ACE ATTORNEY INVESTIGATIONS
That promised write-up post? It's here!
Overall
I have to say I found this one of the most enjoyable games in the Ace Attorney series. Maybe it's due to its fanservice nature, but I found that there weren't as many, dare I say it, dull bits in the middle of the cases as there were in many of the other games. In fact, the only other game which I felt managed to keep up the same level of captivation was the first. However, I may be biased due to the fact that this is the first game in the series to be released since I started participating in the fandom, and thus, I played the first four games in quick succession.
I also enjoyed how tied together the entire story was, and how every case fitted in nicely with the entire arc. Then again, perhaps this is simply a sign that Edgeworth's life is a lot more coherent than Phoenix's. (Can you imagine a game from Larry's perspective? I bet you'd spend half the time distinguishing fantasy from reality: hint - any scene where he's with a girl is purely fantasy.)
The perspective change was a really refreshing touch; I'm going to really miss being able to walk around and actually interact with the environs when I replay the other games. Also, I would kill to see Phoenix's reactions to some of the out of court scenes in the earlier games. (Like being tasered by Manfred? Yes plz.)
However, I quite disliked the logic function. It wavered between 'Here we shall have Edgeworth state the bleeding obvious' and 'you are stuck string random pieces together because you have exhausted all other possibilities and sometimes you will overlook things because you thought they were bleeding obvious.' Apparently Edgeworth feels the need for every step to be clearly defined, where as Phoenix just flailed a lot. Seeing as how I'm a flail thinker myself, perhaps I simply understood him better.
Anyway! Onto my thoughts of the characters.
The Band of Five
I'm sure you know to whom I'm referring to.
Edgeworth:
I see a lot of fandom complaining about how much more flamboyant Edgeworth is, but all I find myself thinking is did they really expect anything less? Honestly, I quite enjoyed the chance to see these frequently uptight characters outside of their usual courtroom environs as it gave us a wider view of them as human beings. Edgeworth can't have a stick up his arse all the time, as it would only serve to give him horrible constipation. Dahlia Hawthorne he is not, he actually has to take a shit sometimes. But I digress. While I'm not exactly an Edgeworth connoisseur, I didn't really see any blatant characterisation changes. He is nicer than in the other games, but Gumshoe does commentate on how Edgeworth is fiercer in the courtroom. I didn't really like the way he used the word 'bloody', it just doesn't seem right considering his speech patterns in the rest of the series, and quite honestly, seemed like an over-the-top attempt to appease fangirls who are dead set on him having British ancestry. But, apart from that, I quite liked Edgeworth in this game. It actually makes me like him in a way I hadn't since playing 1-4 for the first time.
Gumshoe:
As much as Investigations made me adore Edgeworth more, it made me like Gumshoe less. I know, as I've been saying above, that a lot of it has to do with a chance of perspective, but I feel as the series continues, Gumshoe turns into a lot more of a pathetic character, and it quite saddens me to see him become that way. Everyone treats him like he's some liability that must be put up with, and he doesn't seem to have as many moments where he saves the day like he does in the earlier games. It's like they took away any good quality he has and placed him there solely for comic relief. "OH, Edgeworth is SMRT! Look how dumb Gummy is! Hahahaha, he has to survive solely on noodles!" No, seriously, considering how many times he allegedly completely fails at his duties during Investigations, I'm surprised he hasn't been outright fired yet. Maybe it's because I've been recently replaying the first two games, but honestly, if you compare them...it doesn't feel like the same person, and, post JFA, I don't like Gumshoe.
I mean, seriously, what's with the shit about him not liking guns and blood? He seems to have absolutely no aversion to blood in the first couple of games, although I suppose that is a trait he could hide. But seriously? Guns? This coming from the detective who promises to show Pearl a genuine pistol back in JFA? (Before Phoenix is like, WHUT NO?) As much as I think the comic relief character was necessary in Investigations, it could have been relied on a lot less. Gumshoe only got a few sparse redeeming moments at the end of the fifth case, and....yeah, I'm not particularly happy with the way his character was handled. I feel like the only one.
