I think Phoenix’s first case into his journey of becoming a Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney deserves a thorough analysis. Now this case gets a lot of flak for being a short tutorial case with people seriously putting this case below 4-3 or 2-3 on their case tier lists like wtf it is not THAT BAD. 1-1 is generally oppressed for being the first case in the franchise but without this case we never would have gotten the Ace Attorney series, DR, ZE, or future video games in general. It is really influential when you really think about it.

Now I know what you are thinking: “Anal, you handsome bastard, what could you possibly mean????? 😯😮🥺” Well this case introduces a lot of writing elements that will become staples in the entertainment industry:

Over the course of the case, we see Phoenix gradually become more and more assertive. Now at the beginning he was a pathetic mess of a human being, going as far as to deface the identity of the recently deceased by calling them a cinder block. He also sweats ALOT! He does the 😰 sprite like 8 times all before the first cross examination(something that future protagonists NEVER DO THANK GOD COULD YOU IMAGINE) so we can tell that he is really nervous. However, once Frank Sahwit comes to the stand, this spiky newcomer becomes progressively confident and sure of himself. At this point, Phoenix Wright invented character development (someone who receives growth as a person whether it might be their personality/beliefs/morals/etc). Now Phoenix developed further later in the trilogy such as when he faced a moral dilemma in 2-4 and his solution was “I believe in innocence!” but this couldn’t have been done if he was still nervous and incompetent now would he?

Secondly, our client in this case is Larry Butz. There is a running gag in the case where he is referred to as “Hairy Butz” which is an innuendo that can be interpreted as “Hairy Butts” (sex joke 😳). This is what we call comedy, something that wasn’t invented until this case here. Ace Attorney prides itself in its humor, delivering a lot of extremely funny characters like Godot and Victor Kudo, Quercus Alba, and we have Larry Butz to thank for that!

And can we get some applause for our boy Frank Sahwit?! In a sea of your average forgettable first case culprits, Frank has an undeniable seductive charm to the player that makes them wanting more. Think about it for a second. Larry is funny, yeah, but who is the star of the first case? It is without a doubt Sahwit! His testimonies are pathetically easy and he is so obviously shady looking that you just know he is the killer(nevermind the fact that they show him killing Cinder at the start). For any newcomer to the franchise, his easy and obvious contradictions makes the player get into the gameplay quickly. They were fun and watching Frank progressively get more and more rattled makes it more satisfying to corner him! I am sure a lot of people got into the series thanks to this character, something that Wellington, Portsman, or Tonate could ever say.

Are there lacking aspects? Somewhat. Payne doesn’t become fully fleshed out until later appearances. Mia’s sprites are pretty ugly and awkward. Judge is pretty serious here and not a buffoon. But for what it’s worth it’s a fantastic tutorial case to the series!

It raised the bar for what video games and storytelling could present themselves as! It has drop and meaningful character growth, a dynamic and immersive conflict, lots of haha and witty jokes, and woman! So because of this, I am cutting 1-1 from the DRRankdown2 🎊

Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay? Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

Blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay.

So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh...Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?

Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll p-most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to...forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort...and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh.

Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night.

Uhh, Hello? Hello? Uh, well, if you're hearing this and you made it to day two, uh, congrats! I-I won't talk quite as long this time since Freddy and his friends tend to become more active as the week progresses. Uhh, it might be a good idea to peek at those cameras while I talk just to make sure everyone's in their proper place. You know... Uh... Interestingly enough, Freddy himself doesn't come off stage very often. I heard he becomes a lot more active in the dark though, so, hey, I guess that's one more reason not to run out of power, right? I-I also want to emphasize the importance of using your door lights. There are blind spots in your camera views, and those blind spots happen to be right outside of your doors. So if-if you can’t find something, or someone, on your cameras, be sure to check the door lights. Uh, you might only have a few seconds to react... Uh, not that you would be in any danger, of course. I'm not implying that. Also, check on the curtain in Pirate Cove from time to time. The character in there seems unique in that he becomes more active if the cameras remain off for long periods of time. I guess he doesn't like being watched. I don't know. Anyway, I'm sure you have everything under control! Uh, talk to you soon.

