here’s the thing is. It’s not about Sunny being a little spoiled diva (ok it totally is but keep listening), it’s about her and her siblings being rescued from an island that has been hell for every single person who has encountered it. And they are told they will get parents. And she is a kid. They have nothing, as far as we know they didn’t have parents before.
if I went up to an eight year old right now and asked them what rich people do, what do you think they would say?
Maybe that they have big fancy tea parties, with feather boas and crowns.
Maybe that they can have anything they need, anything they want. That the world is at their fingertips.
Maybe, they might say they have people taking care of them, all the time. That they have someone at their beck and call at all times.
I want you to think back to the first time you can remember getting a present from your parents. What did it feel like? Was it magical, was it warm? Were you excited?
Think back to playing with your parents. What was that like? Was it fun, was it warm? Did it feel like safety and adventure at the same time?
What about the first time you remember being sick and your parents needing to take care of you. Did you cuddle with them, did you watch your favourite movies and eat your favourite snacks? Did it feel nice? Was it warm? Did you feel loved?
Did it feel like home?
if you never got to have any of those experiences, would you want them? Would you know to want them?
If you didn’t, how do you ask for that? For those feelings? How do you say that you want those feelings?
Well… what about a tea party? We can wear crowns and feather boas and ride around in a fancy train. Please? I want it. A lot.
Can I have money? Or a crown? Or a warp stone? Can I have coffee, and a factory, and a train? Please? I want it a lot.
I don’t want to wear armour. It’s heavy and ugly. I don’t need it. You’ll protect me. Stay by my side and protect me. Please, I want it a lot.
I want you to live in that. That moment of asking for love and affection and safety in the only way you know how. The only way you would know people might get those feelings.
And I want you to live in the next moment, where someone looks at you, and they smile so wide, and they say yes.
And then try to tell me you would stop asking.
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spicy take time: Ace Attorney 5 is not THAT bad
Dual Destinies: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -- An Opinionated Review (not spoiler free, hehe)
As I was progressing through the series, I noticed that fans really seemed to dislike Dual Destinies, so as I finished Apollo Justice, I was worried about what I was going to come across and, it wasn't terrible. I've begun to replay some of the game and compile some thoughts.
The Good
Characters
Whether it be the complicated, the quirky, or the downright enjoyable to be around, Dual Destinies has all sorts of new characters to fit this bill. Some of my favorites include:
Athena Cykes -- The newbie lawyer with a loud and colorful personality and a neat little game mechanic involving her being able to hear emotions
Simon Blackquill -- The prosecutor on death row who's very… persuasive (why does he get to have a sword?)
"Bobby Fulbright" -- The game's eccentric detective. While he's no Dick Gumshoe or Emma Skye, he actually managed to grow on me, making the twist that the final antagonist was disguised as him the entire time all the more impactful to me.
Some other characters that I really enjoyed:
Juniper Woods
Jinxie Tenma
Aura Blackquill
Orla Shipley (the orca)
And some of my favorite puns, for fun:
Candice Arme
Robin Newman
Sasha Buckler
The Introductory Case
Case 5-1 is one of my favorite introductory cases after 2-1, AAI2-1, and TGAA1-1. Its twists and turns had me on edge the entire time. I've seen some crazy shit in Ace Attorney -- exorcisms, cross-examining animals, children that are victims of murder attempts -- but a terrorist bombing was not something I would expect, weirdly enough.
I also think it's fascinating how it's the only intro case to span over multiple days and the second to chronologically take place after the main filler cases (after AAI1-1).
And I really like how it ends by leaving these two questions in the back of my mind:
"What's wrong with Apollo?"
"Who exactly is Athena?"
Prosecutor Blackquill
Out of all of the prosecutors in the series, Blackquill has one of my favorite concepts. The idea of a prosecutor being able to continue his job while awaiting the death sentence for a crime he did not commit, but rather, took the fall for is just soooo… AAAAAAA. I love it. How he also utilizes psychological mind games opposite to Athena's own.
