Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

 3DS
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
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  1. vahn
    Apr 4, 2015
    10
    When I heard of a new PW game being developed after a long time of pause, and on a console that I still pretty much can't get my heads on it (I loved the original DS mind you, just not the 3DS), I was really scared of it being a huge failure: I'm a huge Phoenix Wright fan and I finished each game, including AJ and AAI, at least 4 or 5 times each so this game really scared me out, "if itWhen I heard of a new PW game being developed after a long time of pause, and on a console that I still pretty much can't get my heads on it (I loved the original DS mind you, just not the 3DS), I was really scared of it being a huge failure: I'm a huge Phoenix Wright fan and I finished each game, including AJ and AAI, at least 4 or 5 times each so this game really scared me out, "if it fails, the series is dead!" I thought.

    But gladly, this game turned out to be one the exact opposite of what I hoped...and my God, I'm almost sure this game is probably one of the best of the entire series, probably T&T levels of goodness on some points.

    Storywise, the game is set after the events of AJ (one year, if I'm correct), and the story is revolved around this dark age of law, where it's essentially a big mess when it comes to proper legislation. The game's main protagonist this time are actually three: Phoenix Wright (who, if you remember, lost his badge), Apollo Justice and a new girl called Athena Cykes, which is also the main gimmick of the game as well. Unlike previous games, this time you'll be using certain characters on certain cases, making the cases quite unique on their own and I really appreciate when they made those choices back in T&T.

    The game itself it's pretty much the same as the previous ones: you have an exploration section where you gain evidence and try to figure out anything wrong, and the courtroom section where you'll need to discover the truth, and it's still the main focus of the game. Alongside the cases there's a thin line that connects all of the 5 cases (the 6th dlc case is completely unlinked to the rest) and that's probably the best thing about the latest AA games did (especially AAI, with all 5 cases completely linked to each others).

    However, what changed in the game now is the new girl's gimmick, where she will occasionally have to use her robot called Widget and start analyzing the witnessess moods, trying to see the contradictions by the emotional level....and frankly I did not like this new mechanic: I just pressed randomly in hopes to find the right answer, because it wasn't always clear of what was the right choice.
    Maybe some might like it, but I really didn't.

    We will be able to use Apollo and Phoenix's mechanics as well, which is a great come back from the latest games: with Wright and his magatama, which is able to see the lies, and Apollo's bracelet, which is able to see the strage move-sets of the people, the game is very diverse unlike the predecessors and I truely enjoyed seeing all three together in a team-like game, without mentioning that I was happy to see Phoenix acting a "tiny" bit more mature than previous games. A tiny bit, mind you.

    Is the game flawless? I think it's actually quite flawed in some aspects that definitely required some more cure and detail. For instance, Apollo is almost completely bland in here and I really saw him going nowhere: sure you see him struggling at the beginning and becoming all "serious" for some reason that I won't spoil, but it wasn't enough to make me care, resulting in him being forgotten pretty quickly.
    Athena is good but she's also quite...generic and I really couldn't feel sorry for her when she was having issues later in the game, and the new prosecutor, Simon Blackquill, is very VERY annoying in my opinion due to his high honor and sense of Loyalty, but without actually being "interesting". I like an honorable opponent, but he's just too bland for me to care, especially at the end.

    Also you won't be using Apollo's bracelet in courtroom and you'll be forced to use it only in the exploration section of the game (because....Simon's bird would attack him. I have no clue here), and Wright's magatama isn't used very often unlike the previous games.

    And for last...I really enjoyed only the first and the last two cases (because they're essentially one case splitted into two), while the rest was pretty weak: the first two cases literally show you the real murderer, pretty much ruining the supence while the third case while being good, it felt a little too dragged out.
    However, the last two cases are probably the single best cases of the entire game and, I won't lie, my jaw dropped at the sudden plot twist I read at the end: only the few games made me feel that surprised so far, and this was one of those. Sure this is all personal and not everyone might feel the same, but I really felt surprised by the case's end.