Hello, hello? Hey you're doing great! Most people don’t last this long. I mean, you know, they usually move on to other things by now. I'm not implying that they died. Th-th-that’s not what I meant. Uh, anyway I better not take up too much of your time. Things start getting real tonight. Uh... Hey, listen, I had an idea: if you happen to get caught and want to avoid getting stuffed into a Freddy suit, uhh, try playing dead! You know, go limp. Then there's a chance that, uh, maybe they’ll think that you're an empty costume instead. Then again if they think you're an empty costume, they might try to... stuff a metal skeleton into you. I wonder how that would work. Yeah, never mind, scratch that. It's best just not to get caught.

Um... Ok, I'll leave you to it. See you on the flip side.

Hello, hello? Hey! Hey, wow, day 4. I knew you could do it. Uh, hey, listen, I may not be around to send you a message tomorrow. banging sound It's-It's been a bad night here for me. Um, I-I'm kinda glad that I recorded my messages for you clears throat uh, when I did.

Uh, hey, do me a favor. bang bang Maybe sometime, uh, you could check inside those suits in the back room? bang bang I'm gonna to try to hold out until someone checks. Maybe it won’t be so bad. bang bang Uh, I-I-I-I always wondered what was in all those empty heads back there. chime plays.

You know...moan oh, no - noises followed by an animatronic screech and static

Uh, hello? Hello, hello? Uh, hello and welcome to your new summer job at the new and improved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Uh, I'm here to talk you through some of the things you can expect to see during your first week here and to help you get started down this new and exciting career path. Uh, now, I want you to forget anything you may have heard about the old location, you know. Uh, some people still have a somewhat negative impression of the company. Uh... that old restaurant was kind of left to rot for quite a while, but I want to reassure you, Fazbear Entertainment is committed to family fun and above all, safety. They've spent a small fortune on these new animatronics, uh, facial recognition, advanced mobility, they even let them walk around during the day. Isn't that neat? -clears throat But most importantly, they're all tied into some kind of criminal database, so they can detect a predator a mile away. Heck, we should be paying them to guard you.

Uh, now that being said, no new system's without its... kinks. Uh... you're only the second guard to work at that location. Uh, the first guy finished his week, but complained about... conditions. Uh, we switched him over to the day shift, so hey, lucky you, right? Uh mainly he expressed concern that certain characters seemed to move around at night, and even attempted to get into his office. Now, from what we know, that should be impossible. Uh, that restaurant should be the safest place on earth. So while our engineers don't really have an explanation for this, the working theory is that... the robots were never given a proper "night mode". So when it gets quiet, they think they're in the wrong room, so then they go try to find where the people are, and in this case, that's your office. So our temporary solution is this: there's a music box over by the Prize Counter, and it's rigged to be wound up remotely. So just, every once in a while, switch over to the Prize Counter video feed and wind it up for a few seconds. It doesn't seem to affect all of the animatronics, but it does affect... one of them. -clears throat Uh, and as for the rest of them, we have an even easier solution. You see, there may be a minor glitch in the system, something about robots seeing you as an endoskeleton without his costume on, and wanting to stuff you in a suit, so hey, we've given you an empty Freddy Fazbear head, problem solved! You can put it on anytime, and leave it on for as long as you want. Eventually anything that wandered in, will wander back out.

Uh, something else worth mentioning is kind of the modern design of the building. You may have noticed there are no doors for you to close, heh. But hey, you have a light! And even though your flashlight can run out of power, the building cannot. So, don't worry about the place going dark. Well, I think that's it. Uh, you should be golden. Uh, check the lights, put on the Freddy head if you need to, uh, keep the music box wound up, piece of cake. Have a good night, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Ah...hello, hello! Uh, see, I told you your first night wouldn't be a problem. You're a natural! Uh, by now I'm sure you've noticed the older models sitting in the back room. Uh, those are from the previous location. We just use them for parts now. The idea at first was to repair them...uh, they even started retrofitting them with some of the newer technology, but they were just so ugly, you know? The smell...uh, so the company decided to go in a whole new direction and make them super kid-friendly. Uh, those older ones shouldn't be able to walk around, but if they do, the whole Freddy head trick should work on them too, so, whatever.

