Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

 3DS
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
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  1. Digital Chumps
    Oct 30, 2013
    74
    As my first Phoenix Wright game, I got the impression that Dual Destinies and the series as a whole is enamored with a cavalcade of quirky characters theatrically engaged with marching contention. In that measure Dual Destinies is a success, and while I yearned for an ounce of consequence or more creative approach interaction, I couldn't deny it's whimsical appeal. If you’re in my shoes and have never played a Phoenix Wright game before, Dual Destinies isn’t a bad place to start.
  2. GameTrailers
    Oct 24, 2013
    73
    Quotation forthcoming.
    All this publication's reviews
  3. IGN
    Oct 24, 2013
    72
    Dual Destinies won’t change anybody’s minds about the series’ brand of narrative-heavy, gameplay-light adventuring, but longtime fans will be thrilled by the full docket of goofy legal twists and turns and fun characters.
  5. Games.cz
    Dec 28, 2013
    70
    It's high-pitched, talkative, crazy, hysterical, and funny. A lawyer-like thriller made in Japan. It's simpler and more straight-lined than its previous installments. It's pretty playable, though.
  6. Edge Magazine
    Oct 24, 2013
    70
    Dual Destinies is an Ace Attorney game, all right, and that’s perhaps the best result anyone could have hoped for.
  7. EGM
    Oct 24, 2013
    70
    It’s great to see the iconic Phoenix Wright back in action after six years, and his segments are definitely the high points in Dual Destinies. But when he’s inexplicably MIA—like during the game’s interminable second and third acts—the proceedings slow to a crawl. Still, the story, characters, and courtroom drama are strong enough to draw in newcomers and satisfy lapsed fans.
  8. Shacknews
    Oct 25, 2013
    60
    While Dual Destinies may initially appear like a fresh take on the series, it ultimately doesn't take a lot of chances. Still, Capcom continues to do what it does best: creating a compelling courtroom drama with fun, campy, off-the-wall characters. It may be more of the same, but for fans, that's really all they need.
  9. Pocket Gamer UK
    Oct 24, 2013
    60
    Dual Destinies is disappointing. In general it's more of the same Phoenix Wright we've come to know and love, but the stories and characters are horribly weak.

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best 3DS Game of 2013
15
#15 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
20
#20 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 262 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 201 out of 262
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 262
  3. Negative: 31 out of 262
  1. Alexey970
    Sep 28, 2014
    5
    If there is a games, that I do not wanted ever to be released, it is Apollo justice and dual destinies. Why? Because the story is perfectlyIf there is a games, that I do not wanted ever to be released, it is Apollo justice and dual destinies. Why? Because the story is perfectly ended in the Trials and Tribulations, and Instead to finish it, developers decided to make a new once with new characters and features.
    First of all, I was very disappointed seeing a new technology in this game. It is not a type that needed a new graphics and anime cutscenes. But the most disappointing thing is a new characters. No matter how developers will try to shoehorn them, they are no match for the old ones. May be I am sceptical, but it is hurts to see that Phoenix treats his apprentices like Fey sisters.
    As you may guess, the gameplay has not changed a bit. It is still the same, with a little new features.
    Overall, I wish I could not ever know about this two series ever existed, because after the ending of the original trilogy, the turn of events in these games had disappointed me very much.    … Full Review »
  2. hopesfall
    Oct 24, 2013
    10
    I have always loved the Phoenix Wright games, witty humor with dialogue that makes you think so you can unravel and defend your client. II have always loved the Phoenix Wright games, witty humor with dialogue that makes you think so you can unravel and defend your client. I even enjoyed Apollo Justice, and Miles Edgeworth that were included in this wonderful series. I must say though, this game takes Phoenix Wright and moves the game in a superb direction. Yes, I know you have to download the game and that their is no physical copies but trust me, if you like Phoenix Wright then your going to want to download this game. I have only played thirty minutes into the game(plus the demo before the game was released on the eshop), and I can honestly say I love this game, for its graphics and the story line that I'm so intrigued to learn more about to figure out what this story and its five cases(plus an extra one you can download) are all about!!!!!!… Full Review »
  3. linkenski
    Nov 7, 2013
    7
    Right off the bat I have to put this simply: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies is a pretty great game.

