Review: Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations (NDS)

Well, this is it. Having played as the character in the two previous games, it's time for Phoenix Wright to take centre stage for the last time. The final part in the trilogy, Trials and Tribulations is eager to outshine the original with more complex storylines and plenty of mystery - and it succeeds.

Though we know Phoenix Wright is returning in the fourth game (which will be called Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney - no, we're serious), it's sad that this will be the final game in which you get to control the spiky-haired defence attorney. We've grown fond of his witty quips and comical finger pointing and plenty of both are found in Trials and Tribulations, along with a fair few pop culture references. When a character told us to "know our role and shut our mouth" just like The Rock, we genuinely laughed out loud, something very few games manage to do. Then there was some man-eating beauty which one character nicely described by saying, "well, I guess I know whose milkshake brings all the boys to the yard". It's quite surreal.

The setup is exactly the same as previous Phoenix Wright games. You take on a murder case and must investigate the scene of the crime before engaging in a dramatic courtroom battle with the prosecutor. Phoenix Wright has always succeeded through its stories, and in this game they're the best in the series. Plenty of twists and turns happen and, at times, Gamestyle was quite lost and didn't know who the true culprit was. It is the characters who really make the game; some fond favourites like Larry Butz and Edgeworth (he really does deserve his own series) return, and a new cast of characters are introduced, each leading to hilarious encounters with Phoenix. The only downside of the story is the spelling mistakes; we're reviewing the Japanese version of the game (with full English option) and there are some spelling errors that will make a pedantic speller's blood boil. Perhaps the western release will correct some of these.

The length of each case has also been increased immensely. With only five cases, you might think it's a short game, but it most certainly isn't. The first case alone is longer than the first and second from the original combined, and the final case is so epic that it's longer than some full games we've played. And not once did we wish it would hurry up and end, which shows how strong the storytelling is.

Trials and Tribulations plays out much like the previous Phoenix Wright games. When investigating a crime scene, you can examine it using the touch screen, or move to a new area or talk to a character through a menu system. Each area needs to be thoroughly investigated, because if you miss something, you'll find yourself hitting a brick wall in the narrative. Sometimes it can be a little hard to find out what you've missed, so plenty of trips to GameFAQS may be required. As ever, the courtroom drama is where the game shines, where wandering around is swapped for exciting exchanges of dialogue, objections and revelations, and where characters show their true colours. In the courtroom, it's all about pressing witnesses and presenting evidence to highlight contradictions in their testimony, an enjoyable and rewarding excercise. Thankfully, the contradiction found in each testimony are far simpler and less obscure than in the last game, Justice For All. Although they still can require some thorough thought, once the answer becomes apparent, you do get a great feeling of accomplishment.

Unfortunately, Phoenix Wright 3 doesn't add anything to the formula; even Phoenix Wright 2 brought in the 'psyche locks' which helped flesh out the investigations with little mini-courtroom dramas, but there really is nothing new here. A classic case of it "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", Trials and Tribulations carries on the series' high quality and is a fitting end to the trilogy, but it won't convert anyone waiting for the series to break out of its somewhat rigid menu-driven process of elimination. That said, Gamestyle loved it and any fans of the previous games will love it too. With the added DS features, the fourth in the series could be the best yet.

Rating: 8 / 10

Words by Adam Gulliver