Lurker > andylt

Stun Spore Division
+3 Kilowattrel
+2 Mimikyu
+1 Gible
-1 Barraskewda
-2 Nidorino
-3 Gurdurr

Core Enforcer Division
+3 Snom
+2 Mr. Rime
+1 Cacnea
-1 Swadloon
-2 Moltres
-3 Gardevoir

The second trial day starts rather anticlimactically. Despite there being no poison found in Soseki's tea, and how quickly we dismantle Shamspeare's latest lie using the unstained cup, van Zieks immediately covers for Shamspeare and the jury promptly rules that Natsume is guilty again. Nahhh, I don't believe this one.

I'm thinking the writers may have put themselves into a corner with the nature of summation examinations, they're a fun mechanic but they require all the jurors to vote guilty beforehand, so we wind up with weird stuff like this. And I find it odd for van Zieks to bail out Shamspeare like that, he's usually interested in the truth even if it hurts his case. I do like how the jurors aren't even pretending to care about the case itself though, they're all arguing amongst themselves about gas prices. Quinby Altamont remains a fun character, the bee gimmick is forced and I don't buy her voting guilty but I like her violent hatred of Shamspeare, and her offering a job to Ryunosuke. Screw this gig, we're gonna live comfortably in the world of corporate law from now on!

Nobody is paying the slightest bit of attention to the court rules this examination, we're all talking whenever they want. Even van Zieks. Afterwards we get our chance to name Olive Green as the perpetrator, and van Zieks helpfully allows our request. Though really, we'd established no link at this point and her alibi seemed to be airtight so it's very generous that we're given this break anyway!

The rest of the trial is strong. Some of the case goes as we'd already guessed, but I like the twist that Olive sent the card to Shamspeare and that she put the poison in place back before she was stabbed. It's a pretty smart plan she had, too, ensuring that nobody would die if Shamspeare was innocent. Of course nobody considers the repercussions their actions have on poor innocent Natsume, as ever. Shamspeare has a fun breakdown, too, though it's somehow not as extravagant as I was hoping given... everything about him. Also, would that key really have still had skin prints of Selden on it? And why was Selden never given a first name, I wonder?

Between Olive Green and Raiten Menimemo, this game is much more successful at making sympathetic culprits than the first game was with Pavlova and Mrs Garrideb (and Roly). Both cases this time have involved people seeking revenge in a way that is arguably justified, so it's worth keeping an eye on that being an ongoing theme going forwards. This was a solid case through and through, I liked all the characters and the mystery itself was good, even if bits of the trial felt a little forced. I really like how they're playing with the series tropes by having two culprits here, one of them being the victim himself. Much better than our first sojourn into Briar Road!

Our brief epilogue shows Selden's loot- a giant bloodstained collar with the letter B engraved on it. I have to assume this B is for Baskervilles. Sholmes gets deadly serious again, and I note that Gregson seems to catch on to the hints he's throwing down. Finally, Ryunosuke teases the next case- we're finally heading to the Great Exhibition! Hype!

GLaDOS

Roswell is a classic. I don't remember Jurassic Bark being particularly memorable beyond the 30 seconds end credits.

Wow gen 3 has really solid grass types, I never knew. Gen 5 is probs second for me.

Decent results but I was really rooting for Centiskorch to pull off the win! So close.

Managed to squeak some game time in today, enough to finish the next day of investigation.

We get a brief tease from past Kazuma that I believe is new: 'If you were to become a lawyer, then one day...', hm still no idea what his goal was. Sholmes tells us a bit about van Zieks, though it's nothing Ryunosuke doesn't learn again at the end of case 5. We then engage in some investigation with an early 20th century Luminol equivalent, thankfully without any blowing required. Sholmes joins us for most of the afternoon, I'm surprised we don't get a deduction dance but he's entertaining as always. A dismal failure!

We learn a lot more about our case- Selden, Duncan Ross, gas leaks, skin prints, and more. I haven't figured it all out but this was a fun day. The unexpected climax is poor Olive Green almost attempting suicide before our very eyes. This is thankfully treated much more appropriately than Windibank's comedy routine last game. It's a good scene, and Olive has truly been on the receiving end of a great deal of misfortune, which is why I'm sad that she's now my top suspect for poisoning Shamspeare.

From what we've pieced together, here's my current theory: Shamspeare wants to find Selden's treasure haul, and intentionally turns off the gas in the other tenant's room through the hole Wagahai appeared from, or maybe something to do with the handprints around the painting. Is he intentionally killing them so he can get the room for himself? IDK that seems a bit thin, especially as he didn't move in after Duncan died, so that part needs work.