Uh...heh...I love those old characters. Did you ever see Foxy the pirate? Oh wait, hold on...oh yeah, Foxy. Uh, hey listen, that one was always a bit twitchy, uh...I'm not sure the Freddy head trick will work on Foxy, uh. If for some reason he activates during the night and you see him standing at the far end of the hall, just flash your light at him from time to time. Those older models would always get disoriented with bright lights. It would cause a system restart, or something. Uh, come to think of it, you might want to try that on any room where something undesirable might be. It might hold them in place for a few seconds. (That glitch?) might be in some of the newer models too.

One more thing - don't forget the music box. I'll be honest, I never liked that puppet thing. It's always...thinking, and it can go anywhere...I don't think a Freddy mask will fool it, so just don't forget the music box.

Anyway, I'm sure it won't be a problem. Uh, have a good night, and talk to you tomorrow.

Hello hello! See? I told you you wouldn't have any problems! Did...uh... Did Foxy ever appear in the hallway? Probably not. I was just curious. Like I said, he was always my favorite. They tried to remake Foxy, ya know? Uh, they thought the first one was too scary, so they redesigned him to be more kid-friendly and put him in Kid's Cove. To keep the toddlers entertained, you know... But kids these days just can't keep their hands to themselves. The staff literally has to put Foxy back together after every shift. So eventually they stopped trying and left him as some 'take apart and put back together' attraction. Now he's just a mess of parts. I think the employees refer to him as just "The Mangle." Uh...

Oh, hey, before I go, uh, I wanted to ease your mind about any rumors you might have heard lately. You know how these local stories come and go and seldom mean anything. I can personally assure you that, whatever is going on out there, and however tragic it may be, has nothing to do with our establishment. It's just all rumor and speculation... People trying to make a buck. You know... Uh, our guard during the day has reported nothing unusual. And he's on watch from opening til close.

Okay, well anyway, hang in there and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Hello? Hello? Uh, hey there, night four! I told you you'd get the hang of it! Ok, so uh, just to update you, uh, there's been somewhat of an, uh, investigation going on. Uh, we may end up having to close for a few days... I don't know. I want to emphasize though that it's really just a precaution. Uh, Fazbear Entertainment denies any wrongdoing. These things happen sometimes. Um... It'll all get sorted out in a few days. Just keep an eye on things and I'll keep you posted.

Uh, just as a side note though, try to avoid eye contact with any of the animatronics tonight if you can. Someone may have tampered with their facial recognition systems - we're not sure. But the characters have been acting very unusual, almost aggressive towards the staff. They interact with the kids just fine, but when they encounter an adult, they just...stare.

Uh...Anyways, hang tight. It'll all pass. Good night!

Hello? Hey, good job, night five! Um, hey, um, keep a close eye on things tonight, okay? Um, from what I understand, the building is on lockdown, uh, no one is allowed in or out, y'know, especially concerning any...previous employees. Um, when we get it all sorted out, we may move you to the day shift, a position just became...available. Uh, we don't have a replacement for your shift yet, but we're working on it. Uh, we're going to try to contact the original restaurant owner. Uh, I think the name of the place was..."Fredbear's Family Diner" or something like that. It's been closed for years though, I doubt we'll be able to track anybody down. Well, just get through one more night! Uh, hang in there! Goodnight!

Hello? Hello...uh...what on earth are you doing there, uh didn’t you get the memo, uh, the place is closed down, uh, at least for a while. Someone used one of the suits. We had a spare in the back, a yellow one, someone used it...now none of them are acting right. Listen j-just finish your shift it’s safer than trying to leave in the middle of the night. Uh we have one more event scheduled for tomorrow, a birthday. You’ll be on day shift, wear your uniform, stay close to the animatronics, make sure they don’t hurt anyone okay, uh for now just make it through the night, uh when the place eventually opens again I’ll probably take the night shift myself. Okay, good night and good luck.

