The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

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.