Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy Review (Switch) – A Welcome Return To Court

I’m always amazed by the video games that I fall in love with and the ones that resonate with me the most. Sure, some of them belong to the ‘popular series’ that we all play, but others simply ‘fall into my lap’ for one reason or another, and then I can’t wait to play them. An excellent example is the Ace Attorney franchise. I remember watching a review on the OG X-Play (RIPx2) for Justice For All, decided to give it a try, and the rest is history. Fast forward to now, and my Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy Review will explain why I still love this series to this day. In other words, you won’t hear too many ‘OBJECTION!’ shouts from me.

Game Name: Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox One
Developer(s): Capcom
Publisher(s): Capcom
Release Date: January 24, 2024

For those unaware, this is the second trilogy in the ‘mainline saga,’ featuring the titles Apollo Justice, Duel Destinies, and Spirit of Justice, all brought together with a modern graphics overhaul and a variety of special features. It’s not meant to be like a certain other review I did recently where everything was remade ‘for the better.’ Then again, the original titles only needed certain things to change for this remaster.”

For example, the gameplay is still very much intact, just augmented slightly to go from the Nintendo DS/3DS systems to modern systems. After all, those ones don’t have microphones to “blow fingerprint powder” with. Anyway, you play Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice, and Athena Cykes, three lawyers who are dedicated to upholding the law and doing all they can within the law to save their clients from wrongful verdicts.

I truly feel that one of the highlights of the Ace Attorney series is these lawyers and how they interact with everyone around them. An excellent example is the first game where you play Apollo, and he meets Phoenix for the first time. Obviously, he’s starstruck until he sees that things aren’t as “black and white” as he would like. Their relationship starts out rocky, but the two eventually get a trust that’s unbreakable, and Apollo’s “arc” through the trilogy is great because we see him go from “rookie lawyer” to someone who runs his own law firm in his home country, and it feels very much deserved.

Another key element is that all three lawyers have their own styles, personalities, and gameplay quirks that shine throughout the cases both in the “investigation” segments and the courtroom trials. Between Phoenix’s Magatama, Apollo’s “Perceiving,” and Athena’s “Mood Matrix,” everyone brings something to the table, and you can see by the end of the second and third games why each is special and helps get justice…for all who need it.

Speaking of those segments, as noted previously, they are intact from their original forms. You’ll either start in a courtroom and learn what you need to as you go and then “Present” or “Press” witnesses to get the results you need. Or, in the investigation segments, you’ll gather clues and information from various people and places so that you’ll be loaded up with stuff for court.

It’s a simple loop, but it’s one that works in each title. Plus, since you’re playing the trilogy back-to-back-to-back, you see how the Capcom crew adds something each time to make every game stand out in its own unique way. Spirit of Justice does this in a big way with their “Divination Seances” that heavily impacted how courts went on, and put pressure on players to figure out what was wrong.

That’s another thing I want to note, while there are some “easy cases,” especially in the first game or so, to help you “warm up,” the entire trilogy has thrilling stories that can be hard to figure out, have various twists and turns, and can easily leave you on the edge of your seats. “Turnabout Succession,” “Turnabout For Tomorrow, “The Magical Turnabout,” and more all have elements you won’t see coming, even when you know who the bad guy is.

Heck, I honestly loved “The Foreign Turnabout” in Spirit of Justice because it didn’t feel like a “first case” but a rather dramatic and hard one that helped set the tone for the incredible experience I was about to have. For me, Spirit of Justice is the best game in the trilogy and one of the best in the franchise. Oh, and a big reason you should get this trilogy is that between all the cases (including the two former DLC cases you get for free!) you’re going to be playing these games for a WHILE! They can be long, especially if you don’t use a guide, so you’ll be in court for a while…and that’s a good thing!

I’d be remiss in my Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy Review if I didn’t talk about the graphics. After all, the games went from MUCH smaller handheld screens to potentially bigger ones depending on how you play (I played on the Switch’s handheld screen.)

Thankfully, the upgrade is noticeable, and it mostly works out. For the Apollo Justice title, they kept the 2D animation style but upgraded and refined it, and I thought it looked great and very much on par with the original Ace Attorney trilogy. Then, with Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice, they got the 3D treatment, and you can easily see why they did that. The ability to put more effort and personality in the animations shines through, and you’ll learn to love these characters even more when they get to show who they are in all kinds of emotional situations.

One thing I didn’t think I’d appreciate as much as I did within the trilogy was the music. I “remembered” how the game sounded, but while playing it at a louder volume and arguably better quality, I got to appreciate just how impressive Capcom was in making each game, case, and sometimes the moments themselves feel impactful. There are some banger beats and sound effects here, so definitely have your volume up so you can hear it all.

You know what’s coming, right? Yep, my Apollo Justice Ace Attorney Trilogy Review wouldn’t be complete without some “bad beats,” if you will, and there are a few to pick up.

First, while the graphics are “upgraded,” it’s curious why Capcom didn’t upgrade everything. Throughout the games, there are several things that were clearly “ignored” for one reason or another, and they stand out as a result of their lack of upgrades. Second, while the 3D models are great in the last two games, there are times when the “shading” of the models feels off. It’s really hard to describe; it just doesn’t mesh” with the backgrounds at times, and it can be distracting.

Second, since the gameplay/stories are the same as before, that means their flaws are still present. There are multiple cases that feel like they “drag on” for unnecessary reasons (like replaying the SAME CUTSCENE repeatedly in “Turnabout Serenade” for no particular reason), and some turnabouts just don’t hold up. The fourth chapter in the last two games are both very odd in their structuring and length and I feel the games suffer as a result. Plus, the “logic” behind some of the things you need to present and when you present them will frustrate you at times.

OBJECTION! I’m not saying the trilogy is bad; far from it. I LOVE these games, and I’m SO HAPPY I now have all six main entries on my Nintendo Switch to enjoy whenever I want. If you’re a fan of the franchise? It’s the perfect way to return to it. If you’re new to the series? Get the first trilogy, then buy this one! I bet you’ll love it if you like mysteries, visual novels, hilarious and deep characters, and have a deep sense of justice.

Want my score? TAKE THAT!