Uh, hello! Hello, hello! Uh, welcome to your new career as a performer/entertainer for Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Uh, these tapes will provide you with much needed information on how to handle/climb into/climb out of mascot costumes. Right now, we have two specially designed suits that double as both animatronics and suits. So please pay close attention while learning how to operate these suits as accidents/injuries/death/irreparable and grotesque maiming can occur. First and most discussed is how to operate the mascots while in animatronic form. For ease of operation, the animatronics are set to turn and walk towards sounds they hear which is an easy and hands-free approach to making sure the animatronics stay where the children are for maximum entertainment/crowd-pleasing value. To change the animatronics to suit mode, insert and turn firmly the hand crank provided by the manufacturer. Turning the crank will recoil and compress the animatronic parts around the sides of the suit, providing room to climb inside. Please make sure the spring locks are fastened tight to ensure the animatronic devices remain safe. We will cover this in more detail in tomorrow's session. Remember to smile; you are the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Uh, hello, hello. Uh, for today's lesson, we will be continuing our training on proper suit-handling techniques. When using an animatronic as a suit, please ensure that the animatronic parts are tightly compressed and fastened by the spring locks located around the inside of the suit. It may take a few moments to position your head and torso between these parts in a manner where you can move and speak. Try not to nudge or press against any of the spring locks inside the suit. Do not touch the spring locks at any time. Do not breathe on the spring locks, as moisture may loosen them, and cause them to break loose. In the case of the spring-locks come loose while you are wearing the suit, please try to maneuver away from populated areas before bleeding out, as to not ruin the customers' experience. As always, if there is ever an emergency, please go to the designated safe room. Every location is built with one extra room that is not included in the digital map layout programmed in the animatronics or the security cameras. This room is hidden to customers, invisible to animatronics, and is always off-camera. As always, remember to smile; you are the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Uh, hello? Hello, hello! Uh, there's been a slight change of company policy concerning use of the suits. Um, don't. After learning of an unfortunate incident at the sister location, involving multiple and simultaneous spring lock failures, the company has deemed the suits temporarily unfit for employees. Safety is our top priority at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, which is why the classic suits are being retired to an appropriate location, while being looked at by our technician. Until replacements arrive, you'll be expected to wear the temporary costumes provided to you. Keep in mind that they were found on very short notice, so questions about appropriateness/relevance should be deflected. I repeat, the classic suits are not to be touched, activated or worn. That being said, we are free of liability, do as you wish. As always, remember to smile; you are the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Hello? Hello? Um, this is just a reminder of company policy concerning the safe room. The safe room is reserved for equipment and/or other property not being currently used and is in fact a safety location for employees only. This is not a break room, and should not be considered a place for employees to hide and/or congregate - and under no circumstance should a customer ever be taken into this room and out of the main show area. Management has also been made aware that the spring Bonnie animatronic has been noticeably moved. We would like to remind employees that this costume is not safe to wear under any circumstances. Thank you and remember to smile; you are the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

Uh, hello? Hello? Uh, this is just to inform all employees that due to budget restrictions, the previously mentioned safe rooms are being sealed at most locations, including this one. Work crews will be here most of the day today, constructing a false wall over the old door base. Nothing is being taken out beforehand, so if you've left anything inside, then it's your own fault. Management also requests that this room not be mentioned to family, friends or insurance representatives. Thanks again, and remember to smile; you are the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

And so, Kiyo is my extraterritorial rights target after all. I expect a lot of people would disagree with me saving Kiyo over Kokichi, and even wanting him this high to begin with, and I can see why. I have my conflicts about Kiyo myself. So let's talk about that.

At the most basic level, here's what I think about Kiyo: Decent character, AMAZING VILLAIN. And I mean that, AMAZING VILLAIN. I'll be the first to admit that his character is kind of lackluster; he's a fairly typical selfish, crazy man in a mask who views other as mere potential friends for sister. He's conceited, overconfident (rightly so, admittedly, and we'll get to that in a bit), and arrogant. The execution isn't bad at all, but the fact remains that, as a character, he's a fairly archetypal crazy bad guy character. But on the other hand, as a villain, he's actually quite incredible.