Franziska:
Oh, Franziska, Franziska, Franziska. While her basic characterisation stayed very much the same (she's a hypocritical tsundere whipping bitch who's not afraid to let people know it), they got rid of some of indentifying character quirks. We are talking about the girl who called people by their full names so frequently that the people around her started imitating her or calling her out on it, and yet, in this game? She calls Miles by his first name only 70% of the time. Also, I felt that she was gifted a thesaurus by someone in the gap between the end of the third game and Investigations, and as a true Von Karma would, devoured every inch of it.
That being said, I really did enjoy the way Franziska and Miles worked as a team, especially when they were kids and supposedly competing against each other. I think the guard said it all when Franziska asked, "Who do you think I am?" when she was denied access to the courtroom, and he responded with, "...the younger sibling of a dysfunctional relationship?" and she only objects to the younger part. The fourth case, I reckon, is truly Franziska and Miles's happy dysfunctional sibling tiems, and it just filled me with so much glee, you have no idea. I'm also so glad that the whole 'being superior to Miles Edgeworth' thing worked out so well for her! She thinks of him as cute (albeit in a completely patronizing way, but it still amazes me she knows what the word means at all), he thinks she's amazing (but he would never say that), and they work so well together as the most dysfunctional siblings ever, I have no words other than ♥.
(Although, seriously, Miles - was it necessary to call her out every time she was being a hypocrite or being passive-aggressive, or just plain aggressive? It is her natural state of being.)
I'm tailoring my Franziska headcanon slightly; it seems like she wasn't totally homeschooled at all (if he references to elementary school are to be believed), and apparently she has American roots!
I do still find it totally adorable that the only reason she came to the courthouse that day was because she was jealous of Miles Edgeworth.
Kay:
She was my favourite Ace Attorney assistant after Ema for the sole reason of not being irritating as all hell. (As much as I love your character development in the third game, Maya, I AM LOOKING AT YOU.) I know people in fandom complain about Edgeworth spending so much time around a girl who touts herself as a great thief, but then all I can think is 'lucky he didn't have Maya as an assistant, because she steals shit all the time. Despite some jealous cries of 'Mary Sue' by other people, I thought she seemed fairly well-balanced - Mary Sues are characters who can do badass shit without ever dealing with the consequences. Kay gets accused of murder and later ends up with a gun to her head. I thought she seemed, typically, like a teenage girl. While it would be nice for Capcom to break their sidekick formula once in a while, I think she played off Edgeworth very nicely.
Lang:
I didn't expect to like him, and yet...I did. He's passionate and somewhat reckless, and despite the problems this causes, he gets the job done. The way he treats his subordinates is commendable, seriously, he takes a bullet for Shih-Na, even after finding out she betrayed him, then continues to walk around on the injured leg for the rest of the night.
Seriously, he and Franziska need to join up together and join a 'BAMF don't let bullets get in the way of their jobs' club, because, seriously.
---
As for minor characters, I think I've rambled away enough here, but...I'll just go from memory at things that jumped out at me.
Case One:
I do really like Maggey still; almost thinking of picking her up somewhere, but seriously, the only thought I have at this point in time would be that if she and Gumshoe were to ever have kids, they would be the most unfortunate, but loved, children ever. However, I didn't really think much of Portsman. Yeah, he served his narrative role very well, but as a character? He didn't interest me much. (The only murderous prosecutor in this girl's heart is Manfred von Karma. ♥)
Case Two:
I switched fairly quickly back and forth between enjoying Rhoda's interactions with Edgeworth and finding her too sickly sweet for my liking. However, the whole backstory about the suitcases tugged on my heartstrings and I'm really glad she got a happy ending in the credits (although I can't help but think those jets she's designing would be an absolute eyesore to fly in.) Boobs, I mean, Cammy's, sleeping sprites really boobs, I mean, annoyed me. Then again I have a low tolerance for boobs, I mean, sleeping sprites. (I'M LOOKING AT YOU BOOBS, Yanni Yogi). However, I found her an amusing character too - in fact, I actually quite liked all the side characters in this game.
I wish we'd gotten to see Ackbey before he'd died, though.
