You play the role of Phoenix Wright, a young lawyer straight from the bar. Mr Wright's first case is a murder trial in defence of his best friend, Larry Butz. This part of the game is basically a tutorial which guides you through various courtroom procedures by law firm chief Mia Fey. Each of the game's five cases begins in the same way. You are treated to a cut-scene that shows both the events of the murder and also the actual killer. The idea of the game is not just about finding out who t ... more >>

You play the role of Phoenix Wright, a young lawyer straight from the bar. Mr Wright's first case is a murder trial in defence of his best friend, Larry Butz. This part of the game is basically a tutorial which guides you through various courtroom procedures by law firm chief Mia Fey. Each of the game's five cases begins in the same way. You are treated to a cut-scene that shows both the events of the murder and also the actual killer. The idea of the game is not just about finding out who the murderer is, it is also about how you bring him or her to justice. The events surrounding the case always end up leading to the false accusations of innocent witnesses, and so, as a defence attorney, it is up to young Phoenix to get a not guilty verdict. There are various obstacles in your way, which include: lying witnesses, crooked prosecutors and a judge who at times makes up his own rules.

Many of the visuals appear on the top screen of the DS, which works well. For most of the gameplay, the lower screen finds itself used for text. You have to tap it at the end of each line to get to the next one. The touch screen is also used to select answers from multiple choices, to find locations and scroll through menus. You can also use the DS microphone in certain situations. One example is when pressing a witness during questioning, this is done by shouting "Hold it!" into the microphone. This is both enjoyable and effective. The graphics throughout the game are simple but efficient. It is clear to see how the characters are feeling and the way they are depicted is realistic (for example, the movement of mouths and bodies).

Overall, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is game that really does make the most of the DS touch screen and its microphone functionality.
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