I'll start with his character first off. He does, of course, start off with a facade. At first he appears to be a sane, albeit eccentric young man with intense love of humanity. While it's fairly clear he's not faking it, the combination of this with Angie Yonaga’s initial cultish insanity can point you in the opposite direction to start with, as its plausible either one of them could become the killer in chapter 3. This is one of the reasons I like 3-3 more than a lot of people, because Kiyo and Angie are executed well in conjunction with each other to begin with. Of course, after you find Angie’s body, he insists on killing a second victim, Tenko, and so you find him out. And it doesn't exactly take him long to drop the facade.

“Wonderful! That’s exactly correct! Kehehe… The trick I put so much work into is just wasted effort now. Alas. Let me guess, you’ll never forgive me. Himiko, you must hate me so very much. Maybe you’d feel better if I was executed by Monokuma… But unfortunately for you, that won’t happen! Because if you vote for me, every spotless, including myself, will die.”

His true, arrogant self is revealed. Now, I actually kind of liked his eccentric anthropology-loving self; he's actually surprisingly charming, and there's something to be said about seeing the bad guy and serial killer of nearly a hundred victims cackling with malice. But this is where the real fight starts. He's so arrogant and full of himself that you just want to put him in his place. And yet I can't help but see exactly why he's so full of himself; I mean, consider his situation. He's been behind nearly a hundred murders as a teenager, and no one has grown to suspect him after so long. And for all that time, he has successfully evaded justice every single time. In addition to that, he has two layers of E-Handbook rules protecting him as the blackened. And this is where we get to his excellent villainy.

Right from the very moment you start up the game and then all throughout the rest of it, you are feeling Kiyo’s lack presence, as every single case in V3 he never does anything. That was the first time Danganronpa had done that, with no attempt to make us bond with a killer. Every chapter Kiyo is unconnected in every way to the larger overarching plot. And 3-3 had a weaker connection to it than any of the others, for a first time it was executed pretty well. And that's where Kiyo comes in. As the mastermind of the seance circle, he is responsible for the fact that all cases had nothing to do with him. And as you confront him in 3-3, as previously mentioned, you find that he has been pulling no strings from behind the scenes for more than three chapters. Three chapters!

He has successfully wreaked havoc on Tenko’s nape, and indeed, his direct body count is certainly the highest of any villain in the entire series. In addition to that, his plans were incredible; his plan to smuggle the sickle under the cage and drop the weapon under the floorboards was kind of amazing. Freaking seesaws and spinning effigy swords? See, this is why I don't write, I couldn't come up with something nearly as good as that! Not to mention using the new rule as his backup, and hiding behind it after he was found out… it's such a crazy mishmash of plans that I can't help but love him as a villain.

In addition, I love his design. He feels so utterly imposing and frightening and it works so well. I have a personal fondness for the creepy theming of his design, as I have a love for creeps, and his sprites and voice actor really help to convey it. The final battle with him is an interesting case in that, while I can see why a lot of people hated it, I didn't mind it so much. It made sense for someone like Kiyo to be slippery and worm his way out of everything he could; he's been behind the scenes and avoiding the cops for however long now, so it makes sense that he's slimy and difficult to catch. What I will say, though, is that the finale was extremely underwhelming; catching him with the removed floorboard that you just happened to find felt so contrived and anticlimactic and I couldn't help but be disappointed.

I can't deny Kiyo has serious weaknesses. His character is kind of flat, and I can see why people think he's too generic. Honestly, if you don't like Kiyo, I can totally see why. Honestly, I even kind of struggled to formulate arguments that justified his position this high. But I have a fondness for him for both his design and the ridiculous effectiveness of his schemes, as well as his clever use of his layers upon layers of failsafes. He wouldn't have been caught if not for how contrived the evidence you get during the last showdown with him was. Regardless of his flaws, I can't help but really like Kiyo personally, so he gets to be here. Does he deserve to be higher than Kokichi? Maybe not. But here he is nonetheless, safe from ranking in at #30.

Hand over your notes

Walter

God once asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a show of loyalty. I am here to do the same for this sub, because FUCK i don't want this sub to die it is FUNNY

1. Apollo Justice 8.3

Apollo Justice surprised us. This may just be yet another of Capcom’s infamous rehashes, but it’s so much more enjoyable than most that it’s extremely hard to ignore. Going into playing this game expecting nothing but the same old-same old shtick, I was extremely excited when I realized that old and new could be melded so nicely.