    And frankly, that's more than enough for me to recommend this game: it has its flaws, even big ones, but the game has a lot of good points and the end really "takes" the cake for me; on top of that the game has 5 cases plus an additional dlc case that it's probably the best in terms of development, with lots of cutscenes and a price that it's very affordable.

    In other words this is what the fans were waiting for: a good PW game, and I'm glad to see that we might see more eventually. Long live Phoenix Wright!    … Expand
  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. 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 noI 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!!!!!!… Expand
  3. mangotaingo
    Oct 29, 2013
    10
    I absolutely loved this game! Up to the fourth turnabout currently, and can say that this game is a big step forward from the previous games (especially Apollo Justice). The script is well written, and contains countless numbers of witty jokes that lighten the mood when needed. The visuals are greatly enhanced, especially with the 3D slider on during cut-scenes and dramatic moments.I absolutely loved this game! Up to the fourth turnabout currently, and can say that this game is a big step forward from the previous games (especially Apollo Justice). The script is well written, and contains countless numbers of witty jokes that lighten the mood when needed. The visuals are greatly enhanced, especially with the 3D slider on during cut-scenes and dramatic moments. However, possibly the greatest thing about this game is the music. If you've played the older games, you'll notice how the themes have been slightly remixed and enhanced with more instruments due to 3DS being able to produce these unique sounds compared to the original DS. All in all, great game, and still looking forward to finishing it! (it also takes ages)… Expand
  4. mogsavvy
    Nov 8, 2013
    10
    Although the original trilogy were merely untouchable at this point; Dual Destinies still managed to blow me away with the amount of EXCELLENT story writing with each and every cast of characters that were introduced in this brand new game. What's genuinely surprising was that I actually grew to care for most of the new casts by the end of the game and really wouldn't mind about the factAlthough the original trilogy were merely untouchable at this point; Dual Destinies still managed to blow me away with the amount of EXCELLENT story writing with each and every cast of characters that were introduced in this brand new game. What's genuinely surprising was that I actually grew to care for most of the new casts by the end of the game and really wouldn't mind about the fact that some of its series' popular "alumni" didn't make their returns as long as the story's captivating, all an'all I'M FINE with this new production and I can't wait for more, Capcpom! (Wait.... Objection!)… Expand
  5. LucaxCubix
    Oct 25, 2014
    10
    THAT ENDING DOE, SERIOUSLY THIS GAME IS A MASTERPIECE I loved every freaking case :3
    EVERY. FREAKING. CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    and Athena's cool too, plus Apillow (Apollo) Justice is more likable now, and phoenix is no longer a hobo, FANTASTIC :D
  6. AngealHewley
    Mar 13, 2014
    10
    WHAT A GAME! It exponentially rose towards the top of my favorite game franchises just after the first one!
    If at any point you get frustrated with the evidence or not being able to progress, dont use walkthroughs as it spoils the thrill just a little.
    It's story(s) are fantastic and hard to beat with such fulfilling plot twists and deep, DEEP characters. Phoenix Wright is truely a    WHAT A GAME! It exponentially rose towards the top of my favorite game franchises just after the first one!
    If at any point you get frustrated with the evidence or not being able to progress, dont use walkthroughs as it spoils the thrill just a little.

    It's story(s) are fantastic and hard to beat with such fulfilling plot twists and deep, DEEP characters.
    Phoenix Wright is truely a masterpiece.    … Expand
  7. BountyCritic
    Oct 29, 2013
    10
    It was four freaking years since Investigations!! And we didn't even get the sequel! Now finally a new Ace Attorney game, and it was completely worth the wait. It's the 2nd best, right next to the first game, Rise from the Ashes is still my favourite case, but A Turnabout for Tomorrow in this game comes close. I won't spoil anything but the twist is really surprising and intricate.
  8. zeluszero
    Dec 11, 2013
    10
    This new installment in the Ace Attorney series not only lives up to our expectations of the series, but brings it up a notch, bringing in game mechanics such as Apollo's Perceive ability, but also bringing in new mechanics like Athena's Mood Matrix. Story and dialogue-wise, its as good as any of its predecessors, if not better, which slowly draws you into the game, making you engrossed inThis new installment in the Ace Attorney series not only lives up to our expectations of the series, but brings it up a notch, bringing in game mechanics such as Apollo's Perceive ability, but also bringing in new mechanics like Athena's Mood Matrix. Story and dialogue-wise, its as good as any of its predecessors, if not better, which slowly draws you into the game, making you engrossed in it so easily, you might not even want to put down the game just to see how the character you're playing as will wrap up the case.

