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    Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

    Game » consists of 5 releases. Released Jul 25, 2013

    The fifth entry in the Ace Attorney franchise, and the first for the 3DS.

    Short summary describing this game.

    Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies last edited by mach_go_go_go on 02/19/24 06:21AM View full history

    Overview

    Phoenix's new look.
    Phoenix's new look.

    Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies (Gyakuten Saiban 5) is a crime adventure game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is set one year after the events of Apollo Justice. Phoenix Wright has been reinstated as a defense attorney, and returns as the main character with a new female partner, Athena Cykes. Apollo will also return in this game, and together the three take on cases as part of the Wright Anything Agency. You will take on the role of each of the three main attorneys at various points throughout the game's episodes.The fifth Ace Attorney game, Dual Destinies was announced by Capcom in January 2012 during Ace Attorney's 10th anniversary event, and was released in Japan on July 25th, 2013.

    Dual Destinies is the first game of the franchise to move away from the series' 2D artwork, this time using 3D models for all its characters (See below for more context). Capcom also stated that catch-phrases such as "Objection!" and "Hold it!" were rerecorded instead of using the same soundbites from the older games, as the original voice actor, Ben Judd, is no longer with Capcom. Instead, Sam Riegel will reprise his role as Wright from Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.

    The first case involves an explosion in the series' original courthouse, and finds Phoenix facing off against Winston Payne's brother. Thus far, to augment the episodes that come with the retail game / initial game download, one new special episode is available as paid DLC.

    Shu Takumi was not involved with this game, as he was tied up with Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney during the game's development.

    Visual Style

    Dual Destinies features an updated visual style in which the "paper doll" 2D sprites used for character interaction have been replaced by fully-rendered and cel-shaded polygonal 3D models. The backgrounds, too, are rendered with polygons instead of being static 2D art. The cel-shading helps retain the anime look that has defined the series' aesthetics thus far, while the polygonal nature allows for smoother animations and camera angle changes for enhanced presentation.

    An additional feature provided by the polygonal presentation is the availability DLC costumes, currently downloadable from the eShop (for a price). New costumes for Phoenix Wright and his colleagues can be downloaded and swapped in for every episode in the game (The game being polygonal likely helps to circumvent the need to re-draw animation frames in new costumes, a need that would have arisen had the game used 2D sprites like the previous entries).

    The Defense

    Dual Destinies features returning faces as well as a new employee of the Wright Anything Agency.

    Phoenix Wright

    The titular Phoenix Wright is the head of the Wright Anything Agency, and at the outset of the game is revealed to have reclaimed his Attorney's Badge after being disbarred prior to the events of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. Phoenix is back to his bluffster ways, but displays enough maturity and sense to act as a competent mentor to his two junior lawyers, Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes. Phoenix still holds onto the Magatama from previous games, which allows him to see and dismantle Psych-Locks that contain secrets that an interviewee or witness is either unwilling or unable to divulge.

    Apollo Justice

    Apollo Justice returns in Dual Destinies to lend his "Chords of Steel" to the courtroom, boosting confidence in his colleagues using his loudness and the saying, "I'm fine! You're fine!" A significant figure in his life comes into play during the course of the main story arc. Apollo's talent, the Gramarye art of perception (whereupon he can detect minute tells whenever a witness or interviewee is lying), manifests itself a few times during the game though not as often as it did in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.

    Athena Cykes

    18 years of age, Athena Cykes is the newest member of the Wright Anything Agency. She spent time in Europe intensely studying the law to become a defense attorney, specializing in psychological analysis to better serve her in court. Appearing to be spunky and upbeat, she does what she can to always keep a grin on her face. Her studies in psychoanalysis manifest in gameplay during courtroom battles, where she uses a widget named.... Widget... to "listen" to the heart of her subject to determine subtle emotional shifts during their testimony. By pinpointing any unexpected or inconsistent emotions (or odd changes therein between statements) during a specific piece of testimony--happiness; fear; anger; surprise--she can suggest where the subject may be lying or leaving out details in the testimony.

    The Prosecution

    Dual Destinies features new and familiar faces taking over the prosecutor's bench, with the Wright team's new opponents highlighted below:

    Gaspen Payne

    Gaspen Payne, younger brother of series' punching-bag Winston Payne, appears early on in Dual Destinies. Initially thought to be the elder Payne with a fresh hairpiece, Gaspen's fuller hair is quite real and Gaspen spends quite a bit of time twirling it around his finger in court. He is no more competent, however, than his older brother.

    Simon Blackquill

    The Wright team's main opposition throughout the majority of the game, Simon Blackquill is in fact currently serving a prison term and is let out with special permission in order to prosecute cases. Litigating with shackles on, Prosecutor Blackquill speaks in samurai metaphors, frequently referencing honor and sword combat during his tête-à-têtes with the defense team. He also brings up "lessons" and anecdotes he learns from his prison inmates.

    Prosecutor Blackquill is clad in black and white, with a hairstyle to match, and holds a feather in his mouth. He is often in shackles, though at some points he will bust out of them when he slams his fist into the prosecutor's desk particularly emphatically. He is accompanied by Taka, his pet hawk who can be found perched on his shoulder; perched atop the Judge's head; retrieving notes; or pecking furiously at the head of a defense attorney or an uncooperative witness. He will sometimes throw out the soundbite, "Silence!" in addition to, "Objection!"

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