Common Sense Media Review
By David Chapman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Courtroom hijinks are guilty of a fun time.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
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The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
What's It About?
Collecting two previous Japan-only releases into one complete package, THE GREAT ACE ATTORNEY CHRONICLES reaches back through the pages of history to tell a new tale of courtroom justice. Proving that being an ace attorney has always been a family affair, the game transports players to the late 19th century, where they are introduced to Ryunosuke "Runo" Naruhodo, an ancestor of series star Phoenix Wright. After being falsely accused of murder and forced to defend his innocence, Runo gains a healthy respect for the legal process, as well as a firsthand understanding of how it doesn't always favor the accused. He'll travel between the empires of both Japan and Britain, where Runo will find himself center stage as a series of grisly crimes take place. You'll need to use all your observational skills to uncover clues and to find discrepancies in witness testimonies, searching out the truth and making sure that true justice is done when the final gavel comes down.
Is It Any Good?
When it comes to courtroom drama in the video game world, there's no argument that the legal eagles of Capcom's long-running crime series are the best to take the case. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles continues this tradition by following the precedent set forth in the previous games, while establishing itself as a fresh start for a new pool of gaming jurors. The game does a great job of using its setting and cast to craft a brand-new world for the series. The characters, while giving off an air of familiarity, feel distinct enough to build from. Plus, the historical late-19th century setting between the two culturally unique countries seems rich with potential. Meanwhile, the underlying gameplay stays faithful to the franchise, giving fans more of what they've come to expect without alienating newcomers to the Ace Attorney universe.
With two full games' worth of content, there are plenty of cases for players to test their investigative and interrogation skills with. As with most of the Ace Attorney games, this can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there's a huge sense of accomplishment when players can catch a witness in a lie or uncover a key piece of evidence. On the other, overlooking one slight detail might leave the player perpetually stuck and frustrated. The game does include an optional Story mode, which can be turned on or off at any time. When Story mode is on, the plot unfolds automatically, with the game handling all the choices and puzzle-solving aspects. This is great for fans who are more interested in the story than in anything else. But considering the game's lack of replayability and the fact that there's only ever one real outcome to each case, taking the interactivity out of the formula makes the experience little more than an animated book. Still, this is an impressive collection that mystery fans will truly enjoy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles affected by the animated art style and the lack of visual depictions of violent acts? Would the impact be intensified if the visuals were more realistic and bloody?
How do games like the Ace Attorney series compare to the real-world legal system? Can games like these encourage younger fans to pursue a possible career in the field?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows
- Subjects : Language & Reading : reading , reading comprehension , text analysis
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence , collecting data , deduction , investigation
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Capcom
- Release date : July 27, 2021
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , History
- ESRB rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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