Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,038 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Game Cover
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy’s graphical upgrades and museum content is a delight for longtime fans looking to experience these well-written stories and memorable cast once more.
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"Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy" is a collection of three games featuring rookie attorney Apollo Justice and his mentor Phoenix Wright. It includes 16 episodes full of courtroom drama, as well as bonus content like music, art, and animation studios. The game supports multiple languages and is a must-play for Ace Attorney fans.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,038 reviews
story47 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The dialogue and humor throughout the trilogy are excellent, providing many laughs and memorable moments.
  • The remastered visuals and 2D-drawn pictures enhance the overall experience, making the games visually appealing.
  • The collection includes a wealth of bonus content, such as concept art and soundtracks, adding significant value for fans.
  • The narrative feels disjointed between games, with unresolved plot points and inconsistent character development.
  • The gameplay can be overly hand-holdy, with a lack of challenge and frequent obvious hints that detract from the experience.
  • Some character models and animations in the 3D entries are considered uncanny or poorly executed compared to the original 2D art style.
  • story169 mentions

    The story across the Ace Attorney series is characterized by a mix of compelling narratives and disjointed plotlines, with many players noting that cliffhanging elements often go unresolved. While some installments, particularly "Apollo Justice," are praised for their engaging character development and emotional depth, others, like "Spirit of Justice," face criticism for convoluted storytelling and repetitive trial mechanics. Overall, the series maintains a blend of entertaining characters and intriguing cases, though the execution can vary significantly between games.

    • “The cast of characters were memorable & the plot lines that played out had many of us on the edge of our seats.”
    • “Its compelling story, engaging gameplay, and unforgettable characters set a new standard for the genre.”
    • “I loved the 2nd trial of this game and the way the game tries to tie everything up towards the end is a cool way of telling the story.”
    • “All my problems of the previous games return here, but now the story and characters ended up frustrating me so much that I genuinely didn't feel like I was enjoying my time.”
    • “It doesn't feel like the story is written by humans but by guidelines on how to create a 'good' trial; as a result, there are almost no surprises and it feels like you already know exactly how to build the puzzle but have to wait for the game to ask you to place the puzzle piece it wants you to play.”
    • “But in Ace Attorney 5 and especially 6, there will be a lot of moments where you feel like the game doesn't respect you as a player; it doesn't trust you to make your own conclusions, it repeats information extremely often, gives you extremely guided information, and often feels like it doesn't understand what it wants to do with its story anymore.”
  • music83 mentions

    The music in the Ace Attorney series continues to receive high praise, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the narrative's emotional depth and complement gameplay. Notable soundtracks, particularly from "Apollo Justice" and "Spirit of Justice," are celebrated for their quality, with some tracks described as "god-tier" and capable of evoking strong emotional responses. While some critics feel that the newer arrangements lack the punch of earlier games, the overall consensus is that the music remains a standout feature, contributing significantly to the series' charm and appeal.

    • “The soundtrack deserves equal praise, with compositions that perfectly complement the highs and lows of the narrative, enhancing every moment of triumph, tension, and heartache.”
    • “Great stories, twists, and characters accompanied by a god-tier soundtrack.”
    • “The music made me cry (it was that good).”
    • “Don't get me started on the music starting in Dual Destinies, it's so flat and lacks the oomph all the other games had.”
    • “While it was frozen, the music would continue normally while any animations were frozen, i.e., Apollo wouldn't blink, as well as any text that was in the process of typing itself out on the screen would stop dead in its tracks until it finished and continued.”
    • “Examples of this are the really annoying musical witness for case 1 and the name puns getting so stupidly simplistic and blatant.”
  • gameplay71 mentions

    The gameplay in the Ace Attorney series is characterized by a blend of classic mechanics and innovative features, offering a unique and engaging experience. While some new mechanics, like character abilities and the realization mechanic, are praised for adding freshness to puzzle-solving, others are criticized for their lack of difficulty and precision requirements. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and complemented by strong storytelling, memorable characters, and improved visuals, though some players feel it lacks cohesion and can be repetitive at times.

    • “The gameplay mechanics are a refined blend of the series' classic formula and innovative new features that elevate the experience.”
    • “New to the series or not, Ace Attorney is a breath of fresh air with its unique gameplay loop and satisfying conclusions.”
    • “Its compelling story, engaging gameplay, and unforgettable characters set a new standard for the genre.”
    • “Unfortunately, the lack of difficulty and mechanics for these cases made them an unenjoyable experience.”
    • “Wonky mechanics that had me guessing the right thing but getting a punishment because I didn't present something pixel perfect.”
    • “>gameplay: there basically is none.”
  • graphics49 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant character designs and beautifully rendered environments that enhance the overall experience. However, some players miss the charm of the original sprite work and criticize the switch to a 3D art style, feeling it detracts from the series' aesthetic. Overall, while the updated visuals are generally seen as a significant improvement, there are concerns about accessibility due to unclear graphics requirements.

