Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

man. in theory, these two series are so similar that it might work. in reality, it's a mess.

the main mechanics are a mix of professor layton storytelling/investigations/puzzles and phoenix wright cases. it's a neat idea, but it tends to simplify both down to nothingness, and when new stuff is introduced, it feels half baked. the idea behind multiple witnesses is cool, but in practice, it's a gimmick that simplifies the game even more. it's also barely a crossover; the game is dominated by professor layton mechanics and writing ideas.

speaking of writing ideas, MY GOD, this story is ATROCIOUS. like, wow is it bad. the whole plot revolves around Espella, yet she is the blankest of slates. oh, and the twist at the end (y'know, where it turns out the whole thing is a government experiment, and nothing you did matters at all) is fucking BAD. no way to mince words there.

i like both of these franchises too, especially ace attorney, but this feels like layton with a sprinkle of ace attorney thrown into a dumpster. it's got promise, but it's still in the dumpster.

Major disappointment! I was never a big fan of Layton, and unfortunately this game, even in its court sequences, feels much more like Layton than Phoenix. Don't expect any complexity to the characters, just get ready for some bland puzzles. Cross-examining multiple witnesses is a pretty neat addition to the trials, but it's implemented in a way that makes the answers obvious in every single scenario, so it never has time to shine. Oh, and spoiler: in the end, nothing the characters did here had any real consequences. It enraged me that I slogged through this game only to be smacked in the head with "congratulations, you just wasted all that time!" If you like Professor Layton, I would say just stick to the main Layton games over this; none of the puzzles here are that engaging and you don't learn anything new about the characters from that series. If you're strictly an Ace Attorney fan, stay far away.