    This game is definitely a good pick-up for any fans of the series, and for non-fans who are interested in things like puzzles or mysteries, they may want to try it out also. The game is also priced well below the price of a normal 3DS game so its well worth its cost.    … Expand
  9. Rupeestyle
    Oct 31, 2013
    10
    Every Phoenix Wright game has had some kind of amazing feature behind it. This game, being download only, made it cheaper on release and easy to get. Along with the free download to switch character clothing. You get to play as multiple lawyers in this one. Athena, Apollo, and Phoenix join up as a force and take on multiple cases. You also get a view at an incredible story line that begsEvery Phoenix Wright game has had some kind of amazing feature behind it. This game, being download only, made it cheaper on release and easy to get. Along with the free download to switch character clothing. You get to play as multiple lawyers in this one. Athena, Apollo, and Phoenix join up as a force and take on multiple cases. You also get a view at an incredible story line that begs you for wanting more.

    The only thing I can say about this game is that it was easier then the previous games. It also felt a bit longer though!    … Expand
  10. TheLurkingKing
    Jan 5, 2014
    10
    The game is superb. The writing is amazing as always, the 3D graphics are amazing and the overall's game plot is awesome. I see a lot of criticsm saying that the game recycled the plot style from the first game, but it isn't. It is just fan dumb. The game is very long, which is something also very nice, the previous game could be beat in 5 hours, but I beat this one under two days. CapcomThe game is superb. The writing is amazing as always, the 3D graphics are amazing and the overall's game plot is awesome. I see a lot of criticsm saying that the game recycled the plot style from the first game, but it isn't. It is just fan dumb. The game is very long, which is something also very nice, the previous game could be beat in 5 hours, but I beat this one under two days. Capcom knows how to create great games and this is a proof of it. Can't wait to see more of the spiky haired lawyer again!… Expand
  11. KushAstronaut
    Jul 24, 2015
    10
    It's a fantastic game and a title well deserving of being amongst the Ace Attorney saga. If you haven't played it, what are you waiting for? It's one of the best games out for 3ds!
  12. catzzye
    Oct 4, 2014
    10
    This is easily my second best game of all time, and I played a lot of them!
    I really really liked it!
    And Mood Matrix and Psyche Locks are such a great features.
    Athena and Apollo are GREAT!
    Story is WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!
    Music is
  13. Mjey
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    Being one of my favorite gaming franchises I must say that this game was truly amazing. The cases were well designed diverse and very interesting and most of all had totally unexpected endings even if you think you have grown used to them. Containing at least 30 hours of quality game time phoenix wright is truly worth its money. Regarding the new 3ds graphics the game looked simplyBeing one of my favorite gaming franchises I must say that this game was truly amazing. The cases were well designed diverse and very interesting and most of all had totally unexpected endings even if you think you have grown used to them. Containing at least 30 hours of quality game time phoenix wright is truly worth its money. Regarding the new 3ds graphics the game looked simply stunning and the scenery looked very nice. I would recommend this game to anyone who likes the adventure game genre.… Expand
  14. OnlyLegends
    Oct 10, 2017
    10
    What can I say? I love this game. I have made sure to play all the games in order (AA, JFA, T&T, Investigations, Apollo Justice, Investigations 2, and now this one.) Next I will be playing PW meets Layton which I'm sure will be good. I was hesitant about Apollo when he was introduced in his game, but by the end of the game, I loved him. Same story here with Athena. Ace Attorney series isWhat can I say? I love this game. I have made sure to play all the games in order (AA, JFA, T&T, Investigations, Apollo Justice, Investigations 2, and now this one.) Next I will be playing PW meets Layton which I'm sure will be good. I was hesitant about Apollo when he was introduced in his game, but by the end of the game, I loved him. Same story here with Athena. Ace Attorney series is one game that can introduce new characters without ruining everything. Simon Blackquill is chill af and Athena's powers are very cool. They even added a little checklist thing so you don't have to rely on a walkthrough if you get stuck (I try not to use it too much so it's not like handholding). Overall, great game, great story in this game, and I really enjoyed every episode (unlike some of the other games). I actually didn't expect the ending to this game (in the other games the end is kind of predictable). One of the best games in the series and I'm sure there's more to come. I only have PW meets PL and Spirit of Justice left to play, so hopefully they can come out with another game before I finish those! (a Switch Ace Attorney would be lit)… Expand
