After years of waiting, fans of the Ace Attorney series are finally receiving a new game. Titled The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, this title is releasing on PC, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch. The last Ace Attorney game released worldwide was Spirit of Justice, back in 2016 for the Nintendo 3DS. The series is known for its clever writing and for being high-quality detective games with unforgettable characters.
There’s a lot more to The Great Ace Attorney than meets the eye. For a series as rich as this one, with multiple titles spanning decades and various main characters, The Great Ace Attorney brings its fair share of history to the table. Before diving into this latest release in the series, here are ten things you should know about just what The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles entails.
10 They Were Originally Two Separate Titles On The 3DS
Many Ace Attorney fans will know that The Great Ace Attorney was released in Japan and that initially, there weren’t any plans for localization. There were a variety of reasons and speculation for this, but most importantly, it was clear that localizing a game so steeped in Japanese culture would be a massive undertaking.
What some fans might not know is that the second game in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, titled The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve, was also released in Japan as a direct sequel to the first title. That makes both of these games a true package deal.
9 Shu Takumi Directed The Game
One of the many reasons why The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is so hotly anticipated is because of its director, Shu Takumi. Shu Takumi is the legendary director and scenario writer for the original Ace Attorney Trilogy, as well as Ghost Trick: Phantom Device.
Being the original creator of Ace Attorney and having directed the most beloved and critically acclaimed games in the series, it’s only natural that fans want to play his most recent work. Judging by Japanese gaming impressions, it seems both games in the pack have been very well received.
8 Players Will Cross-Examine Multiple Witnesses Simultaneously
In past Ace Attorney games, players would speak with the judge and witnesses during courtroom segments of gameplay. You would have to cross-examine one witness testimony at a time, pressing that same witness for questions and contradictions.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles shakes up that formula. Here, instead of cross-examining one witness at a time, players take on a whole group of witnesses at once. The witnesses can alter their testimonies based on what they overhear the other witnesses saying, making for a chaotic and very fun time.
7 There Is A Jury System
A feature that will be new to most Ace Attorney fans is The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles’ jury system. In these games, there is a group of six jurors who decide the final fate of your client, and every action you take has the possibility to affect the outcome.
The jury has the ability to interrupt court proceedings at any time to declare a “guilty” or “not guilty” verdict, in which case, you’ll have to present evidence that could tip the scales as needed. This system adds extra tension and flavor to Ace Attorney’s already great courtroom drama formula.
6 The Game Features An Auto Advancing Story Mode
One of the other new features that The Great Ace Attorney offers is its auto-advancing story mode. This feature actually involves two parts: autoplay and story mode itself. Autoplay might be familiar to you if you’re a fan of text-heavy games or visual novels, where the text continues to scroll without you having to press a button for it to advance.
Story mode, on the other hand, is for sitting back and fully enjoying the story. Essentially, the game unfolds for you, selecting dialogue options and even evidence on its own. This mode does everything in the game for you, but it won’t take away from the great writing and characters at all.
5 The Game Offers Japanese Text Graphics
While this detail about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles may not seem like a big deal at first, given the setting and time period of the game, it makes a lot of sense and helps offer a more immersive experience.
With this feature, Japanese text is used in parts of the game such as on evidence documents, and when you put your cursor over the text, it displays the English translation. For a game whose setting is so instrumental to its plot and narrative, this little detail enhances its authenticity.
4 There Is A Dance Of Deduction Element
One of The Great Ace Attorney’s additions to its gameplay is the joint investigation system involving Herlock Sholmes. Called the “Dance of Deduction,” in these segments, Sholmes uses his logical reasoning to construct conclusions for events.
Once Sholmes reaches his conclusion, players have the opportunity to find contradictions in his reasoning and examine the situation further, possibly arriving at a conclusion completely different from the one provided by Herlock. This deduction mechanism is new to the series and is full of charm and character.
3 Phoenix Wright’s Ancestor Stars In This Game
Some fans or just new players curious about Ace Attorney may be wondering how The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles fits into the history and timeline of the franchise in general. In this game, players control Ryunosuke Naruhodo, who is actually an ancestor of Phoenix Wright.
New fans don’t need to know anything about the rest of the Ace Attorney games to enjoy these ones, however. Ryunosuke being Wright’s ancestor is a fun detail that presents itself in comedic references, but besides that, it doesn’t affect the plot in any way.
2 The Two Games Tell A Full Story
Both games included in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles are direct sequels, but they also work together to become more than the sum of their parts. Both games stand incredibly well on their own, but ideally, you shouldn’t play the second one without completing the first.
The first game in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles introduces characters that will show up again in the second game, and the latter picks up just a few months after its predecessor ends. Put together, these games tell a wonderfully rich story together and should definitely be experienced together.
1 There Are References To Literary Mysteries
No Ace Attorney game would be complete without its share of puns, wordplay, and references. You’ll be pleased to know that The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles features a great deal of smart and hilarious writing, both for its time period setting and in general.
A unique aspect of these games is that there are literary references in the form of characters themselves. For example, one of the main characters is Herlock Sholmes and there’s also someone named Iris Wilson, references to Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, respectively. Soseki Natsume, a famous Japanese novelist, is also in the game.
NEXT: Games To Play If You Love Ace Attorney And Phoenix Wright
