Ace Attorney Investigations Collection – Review

The spiky-haired, finger-pointing lawyer that is Phoenix Wright may be the face of Capcom’s Ace Attorney series, but the significance of his sharp-witted, level-headed rival prosecutor Miles Edgeworth cannot be understated. Two halves of a truth-seeking duo, the legal aces have thrown countless ‘Objections!’ at each other in court, working together on opposing sides to find the truth. 

But as longtime fans would know, that hasn’t always been the case. Miles has mellowed out throughout the games, going from Demon Prosecutor and reluctant ally to a trusted confidante, earning him a permanent spot in the list of all-time favourites. After witnessing his growth from an external lens, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection presents the chance to step into the shoes of the titular character and dive into his inner psyche. 

Instead of courtroom drama, however, players will take to the streets and engage in battles of wit at crime scenes and relevant places of interest. It signifies a heavier lean into the mystery genre and point-and-click influence, but retains the spirit of its progenitor wholeheartedly, from the over-the-top flair and eclectic personalities to dramatic twists. 

Set between the third and fourth mainline entries – Trials & Tribulations and Apollo Justice respectively, to be exact – the duology marks the first official localisation of Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit, following its Japan-only release in 2011 that subsequently received a wonderful fan translation. 

The sequel joins 2009’s Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth, released internationally in 2010, in fleshing out the gameplay loop of examining scenes, collecting evidence, making observations, and interrogating suspects to bring them to apollo justice. A refreshing and enjoyable change in pace, the compilation is a stark reminder of its underrated nature, reinforcing the collective enthusiasm for Miles as a major recurring figure – even if it doesn’t necessarily escape the shadow of the mainline titles. 

The most distinct tweak right off the bat is the enhanced HD visual presentation, bringing a charming glint to the character designs. In a neat pivot, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection features newly-drawn iterations of the original sprites, spawning fluid animation and polished portraits that fit nicely into the 16:9 aspect ratio. Fans looking to relive the Nintendo DS experience can opt for the original graphics, but they don’t look the best on bigger displays like TVs and monitors. On the console’s 6.2-inch screen, the less crisp visuals are easier to forgive.

Navigation marks another departure from tradition. Unlike its mainline counterparts, the duology offers direct control over Miles, who can move around in a space – as opposed to jumping between different menu screens – and interact with both objects and people of interest. It’s also more grounded, eschewing the series’ recurring supernatural and mystical elements for step-by-step deductions, so don’t expect to break Psyche-Locks, summon spirits, Perceive abnormal twitches, or analyse erratic emotions. There’s only one way to solve the case here, and it’s with good ol’ logic. 

In fact, Logic comes as a new addition to Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, where players have to manually make connections between two pieces of information and draw new conclusions. Piecing them together correctly often sparks a sense of satisfaction, joining the Little Thief mechanic in spicing up gameplay.

Owned by Miles’ energetic sidekick Kay Faraday, the simulation device allows her to re-create and investigate old crime scenes to progress, with the freedom to jump between the past and present versions of them proving handy in uncovering fresh clues. It gets an upgrade in the sequel, bringing the ability to map out a crime scene at multiple moments in time, bathed in a green glow. 

Rebuttals, meanwhile, tread on familiar territory. Building on the cross-examination face-offs in court, these brief debate sequences pit Edgeworth against various opponents as he dissects testimonies, presses for more information, and shouts out objections when a contradiction appears (sounds familiar?). The signature speech bubble always makes for a welcoming sight, but like all the other entries in the series, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection suffers from the same structured linearity. 

Essentially, the game follows a single thread of logic, where the correct piece of evidence or conversational topic needs to be presented at the right time. There’s a rigidity to the process that fans should already be used to, and the occasional frustration that follows this step-by-step flow still persists, especially where far-fetched reasoning leaps (even by Ace Attorney standards) are concerned. 

The reprieve is that Miles’ reactions to wrong responses or guesses brings an entertaining touch to the whole affair – more so than playing as the Phoenix Wright, whose behavior and humour align fairly closely with his personality. Here, some of the prosecutor’s inner monologue and statements are at odds with his level-headed, composed demeanour, humanising him in a way that adds to his growth from the original trilogy.