    We're back at the Agency    Right off the bat I have to put this simply: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies is a pretty great game.

    We're back at the Agency that got established by Phoenix and his new friends in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, almost a year after the events of said game to take on a few more trials. This time, Phoenix is back in the biz as a fully-fledged Attorney in his classic old blue suit, although he's a bit older now and looks not only bulkier but he got a tiny bit of makeover in this process as well. Fear not though, because he's as witty and comical as ever but aside from being back as a lawyer he's also the head of the Wright Anything Agency now, and has to watch over Apollo Justice and the newcomer of the firm, Athena Cykes who is also a defense attorney.

    The game revolves around a story split into 5 episodes. During the course of the game you'll have to play as each of the three attorneys as they uncover a new mystery. Unfortunately though, playing as the other characters does make the story seem turbulent at times and in the end I found myself not feeling attached to either of the three characters as I previously would in either Apollo Justice or Phoenix Wright 1-3, heck even in the Edgeworth Investigations game.

    Neither does it help that the story itself while initially interesting turns out to be a bit of a cop-out, and in the process it snatches ideas from previous cases from previous games, specifically the final cases of the first game and several from the others and uses those ideas to form mysteries or story bits in the story of Dual Destinies. At first this seemed like a homage to previous games, but in the end it was apparent so often that I found it to be cheap and predictable.

    The writing however, is sharp, witty and most importantly often funny, a remarkable step upwards after the shallow Ace Attorney Investigations, but it's still not quite on par with some of the excellent writing found in just about any game written by series creator Shu Takumi. The tone in this game is not quite there, the themes doesn't delve as deep as they could and worst of all, the emotional moments of this game end up feeling more sappy than poignant. It's not that Dual Destinies doesn't make you feel something, but for me personally, I just didn't feel very immersed because there are moments when things get hilariously melodramatic (series staple) and there when it got outright disturbing, but there wasn't that point where it was just in between. This is something the new writing team just doesn't do as well as Shu Takumi can. The tone is inconsistent and the dialogue sometimes tries too hard to the point where it becomes pretentious, trying to "be" like the other games but comes off as a pale imitation.

    The gameplay is your usual one. Episodes are usually split up into two days of investigation where you explore crimes scenes and talk to witnesses, and two days of Trial where you stand in court against a range of prosecutors, most notably the new rival staple of Dual Destinies, Simon Blackquill, who's yet another intimidating and manipulating "killer" of a prosecutor. He's actually one of the most memorable characters in the game. But things are mostly as you expect them to be. You go through a witness' testimony and present evidence to point out contradictions. A new feature added in however is the "Mood Matrix" which is captained by Athena Cykes, and is a means to explore the witnesses's emotions and find missing parts of their testimony. As a gameplay mechanic this falters as there is no way to lose when you use it, but it serves very well as a story-mechanic. So many of the game's twists and revelations are found through this mechanic and it truly makes for some of those "a-ha!" moments that we know and love about Ace Attorney. It's a fresh new thing, but I wouldn't be surprised if it got the kick in the next game since it's overall too simple.

    Last but not least is the presentation. It's just excellent. Take out your 3DS (if you have one) and get the demo immediately or buy the game if you're going to anyway, and just observe the visual qualities for 10 seconds. You will be sold guaranteed. It's probably the most significant transition from classic 2D to 3D sprites I have seen in any franchise, and I could never go back. This time around, there's also anime cutscenes with fully voiced characters. Unfortunately these often feel tacked on and the English voice-acting is cringe-worthy if occasionally smirk-inducing in the good way. The music is also excellent, but to be honest it mostly sat in the background for me, and there's a noticeable misuse of some tracks that just play far too often than others, making it monotone at worst.

    But overall, if you've played an Ace Attorney game before you SHOULD play Dual Destinies, even if you just "know" the franchise but haven't tried it yet. For the playability the game is the best of the bunch, and it's enjoyable, even when the story feels template-cut.    … Full Review »
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