Phoenix Wright 2
You never would have known that this title was essentially a remake. So many things popped and after playing through the game once I realized that the hype was well-earned. Naturally when I heard about a sequel, Justice for All, I became quite excited. What new tricks would be up the defense attorney's sleeves? What kind of cases would be tried? And most importantly, would the game's charm be just as endearing?
After playing through from start to finish I can honestly say that Justice for All is a worthy successor to the original. Granted most everything this sequel features is nearly a mirror image of the first Phoenix Wright. The structure of cases, the writing, the personality, and gameplay are almost wholly identical to what gamers have come to expect. As you'd imagine this is both a good and a bad thing. If you're new to the series though it's good to know going in that you don't need any prior knowledge of Wright's exploits. Sure there are a few throwbacks to the original title but Justice for All is mostly standalone.
Gameplay
At the start of the game Phoenix is whacked upside the head and comes to with a rather nasty headache and a mild concussion. It would seem that someone wants to keep him off of his game. Naturally Phoenix is undefeated in the courtroom and considering he has an appearance to make it seems like good business to cripple him in many ways. Just what makes him such a good attorney though? Well, for starters, you.
If you never played the original and are wondering what the structure here is like let me fill you in. You'll basically have the same flow of story and gameplay tossed at you with every case. At the beginning you'll be given an introduction to the case's story with details left out to be discovered later. Once you're assigned to the defendant in question it'll be up to you to unearth the truths and investigate crime scenes, interrogate people, or whatnot. This is accomplished by clicking through with the stylus and highlighting things or points of interest.
Much like the old days when games required a certain degree of sleuthing Phoenix Wright makes you think. The point and click atmosphere feels classic yet fun at the same time. Still, there are plenty of times throughout the game where the answer will be displayed in front of you and you'd have to be blind to miss it. This gives way to some easily passable scenarios and like the first game the answer will almost be handed to you in some cases.
Once the game takes you to the courtroom you'll forgo the stylus wanderings and seek to uncover information through interrogating witnesses and pressing for information. Calling an "Objection" telling someone to "Hold it" are ways to rattle their nerves but it's through reading between the lines that you'll find most of the details you need to trip someone up. Granted the logic that it takes to get from point a to b to c can be kind of funny, but this is an eccentric video game after all.
While most of Justice for All tends to be the same as Ace Attorney there are a couple of new additions apart from four new cases. For starters Phoenix has a health meter that denotes his performance in court. Too many screw ups and you'll find yourself coming down to the wire. To replenish this resource you have to unlock certain areas of a witnesses' testimony. These keys are found while investigating and lead to some interesting moments during the flow of the game. It doesn't completely change the experience but it adds an interesting angle.
It's nice to have a new little feature in the gameplay but ultimately Justice for All is too close to the original for its own good. It is very linear, plays like a book at times, and almost a little too easy at points. The replay value isn't high and in the case of this sequel the innovation just isn't there.
However, if you own a DS you simply have to give the series a shot. Justice for All may simply be more of the same but it more of the same from a great game. Few titles are this quirky, well-crafted, and original when you stand them up to the rest of the DS' library. It also should go without saying that if you appreciated the first Phoenix Wright checking this one out is a no-brainer.
Graphics
Nearly identical to the first Phoenix Wright game, Justice for All features lightly animated characters, a strong anime influence, and static backgrounds. The game is high in style but very low in terms of graphical execution. Like the point and click adventures of yore you simply don't come to this genre expecting a graphical powerhouse. What's here is fun to look at, conveys what it needs to, and wholly functional but decidedly not as involved as other titles.
Sound
Like the graphics, the Phoenix Wright series doesn't have the grandest of presentations when it comes to sound. Effects are kept minimal and voice acting is merely a few "Objections" and "Hold Its" shouted out by Phoenix. You can't knock this title for the music though. It's effective and dramatic at all of the right moments. I was pleased with Justice for All's overall quality in terms of audio but wasn't blown away.
Conclusion
Justice for All is a fun game. There is plenty of personality from start to finish and the four cases that you'll try will keep you entertained. Where this game his a couple of snags is the fact that it's virtually the same as the first. There is little innovation and the game really feels like Phoenix Wright 1.5 when you get right down to it. To put it simply; the quality is here, the originality is not. If you liked the first one then Justice for All is easily recommended but if you have not been initiated yet you have to give this quirky series a whirl.