Part of the portrayal can also be attributed to his interactions with the supporting cast, which includes series regulars Dick Gumshoe, Franziska von Karma, and Larry Butz, as well as returning side characters like Wendy Oldbag (plus, a special cameo from Phoenix and Maya and Pearl Fey). It’s his dynamic with Kay that stands out, however, softening out his stern-faced, straight-laced edges – a development that carries over to Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit.

While Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth makes for a good time, much of the heavy lifting is done in the subsequent outing. The first game takes a while to find its footing, so its execution is a little loose and flimsy, ending up more on the middling side of things with some less-than-memorable cases. But it walked so Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit could run, and boy, does it sprint to a gratifying high. With improved storytelling and characterisation, the sequel alone is worth playing through the lows of the original title.

For starters, Mind Chess turns Rebuttals into a more engaging affair. A countdown timer now appears at the top of the screen, and players will have to poke holes at a testimony and use logic to overwhelm opponents before it runs out. Aggression won’t always work, though, as this virtual chess space also offers the option to stay silent, allowing Miles to bide his time and wait for the subject to walk into a trap. 

The mechanic works to greater effect past the first two cases, introducing a sense of urgency to the problem-solving process that never overstays its welcome. Despite the adrenaline boost, the stakes do still feel lower as compared to the courtroom battles, sharing the same issue as its predecessor, and can sometimes lead to a tonal mismatch between expectations – descriptors like “epic” or “cool” come to mind – and reality, such as the anti-climactic interrogation of Miles’ childhood friend and bumbling comedic figure Larry.

Some may find that the cases in the collection take longer to complete, especially for the finale, and it’s nothing new. Where Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth tends to drag developments out for too long, however, Prosecutor’s Gambit finds a sharper edge in its tighter pacing and more streamlined storytelling. The slow-burn opening paves the way for a gripping, mind-blowing conclusion to the saga, and the mysteries, each with their fair share of twists and red herrings, are intricately woven into a cohesive narrative. Not every case is perfect, of course, but there’s often the fun element to look forward to with hardly moments of boredom, alongside interesting locations. 

Characterisation, too, feels more fleshed out here. As Miles’ dynamics with his companions have already been established, there’s a stronger and easier connection to the main cast. There’s a layered veneer to new faces, both allies and foes alike, that takes time to unravel, revealing more to them than meets the eye (in classic Ace Attorney fashion). It’s common for players to change their impression of certain characters, where some will grow on them, and others, evoking strong emotional responses. In a welcome nod to Miles’ past, one of the cases turns back the clock to feature his father Gregory, which is a nice dose of fan service. 

The callbacks can also be a bit of a double-edged sword because while they are a given for spin-offs, the nostalgia occasionally comes across as overdone and deters Ace Attorney Investigations Collection from cementing an identity strong enough to stand on its own. At least its reputation for eccentric characters and punny names remains intact, spanning groan-worthy and puzzling to genuinely witty ones. 

To that end, there’s little to complain about the localisation of Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit. Admittedly, there are moments where the fan translation seems to be a better fit – such as Sebastian Debeste, the unofficial name of Eustace Winner that sparked many “I’m the best” jokes with hilarious comebacks from Miles – but it reads naturally and smoothly enough. Be it legalese or regular jargon, the information is presented in a palatable, digestible manner, even if it gets a little verbose at times. 

Like all of its re-released counterparts, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection adds a Story Mode feature that acts as a helpline for players who are stuck at any point in the game and advances the story on their behalf, from automatically playing out dialogue to choosing the right piece of evidence. It does dilute the experience, however, and disables trophies and achievements when activated, so a hint system might be more ideal as an alternative. 

Other quality-of-life improvements include an episode and chapter selection, as well as the ability to review character dialogue through the History tab and switch between the original and new soundtrack arrangements from both titles. As expected, the duology promises quality music in spades, whether it’s the thrilling, pulsating beats of the Pursuit Theme, or the chirpy and distinctive character scores.

The arrival of Ace Attorney Investigations Collection marks another exciting landmark for series veterans, now that every game in the lineup (except the Professor Layton crossover title) is available to play in English on modern hardware. Despite stepping away from courtroom drama, the bundle still wears the charming, outlandish flair of its forebears proudly, doing a great job at combining new elements with what fans loved about the original trilogy – quirks and all. The wager doesn’t always pay off, particularly in the first game, but the delight of diving into some of the best storytelling in the series makes an iron-clad argument to embark on a new adventure. 

And one with a fan-favourite protagonist to boot? No objections there.