Gyakuten Saiban 4
Encyclopedia
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as , is an adventure game
developed by Capcom
for the Nintendo DS
handheld game console
. It is the fourth video game in the Ace Attorney series and was released in Japan on April 12, 2007; in North America on February 19, 2008; in Europe on May 9, 2008; and in Australia on May 22, 2008. The game is preceded by Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
and is succeeded by Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. Apollo Justice is the first Ace Attorney title to be on the DS that was not a port of a Game Boy Advance
title.
Apollo Justice is the first game in the series that does not feature Phoenix Wright as the main protagonist, though it is not the first time a different attorney has been playable. The game is set in the year 2026, which is seven years after Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations. Phoenix Wright has been stripped of his attorney's badge, and Apollo Justice, an up-and-coming attorney, becomes his apprentice.
Apollo Justice was extremely successful in Japan, selling around 250,000 copies during the first retail week and 515,417 by the end of 2007. It has an aggregate review scores of 78/100 and 79% from Metacritic
and Game Rankings
respectively.
The gameplay of Apollo Justice can be separated into two types of situations: Investigation Mode and Courtroom Mode. Both are presented in the style of a visual novel
and therefore, storyline is heavily linear, though there are often interactive interludes to the dialogue. The player is given a health bar
. If the player ever presents the incorrect evidence, health is lost. If the health bar reaches zero, the player loses. Apollo Justice is the first game in the series to be developed specifically for the DS as opposed to being a port of a game originally for the Game Boy Advance
. As such, the DS' touch screen and microphone features are a fundamental part of Apollo Justice. Additionally, this game is the first in the series where Phoenix Wright is not the main protagonist, though it is not the first time a different attorney has been playable.
During the Investigation phase of each case, the player explores the game world by either using the stylus
or the D-pad
to select the actions they wish to engage in: Examine, Move, Talk, or Present. The player converses with non-player characters by selecting dialogue and can move around the game world by selecting the locations they wish to travel to. Information gained during Investigation Mode can be used during the Trial phase of the game and items picked up can be used as evidence. The player, however, cannot progress without completing certain actions. Ema Skye, a character from the DS remake of the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
game, often provides the player with opportunities to use DS features such as the microphone to perform actions such as dusting for fingerprints.
The Trial portion of the game is similar to that of previous Ace Attorney games and consists of listening to and cross-examining
witness testimonies. The player is given the option to either Press or Present evidence in response to statements made by witnesses. The player can either select their choice or yell into the microphone. Pressing will force the witness to expand on a previous testimony and may unlock new segments of the testimony, while Present is used to present information—either in the form of evidence or profiles—that contradicts the witness's testimony. "Psyche locks," first introduced in Justice for All
, are used only during the final case. However, while presenting evidence, the player is no longer able to determine between presenting evidence or a character profile, simplifying the game. A new system, known as the "Perceive System," can be used to look for motions or actions made by witnesses that show nervousness, similar to a tell in poker
. The move even comes with the catchphrase, "Gotcha!" ( in Japanese). The game also includes a "Crime Recreation Mode" that models evidence or the crime scene in a 3-D rendition and allow the player to explore the recreation to look for clues. Additionally, the game often recreates the crime in cutscene
sequences, allowing the player to observe the action and find contradictions.
The second case, , begins with Apollo joining the "Wright Anything Agency." He receives the task of solving three separate, but simultaneous incidents. Seemingly unrelated at first, it is soon proven that the cases, a hit-and-run, a panty-theft, and a missing noodle stand are all connected to a murder that occurred on the same night. Apollo is summoned to defend Wocky Kitaki, the hot-headed son of the local Kitaki family gang, who is accused of the crime and connects the cases to convict the true murderer, Wocky's fiancee, Alita Tiala.
In , the third case, Klavier Gavin, Kristoph's brother and the attorney in Turnabout Corner, invites Apollo and Trucy to a concert for his band, the Gavinners. However, a murder occurs during the show in front of Apollo's eyes and they receive the task of defending the main suspect, pianist Machi Tobaye, one of the concert's guest stars. Apollo proves Tobaye's innocence by unraveling a complicated plot to smuggle cocoons and uncovers the real murderer, Detective Daryan Crescend.
In the fourth and final case, , Apollo defends Vera Misham, who has been accused of poisoning her father, Drew. As the finale of Apollo Justice, Turnabout Succession reveals the mysteries surrounding Phoenix's last case as an attorney, as well as the history of Troupe Gramarye and how Trucy came to be his adopted daughter. This is the sole session of the game where the player can interact as Phoenix. In the end, it is discovered that Kristoph Gavin was responsible for the deaths of Drew Misham and Zak Gramarye, the attempted murder of Vera Misham, and the fake evidence that forced Phoenix to retire.