  15. FSL
    Nov 18, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best ace attorney game comparing to the other western games in the series, the story aspect is stupendous, the graphic was an outlandish to the series but by the time I got accustomed to it, and one of the best things about the game is the prosecution, unlike the others in the series he isn’t helpful and also every time I face him I feel like this is the prosecution I was anticipated for a formidable antagonist, and the most shocking thing about the game is the culprit in the final case. THIS IS A MUST BE PLAYED GAME!… Expand
  16. TianLong1
    Mar 31, 2023
    10
    Epic trials, lots of plot twists and engaging story. New characters and game mechanics manage to improve upon the already successfull Phoenix Wright series. One of the most memorable and chilling turnabout happen in the final trial.
  17. Jcdbengals
    Nov 3, 2013
    9
    WARNING this game advertises as 5 cases, but in reality, case 4 and 5 are basically one long case, so it's a little misleading. Having said that, it's a as shame decisions like this, the download only decision, and the localizations we don't get are handled by the business side of Capcom, because because the actual develops do such an amazing job with these these games. InvestigationWARNING this game advertises as 5 cases, but in reality, case 4 and 5 are basically one long case, so it's a little misleading. Having said that, it's a as shame decisions like this, the download only decision, and the localizations we don't get are handled by the business side of Capcom, because because the actual develops do such an amazing job with these these games. Investigation sequences are actually very well done, with checkmark when examining, more direction about where to go, and Apollo's bracelet used outside the courtroom to enhance the game play. The trials are great, with an amazing new end sequence in each case (not case 4 because again, it's just a short intro to case 5) where you string together multiple answers to bust the bad guy. The music in this game clearly stands as my highlight, as it has remixed themes and amazing new ones as well. Athena's mood matrix is a great change of pace that adds another layer of fun. Characters are as crazy as ever, and watching their breakdowns is even more fun than ever in 3d. Truly an amazing accomplishment; any fan of the series will greatly enjoy this game.… Expand
  18. Yoshiboo118
    Feb 21, 2014
    9
    I'm sad to say that this was my second game in the Phoenix Wright series, since I played this before Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations, which I don't recommend doing. A good amount of content references previous entries in the series and it isn't as fun if you don't get it. Regardless, there is a lot of amazing aspects to be seen. The upgrade to 3D models was aestheticallyI'm sad to say that this was my second game in the Phoenix Wright series, since I played this before Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations, which I don't recommend doing. A good amount of content references previous entries in the series and it isn't as fun if you don't get it. Regardless, there is a lot of amazing aspects to be seen. The upgrade to 3D models was aesthetically pleasing, although I like the original style just the same. The characters themselves are a lot of fun, as well as the cases themselves. I would certainly suggest getting the DLC case when you can as it is just as good as the other cases. My favorite thing above all is the music. Man, does the music make you feel like you can do anything as a defense attorney. Probably my only gripe with this game is some of the voice acting and some spelling errors in the text. But honestly; if you enjoyed any of the previous games in the series, this is a must buy. Just make sure you play the others first.… Expand
  19. MrSonicFan
    Jan 18, 2014
    9
    Ace Attorney Dual Destinies is the 5th game in the main Ace Attorney series. And the sequel to Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice. But this game blows Apollo Justice out of the water. It has a fantastic story with brilliant writing, and a fantastic cast of characters. And this title is just as funny as any other game in the series, with it's pop culture references and references to other gamesAce Attorney Dual Destinies is the 5th game in the main Ace Attorney series. And the sequel to Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice. But this game blows Apollo Justice out of the water. It has a fantastic story with brilliant writing, and a fantastic cast of characters. And this title is just as funny as any other game in the series, with it's pop culture references and references to other games in the series.