    • “Graphically, the trilogy is a standout, with vibrant character designs and beautifully rendered environments that breathe life into the world of Apollo Justice.”
    • “Finally got to experience more Ace Attorney games (never had the opportunity), and I love everything about this trilogy - the graphics are clean, gameplay is fun, characters are lovable (and hateable in the best way), etc.”
    • “For less than the price of a modern triple-A game, this bundle includes a host of graphical updates and bonus features to two absolutely fantastic games.”
    • “The graphics minimum is not readily available to view on the Steam page, and I had to email support just for them to tell me that my laptop doesn't meet their graphics minimum.”
    • “As for graphics, some of the sprites are obviously dated and pretty bad looking.”
    • “The game has a required graphics minimum that is not available for regular players to access.”
  • humor39 mentions

    The humor in the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting the witty dialogue, memorable characters, and hilarious interactions that are hallmarks of the series. The addition of characters like Simon Blackquill enhances the comedic elements, making the courtroom antics even more entertaining. Overall, the trilogy is described as a fun, fast-paced experience that successfully combines humor with engaging storytelling.

    • “The real star of this game is Simon Blackquill, a snarky emo samurai who adds a ton of humor, especially when he banters with Athena and the judge and sics Taka on people.”
    • “The patented funny, witty but also suspenseful Ace Attorney writing is back in full force, and hey, that's what this is all about.”
    • “It's a hilarious, heartwarming, and mind-bending experience that will leave you cheering at every triumph and gasping at every ridiculous twist.”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling characters and their heartbreaking stories, which resonate deeply with players. The music enhances the emotional experience, often evoking tears and a strong desire for the narrative to continue. Overall, the series successfully blends humor, heartwarming moments, and complex storytelling, showcasing the power of video games to elicit profound emotional responses.

    • “The music made me cry (it was that good).”
    • “Many moments in these games made me quite emotional, and I didn't want the story to end at all.”
    • “It's a testament to the power of video games as a medium for conveying complex narratives and evoking deep emotional responses.”
  • character development11 mentions

    Character development in this installment of the Ace Attorney series is noted as a mixed bag; while it introduces significant lore and expands on both new and returning characters, some fans feel that the reset of Phoenix's character arc detracts from the overall experience. The new prosecutor, Klavier Gavin, is appreciated for his design but criticized for being underwhelming in terms of challenge. Overall, the focus on gameplay sometimes overshadows deeper character exploration, leading to a less satisfying narrative progression.

    • “This is definitely the weakest set of Ace Attorney games; however, they do add a lot of important lore and character development for both old and new characters.”
    • “Graphically, the trilogy is a standout, with vibrant character designs and beautifully rendered environments that breathe life into the world of Apollo Justice.”
    • “The biggest and best character development, which was Phoenix, was reset.”
    • “Gameplay can be scarce; character development and story are sometimes sacrificed in favor of explaining convoluted cases.”
    • “The new prosecutor Gavin Klavier is fun, but kind of a pushover, though I love his character design.”
    • “As stated earlier, this is definitely the weakest set of Ace Attorney games; however, they do add a lot of important lore and character development for both old and new characters.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be inconsistent; while some cases are engaging and complex, others can feel overly lengthy and tedious, requiring significant time investment. Overall, the experience varies, with some players suggesting it may demand more time than anticipated.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “These are hit or miss: Apollo's search for tells can be sometimes grindy and tedious, while Athena's analysis is comparatively more complex and enjoyable.”
    • “One or two cases can be tedious.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with users reporting no significant bugs or glitches, particularly on the Steam Deck. However, there are minor issues with skipping through dialogue, which some players find buggy or awkward.

    • “Runs great on a Steam Deck.”
    • “Skipping through dialog is a bit buggy and awkward.”
    • “I have encountered no bugs or glitches as of yet, so it seems Capcom took their time putting care into this product.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    While players find the games enjoyable enough to experience once, only "Apollo Justice" stands out for its satisfying replay value. Despite being linear visual novels, they exhibit surprising replayability, though some users note pacing issues and minimal replay value overall.

    • “By the way, these games are so surprisingly replayable, even if they are linear visual novels.”
    • “It's worth playing through these games at least once, but of the three, Apollo Justice is the only one with satisfying replay value.”
    • “[Cannot deviate from linear narratives, pacing issues, minimal replay value]”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Users express significant concerns regarding optimization, particularly highlighting that the presence of Denuvo and Enigma negatively affects game performance and can damage Steam Deck devices. There are calls for the removal of these technologies to improve overall gameplay experience and avoid potential legal issues.

    • “The game suffers from severe performance issues, making it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
    • “Optimization is lacking, resulting in frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
    • “The graphics settings do not seem to improve performance, leaving players frustrated with the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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