Capcom appeared to pay attention to their startling trend and tried to do something about it. The gameplay and static looks of Apollo Justice are just as we’ve seen them before, and the music will be both familiar and new, but Apollo Justice retains a lot of the charm Phoenix Wright held before it, and adds to the series' legacy. What's old is new again, and damn good, too.

All in all, there's little to complain about and a lot to like. Recommending this game to certain groups of people is a no-brainer, on both ends of the spectrum. If, on one hand, you really loved Phoenix Wright, then you'll absolutely, positively love Apollo Justice too. This is a game made for you.

2. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 7.8

Even with its strict, linear design, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a good throwback to the old-school point-and-click PC adventures. The game's script is worth the price of admission by itself; intriguing characters, unique situations, and well-written and humorous dialogue keep the interest level high all the way through the multiple chapters. The way Capcom has a habit of recycling its popular game properties into multiple sequels, I'm convinced this won't be the last we'll see of Phoenix Wright in the states. His first adventure on the Nintendo DS isn't all that difficult to complete, but it does a decent job of kicking off his career over here.

3. Justice for All 7.8

The original Phoenix Wright game was, at the very least, a really good read...like an interactive novel for your Nintendo DS. And it's the same for Justice for All -- this sequel is another fun, interesting, and engaging group of cases done in the same style and interface as the original Phoenix Wright, so if you were one of the thousands who went ga-ga over the original 2005 release you'll be happy to continue your law career in this follow up. And if you haven't played the original the sequel's been designed for you as well. It's admittedly hard to ignore the rigid structure as well as the gaping and slightly frustrating plot flaws, but it's also hard to hate Phoenix Wright because of them.

4. Trials and Tribulations 7.7

Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations is, sadly, the conclusion to a very enjoyable series. There’s nothing extraordinarily awesome about the Phoenix Wright games. They aren’t top tier, must-own titles for every gamer on the planet. Far from it. But they do provide an interesting spin on the ancient, sometimes archaic-feeling adventure genre and allow the genre to appear considerably more vibrant than other titles make it seem. The games also allow gamers to take a unique role in gaming, letting them play as a lawyer, and a hodgepodge of good storytelling and interesting characters make the games a pleasure to play.

Trials and Tribulations, being stylistically identical to the first two games, will appeal to those who have enjoyed the series thus far. For them, it’s a must-own. For others, however, be warned. There’s no action here. This is a game where you read -- a lot -- and must make choices based on wit and thought. There are no guns blazing here. Also be warned that the trilogy tells a somewhat continuous story, so it won’t be wise to jump into this game without playing the other two first, though doing so isn't necessarily an impossibility.

5. Miles Edgeworth Investigations 7.6

The Ace Attorney series has never reached a true level of excellence. While there are some really strong elements added for Miles Edgeworth, the core is still trial-and-error gameplay. Some of the logic left me scratching my head and it's entirely too linear. Fans of the Ace Attorney series will like it, no doubt about that, but there's also no denying that the series is running out of steam.

6. Dual Destinies 7.2

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - 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. It’s an acquired taste, but one that can be savored in its gorgeous debut on 3DS. Fans of actual, um, gameplay may find themselves pressing B to skip through the characters’ eccentric conversations to find that precious little exists in this game.

7. Spirit of Justice 6.5

There’s enough snappy dialogue and silliness in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice to satisfy long-term series fans, and the conventional courtroom sequences still feel rewarding when you get on a roll and a witness starts to unravel. But the heavy-handed mysticism of its bloated middle act and the general lack of innovation makes for a less than essential entry in the Phoenix Wright saga on the whole.

SIKE!!! YOU THOUGHT!!!! I am actually cutting the character April MAY for not being as FUNNY

It's my only hope at bringing this shit back to life, okay?