    The graphics are some other the best on the 3DS, The original 2D sprites look great with the 3D overhaul and I honestly believe it looks better that the sprites. The characters have just as much charm as the characters in the original trilogy on DS. And the anime cutscenes by BONES, are really well animated and look really nice.

    The orchestrated soundtrack is just as good as the other games in the series, it's catchy, memorable, and incredibly epic. And even though it is not my favorite soundtrack in the series, that would be Ace Attorney Investigations 2's, it still worthy of being an Ace Attorney soundtrack. The voice acting is typical CAPCOM voice acting, by that I mean it is hilariously cheesy. And it can occasionally be on par with Mega man X4 in terms of cheesiness.

    Overall, a fantastic game, and even though series creator Shu Takumi didn't work on this installment in the series. It still manages to capture the same charm that the original trilogy had. The only problem the game really has is it's many, many spelling errors, but it is not something that ruins the game. The game is worth it's £19.99 price tag on the 3DS Eshop.

    OVERALL -
    9/10    … Expand
  20. Warlord8
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    First game for me of the Phoenix Wright saga. And after many videos of the older games I've been finally able to play it. I like it, it's fun and can entertain you if you want to think and remember about what people did and said. It's just reading a Manga with some interaction in it.
  21. MrJPGames
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    This is one of the best games I've played on the 3DS. I will always love the original trilogy more but this game came very close. I'm happy to see that even though capcom is not making the best choices they can still make a good ace attorney game.

    The game itself is brilliant it has a great sound track, memorable moments and as always top notch writing, but there were more    This is one of the best games I've played on the 3DS. I will always love the original trilogy more but this game came very close. I'm happy to see that even though capcom is not making the best choices they can still make a good ace attorney game.

    The game itself is brilliant it has a great sound track, memorable moments and as always top notch writing, but there were more spelling/grammar errors in the game than normal. There also are a few other changes to the game. For instance you can now only examine some locations instead of every location, the locations you do get to examine can be viewed from diffrent angels making it more fun, though I would rather have every location examinable. Other changes are that you now have a little menu that tells you what to do next, this is optional but it can be very helpful, where in previous game I could get stuck somewhere and had to look up what I had to do next now it much easier and the progression becomes smother and less annoying when you can't figure out what to do next. (This is obviously not the case during the trial as otherwise the game would just be following the instructions). The music in this game is just as good if not better then the previous games, and once again can pull you into the cases by playing the right music at the right time.

    Conclusion: 9
    good:
    - beautiful graphics
    - brilliant writing
    - Great music
    bad:
    - very little "game-play"
    - some grammar and spelling mistakes    … Expand
  22. Gamesftw
    Mar 22, 2014
    9
    My favorite AA game in the series, there are no cases poorly thought out with the writing being very consistent, other than Trials and Tribulations every other Ace Attorney has at least one or more poor cases, but Dual Destinies has no such thing, characters are memorable, music is solid, twists in this game are the best in the series and they will leave your heart pounding, especially atMy favorite AA game in the series, there are no cases poorly thought out with the writing being very consistent, other than Trials and Tribulations every other Ace Attorney has at least one or more poor cases, but Dual Destinies has no such thing, characters are memorable, music is solid, twists in this game are the best in the series and they will leave your heart pounding, especially at the end.

    Only gripe with the game is the difficulty being toned down a lot and the "Dark age of the law" setting could use a bit more evidence backed up to it, but the pros of this game outweigh these very minor cons.

