Just Finished the Whole Series for the First Time, Here's my Ranking of the Games!
Hello, new to Reddit! It took me about two years, but I've finally finished Spirit of Justice, the last AA game I've yet to play. This entire series is obviously amazing, but some games are better than others, and I thought a fun way to celebrate me finishing would be to make this little post on my new Reddit account. I don't think any of my opinions here are gonna ruffle feathers, but here we go!
- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
None of these games are bad at all, but this is the one I have the least desire to replay. The Kidnapped Turnabout is IMO the worst case in the whole series and although Turnabout Ablaze is ultimately redeemed by that really cool twist with Shih-na and the Yatagarasu halfway through, that's unfortunately followed by a miserable three-hour unsatisfying slog. It's absurd how padded that final confrontation is. Turnabout Airlines and Turnabout Reminiscence are fun but neither are huge standouts. Decent game, easily the weakest in the series.
- Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
I love the cast of characters and overall vibe here so much, but Turnabout Serenade is total garbage and Turnabout Succession feels like if Trials and Tribulations decided to squeeze Turnabout Beginnings and Bridge to the Turnabout into a single normal-length case that ended with Mia taking down Godot instead of Phoenix. The central narrative here is just kind of a failure, despite the high potential this game's first two cases show.
- Justice for All
Decent first case, amazing second case, trash third case, spectacular final case, no central mystery or narrative to tie everything together. Also Franziska is a character with a lot of potential that the game does really dirty by only giving her tiny scraps of an arc before the literal after-credits scene finally starts to properly develop her. This would probably be under Apollo Justice if Farewell, my Turnabout wasn't so good.
- Dual Destinies
A good game, but it kind of suffers from needing to be a sequel to Apollo Justice, a backpedal from Apollo Justice to a tone closer to the OG Trilogy to appease fans who didn't like Apollo Justice, and an accessible entry point for new players joining in at the shiny new 3DS entry. I'm also not a huge fan of Blackquill. Athena is great though, and the twist with Fulbright during the final case is one of the craziest in the series.
- The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures
I adore this game's cast of characters and their dynamic, and the third case is one of the best in the series, but by god does it never use ten words when a hundred will do. The first two cases are especially sloggy in the moment. This one has improved the more I've thought about it and might get bumped up on replay, because the character writing is really strong here, but I'd be lying if I said I had a super fun time actually playing it and needing to get through the ocean of filler dialogue.
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
The one that started it all! Definitely some early-installment-weirdness here with some of the characterization and there's a reason none of the other games did three day cases but this is still a really strong first outing. I'm not as huge on Turnabout Goodbyes as most people are but Rise From the Ashes is a top three case in the series, and this would probably be under GAA1 if it didn't exist.
- Spirit of Justice
Dare I say, underrated! This one just has really strong and intriguing main plot in Khura'in, learning about the history and culture there while slowly uncovering this deep conspiracy and participating in this revolution, expertly buttressed by what is bar none the best filler case in the series and also Turnabout Storyteller. Nahyuta is a badly written character for all the reasons people say, and Apollo suddenly becoming the main character in the final case is a little abrupt (as is his super forced tacked-on Khura'in backstory that I don't mind as much as I should because it finally results in compelling development for him -- certainly a step up from Clay Terran) but aside from those this is a beginning-to-end great time.
- The Great Ace Attorney: Resolve
Fixes basically all of the pacing problems of the original game while keeping up the strong character writing. I just kinda wish Stronghart wasn't such a lame villain both in personality and the complete bullshit-ex-machina way you take him down, but everything else is pretty across-the-board great and the final Dance of Deduction might be my favourite moment in the entire series.
- Investigations 2
Amazing for all the reasons everyone says it is. The central mystery is brilliantly constructed and ties together beautifully, Edgeworth receives so much compelling development, Eustace Winner is one of the best characters in the whole series, etc. etc., everyone loves it and it's obvious why.
- Trials and Tribulations
Contains easily the best character writing and strongest thematic cohesion of any game in the series. The Stolen Turnabout is the best filler case in the series not named The Magical Turnabout, and Recipe for Turnabout is a case, but the trio of cases that tell this game's central story are just magnificent, and it all concludes in what is easily the best case in the series, Bridge to the Turnabout. The way every hanging plot point and character arc from not only this game, but the entire trilogy, come together in this unbelievably satisfying conclusion is just remarkable. 10/10, one of my favourite games of all time.
So those are my thoughts! What do you all agree/disagree with?