Rate the Ace Attorney case: English Turnabout (L-1)

Rules:

1. Rate each case on a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Anything above 10 gets rounded down to a 10, and anything below a 1 gets rounded up to a 1.
2. Anything beyond one decimal point will be rounded accordingly: .04 and below will be rounded down, .05 and up will be rounded up.
3. You may grade on any criteria you like.
4. You can rate cases from previous topics if you miss a topic.

Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PiEuURt1qf19VoYzcFCU1EFa8uqs2teJiVcip7JmjDw/edit?usp=sharing

Previous Results:

Bridge to the Turnabout (3-5) - 9.8 (37 votes)
Farewell, My Turnabout (2-4) - 9.7 (30 votes)
Turnabout Goodbyes (1-4) - 9.2 (32 votes)
Turnabout Reclaimed (5-6) - 8.8 (23 votes)
The Inherited Turnabout (E2-3) - 8.5 (16 votes)
Turnabout Beginnings (3-4) - 8.4 (26 votes)
Rise from the Ashes (1-5) - 8.2 (28 votes)
The Stolen Turnabout (3-2) - 8.2 (24 votes)
Turnabout For Tomorrow (5-5) - 7.9 (27 votes)
Turnabout Memories (3-1) - 7.4 (30 votes)
Turnabout Samurai (1-3) - 7.4 (29 votes)
Turnabout Academy (5-3) - 7.4 (27 votes)
The Grand Turnabout (E2-5) - 7.3 (16 votes)
Turnabout Target (E2-1) - 7.1 (17 votes)
Turnabout Trump (4-1) - 6.9 (25 votes)
Recipe for Turnabout (3-3) - 6.6 (27 votes)
Reunion, and Turnabout (2-2) - 6.5 (25 votes)
The Monstrous Turnabout (5-2) - 6.5 (23 votes)
The Cosmic Turnabout (5-4) - 6.0 (22 votes)
Turnabout Ablaze (E1-5) - 6.0 (19 votes)
Turnabout Sisters (1-2) - 5.7 (25 votes)
Turnabout Reminiscence (E1-4) - 5.6 (22 votes)
The Imprisoned Turnabout (E2-2) - 5.3 (16 votes)
The Forgotten Turnabout (E2-4) - 5.2 (16 votes)
Turnabout Visitor (E1-1) - 5.0 (20 votes)
The First Turnabout (1-1) - 4.9 (25 votes)
The Kidnapped Turnabout (E1-3) - 4.6 (22 votes)
Turnabout Airlines (E1-2) - 4.2 (22 votes)
Turnabout Countdown (5-1) - 4.1 (24 votes)
Turnabout Corner (4-2) - 4.0 (25 votes)
Turnabout Big Top (2-3) - 3.7 (25 votes)
Turnabout Succession (4-4) - 3.5 (24 votes)
The Lost Turnabout (2-1) - 3.3 (27 votes)
Turnabout Serenade (4-3) - 2.7 (24 votes)

5-6 lands just below the 9.0 mark and currently stands as the highest ranked non-finale case. Indeed, many people said exactly that: this case is the best non-finale case in the series and an excellent example of how a case doesn't need drama to be really, really good.

Summary:

Phoenix and Maya's exchange trip to London is interrupted when Phoenix is asked to defend a strange girl, Espella, on charges of assault. But why is she pleading guilty?

Main Characters: Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, Espella Cantabella, Darklaw, The English Judge, Flynch
Other Characters: Johnny Smiles, Olivia Aldente

My rating: 2/10. This is...certainly a case that exists. It's a shame that PLvAA has a unique gimmick with magic being presentable and mob testimonies, but the first case doesn't really do any of that. Also, the really good PLvAA soundtrack doesn't play here! We instead get a remix of AA1's soundtrack, which...well, it's nice but I don't really like the remix. I don't like Espella, but she's especially bad in this case by not...emoting at all. Johnny Smiles feels kinda like a fanmade character. That said, I'll give this case a point just for Olivia. She's a fun character and adds some surprises in this case. It's also so short that I really can't fault it that much.

