Apollo Justice Ace Attorney – Episode 1: Turnabout Trump Review [iOS]
Fear not, Justice feels right at home on mobile – Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Episode 1: Turnabout Trump Review
I was a pretty big fan of the Phoenix Wright games back on the DS, unfortunately I never did beat an entire game. As fun and intriguing as they are, they take quite a bit of time. I’ve also lost my DS so I never got around to it. I just recently found about Apollo Justice, and thought it was a Phoenix Wright rip-off, that is, until I played the game and realized Apollo is Phoenix’s successor. Apollo Justice Ace Attorney is the continuation of the Phoenix Wright franchise, and starts off with the young attorney’s first case: Defending Phoenix Wright in a murder trial!
Apollo Justice Ace Attorney- Episode 1: Turnabout Trump is about Apollo’s first trial as an attorney, where he has to defend the legendary Phoenix Wright who is accused of murder. The story takes place 7 years after Phoenix’s final case and loss of his attorney’s badge to practice. Phoenix is accused of murdering his poker opponent and it is up to you to prove he hasn’t. As you play through, you discover the truth behind the situation, as well as some back story of the characters. Unfortunately, you never find out why Phoenix stopped being a lawyer. The story is full of humorous self-deprecating jabs at itself and the main character. It goes as far as making fun of Apollo’s hair and speaking volume, to the abundant yellings the characters do in game. The story is by far the strongest aspect of the game.
The gameplay is very simple, you can press witnesses for more information, present evidence that proves they’re lying, examine evidence, and use your perceptive skills to figure out when people aren’t sharing the whole truth. The majority of the gameplay revolves around watching for subtle changes in character behavior and pressing buttons. While incredibly simple, the context and combination of events make it difficult to always be correct.
The game has gorgeous artwork, worth of an anime film. However, the art works better as a still, where s the motion is often rehashed animation that gets old pretty quick. The constant yelling by the characters can test your willingness to listen instead of read. Also, the localization and QA of the game could use a bit of work. I found a spelling error…
Despite some shortcomings in the game’s mechanics, the story and intrigue easily overtake them keeping you wanting to continue. It took roughly two hours to finish the first episode, and time flew by quickly. I played the game during a work meeting that ran long, and I didn’t even notice because of how enthralled I was by the game. Overall the game is hilarious and creates a strong sense of intrigue that challenges the player to solve the puzzle. It is a highly addictive and entertaining game that is a must play for fans of the franchise. I give it an 8/10.
Apollo Justice Ace Attorney is available in the App Store and Google Play from Capcom.
Apollo Justice [iOS]
- Episode 1: Turnabout Trump - 8/108/10
The Verdict
Despite some shortcomings in the game’s mechanics, the story and intrigue easily overtake them keeping you wanting to continue. It took roughly two hours to finish the first episode, and time flew by quickly. I played the game during a work meeting that ran long, and I didn’t even notice because of how enthralled I was by the game. Overall the game is hilarious and creates a strong sense of intrigue that challenges the player to solve the puzzle. It is a highly addictive and entertaining game that is a must play for fans of the franchise. I give it an 8/10.