LogFAQs > #896733102

28. Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutors Path (Axl_Rose_85)


"Prosecutor's Path" is the subtitle that the fan translation gave the game, but I think it's a good one, all things considered, so I'll acknowledge it here! I suppose I should begin by discussing the fan translation. Overall, I think it's solid where it counts. In terms of procedural details and plot points, everything is clear. I don't recall there being a time when I didn't understand what was going on or what was being said. In the spirit of Ace Attorney, they give a valiant effort in some of the names (Sebastian Debeste being the prime example), although in others, it feels like they just ran out of ideas and the result was a boring name (like John Marsh). I think the humor suffers compared to other games in the series, but they're not professional writers, so I can give them a pass on that.

As for the game itself, Ace Attorney Investigations 2 improves upon the original in nearly every way (except for the soundtrack). The first game felt like they were playing it safe and just trying to figure out what they wanted to do with the new format, and then they went big with the sequel. And when I say big, I mean it. This game is long by the standards of the series (Only Spirit of Justice is longer, and it has one more case). It's one of the potential drawbacks because it can really drag if you find yourself not digging a case (like E2-2 for me). When it works, it makes everything feel appropriately grandiose. It has the best intro case in the series. You know right away the game's not messing around when it throws a presidential assassination plot at you in the very first case of the game. Then Ace Attorney Investigations 2 probably has my favorite non-epic case in E2-3, where it tackles one of the seminal pieces of series lore. Part of my love for that case is that it fulfilled one of my longstanding wishes for the series, but it's just a really strong case overall. The epic case falters a lot in the first half and suffers from poor pacing, but once it gets going in the second half, it's fantastic.

The first Ace Attorney Investigations game happened to be a game with Miles Edgeworth in it, while the sequel is actually focuses on him and gives him some real character growth, which is impressive considering he was already perhaps the most well developed and complex character in the series. The main conflict is a deeply personal one for him, which I won't get into because of spoiler reasons since it should be experienced rather than told, but suffice it to say that the subtitle for the game is appropriate considering the subject matter. Edgeworth makes some uncharacteristic and unexpected decisions along the way, and I think it results in a poignant journey culminating in a very satisfying resolution in the epilogue.

As far as the other characters go, many of them from the first game return, Kay and Gumshoe included, of course. There are some more cameos from previous games this time around, but I think they were a little more discerning and didn't just go straight for the predictable ones (although there are a couple of those, too). Ace Attorney Investigations also introduces a bunch of new characters, such as a female judge and the most incompetent attorney in the series. I think my favorite new character was Ray Shields, a defense attorney who knew Edgeworth's father. He's the impetus and the mouthpiece for a lot of the personal conflict that arises for Edgeworth in this game, but he's also overall really charming and just plain likable. The villains are hit or miss. There are a couple of top tier ones, but also a couple of outright duds. In a cast this big, they can't all be winners, but the ones who matter are good, which is what you want. I don't think this game is quite in the tier with the very best of the series, but it's close.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite non-epic Ace Attorney case?
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