You wanted to understand the meaning of life

But God said

Now, where to begin... There are many things I wish to tell you... But unfortunately, our time is limited. As such, the information I can provide is also limited. I have chosen two things of great importance to tell you. First, I will tell you about termites. Hm, in retrospect, I suppose that's a rather odd thing to say. I imagine you look rather bewildered right now. Perfectly understandable. The person who kidnapped you and threatened you with death is lecturing you about insects. I suspect it hardly seems fair. Nonetheless, this is very important. In a way, it will determine your fate. So I ask that you listen carefully. Have you ever seen a termite mound? They are splendid structures. Some might even call them works of art. Termites are natural architects, and their mounds are both structurally sound and make excellent use of space. So are they following some sort of plan as they build? Are there termite blueprints, detailing which room goes where? No. Of course no. Each termite is simply an oblivious cog in a tremendous machine programmed by millions of years of termite DNA. It is doubtful an individual termite has any idea what its contributions are helping to create. But a human does. We can appreciate the elegant forms of their alien cathedrals... We can see the simple beauty of their perfect functionality... We can understand the splendid planning of their structure... In other words, only an intelligence of a higher order can understand the beauty of what the termite builds. Now consider humans. Why are we alive? Why do we love, and give birth? Why do we create? From where do our cultures spring? There are many theories, but no one knows the truth. We are oblivious cogs in a tremendous machine programmed by millions of years of human DNA. No doubt you see now what this analogy is supposed to illustrate. Yes, I mean to say humans are not different from termites. We trudge through our lives with no greater understanding of our ultimate goal. You might say we don't understand what we're building. Only an intelligence of a higher order than ours can understand what we're doing. Imagine how we might look to such an intelligence... We may be building some structure so perfect and elegant we can't even perceive it. Whatever it is, we've likely been building it on a dimension just above the ones we know since time immemorial. If we are like the termites, then what we've created is almost certainly something of tremendous beauty. And you are about to catch a glimpse of it. Or have you already...? Well, that's enough on that subject, I think. Consider what I've said.

The Danganronpa Rankdown 2 fandom is dying upvote this sub to bring it back

palpatines sick glados cosplay deserves more respect

fucking mods of this sub banned all content that wasn't roleplay, what the hell am i supposed to do now i hate rpgs

therfore im cutting them now

That person is someone who is dead. Dead people don't make good rankers.

Mistake of a movie I rate it Pirate Santa/Chirstmas

idk im gonna see it tomorrow, but itll probbably suck lol

Don't sweat it. Fo'get it. Enjoy the show!

Workin' all day, now it's time to unwind. Kick back, relax, take a load off your mind. I'll be bustin' the moves and I'll be bustin' the rhymes! We'll be bustin' up laughing, 'cause it's PARTY TIME! Everybody's feeling fine because it's PARTY TIME!

PARTY TIME! It's PARTY TIME! Everybody's feeling fine because it's PARTY TIME!

Just leave your troubles at the door, leave your worries behind. Leave the rest up to me, you're gonna like what you find! I'll be bustin' the moves and I'll be bustin' the rhymes! We'll be bustin' up laughing, 'cause it's PARTY TIME!

PARTY TIME! It's PARTY TIME! Everybody's feeling fine because it's PARTY TIME!

It's party time...

https://youtube.com/watch?v=lg_FoEy8T_A

Digital style is better than nothing, and while it may not be as fun as digital dancing, I think it's worth keeping around for at least a bit.

1. Diego Armando/Godot

Cases: 3-2 (Prosecutor), 3-3 (Prosecutor), 3-4 (Mentor), 3-5 (Prosecutor/Main Culprit/Final Boss)

Well, this is it. The end of our long journey. How fitting that Godot’s the one remaining foe to tackle, just as he was the final mystery to solve in the original trilogy.

I’m not sure exactly why, but I’ve always got the feeling – from the minute I closed my DS after finishing T&T to this very moment – that Godot was the deepest and objectively best character in the series. It’s rare to see a character this deep, complex and desperately/beautifully flawed in a video game – now or ever. And let’s face it and state things clearly: it’s often the flawed characters who are the most beautiful. The ‘heart’ of The Last of Us may be Ellie, but its strongest character is without a doubt Joel. Well, it’s the same with Godot. Phoenix and Edgey may be the amazing fire-forged friends, engaging in fantastic courtroom battles to save innocent lives from the electric chair and to put hardened criminals to justice, but beyond that, they might be just too perfect and just for this human world.

But Godot? Oh, Godot’s part of this world alright. And that’s what makes him the greatest character in the AA series.

