
	Platform Nintendo DS Genre Adventure Developer Capcom Publisher Capcom ETA September 2007
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Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations

After the likes of Perry Mason, and Matlock ruled the roost in the realm of court room defense attorneys, there hasn’t really been another fictional lawyer to step up and take their place. Maybe the folks at Boston Legal could fill the void, but that show's all about the ensemble; there's no one lawyer standing head and shoulders above the rest there. Who has been one to put on some strong D no matter how guilty their client may seem? There hasn’t been anyone in TV land capable of this, but perhaps we should look to the world of video games, and the DS’ latest darling Phoenix Wright to fill the void. He’s already proven that he has the chops twice on the handheld, and later this year he’ll be doing it again with Trials and Tribulations.

Once again we’ll be joining Phoenix as he tries to prove the innocence of a quintet of people that everyone else thinks is guilty, while fending off the relentless prosecutor, Godot. In each of the cases, Phoenix will be assisted by the lovely, not to mention clairvoyant, Maya, whose psychic abilities add a little bit of otherworldly je ne sais quoi to his investigative endeavors in proving his clients’ innocence.

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There will be a few other cast members to keep an eye out for in this third game, one of the most notable being Mia Fey, who was Phoenix’s mentor, teaching him all that he knows about being a lawyer. In Trials and Tribulations, there will be a few opportunities to play as Mia when she was just starting out, and making a name for

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herself as a top-notch lawyer. It should provide an interesting window into her past, so players can see what influenced her in her own career.

As players make their way through the game, each case will be divided into two sections: 1) investigation, where players dig up witnesses, clues, and the like, and 2) the court room, where one can really lean into those on the stand, trying to catch them off guard. While in the courtroom, there will be the psyche-meter, where someone who takes the stand’s stress levels increase the more that Phoenix punches holes in that person’s testimony. Moreover, players can should “Hold it!” and “Objection!” into the DS’ microphone instead of simply selecting it from a menu should they choose.

Phoenix Wright fans won’t have too much longer to wait for Trials and Tribulations to hit stores, as it’ll be here in a scant few months. In the meantime, perhaps some classic television courtroom battles will help keep them occupied.

Jeff Nash

June 8, 2007