    Overall Dual Destinies is a fantastic adventure/visual novel game that every fan of series and the genre must have.    … Expand
  23. petitpurin
    Apr 22, 2014
    9
    Much like the rest of the Ace Attorney series (and my only criticism of the series in general), it's a difficult game to come back to if you stop playing for a while (I have absolutely no idea what's happening now). The story is the usual engaging tale and the characters are hilarious. Having only played a few of the previous games I really liked the individual abilities each characterMuch like the rest of the Ace Attorney series (and my only criticism of the series in general), it's a difficult game to come back to if you stop playing for a while (I have absolutely no idea what's happening now). The story is the usual engaging tale and the characters are hilarious. Having only played a few of the previous games I really liked the individual abilities each character had, really broke up the long bouts of text, also the kind of new features of the investigation and courtroom. You must be prepared to read a lot or enjoy reading because that's a main component of the game. Nevertheless, great game.… Expand
  24. Twirkkhu
    Jun 11, 2014
    9
    Even though I found this game a bit dull, when compared to the rest of the games, I still praise this game for the great 3D it offers, and it doesn't lag the game at all, which was a problem with some other 3DS games. The story is great, and the new Mood Matrix is epic. Athena is a great character, and I really like the fact that each member of the attorney-trio has their own case. Also,Even though I found this game a bit dull, when compared to the rest of the games, I still praise this game for the great 3D it offers, and it doesn't lag the game at all, which was a problem with some other 3DS games. The story is great, and the new Mood Matrix is epic. Athena is a great character, and I really like the fact that each member of the attorney-trio has their own case. Also, the ending for each case is EPIC, mostly because of the new mechanic that I will not spoil for the sake of sheer pity for those who don't experience it without knowing when it happens.… Expand
  25. MrCafecito
    Jul 5, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was my first ever Phoenix Wright game, and as a newcomer, it made me want to play all the other games!
    The graphics are good, although the outlines the characters have make them look like sprites, which in turn makes them look ugly.
    The music is a highlight for me, in my opinion it has one of the best soundtracks of the franchise, and it is also orchestrated, surely a delight to hear.
    The story, though, may feel a bit cheesy, specially with characters constantly reminding you of "The Dark Age of the Law", when the cases feel completely normal.
    In conclusion, this is a great game both for newcomers, and for longtime fans, although if you're the former, it would be best to play the games in order to have the full experience.    … Expand
  26. pcschmidt00
    Dec 18, 2020
    9
    The switch to 3D and voice acting felt off at first, but I got used to it as the game went on. As for everything else: Athena was a great character, Apollo got edgy, and the cases just got better and better. Overall, a great game
  27. ryuzaki57
    Oct 25, 2013
    8
    Five years. Five long years that Phoenix Wright hadn’t be in court for the hilarious trials of the Ace Attorney series. True, his best friend and rival Miles Edgeworth did come to our DS, but only once out of two, the second game sadly having never been localized. In this particular context, Ace Attorney 5 coming at us is rather crucial and we shouldn’t leave this gesture by CapcomFive years. Five long years that Phoenix Wright hadn’t be in court for the hilarious trials of the Ace Attorney series. True, his best friend and rival Miles Edgeworth did come to our DS, but only once out of two, the second game sadly having never been localized. In this particular context, Ace Attorney 5 coming at us is rather crucial and we shouldn’t leave this gesture by Capcom unanswered.

    First of all, this game is BEAUTIFUL. It looks as good as no game on 3DS ever and puts Nintendo’s games for its own system to shame. The characters are so well detailed and animated that it reminded me of Fire Emblem cut-scenes. All this including the legendary talent of the devs to offer us eccentric characters with extreme personalities, weird but extremely fun behavior. In short, AA5 is the best-looking I’ve seen on 3DS by leagues.

    Adding to its fantastic humor, the game is no less relevant in judiciary themes, as it has always been in the series. All scenarios (i.e. the cases at hand) revolves around something called «the dark age of Justice». A period plagued with fabricated evidence, false accusations and a growing defiance towards the judiciary system. Even though the chapters are different from each other, for most part they keep being linked to this topic, highlighted by a mysterious bombing inside the court. This particular narrative gives a great significance to the game in a whole. Like in a good TV thriller, the player feels deeply involved in the story.

