing games since I was three. Though I was too young to reap the benefits, I've been on the ground floor of videogaming since its inception. One of the most unique and unquestionably appealing types of game has been the text adventure. "Zork" is probably the most famous of these types of games, but my all-time favorite has to be The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. Of course, in today's society of high-powered graphics and "cool" factor, this type of game doesn't cut it anymore. It has since evolved into the point-and-click adventure, consisting of classics such as Maniac Mansion and Secret of Monkey Island. And now, that brings us to Phoenix Wright.
You play the role of a fresh-from-the-bar defense lawyer, continually forced into different cases that, from their outset, he couldn't possibly win. But by pressing the witnesses, examining the evidence, and objecting to even the most minor contradictions, Phoenix can and does win -- provided you don't tick off the judge. Press the witness to much and you'll get called on the carpet for badgering; object to a statement to which you cannot present evidence of a clear contradiction and the judge will overrule you. If you're penalized five times in the course of a single trial, the judge will end the proceedings immediately and rule against your client, ending the game. Being a DS title, it does indeed employ some limited voice recognition. You have to hold down the Y button to "activate" the microphone, but you can shout "HOLD IT!" to press the witness, "TAKE THAT!" to present evidence, and "OBJECTION!" to... well, object.
Before the courtroom battles begin, you need to gather evidence. Visit the crime scenes and other locations, examine every square inch of the area, and talk to anyone who has anything to say. A great deal of this game's personality comes from the characters you meet and the things they have to say. Phoenix himself is a great character, easily flustered by his opponents and clearly inexperienced. In the second chapter, you gain a partner, a pre-teen girl who tackles the caseload with just a bit too much energy. The prosecuting attorneys range from serious and business-like to preening and arrogant; the last one, whom you face in the fourth and fifth chapters, runs the proceedings with an iron fist, intimidating even the judge.
Needless to say, I love this game.
I've also dredged up the Super NES classic Secret of Mana for another playthrough. I'm almost done, and I still like this game, though I'm disappointed that it doesn't move as quickly or as smoothly as I remember. I'm tempted to go after its spiritual successor, Secret of Evermore, when I'm done, even though I didn't care much for that game the first time I played it.
posted by TM520 | 10:30 AM
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