A game about a lawyer? Yes, that’s exactly what Capcom’s PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY for the Nintendo DS is, though Phoenix isn’t an ordinary lawyer. With its interesting court-based theme and murder-mystery excitement, PHOENIX WRIGHT is more than just boring legal jargon and evidence. Players take on the role of Phoenix Wright, a young lawyer who just passed the bar. His first case is to defend his friend Larry, who has been accused of murder. Luckily, ace attorney Mia Fey is there to help guide Phoenix through the first case. After that, players have to get the other four clients off the hook. One of the interesting aspects of the game is that players get to see the murder before the trial, including who did it, so they go into the game knowing exactly who they have to get convicted. The hard part is finding enough evidence to both clear their client and case suspicion where it belongs. While the upper screen usually shows the court room, the witness, or other characters, the lower screen is used to view their testaments and evidence. Players can shift through testaments, finding words and phrases that don’t quite match up like they should. Finding contradictions force the witness to admit their testimonial may not be correct, which helps get a not-guilty verdict. While all this may sound boring to an action gamer, players who love mysteries and the intricacies of the court system will find PHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE ATTORNEY an unique, fun game.