.
The second story of the game, "Turnabout Corner," was a story that Shu Takumi had come up with ten years ago when he initially joined Capcom. The third story, "Turnabout Serenade," marked the first time motion-capture data had been used to create a video in the game. Like the voice-acting, the "actor" for Lamiroir was a member of the R&D team.
The new game no longer features Phoenix Wright as the protagonist, as the previous three games did. Capcom's previous naming for the translated games has included the localized name of "Phoenix Wright" as the protagonist in the title for these games. A photo taken from a Nintendo Europe event which included a banner for the game confirmed that the protagonist, Housuke Odoroki, is localized as "Apollo Justice", with the game title being Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. This was confirmed when the English trailer for the game was presented at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show
. The localization team had taken twenty-two meetings to decide on the name "Apollo," a reference to both the Greek god
and the spacecrafts.
and the online Capcom store.
. A concert, based on the music from Ace Attorney and entitled Gyakuten Meets Orchestra, took place in Tokyo in April 2008. A CD of the concert was published on July 16, 2008.
and Game Rankings
respectively. It received four nines out of ten, totaled to thirty-six out of forty, from video game magazine Famitsu
. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney was heavily criticized for its linear storyline and lack of replay value. However, 1UP.com
commented that, "the Phoenix Wright games are by far the best-written titles you'll find on the DS, and Justice is no different." 1UP.com also commented that the added features made especially for the DS were "super engaging even though the actual actions aren't that difficult to do."
IGN
largely agreed with 1UP but commented that "the first Apollo Justice title plays identically to the Phoenix Wright trilogy". IGN Australia noted out that complaints about the previous games, such as that "finding the right path through the game feels like a process of trial and error" and that players could beat the game by "routinely pressing at every available opportunity and then using a minimum of logic," were not fixed in Apollo Justice. " Additionally, "the game's rather obtuse, long-way-around approach to problem solving" caused what IGN viewed to be unnecessary delays to the game. IGN also felt that new features were "a little gimmicky" but did not "detract from the experience in the slightest." However, IGN Australia thought the game was "great" overall. The game was nominated for "Best Story" in IGN
's 2008 Video Game Awards, though it did not win.
These views were echoed by many reviews. GameSpot
felt that the story, while strong, "moves along at a snail's pace" and that "many of the series' flaws are still present." A "lack of innovation and change" was the main sticking point for GamePro
, who thought of Apollo Justice as "a solid distillation of the franchise formula." The Nintendo World Report
felt that the game "builds upon the Phoenix Wright trilogy" even though "[g]ameplay remains mostly unchanged." GameSpy
pointed out that the game's use of the DS's touch features, "vastly improves the experience" though the crime scene reenactment is "all too brief."
Apollo Justice was highly successful, selling around 250,000 copies during the first retail week according to Mainichi Interactive, and had more than 500,000 copies shipped by the end of its second week in Japan. By the end of 2007, it had sold 515,417 units. While not nearly as successful in terms of sales in North America, the game still placed fifth in games sold for the Nintendo DS during its release week.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
developed by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
handheld game console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It is the fourth video game in the Ace Attorney series and was released in Japan on April 12, 2007; in North America on February 19, 2008; in Europe on May 9, 2008; and in Australia on May 22, 2008. The game is preceded by Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as , is an adventure video game published and developed by Capcom in Japan, North America, and Europe, and published by Nintendo in Australia...
and is succeeded by Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. Apollo Justice is the first Ace Attorney title to be on the DS that was not a port of a Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
title.
Apollo Justice is the first game in the series that does not feature Phoenix Wright as the main protagonist, though it is not the first time a different attorney has been playable. The game is set in the year 2026, which is seven years after Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations. Phoenix Wright has been stripped of his attorney's badge, and Apollo Justice, an up-and-coming attorney, becomes his apprentice.
Apollo Justice was extremely successful in Japan, selling around 250,000 copies during the first retail week and 515,417 by the end of 2007. It has an aggregate review scores of 78/100 and 79% from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
respectively.
Gameplay
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
and therefore, storyline is heavily linear, though there are often interactive interludes to the dialogue. The player is given a health bar
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
. If the player ever presents the incorrect evidence, health is lost. If the health bar reaches zero, the player loses. Apollo Justice is the first game in the series to be developed specifically for the DS as opposed to being a port of a game originally for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. As such, the DS' touch screen and microphone features are a fundamental part of Apollo Justice. Additionally, this game is the first in the series where Phoenix Wright is not the main protagonist, though it is not the first time a different attorney has been playable.
