The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles: Every Case In The Games, Ranked
Two things make the Phoenix Wright series distinct above other story-based adventure games. The first is the stories within which are harrowing detective novels seen through the lens of court cases. The other distinct feature that has had fans enamored for decades now are the characters.
The mysteries are fun to unravel but they wouldn’t be anything with the colorful cast of main and side characters. The same is true for this collection. Both Great Detective games have some truly outstanding characters for the franchise along with ten great cases. To highlight these characters and stories properly, there will be some spoilers.
The Adventure Of The Unbreakable Speckled Band
“The Adventure Of The Unbreakable Speckled Band” involves Kazuma, Ryunosuke’s best friend, being murdered on his way to London. This forced Ryunosuke to pick up the mantle and make Kazuma’s dream come true which is an important step to set up Ryunosuke’s character in this spinoff series.
However, it does feel a little lazy to blame Ryunosuke for two Murders one right after the other. The case itself is also just not that compelling aside from the heartache. Herlock Sholmes has a hilarious introduction though as the otherworldly Sherlock Holmes counterpart.
The Adventure Of The Great Departure
“The Adventure Of The Great Departure” is the first case in the first game. Most of the beginning cases in the series feature whoever is the star facing off against Auchi, or in this case, an ancestor of his. It always seems like a simple and shut case at first until more details are thrown out. This might be the most elaborate introductory case in the series which sees Ryunosuke being blamed for a murder. The only bad part about the case is that the conclusion isn’t fully wrapped up.
The Adventure Of The Runaway Room
“The Adventure Of The Runaway Room” is a complicated case. This is not a new concept to the series, but Ryunosuke has to fight with his job as a defense lawyer when it seems like his client, Magnus, might be guilty of murder.
He did the right thing technically by trying to uncover the truth no matter if this sent Magnus under the bus metaphorically. Defense lawyers probably should never try to do this in reality though. That would make them bad at their job, which this game does joke about.
Twisted Karma And His Last Bow
“Twisted Karma And His Last Bow” sees Ryunosuke defending Van Zieks for the first time. The tables have turned and now he is wanted for the murder of Inspector Gregson. It’s one of the more tragic cases in the game as the detective was genuinely a fun character. This episode is part of the big culmination of the entire two-part series. It’s great to see the mystery unfold at long last but the extra supporting characters aren’t as fun as some of the other episodes.
The Resolve Of Ryunosuke Naruhodo
“The Resolve Of Ryunosuke Naruhodo” is the fifth and final episode in the second game. It is also part two of “Twisted Karma And His Last Bow” because that case ends without Van Zieks’ trial ending. That’s part of the reason why it, and this episode, rank lower even though there are finally some big answers. They feel like they could have easily been one episode if the fat was trimmed off of the edges. That final scene is a doozy though to its credit. Hopefully, this isn't the end for this spinoff series.
The Adventure Of The Blossoming Attorney
“The Adventure Of The Blossoming Attorney” sees Susato disguising herself as a male relative to Ryunosuke. She calls herself Ryutaro. She does this to save her friend Rei who has been accused of murdering the culprit of the very first case in the original game, Jezaille Brett.
It’s a real shining moment for her character which involves a shady reporter along with the return of Inspector Hosonaga and Soseki Natsume. Soseki is his usual self, but Hosonaga is a little healthier this time around.
The Memoirs Of The Clouded Kokoro
“The Memoirs Of The Clouded Kokoro” takes place right after the events of the fourth case in the first game which involved Soseki. He is put on trial again for another murder in the vicinity which drives him up the wall. It’s a really interesting case with a verdict involving the original case’s victim, Olive, along with the hilarious true debut of William Shamspeare. He is a delight to watch and the case is a real rollercoaster overall in the streets of London.
The Adventure Of The Unspeakable Story
“The Adventure Of The Unspeakable Story” is the fifth and final episode in the first game. It involves Gina being accused of murdering a pawnbroker by the name of Windibank. Things look awful for her as she is found next to the body, passed out, and with a gun in her hand. There are two stereotypical burglars, Nash and Ringo Skulkin, who are brought in as witnesses along with an aristocrat named Ashley Graydon. The end is a real twist and a perfect way to end the premiere of any adventure game.
The Adventure Of The Clouded Kokoro
“The Adventure Of The Clouded Kokoro” sees Ryunosuke trying to defend a fellow Japanese student who was blamed for stabbing a girl and running off. There are a lot of great twists and turns in this case that made it incredibly compelling if not a little unbelievable. It features two of the best side characters in the series though, Mr. And Mrs. Gerrideb. Their interactions together are priceless. They must have the best carpet in London to absorb as much tea as it does.
The Return Of The Great Departed Soul
“The Return Of The Great Departed Soul” is like the first real case in the second game. The first two episodes in the sequel feel like warmups compared to this. The plot is very intricately balanced between core lore carried throughout the entire series and a one-off episode about an interesting murder case involving science. What is Lord Van Zieks’ friend, Professor Harebrayne, and his mysteriously masked apprentice have in store for Ryunosuke? Get ready for a mind-blower of an episode and a highlight in this story-based game.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles was released on Jul7 27, 2021, and is available on PC, PS4, and Switch.
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