Case Three:
I ship Ernest with Manfred now, in a totally bromance way. Just so you know. But as far as the rest of the side characters go, I really loved Oldbag, Ema's appearance was short (BUT I LOVE HOW IT WAS LAMPSHADED), and Lauren and Colin = ♥ I have a soft spot for father/daughter relationships, o-okay?
Lance is a jerk who can go die in a hole, though. I hated him as a person, rather than a character. I mean, ugh. Seriously, though, I loved all the allusions to Manfred, although I must say the more 'disciple of Von Karma' is used, the more I keep visualising Manfred as some type of God.
Case Four:
This remains my favourite case, because well, Manfred, Franziska, Bratworth, Calisto...(all characters I have muses for, btw), and, wow, I really loved Calisto in this one. I'd been spoilered (due to my own desires, not by accident), but damn, I still felt the tension in that scene when she pulls out the gun and mocks Edgeworth for taking his eyes of a criminal. This game was good in the badass women department, which Apollo Justice, sry to say, sorely sorely lacked.
Examining the items in the vending machine is stil the best thing ever - and how Franziska refuses to share with Edgeworth? Ffff, so adorable. Also like how her crop transcends the boundaries of the physical realm...and how she's too short to see into the men's bathroom. (And how Edgeworth quotes this in the argument later.)
...Although, does anyone find it really creepy that you can see into the bathroom through a window? It sounds like the perfect place for Oldbag spies. I mean, would Franziska even want to see into a male toilet?
Case Five:
Dragged on foreeeever, near the end. Loved Shih-na's role in all this, especially her reveal as Calisto Yew/whoever the hell she really is, anyway. I really wish we'd gotten more backstory on that because...being forced to betray everyone every sounds like, a really lonely life, not gonna lie, and it makes me wonder how she got into such a thing in the first place/what was in it for her?
Also, because of this case whenever someone refers to Manfred as Manny, I think of Coachen instead. Ah well, I've always been more of a fan of Freddo/Freddy.
I also forgot to mention that I really love Badd, although he needs to talk faster. Alba was an absolute bastard of a villain, and I loved how he refused to give up, even if it caused things to go on foreeeever. (I always thought Manfred gave up to easily, although I've been able to work that into his personality now.)
So, what were your thoughts?
Overall
I have to say I found this one of the most enjoyable games in the Ace Attorney series. Maybe it's due to its fanservice nature, but I found that there weren't as many, dare I say it, dull bits in the middle of the cases as there were in many of the other games. In fact, the only other game which I felt managed to keep up the same level of captivation was the first. However, I may be biased due to the fact that this is the first game in the series to be released since I started participating in the fandom, and thus, I played the first four games in quick succession.
I also enjoyed how tied together the entire story was, and how every case fitted in nicely with the entire arc. Then again, perhaps this is simply a sign that Edgeworth's life is a lot more coherent than Phoenix's. (Can you imagine a game from Larry's perspective? I bet you'd spend half the time distinguishing fantasy from reality: hint - any scene where he's with a girl is purely fantasy.)
The perspective change was a really refreshing touch; I'm going to really miss being able to walk around and actually interact with the environs when I replay the other games. Also, I would kill to see Phoenix's reactions to some of the out of court scenes in the earlier games. (Like being tasered by Manfred? Yes plz.)
However, I quite disliked the logic function. It wavered between 'Here we shall have Edgeworth state the bleeding obvious' and 'you are stuck string random pieces together because you have exhausted all other possibilities and sometimes you will overlook things because you thought they were bleeding obvious.' Apparently Edgeworth feels the need for every step to be clearly defined, where as Phoenix just flailed a lot. Seeing as how I'm a flail thinker myself, perhaps I simply understood him better.
Anyway! Onto my thoughts of the characters.
The Band of Five
I'm sure you know to whom I'm referring to.