During the Investigation phase of each case, the player explores the game world by either using the stylus
Stylus
A stylus is a writing utensil, or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example in pottery. The word is also used for a computer accessory . It usually refers to a narrow elongated staff, similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Many styli are heavily curved to be held more easily...
or the D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
to select the actions they wish to engage in: Examine, Move, Talk, or Present. The player converses with non-player characters by selecting dialogue and can move around the game world by selecting the locations they wish to travel to. Information gained during Investigation Mode can be used during the Trial phase of the game and items picked up can be used as evidence. The player, however, cannot progress without completing certain actions. Ema Skye, a character from the DS remake of the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, released in Japan as , is an adventure video game published and developed by Capcom in Japan, North America, and Europe, and published by Nintendo in Australia...
game, often provides the player with opportunities to use DS features such as the microphone to perform actions such as dusting for fingerprints.
The Trial portion of the game is similar to that of previous Ace Attorney games and consists of listening to and cross-examining
Cross-examination
In law, cross-examination is the interrogation of a witness called by one's opponent. It is preceded by direct examination and may be followed by a redirect .- Variations by Jurisdiction :In...
witness testimonies. The player is given the option to either Press or Present evidence in response to statements made by witnesses. The player can either select their choice or yell into the microphone. Pressing will force the witness to expand on a previous testimony and may unlock new segments of the testimony, while Present is used to present information—either in the form of evidence or profiles—that contradicts the witness's testimony. "Psyche locks," first introduced in Justice for All
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All, released in Japan as , is a visual novel adventure video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo DS video game console. It is the first sequel to 2005's Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. It was released in Japan on October 26, 2006 and in...
, are used only during the final case. However, while presenting evidence, the player is no longer able to determine between presenting evidence or a character profile, simplifying the game. A new system, known as the "Perceive System," can be used to look for motions or actions made by witnesses that show nervousness, similar to a tell in poker
Tell (poker)
A tell in poker is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player's tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable...
. The move even comes with the catchphrase, "Gotcha!" ( in Japanese). The game also includes a "Crime Recreation Mode" that models evidence or the crime scene in a 3-D rendition and allow the player to explore the recreation to look for clues. Additionally, the game often recreates the crime in cutscene
Cutscene
A cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, strengthen the main character's development, introduces enemy characters, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue, and clues...
sequences, allowing the player to observe the action and find contradictions.
Setting
Apollo Justice, like the other games in the Ace Attorney series, consists of several cases and trials, called Turnabouts. In four separate Turnabouts, the main character, Apollo Justice, must defend his clients against the charge of murder. After the first Turnabout, Apollo works for retired attorney Phoenix Wright, who lost his attorney's badge due to unknowingly falsifying evidence and now runs the "Wright Talent Agency" to support his adopted daughter, Trucy Wright, a magician from the disbanded Troupe Gramarye and who helps Apollo out during investigations and in court.Story
In the first case, , Phoenix, now a pianist, is accused of murder. Apollo, under the tutelage of Phoenix's friend, Kristoph Gavin, is called to defend Phoenix and find the true murderer. Unbeknownst to Apollo, he uses falsified evidence to find the real murderer, Kristoph, and prove Phoenix's innocence.The second case, , begins with Apollo joining the "Wright Anything Agency." He receives the task of solving three separate, but simultaneous incidents. Seemingly unrelated at first, it is soon proven that the cases, a hit-and-run, a panty-theft, and a missing noodle stand are all connected to a murder that occurred on the same night. Apollo is summoned to defend Wocky Kitaki, the hot-headed son of the local Kitaki family gang, who is accused of the crime and connects the cases to convict the true murderer, Wocky's fiancee, Alita Tiala.
In , the third case, Klavier Gavin, Kristoph's brother and the attorney in Turnabout Corner, invites Apollo and Trucy to a concert for his band, the Gavinners. However, a murder occurs during the show in front of Apollo's eyes and they receive the task of defending the main suspect, pianist Machi Tobaye, one of the concert's guest stars. Apollo proves Tobaye's innocence by unraveling a complicated plot to smuggle cocoons and uncovers the real murderer, Detective Daryan Crescend.
