Aviary Attorney

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,767 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Aviary Attorney Game Cover
More rich quail rather than plump-breasted pheasant, but still a rare and satisfying bird.
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In Aviary Attorney, players assume the role of a 19th-century anthropomorphic bird attorney. Through point-and-click gameplay, they investigate cases, question witnesses, and present evidence to solve courtroom dramas. With hand-drawn art and humor, this game offers a unique take on visual novel adventure games.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,767 reviews
story385 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • Great art style that captures the 19th-century aesthetic beautifully.
  • Witty and humorous writing with plenty of clever puns and engaging dialogue.
  • Suitably challenging gameplay that allows for multiple endings and replayability.
  • Short playtime, typically around 4-6 hours, which may not justify the full price.
  • Lack of quality of life features like fast-forwarding through dialogue or a text log.
  • Some players may find the investigation mechanics frustrating due to time constraints and the potential to miss crucial evidence.
  • story883 mentions

    The story of "Aviary Attorney" is a captivating blend of humor and serious themes, set against the backdrop of 19th-century France during a time of political upheaval. Players navigate through a narrative filled with memorable characters, unexpected plot twists, and multiple endings that reflect their choices, allowing for a unique storytelling experience. While the game is relatively short, its engaging writing and charming art style create a rich and immersive experience that resonates with fans of visual novels and detective stories alike.

    • “Beyond the unique art style and the presence of real choice, two things that would be notable in any game, it also has a compelling story, memorable characters, good pacing, satisfying puzzles/trials, and a very reasonable price for a game of its genre.”
    • “The story has a fair number of twists, some of them far darker than expected, and the plot easily kept my interest for the ~4 hours across its 4 chapters.”
    • “The story is engaging and I like how failing doesn't necessarily lead to a 'game over'.”
    • “The first half of the game is okay, but the second half gets hijacked by a story where I'm pretty much just clicking through the dialogue and not caring anymore.”
    • “The story seems rushed and ends in a whimper in a horrifically anticlimactic way.”
    • “I just can't stress enough that the story slowly but surely loses steam, and the final case and ending really left me unsatisfied.”
  • music475 mentions

    The music in "Aviary Attorney" has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful orchestral arrangements, primarily featuring works by 19th-century composer Camille Saint-Saëns, which perfectly complement the game's charming art style and historical setting. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack enhances the immersive experience, although some mentioned occasional inconsistencies in volume and timing. Overall, the combination of delightful music and engaging visuals contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.

    • “The music is beautiful, the art style is iconic and classy, the characters are witty and memorable, and none of them have 'npc energy'.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic and perfectly captures the game's atmosphere and mood.”
    • “The music matches the period and tone perfectly.”
    • “The music isn't an original soundtrack, but it's very fitting for the setting and tone of the game; nevertheless, it is pleasing to the ear.”
    • “I'm not sure what happened to the music, though; for the most part, I think I only heard dead silence punctuated by character speech blips.”
    • “My only criticism of the music is that there wasn't any that felt catchy or memorable enough.”
  • graphics452 mentions

    The graphics of "Aviary Attorney" are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, inspired by 19th-century illustrations, which enhances the game's immersive atmosphere. Players appreciate the beautiful hand-drawn visuals and the seamless integration of classical music, creating a delightful aesthetic that complements the narrative. While some note minor graphical inconsistencies, the overall presentation is considered a standout feature that elevates the gaming experience.

    • “The art style, inspired by 19th-century illustrations, is stunning and gives the game a unique charm.”
    • “The art style is breathtaking, the world is deeply well thought-out, the narrative is beyond outstanding, and hilarious.”
    • “The visuals are beautifully drawn, but the tiny budget doesn't allow for much character animation.”
    • “The art style is extremely simple, consisting of public domain images.”
    • “The art style is cute but causes everything to blend together into an uninteresting swirl of beige.”
    • “While the art style is unique, it doesn't quite befit a game.”
  • humor424 mentions

    The humor in "Aviary Attorney" is widely praised for its quirky charm, clever writing, and a delightful mix of puns and witty dialogue that keeps players engaged. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to balance lighthearted humor with serious themes, creating a unique narrative experience that resonates with fans of the "Ace Attorney" series. While some humor may not appeal to everyone, the overall consensus is that the game's comedic elements significantly enhance its storytelling and character interactions.