    Storytelling has been thought with great care. The second case might seem a bit weak in this department, you will be stuck at on your 3DS for everything else. A example of the effort made by Capcom on this the beginning of the game is very different from the demo to ensure maximum pleasure of discovery. The scenario has some awesome twists, music is as classy as ever and the very end is near perfect.

    The gameplay doesn’t vary much from the past episodes, you still have to show the right evidence at the right time to win trials, and discuss with witnesses in investigation parts. The big thing in AA5 is Athena’s capacity to analyze the emotions of people those sequences are fairly numerous and offer diverse approach. It’s really a great add to series, much more interesting than the «Logic» in Ace Attorney Investigations. In theory, it’s about finding emotions that contradicts the current statement, but in practice it’s far richer. Past features like psy-locks and Apollo’s ring of truth are present too, but don’t occur very often. Investigation has lost any interest as you can investigate only 2 locations per case, and the game indicates everything.

    As for characters, AA5 makes a balance between the three main protagonists, each of them having his own trial to win. I really appreciate this willingness to get rid of the «sidekick» role and allowing less important characters take the spotlight, even if it means less Phoenix (and believe me, you never have enough Phoenix). Your opponent, Simon Blackquill, is a truly great character that will instantly wipe out Klavier, who I thought didn’t really fit to the job. Talking about this, Klavier and many other make a comeback, but it’s always very short and they doesn’t make much sense in the story. But yeah, it’s always nice to see them.

    The only thing I’m disappointed of is the level of difficulty. Like I said, investigation has been reduced to a check-list, so you no longer have to search for this little thingy in the flower pot but it does save time). The green life bar doesn’t have any more importance, because when you lose you get back exactly where you were with a full one. It really damages the thrill of the game during trials. Not only this, but as in Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney, the hints given here and there are far too direct and it skips the reasoning. Worse, when you do lose, the game has like a special help window for you to get closer to the solution (but you’re free to use it or not). I understand that nowadays publishers want to avoid that players feel frustrated, but it does hurt the challenge. Of course there still are many parts that will melt your brain, but it’s just not as great as before.

    Despite this, Ace Attorney 5 is a super great game, long (more than 30 hours) and hooking. You English-speaker won’t have any problem with language (us French sometimes do), but some may need to get over their fear of digital games. Indeed, AA5 will be available only on the 3DS e-shop. It is more than worth it, and will surely determine the future of Ace Attorney in the West.    … Expand
  28. Kenmei
    Oct 31, 2013
    8
    I have been a huge Phoenix Wright fan since the beginning of the franchise. The first game was one of the reasons I made my first DS purchase. This is the first game in the series to be based on a current gen console, the 3DS, and they've done a wonderful job of taking the sprites from the old games and giving them life in 3D. However, a few things set this game apart from its pastI have been a huge Phoenix Wright fan since the beginning of the franchise. The first game was one of the reasons I made my first DS purchase. This is the first game in the series to be based on a current gen console, the 3DS, and they've done a wonderful job of taking the sprites from the old games and giving them life in 3D. However, a few things set this game apart from its past incarnations in a negative way that keep it from being the best game in the series. Basically, this game was made for Phoenix Wright fans. If a newcomer to the series starts with this game, they will lose the meaning of most of the bantering amongst all the characters. My hope was that they would give Phoenix a starring role in this game after pushing him to the backburner in the last one. That sorta happened but not as much as I would have liked. I'm not a big fan of the last game in the franchise, Apollo Justice, and I was hoping they would move away from what most people call the worst game in the franchise and focus more on Phoenix again. Instead, they decided to focus alot on all of the defense lawyers in the game, giving them each a case they were the lead on. The biggest problem I have with the game is the lackluster final case. The final case in an Ace Attorney game is the big draw for me. They have been the best cases in the series usually and you play through some pretty lackluster ones because you know that last case will be great. This time around, the last case was very average and that's almost as bad as saying the case was barely playable. Plus the fact that the difficulty level was lightened this time around, it didnt feel like finding the truth in the last case was all that shocking. Anyway this is still a good game for Phoenix Wright fans to play. Newcomers to the series need to start with the first game for the DS and to anyone who might have been put off by AJ like I was, this game sorta redeems itself from that trainwreck. But a very average last case and annoying and forgettable main characters again make me feel like this game should have done alot better if they had just solely focused on Phoenix himself, and not try to shoehorn in these other forgettable characters that they make you play.… Expand
  29. birdman3
    Sep 30, 2014
    8
    I was able to get the game on sale, and I consider it to have been worth the price I paid for it ($17). I don't think it would have been worth $30 because of its limited replay value. With that said, I felt like this release is a solid entry in the series. The characters and writing are consistent with prior games. The only downside is that the cases themselves aren't as convoluted andI was able to get the game on sale, and I consider it to have been worth the price I paid for it ($17). I don't think it would have been worth $30 because of its limited replay value. With that said, I felt like this release is a solid entry in the series. The characters and writing are consistent with prior games. The only downside is that the cases themselves aren't as convoluted and complex as the previous series. This is both a good thing and a bad thing: the bad is that they're less shocking, but the good news is that instead of having 3 days of trials and investigations, the chapters are cut down to 2- this means that you spend more of your time in court, doing what you actually enjoy doing, instead of investigating (which I consider to be less interesting). Additionally, the game has removed a lot of the tedium involved in the games. The indicator shows you what parts of crime scenes are interesting and should be investigated, instead of you trying to guess where each clue could possibly be. Also, the game notifies you once you've found all relevant pieces of information. This keeps you from spending a lot of time backtracking to make sure you've found everything. People have been discussing the fact that when you fail in the case and present the wrong evidence, there really is no punishment. I see this as a positive because it keeps you from going back and retreading parts of the trial that you've already been through- why should we be punished so harshly for not knowing what the game wants from us?

