courtroom scenes. In the two later
games, Justice for All and Trials and
Tribulations, the series tries to liven
these parts up but they never match
the rush of excitement found in the
courtroom. You might have a
roundabout idea about how the crime
was carried out, but it isn’t an Ace
Attorney trial if the case isn’t turned
on its head halfway through – and
knowing there’s a twist coming
makes me impatient to get there.
MAKIN’ THE LAW
When you’re done gathering
everything you need for trial, the
second stage of the story begins. It’s
time to present your case in court.
The trial is structured around
interviewing witnesses and cross-
examining their testimony with your
evidence. You also have to rebut the
prosecution’s accusations as the trial
develops. But that’s where the
overlap between how courtrooms
work in reality and how they work in
Ace Attorney ends.
Capcom doesn’t just see the
courtroom as a place of stuffy
back-and-forth rebuttals, but a cross
between a high stakes battle arena
and Spanish telenovela. Surprise
witnesses, evidence submitted
mid-trial, and testimonies that keep
changing every few minutes probably
wouldn’t fly in a real criminal case.
But in Ace Attorney they provide
escalating drama as your
understanding of the proceedings
keeps shifting.
Opposite Phoenix as he battles for
his client’s innocence are the
prosecuting attorneys, and each is
more ruthless than the next. In the
first game, this mantle is taken up by
the dashing but cold-hearted Miles
Edgeworth. He’s an undefeated
lawyer who’s determined to get a
guilty verdict in every case. He’s
brutal, but he does rock a cravat.Joining you on the defence bench
is your assistant, Maya Fey, a spirit
medium (yep) who is the next leader
in line of a powerful clan of mystics.
When you are totally stuck she gives
you little hints on what you should
focus on to move the case forward,
and has helped me out of a tough
spot a number of times.
There’s also the bumbling but
lovable detective Dick Gumshoe who
works for the prosecution, and sitting
above everyone in the courtroom is
the bushy-bearded judge, who is
unfortunately very easily swayed.
The graphics-revamp makes the
game’s previously rough pixelated
edges look more sleek and polishedThe crime in this case took place
on the set of a samurai show.TRIAL AND ERROR Top tips for cross-examining tricky witnesses
2
Press every part of a
testimony. Witnesses
can reveal more info that
you can use.3
Read the description
of every piece of
evidence – you might
have missed something.4
Ask Maya for help.
She always gives
small hints if you’re in a
bit of a pickle.1
Check the autopsy
report. It updates
automatically as more
details get revealed.OLDGAMES,NEWPERSPECTIVES
REINSTALL
Examine your evidence carefully – you’ll
need to deploy it at just the right time.