2/10

Uh... it gets points for remaking most of the first game's soundtrack in an orchestral style, that's fun! And it's just, you know, nice to see Phoenix and Maya together again. The case itself isn't actually *that* bad or anything, it has a couple of interesting elements to it. Olivia Aldente is a fun villain with a classic breakdown. But yeah there isn't really a lot here and the whole thing kind of feels like a fan work. I don't actually hate it and it's not the worst case in the series but it's really hard to justify anything more.

2.7/10

I replayed this case just a few months ago and it kinda surprised me with how much was going on here! Still not great, but there's a decent amount of intrigue with Espella and her "retainer". And Olivia is fun, and I like Johnny.

6/10

Loses a point because of the plot hole.

Haste_2 posted...

6/10

Loses a point because of the plot hole.

What's the specific plot hole? This game has a million of them.

3

I'll be back for 6-1

3.5/10

It's nothing special, but it's serviceable. Flynch is a decent stand-in for Payne. Olivia is a pretty good starter villain. I appreciate that this is the only case in the series with no death in it anywhere (including the fictional deaths in L-2).

I want to change my score to a 3, 2 feels too low

5.5

Between my "5 represents a perfect average" criteria and my love for Layton, I'm probably gonna over-rate the cases in this game. This was my Avengers Infinity War when it came out. Both these franchises were MY LIFE.

That being said, this is still a tutorial case, most of those being ... just good enough. Johnny is decent, Olivia is great, Flynch continues to bring on the payne. I honestly like how this is the only case where not a single soul dies, which is funny when this is the game where multiple characters supposedly burn to death in front of you - including one of our protagonists.

I found the setting of an English court to be a mixed bag. On one hand it is cosy, and I like how we finally get some action in Europe, considering how often many of our lawyer protagonists travel over there. But on the other hand, as the gimmick of this game hinges on Labyrinthia, it is a shame that one of the cases was wasted on ... England. I think if this game had one more case to its name, this wouldn't be an issue.

Won't comment much on the Layton prologue/tutorial for obvious reasons, but it was nice seeing Chelmey and Barton showed up. I completely forgot they had cameos when I skimmed through this case to jog my memory lol

3/10

Don't remember much about this one.

3

4/10 I like Olivia's animations, the comeback of Phoenix and Maya duo was soooo good (at least conceptually), but yeah nothing else to write home about.

I have played this game and I can't rate anything from it because none of it stayed on my mind.

8
Probably a 7 but I'd like to give Vs more recognition. Generally enjoyable first case, I like how it's the only case in the series that has nothing to do with murder or the pretense of murder.

6

I guess I like this one more than most. I thought the characters were fun and the animations were good. Great soundtrack too! But yeah, it's a tutorial case

I did appreciate the progress you saw in the animations starting with this case. Showing Maya holding the pipe was something cool you didn't see in previous games.

Hot take time: Most of PW1's soundtrack isn't very good (it's got a few very memorable tracks, don't get me wrong), so hearing remixes of them doesn't do much for me.

By the way, for anyone interested in the idea of magic in the courtroom, but like, good, check out Tyrion Cuthbert

Yep, I decided to go for it now that I finished Rebirth. I'll start playing tonight.

Bitto posted...

Yep, I decided to go for it now that I finished Rebirth. I'll start playing tonight.

woohoo! post thoughts somewhere!

KamikazePotato posted...

By the way, for anyone interested in the idea of magic in the courtroom, but like, good, check out Tyrion Cuthbert

There's also the third case of this game...!

Leonhart4 posted...

There's also the third case of this game...!

Tyrion Cuthbert has 5 whole good cases!

I think you specifically would definitely like it, but I can't explain why without spoilers

Yeah, I've been perusing that topic and seeing the spoiler-free impressions of it. I'll probably give it a try once I too am finished with Rebirth.

I'm a Layton vs Wright apologist, but if Tyrion Cuthbert makes full use of its magical setting, I'm in.

skulltrumpets posted...

I'm a Layton vs Wright apologist, but if Tyrion Cuthbert makes full use of its magical setting, I'm in.

That's one of the main gimmicks. Spells exist for realsies and their properties are used as evidence in court.