In the fourth and final case, , Apollo defends Vera Misham, who has been accused of poisoning her father, Drew. As the finale of Apollo Justice, Turnabout Succession reveals the mysteries surrounding Phoenix's last case as an attorney, as well as the history of Troupe Gramarye and how Trucy came to be his adopted daughter. This is the sole session of the game where the player can interact as Phoenix. In the end, it is discovered that Kristoph Gavin was responsible for the deaths of Drew Misham and Zak Gramarye, the attempted murder of Vera Misham, and the fake evidence that forced Phoenix to retire.
Development
The game was produced by Minae Matsukawa and directed by Shu Takumi, who were members of the teams who made the previous Phoenix Wright games. However it was also the first game in the series Takumi was not credited as the script writer or a planner. In an early press release, they told Famitsu that they planned "on doing a few things with the series that they weren't able to put into Ace Attorney" and that Capcom staffers would provide the voices for the series. A demo version of the game was first made available at the Tokyo Game ShowTokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
.
The second story of the game, "Turnabout Corner," was a story that Shu Takumi had come up with ten years ago when he initially joined Capcom. The third story, "Turnabout Serenade," marked the first time motion-capture data had been used to create a video in the game. Like the voice-acting, the "actor" for Lamiroir was a member of the R&D team.
The new game no longer features Phoenix Wright as the protagonist, as the previous three games did. Capcom's previous naming for the translated games has included the localized name of "Phoenix Wright" as the protagonist in the title for these games. A photo taken from a Nintendo Europe event which included a banner for the game confirmed that the protagonist, Housuke Odoroki, is localized as "Apollo Justice", with the game title being Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. This was confirmed when the English trailer for the game was presented at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
. The localization team had taken twenty-two meetings to decide on the name "Apollo," a reference to both the Greek god
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
and the spacecrafts.
Merchandise
A limited edition of the game was made available for the Japanese release on April 12, 2007. It includes branded headphones, a Gyakuten Saiban Dictionary on a DS card, and a series highlights DVD. Also, a keychain of Apollo Justice was included as a preorder gift from GamestopGameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
and the online Capcom store.
Music
A soundtrack, entitled Gyakuten Saiban 4 Original Soundtrack, was released on June 27, 2007. It featured background music from the game, composed and arranged by Toshihiko HoriyamaToshihiko Horiyama
Toshihiko Horiyama is a video game composer who have worked on titles such as Mega Man X, Mega Man X3, Mega Man X4, Demon's Crest, Gyakuten Saiban 4, Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.- Gameography :*Mega Man X...
. A concert, based on the music from Ace Attorney and entitled Gyakuten Meets Orchestra, took place in Tokyo in April 2008. A CD of the concert was published on July 16, 2008.
Reception
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney has received generally positive reception, holding an aggregate score of 78/100 and 79% from MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
respectively. It received four nines out of ten, totaled to thirty-six out of forty, from video game magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney was heavily criticized for its linear storyline and lack of replay value. However, 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
commented that, "the Phoenix Wright games are by far the best-written titles you'll find on the DS, and Justice is no different." 1UP.com also commented that the added features made especially for the DS were "super engaging even though the actual actions aren't that difficult to do."
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
largely agreed with 1UP but commented that "the first Apollo Justice title plays identically to the Phoenix Wright trilogy". IGN Australia noted out that complaints about the previous games, such as that "finding the right path through the game feels like a process of trial and error" and that players could beat the game by "routinely pressing at every available opportunity and then using a minimum of logic," were not fixed in Apollo Justice. " Additionally, "the game's rather obtuse, long-way-around approach to problem solving" caused what IGN viewed to be unnecessary delays to the game. IGN also felt that new features were "a little gimmicky" but did not "detract from the experience in the slightest." However, IGN Australia thought the game was "great" overall. The game was nominated for "Best Story" in IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's 2008 Video Game Awards, though it did not win.
These views were echoed by many reviews. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
felt that the story, while strong, "moves along at a snail's pace" and that "many of the series' flaws are still present." A "lack of innovation and change" was the main sticking point for GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
, who thought of Apollo Justice as "a solid distillation of the franchise formula." The Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
felt that the game "builds upon the Phoenix Wright trilogy" even though "[g]ameplay remains mostly unchanged." GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
pointed out that the game's use of the DS's touch features, "vastly improves the experience" though the crime scene reenactment is "all too brief."
Apollo Justice was highly successful, selling around 250,000 copies during the first retail week according to Mainichi Interactive, and had more than 500,000 copies shipped by the end of its second week in Japan. By the end of 2007, it had sold 515,417 units. While not nearly as successful in terms of sales in North America, the game still placed fifth in games sold for the Nintendo DS during its release week.