When Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth came out in 2010, it provided a fresh spin for the Ace Attorney series as it put players in control of a prosecutor for the first time rather than a defense attorney. It was a great way to flesh out another section of the universe, filled with returning faces and new gameplay elements. However, after poor sales overseas, its sequel (now named Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit) never came to America and remained unlocalized for over a decade until the new Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, which is a total joy for fans of the series.
The gameplay isn’t entirely like the regular Ace Attorney games, as you’re still investigating crime scenes, presenting evidence to witnesses, and then using logic to figure out what happened. However, the action takes place outside of the courtroom, and you get a third-person perspective as you actually walk around the environment and move the protagonist, Miles Edgeworth, around. It all winds up being a very familiar and satisfying experience while also feeling new.
The biggest change with the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is that there is a new optional art style that takes the original sprites (which were designed for the much smaller Nintendo DS screen) and makes them high-definition chibi characters. While it took me a few minutes to get used to the stylized look, it winds up being a stellar addition as the game looks great (especially when played on a PlayStation Portal) and the models are just as expressive as the originals (which are still available if you prefer it). It’s a great addition, as the blown-up sprites are a bit rough-looking even though I love the animation.
The stories in each game are stellar, with each featuring five separate cases that tell an overarching story. There are plenty of familiar faces that pop up from the main series aside from Edgeworth and Detective Gumshoe, so longtime fans will be greeted with some great references and deep cuts. While the first game was already known to be great, it was a pure joy getting to finally play Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit after all of these years. It adds in a new mechanic called mind chess, which has Edgeworth outsmarting and extracting information from witnesses and is wonderfully written with memorable twists and turns. It’s easily one of the year’s best games and makes the collection worth buying for any mystery fan.
Similar to prior compilations, The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection also comes with a bevy of bonus content. The gallery features more basic extras, such as all in-game illustrations and music, but also a really nice character compendium that helps you keep track of all the characters and plenty of character design art and other special illustrations made for the game. There’s a lot to dig into for fans, and the design specs are particularly fun to look at.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Review: Final Verdict
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is one of Capcom’s best reissues to date. Ace Attorney Investigations 2 was worth the wait as it is one of the best adventure games ever made and features some incredible cases. Both games are great, and this collection is an easy recommendation for fans of one of Capcom’s best franchises.
SCORE: 9.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9.5 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 4 copy for our Ace Attorney Investigations Collection review. Reviewed on version 1.00.