    To me, the most significant downside in this version is the music. I love the original Phoenix Wright music, but having not played all the games in the series, I don't know whether the same themes are consistent throughout the series. I do know that the music (especially when you object or find key contradictions) just doesn't match up to what's present in previous games- I don't get that same thrill of energy that I used to. Overall though, the game is consistent with prior games- if you didn't like previous ones, you won't like this one. If you loved the previous games, then you already know what you're getting into.    … Expand
  30. RyanA
    Nov 9, 2013
    8
    I can't say that the story in this game was bad, it was mainly for me the challenge. The only (I'm pretty sure) way to fail is to give the wrong piece of evidence or show the wrong spot on a picture in court. Even then, if get your whole bar knocked off, guess what? You start back up where you failed. Who needs challenge, pshaw. The graphics, the sound, the most of everything else, is goodI can't say that the story in this game was bad, it was mainly for me the challenge. The only (I'm pretty sure) way to fail is to give the wrong piece of evidence or show the wrong spot on a picture in court. Even then, if get your whole bar knocked off, guess what? You start back up where you failed. Who needs challenge, pshaw. The graphics, the sound, the most of everything else, is good though. It sort of reminds me of Paper Mario Sticker Star, but not really; I'd say that many elements have improved since the first in the series, not become worse. I guess my argument is also technically invalid because in the previous entries in the series you could save right before you submitted a piece of evidence that you were uncertain of. But then my mindset for the previous entries was to never lose, so I cheated more hardcore than saving before submitting. Overall, 8/10… Expand
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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

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. SpazioGames
    Apr 13, 2014
    80
    Capcom has put together yet another fun and witty game, that makes us use the gray matter and will please children and adults. However, it should also be said that, several years from the first game and with only few changes added from time to time, the series may need something new very soon.
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  2. Adventure Gamers
    Mar 12, 2014
    80
    One of the best of the games in the series, Dual Destinies takes a while to build back up from its explosive beginning, but it’s more of the same fun characters, stories, and gameplay fans have come to expect.
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  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Feb 13, 2014
    83
    Dual Destinies' main plot falters a little and the simplified puzzles are a shame. DD might not rise to the brilliance of the earlier Ace Attorney games, but it's still a worthy and welcome addition to the series. [Jan 2014]
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