Edgeworth:
I see a lot of fandom complaining about how much more flamboyant Edgeworth is, but all I find myself thinking is did they really expect anything less? Honestly, I quite enjoyed the chance to see these frequently uptight characters outside of their usual courtroom environs as it gave us a wider view of them as human beings. Edgeworth can't have a stick up his arse all the time, as it would only serve to give him horrible constipation. Dahlia Hawthorne he is not, he actually has to take a shit sometimes. But I digress. While I'm not exactly an Edgeworth connoisseur, I didn't really see any blatant characterisation changes. He is nicer than in the other games, but Gumshoe does commentate on how Edgeworth is fiercer in the courtroom. I didn't really like the way he used the word 'bloody', it just doesn't seem right considering his speech patterns in the rest of the series, and quite honestly, seemed like an over-the-top attempt to appease fangirls who are dead set on him having British ancestry. But, apart from that, I quite liked Edgeworth in this game. It actually makes me like him in a way I hadn't since playing 1-4 for the first time.
Gumshoe:
As much as Investigations made me adore Edgeworth more, it made me like Gumshoe less. I know, as I've been saying above, that a lot of it has to do with a chance of perspective, but I feel as the series continues, Gumshoe turns into a lot more of a pathetic character, and it quite saddens me to see him become that way. Everyone treats him like he's some liability that must be put up with, and he doesn't seem to have as many moments where he saves the day like he does in the earlier games. It's like they took away any good quality he has and placed him there solely for comic relief. "OH, Edgeworth is SMRT! Look how dumb Gummy is! Hahahaha, he has to survive solely on noodles!" No, seriously, considering how many times he allegedly completely fails at his duties during Investigations, I'm surprised he hasn't been outright fired yet. Maybe it's because I've been recently replaying the first two games, but honestly, if you compare them...it doesn't feel like the same person, and, post JFA, I don't like Gumshoe.
I mean, seriously, what's with the shit about him not liking guns and blood? He seems to have absolutely no aversion to blood in the first couple of games, although I suppose that is a trait he could hide. But seriously? Guns? This coming from the detective who promises to show Pearl a genuine pistol back in JFA? (Before Phoenix is like, WHUT NO?) As much as I think the comic relief character was necessary in Investigations, it could have been relied on a lot less. Gumshoe only got a few sparse redeeming moments at the end of the fifth case, and....yeah, I'm not particularly happy with the way his character was handled. I feel like the only one.
Franziska:
Oh, Franziska, Franziska, Franziska. While her basic characterisation stayed very much the same (she's a hypocritical tsundere whipping bitch who's not afraid to let people know it), they got rid of some of indentifying character quirks. We are talking about the girl who called people by their full names so frequently that the people around her started imitating her or calling her out on it, and yet, in this game? She calls Miles by his first name only 70% of the time. Also, I felt that she was gifted a thesaurus by someone in the gap between the end of the third game and Investigations, and as a true Von Karma would, devoured every inch of it.
That being said, I really did enjoy the way Franziska and Miles worked as a team, especially when they were kids and supposedly competing against each other. I think the guard said it all when Franziska asked, "Who do you think I am?" when she was denied access to the courtroom, and he responded with, "...the younger sibling of a dysfunctional relationship?" and she only objects to the younger part. The fourth case, I reckon, is truly Franziska and Miles's happy dysfunctional sibling tiems, and it just filled me with so much glee, you have no idea. I'm also so glad that the whole 'being superior to Miles Edgeworth' thing worked out so well for her! She thinks of him as cute (albeit in a completely patronizing way, but it still amazes me she knows what the word means at all), he thinks she's amazing (but he would never say that), and they work so well together as the most dysfunctional siblings ever, I have no words other than ♥.
(Although, seriously, Miles - was it necessary to call her out every time she was being a hypocrite or being passive-aggressive, or just plain aggressive? It is her natural state of being.)
I'm tailoring my Franziska headcanon slightly; it seems like she wasn't totally homeschooled at all (if he references to elementary school are to be believed), and apparently she has American roots!
I do still find it totally adorable that the only reason she came to the courthouse that day was because she was jealous of Miles Edgeworth.
Kay:
She was my favourite Ace Attorney assistant after Ema for the sole reason of not being irritating as all hell. (As much as I love your character development in the third game, Maya, I AM LOOKING AT YOU.) I know people in fandom complain about Edgeworth spending so much time around a girl who touts herself as a great thief, but then all I can think is 'lucky he didn't have Maya as an assistant, because she steals shit all the time. Despite some jealous cries of 'Mary Sue' by other people, I thought she seemed fairly well-balanced - Mary Sues are characters who can do badass shit without ever dealing with the consequences. Kay gets accused of murder and later ends up with a gun to her head. I thought she seemed, typically, like a teenage girl. While it would be nice for Capcom to break their sidekick formula once in a while, I think she played off Edgeworth very nicely.