    • “It’s a perfect blend of humor, mystery, and courtroom drama that keeps you engaged and entertained.”
    • “The writing is a clever mix of period drama, just a dash of modern pop culture references, plenty of cheeky ace-attorney-like courtroom antics, as well as ample bird puns and other unexpectedly hilarious bits.”
    • “Aviary attorney is a fantastic game that is choc-a-block full of beautiful visuals and hilarious dialogue, whilst maintaining a serious underlying story and an interconnected narrative.”
    • “The two investigators you're guiding aren't well characterized -- the sidekick makes bad, not funny-bad, just bad, puns, and the lead investigator is solemn and rebukes the sidekick.”
    • “The attempts at humor fall flat, leaving the dialogue feeling more awkward than amusing.”
    • “The jokes feel forced and often miss the mark, making it hard to engage with the characters.”
  • gameplay297 mentions

    The gameplay of "Aviary Attorney" draws heavily from the "Ace Attorney" series, featuring a blend of visual novel elements and courtroom mechanics, such as gathering evidence and cross-examining witnesses. While many players appreciate the humor, art style, and engaging narrative, some criticize the gameplay for being simplistic and lacking depth, with a few noting that the time management mechanics can be frustrating. Overall, the game offers a charming experience with a unique twist on familiar mechanics, though it may feel short and less challenging compared to its inspirations.

    • “Great art style, suitably challenging gameplay without feeling too unfair, and there are branching paths toward the end that might prompt replayability.”
    • “The gameplay is where the project really excelled for me.”
    • “Aviary Attorney is a fantastic game that combines classic point-and-click adventure gameplay with a unique animal-themed setting.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly shallow; you never have more than a couple handfuls of evidence, and the contradictions should be incredibly easy to spot for any veteran of the series.”
    • “The gameplay itself is easy to learn, and an even easier swallow if you've played the Ace Attorney franchise.”
    • “While the gameplay itself is basically a visual novel, including finding and combining clues, using them at court and interrogation, it also offers some different paths, where your decisions or even lack of finding every clue will count.”
  • replayability69 mentions

    The game features multiple endings and branching paths, providing a moderate level of replayability for players interested in exploring different outcomes. While some reviews note that the game is relatively short and may lose replay value after completing all paths, others appreciate the depth added by choices that impact the story. Overall, it offers enough variety to encourage multiple playthroughs, especially for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “Great art style, suitably challenging gameplay without feeling too unfair, and there are branching paths toward the end that might prompt replayability.”
    • “There are multiple routes and endings to see which add some replayability to it all, so if you need something like Phoenix Wright to add to your library, this might work.”
    • “The game has a lot more replayability to it than the linear Ace Attorney games, and that's not a knock against Ace Attorney either; the linearity allows the game to provide a much more in-depth story.”
    • “One main gripe is, like with other story-based games, the lack of replayability.”
    • “Its main weakness is that it's very short and once you've unlocked all the paths, it loses almost all replayability.”
    • “Especially considering once those hours are up there is no replay value at all.”
  • atmosphere46 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming blend of stunning visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and witty writing, all of which create an immersive experience reminiscent of 1800s France. Reviewers highlight the unique aesthetic, engaging character interactions, and the effective use of sound to enhance the overall mood, making it a delightful adventure that balances humor with a melancholic undertone. Despite some technical issues, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest aspects, contributing to its replayability and overall enjoyment.