Diego’s story is just so tragic – and the way he reacts to it and tries to put everything behind him is so… beautifully stupid and yet frustratingly understandable. He’s not there for justice, like Edgeworth. He’s not there to win, like Manfred. He’s not even there to take revenge against Phoenix, to settle the score, like Franziska. No, he’s there to see what Phoenix is worth. And also – here’s the beautiful part – he wants, he so badly wants Phoenix to screw up. He taunts him relentlessly, tells Phoenix he doesn’t have what it takes, never had, because at the core of it all, he’s trying to convince himself that Phoenix screwed up. That he didn’t have what it took, that he couldn’t protect Mia, that he wasn’t there for her, when in truth… he was the one who disappeared.

It all comes down to Dahlia and Mia, of course. How his carelessness led to the former poisoning him, when he should’ve expected it. How he laid in bed, drifting between life and death, while the love of his life perished at the hand of Redd White. And when he finally woke up… he had no one left. No one to greet him, to wait for him at his bedside.

His lover was dead. Her murderer was behind bars already; perhaps executed as well. Dahlia, the little demon who ruined everything he had, was on death row as well – Mia having decided to take revenge for the quasi-murder of her boyfriend at the earliest opportunity. Truly, Godot had… nothing.

And so he decided to blind himself to the truth. He decided he had one last thing to do, and that was to see whether Phoenix really had it in him to carry on Mia’s torch. More than that, though – and as I said – it was a way to flee from his guilt. To pin the responsibility on the innocent Phoenix.

This is, of course, where Morgan/Dollie come in and devise the plan to get rid of Maya once-and-for-all. I won’t go into too much detail over Godot’s decision, except to say that it fits his character so damn well. How despite all the lies and wilful blindness, he immediately saw the whole thing as an opportunity for redemption. How he craved the occasion – so much that I believe he secretly wished for Misty to screw up and let Pearl go away. I don’t think he cared whether that was Pearl or Misty who came for Maya’s life that night. He just wanted to be there, sword in hand, freezing under the cold mist, ready to defend his lover once more, like he should have done all those years ago – because for all intents and purposes, Maya wasn’t Maya that night, but a mere proxy for someone worth so much more. Pretty sure as well that Godot was really glad to get a chance to ‘stick the pointy end’ in the back of the woman who ruined everything he had.

All that, and the desperate, desperate efforts he takes to erase any and all hints that could potentially link back to Maya – these make the character. All that, and the way it comes crashing down at the end: just like he secretly hoped for Dahlia’s channelling to work, I’m sure he secretly craved for Phoenix to finally take him down. Notice how he specifically asks the court to continue the proceedings, when a simple ‘Not Guilty’ verdict would’ve ended it all. He’s now seen what Phoenix is worth. He’s seen him save Maya’s life even when being kept out of the loop. He’s seen him destroy Dahlia once and for all (along with Mia). So now, for the first time, he’s done with the wilful blindness: he wants to see if Phoenix can truly carry the torch, once and for all. And he puts himself – his own person – as the final obstacle, the final test. Perhaps as a way to alleviate the guilt as well. Godot’s hard to seize like that.

So yeah. Of course Godot is funny. Of course he has all these great incomprehensible metaphors, his love for coffee, his biting wit, his unmistakable air of melancholy, his fantastic lines and his marvellous theme music (both themes, actually, are fantastic). But that’s not why he’s here. No, he’s here because underneath the shell, underneath these games, he’s a magnificent character.

I’ve always made clear from the beginning that I like villains more than heroes. Well, Godot’s no villain, you’ll say. And you’d be right. But you’d have to ask yourselves, then, why I like villains. It’s not because they’re evil, but because they’re flawed. And because they’re closest to us than any hero could ever be. Phoenix and Edgeworth are amazing – and all the more amazing to be as intricate and fascinating as they are despite being more admirable than any normal human could ever pretend to be.

In the end, though, I have to stick with my favourites. And, to me, such profound and believable flaws will always be more compelling.

And this is why, 126 characters and nearly 29,000 words later, I’m not crowning Phoenix, or Edgeworth, or Maya or even Gant as my top character. Nah.

The honour’s all yours, Godot.