I was originally terrified of Blackquill and his unique "Silence!" callout, but as case 5 progressed, I actually almost cried learning Simon's true colors. How he willingly went to prison to protect a young Athena and Athena's mother, Metis', work, refusing to accept help despite Athena's and Aura, his older sister's, pleas. He was genuinely willing to be executed for the sake of protecting Athena.
Athena and Apollo's relationship, Apollo's Skepticism, and Athena's Trauma
Throughout the course of cases 2 and 3, it was demonstrated how Apollo and Athena grew to trust each other. To me, they gave off sibling energy, which was made even better by the fact that, in Greek mythology, Apollo and Athena are siblings (half-siblings, but siblings nonetheless).
So when Apollo started feeling skeptical towards Athena regarding the whole Clay situation, it kinda hurt, Apollo even willingly wearing a bandage over his eye to prevent himself from perceiving Athena's suspicious ticks. (I love this concept and wish more could have been done it.) And Athena had a past of her own that wasn't helping the situation that she herself wasn't even sure of, traumatized by the idea that she might have killed her own mother.
This is what I would say to be Dual Destinies' strongest feature.
The Phantom
Like I've mentioned before, the twist of "Fulbright" being the final antagonist really got to me. And his whole breakdown with him being in a mad panic, questioning who he really was before getting sniped, has to be one of my favorite breakdowns in the entire series (second to the exorcism)
Turnabout Reclaimed
The concept behind this DLC case is a fascinating one. The defendant being an… uhm… orca and the murder being an accident makes this case really unique.
3D Models
While the models take a bit to get used to, I think, ultimately, they weren't a terrible idea. I love the sprites but there are some things that the models did that the sprites couldn't -- and vice versa. And I believe it was a great gateway into what we got with The Great Ace Attorney and Spirit of Justice.
The Bad
Phoenix's Role
I have problems with Phoenix in this game in general. His model, his voice, but overall, I think the biggest downside about him in this game is his role. How him losing his badge was basically ctrl-z'ed and he's back to basically steal the spotlight. His role in Apollo Justice was great. He was there, but not on the front lines, helping Apollo from the side. I was hoping that, with the introduction of Athena, she'd get help from him like Apollo from Kristoph in his own game or Phoenix from Mia in the first game, rather than being essentially sidelined herself.
Yes. Dual Destinies is a Phoenix Wright game, but with how much focus it gives to Apollo and Athena and their… Dual Destinies… it's a bit frustrating with him in the picture as much as he is.
Turnabout Academy
I don't believe in the "3rd Case Syndrome" that goes around in the fanbase (4-3, 6-3, AAI2-3, and TGAA2-3 were pretty good). However… replaying Dual Destinies, I can't bring myself to replay this case. The concept was okay, but, that's all I can really say. The characters were… eh? I like Junie, Robin, and Mirriam, but Hugh is insufferable and what they did with Klavier was… (I don't wanna be harsh but)… ew. How Robin was treated before revealing she was a girl, was kind of gross (in the initial 2013 release). Overall, it was an… okay case. I don't really have much else to say about this case other than I didn't really enjoy it.
Turnabout Reclaimed
I love the concept, but that's about it. I had a bit of trouble staying awake while playing this one. It felt a little reminiscent of 1-5, which best sums up my feelings about it. The characters were okay and the idea is great, but this case is just… there.
The Ugly
Main Menu
That menu is boring. There's nothing... here. At least previous releases had the gall to put an image in the background, whether it be a courtroom or silhouettes of the main characters. I can't tell if that's supposed to be a bulletin board or a closeup of a basketball, but it's likely neither of those are right.
Voices
I understand replacing the older VA's because of cutscenes and all that, and I'm okay with Apollo's new voice, but when it comes to the other characters with NEW voices, they kind of miss the mark. Apollo and Phoenix sound virtually identical, Klavier sounds… wrong, and I don't think anyone told Edgeworth's VA that he's only 34 because he sounds twice that.
3D Models
When it comes to characters being translated into 3D, that's where the models miss. Apollo's, and Klavier's models are … not the best and Phoenix's is actually disgusting. They got a much-needed update with Spirit of Justice, but they don't compare to the beauty of their sprites.
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Overall, I personally think that Dual Destinies is one of the weakest in the series, but it's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's different and takes a bit to get used to, but it's fun :)
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