    • “The music is wonderful and not too distracting, and all this creates a great atmosphere, making this game highly enjoyable.”
    • “The period artwork, the atmosphere, the accompanying music, and the charming characters all melt together perfectly to make a brilliant experience.”
    • “The unique visuals and the music add to the atmosphere a lot, and the characters, through broad stereotypes, are entertaining enough.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game also does not veer into the spiritual, which I always thought was a (albeit quirky) weakness of the Ace Attorney games.”
    • “It's honestly very difficult to put the atmosphere of a game into words.”
    • “With every orchestration reflecting the bourgeoisie atmosphere of early France.”
  • emotional25 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Aviary Attorney" is highlighted by its surprising depth and resonance, with players expressing genuine investment in the story and characters, often leading to unexpected emotional responses. The game balances humor and heartfelt moments effectively, creating a charming experience that can evoke laughter and tears alike. While some critiques mention a lack of complexity due to its short length, the overall consensus is that it delivers a memorable and impactful emotional journey.

    • “The story is really well done, the game is kind of funny, and the ending managed to hold genuine emotional weight.”
    • “A great and emotionally resonant game.”
    • “I found myself caught up in the story and way more emotionally invested than expected.”
  • character development24 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the depth and intricacy afforded by the slower pacing, others criticize it for being lacking or superficial. The character designs are widely praised for their creativity and alignment with the game's themes, contributing to an engaging visual experience. Overall, the dialogue and humor enhance character interactions, but some players feel that more substantial development could elevate the narrative further.

    • “Despite this, the slower pace allows for deeper character development and more intricate plot twists, rewarding patient players with a richer story experience.”
    • “The character development is also quite nice as well, flowing naturally and without feeling forced.”
    • “There is drama, pretty solid plot-twists (the greatest is probably in act 1, because it comes out completely out of the left field) character development and pretty good humor with some quirkiness straight out of ace attorney games.”
    • “Not much character development.”
    • “This game has a poor plot, treacly character development, and very little dramatic tension.”
    • “If you like character development, you'll find that there isn't much - just a mild surprise about a few of the characters' pasts at the end, and some friends-after-all feelgoodery.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game has received significant criticism for its stability, with many users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and unfinished elements that detract from the overall experience. While some players note that many issues have been addressed through updates, the consensus remains that the game is still quite buggy and lacks polish, leading to a frustrating experience for some. Overall, while the game shows potential, its stability issues are a major concern for players.

    • “Have you ever seen a major title come back bug-free?”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it really enhances the overall experience.”
    • “The game is somewhat buggy; it regularly crashed either on launch or when attempting to enter full screen mode.”
    • “The game does not feel 100% finished and could definitely use more polish, as evident from minor UI glitches, hairline borders occasionally visible around graphics assets, and occasional spelling issues.”
    • “My one complaint about it is that it is buggy as all hell.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious, particularly due to the lack of a fast-forward option for replaying content. Many find the necessity to manually click through lengthy dialogues and events frustrating, which detracts from the enjoyment of exploring different endings. Overall, the repetitive nature of the gameplay can lead to a sense of wasted time and diminished motivation to replay the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “I wanted to replay the game to get all the endings, but the lack of a fast forward option made that very tedious.”
    • “The only way to re-do your event order is to manually click through conversations you've already read, at tedious length, often re-doing huge piles of content simply to do one thing slightly differently.”
    • “The only problem is that the gameplay can seem a bit tedious; most of the time you just have to click and read through long dialogs, which makes it difficult to play more than one chapter per session.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    The game exhibits notable optimization issues, impacting overall performance and user experience. However, it features a unique mechanic where multiple endings are influenced by player performance, adding depth and encouraging engagement with the trials. This aspect of performance-based outcomes is praised, despite the underlying optimization problems.

    • “Last chapter is divided into 3 different endings depending on your chapter 3 performance.”
    • “There are multiple endings depending on your performance in the trials, which provide for a decent logical challenge and require that you have been paying attention.”
    • “I've only seen one of the 4 endings (what I can only assume is the bad ending) and it's nice to see my poor performance result in a dramatic poor outcome rather than forcing me to reload the chapter.”
    • “There are performance issues with this game.”
    • “There are some optimization problems too.”
    • “I didn't realize this going in, but as things went a certain way during one of the trials, I got the feeling that my performance was determining my outcome (which is different for this type of game).”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on the visual style and inspiration from historical illustrations rather than any financial model or in-game purchases.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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