Lang:
I didn't expect to like him, and yet...I did. He's passionate and somewhat reckless, and despite the problems this causes, he gets the job done. The way he treats his subordinates is commendable, seriously, he takes a bullet for Shih-Na, even after finding out she betrayed him, then continues to walk around on the injured leg for the rest of the night.
Seriously, he and Franziska need to join up together and join a 'BAMF don't let bullets get in the way of their jobs' club, because, seriously.
---
As for minor characters, I think I've rambled away enough here, but...I'll just go from memory at things that jumped out at me.
Case One:
I do really like Maggey still; almost thinking of picking her up somewhere, but seriously, the only thought I have at this point in time would be that if she and Gumshoe were to ever have kids, they would be the most unfortunate, but loved, children ever. However, I didn't really think much of Portsman. Yeah, he served his narrative role very well, but as a character? He didn't interest me much. (The only murderous prosecutor in this girl's heart is Manfred von Karma. ♥)
Case Two:
I switched fairly quickly back and forth between enjoying Rhoda's interactions with Edgeworth and finding her too sickly sweet for my liking. However, the whole backstory about the suitcases tugged on my heartstrings and I'm really glad she got a happy ending in the credits (although I can't help but think those jets she's designing would be an absolute eyesore to fly in.) Boobs, I mean, Cammy's, sleeping sprites really boobs, I mean, annoyed me. Then again I have a low tolerance for boobs, I mean, sleeping sprites. (I'M LOOKING AT YOU BOOBS, Yanni Yogi). However, I found her an amusing character too - in fact, I actually quite liked all the side characters in this game.
I wish we'd gotten to see Ackbey before he'd died, though.
Case Three:
I ship Ernest with Manfred now, in a totally bromance way. Just so you know. But as far as the rest of the side characters go, I really loved Oldbag, Ema's appearance was short (BUT I LOVE HOW IT WAS LAMPSHADED), and Lauren and Colin = ♥ I have a soft spot for father/daughter relationships, o-okay?
Lance is a jerk who can go die in a hole, though. I hated him as a person, rather than a character. I mean, ugh. Seriously, though, I loved all the allusions to Manfred, although I must say the more 'disciple of Von Karma' is used, the more I keep visualising Manfred as some type of God.
Case Four:
This remains my favourite case, because well, Manfred, Franziska, Bratworth, Calisto...(all characters I have muses for, btw), and, wow, I really loved Calisto in this one. I'd been spoilered (due to my own desires, not by accident), but damn, I still felt the tension in that scene when she pulls out the gun and mocks Edgeworth for taking his eyes of a criminal. This game was good in the badass women department, which Apollo Justice, sry to say, sorely sorely lacked.
Examining the items in the vending machine is stil the best thing ever - and how Franziska refuses to share with Edgeworth? Ffff, so adorable. Also like how her crop transcends the boundaries of the physical realm...and how she's too short to see into the men's bathroom. (And how Edgeworth quotes this in the argument later.)
...Although, does anyone find it really creepy that you can see into the bathroom through a window? It sounds like the perfect place for Oldbag spies. I mean, would Franziska even want to see into a male toilet?
Case Five:
Dragged on foreeeever, near the end. Loved Shih-na's role in all this, especially her reveal as Calisto Yew/whoever the hell she really is, anyway. I really wish we'd gotten more backstory on that because...being forced to betray everyone every sounds like, a really lonely life, not gonna lie, and it makes me wonder how she got into such a thing in the first place/what was in it for her?
Also, because of this case whenever someone refers to Manfred as Manny, I think of Coachen instead. Ah well, I've always been more of a fan of Freddo/Freddy.
I also forgot to mention that I really love Badd, although he needs to talk faster. Alba was an absolute bastard of a villain, and I loved how he refused to give up, even if it caused things to go on foreeeever. (I always thought Manfred gave up to easily, although I've been able to work that into his personality now.)
So, what were your thoughts?