Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
- September 5, 2024
- CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
- 29h median play time
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Get on PS StoreIn "Ace Attorney Investigations Collection," players take on the role of prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as he investigates crime scenes, gathers evidence, and solves intricate cases through logic and deduction. This collection includes both games in the series, offering hours of engaging, investigative gameplay. Pre-order bonus includes five arranged tracks that can be accessed in the game's options menu or gallery's music collection.
Reviews
- The collection features stunning HD graphics and a fantastic remaster of the soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
- Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit is widely regarded as one of the best entries in the series, with a compelling story and character development.
- The gameplay allows for more interactive investigations compared to previous titles, making it engaging and enjoyable for fans of the franchise.
- The first game in the collection is considered weaker than the second, with some cases being less memorable and pacing issues.
- There are noticeable typos and localization issues in the second game, which can detract from the immersion.
- Some players experienced technical issues, such as lag and crashes, particularly on certain systems.
- story46 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the Ace Attorney Investigations series is praised for its engaging narrative, strong character development, and well-executed plot twists, particularly in the second installment, which is considered a high point for the series. While some critiques mention pacing issues and an over-reliance on dialogue, the overall consensus highlights the story's depth, moral dilemmas, and the seamless integration of returning characters, making it a compelling experience for fans of the franchise. The games are noted for their unique blend of adventure and visual novel elements, delivering a captivating courtroom drama that resonates with players.
“The story puts Edgeworth into a number of situations that actually test his morals and require him to put very important things on the line in order to show that he is now more committed to truth rather than winning.”
“Investigations 2 knew what story it wanted to tell and what messages it wanted to deliver, and executed both (almost) flawlessly.”
“The story and all of the cases had me hooked and interested at almost all times, and I personally didn't think there were any bad cases at all.”
“On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the ratio between adventuring and visual novel storytelling they ever had, very heavily leaning into walls of text and sacrificing gameplay logic over plot twists.”
“Which, as I’ve mentioned already, involves way too much expository talking for my personal liking, as the games feel far more like barely interactive storybooks than adventure games.”
“The original trilogy is still quite fun, especially the first game, but for all the fun twists and funny moments, the further the games went, the more they decided to sacrifice fun adventure elements in favor of guessing correct inputs to move the plot forward, even if it’s not always logical.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the remastered titles have received largely positive feedback, with many praising the updated HD visuals and charming animations that enhance the overall aesthetic. While some players appreciate the option to toggle between the new chibi art style and the original pixel artwork, opinions are mixed regarding the quality of the new art, with a few critics describing it as reminiscent of amateur flash designs. Overall, the remaster is celebrated for its beautiful graphics and the nostalgic value of the classic art style.
“The updated graphics look great.”
“The HD sprite artwork is fantastic and sets a far better aesthetic standard for the series going forward than the ugly, made-for-handheld 3D models used in Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice.”
“The new graphics are brilliant and the option to switch the pixel art style from over a decade ago is an unexpected yet welcome feature.”
“That said, while I enthusiastically recommend this game, I do dislike the art style of these remasters.”
“It looks like 2000's amateur Macromedia/Adobe Flash artwork.”
“You can toggle the original pixel artwork for the sprites in the walking around sections, but you're stuck with the horrible 'HD' artwork for everything else.”
- music27 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising it as some of the franchise's best, featuring both remastered and rearranged soundtracks that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the emotional depth and quality of the orchestral arrangements, as well as the option to toggle between original and updated music. While some note minor inconsistencies in the new arrangements, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack significantly elevates the game.
“The music is some of the franchise's best.”
“The soundtrack and orchestral music sounds amazing.”
“The arranged soundtrack is a bit of a mixed bag.”
“I used to listen to the first game's soundtrack on loop as a teenager.”
“The music is remastered so well, and the visual upgrades are amazing.”
- gameplay21 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title retains the familiar elements of the Ace Attorney series while introducing new mechanics, such as "mind chess," which some players find less enjoyable. The focus on investigations over courtroom trials offers engaging crime scene exploration and logical deduction, although the balance between storytelling and gameplay can feel skewed at times. Overall, while the gameplay has its highs and lows, it remains fun and engaging, particularly in the sequel, which improves upon the original's formula.
“Overall, the gameplay is both familiar enough to be fun for any Ace Attorney fan, but different enough to stand out from the rest.”
“Instead of ditching the investigative part, the game focuses a lot more on it, providing relatively simple, but genuinely engaging investigative gameplay where you examine the crime scenes, question the witnesses and suspects, and connect clues.”
“Although Investigations 1 has a bunch of highs and lows, it's still fun to play through due to its exciting gameplay loop, and it sets up Investigations 2 well enough, which is hands down one of the best Ace Attorney games I've played.”
“On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the ratio between adventuring and visual novel storytelling they ever had, very heavily leaning into walls of text and sacrificing gameplay logic over plot twists.”
“Apart from adding a horrendous new mechanic of 'mind chess', which might be the worst 'dialogue battle'-type mini-game I’ve ever experienced in my life, this title just starts with the clown makeup half-applied, and rapidly continues to become a farce by the end of the first case.”
“Game one is a bit slow and struggles with getting the new gameplay formula working well at times, such as where you'll figure something out and then someone shows up on the scene and requires you to explain the whole thing over to them when you just want to move on.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the latest installment of the series is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the quirky characters and absurd storylines that maintain the franchise's signature charm, others feel that the new protagonist, Miles Edgeworth, lacks the comedic depth and interactions that Phoenix Wright offered. The humor seems less emphasized in investigations compared to earlier games, leading to a sense of loss for some fans, though the new translation retains much of the series' distinctive wit. Overall, while there are funny moments, the balance between humor and plot progression has shifted, leaving some players wanting more of the lighthearted adventure elements.
“The new translation was also very good and full of the distinctive humor the series is known for (although there were occasional typos that could stand to get fixed).”
“I played every Ace Attorney game, and this one is the funniest and the one I enjoy the most of them all; the pace, the humor, the characters, everything is really awesome.”
“The absurd, humorous storylines and quirky characters keep their signature charm.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, with players reporting moments of genuine tears and deep connections to the characters. The combination of impactful storytelling, memorable music, and a balance of humor and serious themes contributes to a powerful emotional experience that resonates throughout the gameplay.
“Made me cry twice.”
“Best new characters, fantastic music, has 3 of the best cases in the entire series, great comedy while still packing severe emotional punches (and I mean severe).”
“The first time I opened the demo and heard the title screen music, I cried genuine tears.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The second game in the collection is praised for its superior story and character development, particularly highlighting the growth of classic characters like Edgeworth and Gumshoe. Fans of the Ace Attorney series will find the character arcs compelling and integral to the overall experience.
“This collection is absolutely worth playing for Ace Attorney fans, both for more Ace Attorney content in general, but also for the great character development we see in classic characters like Edgeworth and Gumshoe.”
“I definitely must say that, in my opinion at least, the second game of the collection is by far stronger in terms of both overall story and character development.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is significantly hindered by Denuvo, leading to poor performance and a frustrating experience for players.
“I knew Denuvo was a performance hog, but holy hell, this is low.”
“The game runs like a slideshow on my high-end PC; the optimization is abysmal.”
“I can't believe how poorly optimized this game is; it stutters and lags even on the lowest settings.”