We know Green dislikes Shamspeare, and it's unremarked upon but the fragment of envelope in Shamspeare's room must come from the card that was sent to her. So I think they've had a confrontation and she somehow poisoned him with some stuff she took from the hospital (I believe she regained consciousness during the final day of the case 4 trial, so she could've moved around that night). Dunno how it would all work and why Metermann and Garrideb didn't notice her, but that's roughly where I'm at. If the trial does point towards Olive as the attempted killer as revenge for her fiance's death it will all be very sad, I'm sure. But we have one more trial day (at least!), so there's no doubt many more twists to come!

If you ever do this again I shall have to recommend five FF7 songs to get it up to Friday Night Funkin' level.

Thanks for the write-ups! I am still catching up on the list >_> I like that Ace Combat tune, though.

Xtlm posted...

It's like I've stepped back in time

is this a vote for Sonic R

Diamond Storm Division
+3 Iron Moth
+2 Gabite
+1 Applin
-1 Pawmo
-2 Ursaring
-3 Pansage

Tachyon Cutter Division
+3 Latios
+2 Staravia
+1 Cherrim
-1 Arctibax
-2 Capsakid
-3 Fennekin

not a strong day

I was counting a couple of pokemon's votals the past day and I think we barely missed out on an upset at the top of a group :(

Phoenix

Don't get me wrong, I gave Dhelmise + myself, I just expected it to get drowned in - votes with being a non-evolving late gen mon that doesn't get much ingame screentime and is... admittedly very strange.

Did not expect Dhelmise to get a net positive score!

I've done the first trial section. Multiple trial days?? Whatever will they think of next :O

van Zieks talks a lot of trash considering he's 0-2 against us at this point, and we've only been in the country for 4 days. Not only do we have him as the prosecutor (I wonder if we'll even get any other prosecutor this game now, I hope so), but nearly the entire jury is identical from the case two days prior. Sadly none of them seem to have new gimmicks, and the old ones are wearing thin. Our new juror is interesting though, Mrs Quinby Altamont. I don't know why they decided to go so hard on a bee gimmick with her and the workman, but it works OK I guess. I also don't know why she votes Guilty for Natsume and then changes her mind, when she clearly hates Shamspeare and the only new piece of information we get in the examination is from her... But whatever, examinations are fun, even if Ryunosuke has forgotten their existence (to be fair it has been nearly 48 hours since he last used one).

We spend half of this trial acting on behalf of Big Gas, and the other half imagining Shamspeare and Natsume wrestling while dressed as Romeo and Juliet. All in all, a productive morning. I like the frozen tea twist, though for once I wish the game had given me a bit more of a hint, I didn't recall the frozen water pipes. Shamspeare is also an entertaining witness, his animations make Ashley Graydon's seem static. It's a shame we don't see William react to us proving him to be a gas thief.

More investigating ahead, I guess! Still don't see how this will become an unspeakable case, and I still think a gas leak is gonna be a thing.

Surprising myself by giving it to gen 4 today, it does some great work with past lines. 3 and 5 are also very solid.

Focus Energy Division
+3 Pikachu
+2 Pikipek
+1 Surskit
-1 Basculin
-2 Smoochum
-3 Chimchar

Astral Barrage Division
+3 Centiskorch
+2 Chien-Pao
+1 Floatzel
-1 Mewtwo
-2 Aipom
-3 Conkeldurr

WarioWare

Thanks, TRE! I know we're not even halfway through the round so everyone on that list could get eliminated, but it's interesting to keep track of.

GLaDOS

Azelf is my fav of that trio but it's probably my least fav legendary trio/foursome in the series.

Woo Glimmet barely survived over Mime! Is there a list of which third-from-bottom finishers are currently progressing?

Aw dang RIP Crabrawler. I blame Crabominable for tanking its potential.

OK I have the alternate costumes on now. I don't like Susato's, Ryunosuke's is good but it's a shame he loses the armband, and Sholmes's is fantastic, I'm definitely keeping that one.

Apparently Ryunosuke has been barred from appearing in court since his last case, I guess because he made an enemy out of the British government. Or perhaps he's still being punished for defending McGilded >_> Regardless, Sholmes acts shady about our secret case, and we flash back to the day after the Clouded Kokoro case finished. I suppose all the mentions of haunted lodgings in the first game's last case were supposed to refer back to this secret one.

We meet conscious Olive Green for the first time, and aside from continuity I don't know why she'd be relevant here so she must come into play later on. She seems nice. Our victim is William Shamspeare, who I believe is one of the mystery duo we met so very briefly in the last game, and our defendant is, of course, Soseki Natsume. I wonder who will have the higher 'falsely accused' count by the end of the game, Ryunosuke or Soseki. The deduction with Sholmes is a lot of fun, there's a lot of banter with Susato and running gags about soap, a fork, and an English liquid storing vessel. Was this poisoned soap from a real Holmes story? There's also some inspired 'animations' on show here, with Natsume posing towards the building's entrance.

Sholmes gets Natsume arrested once more (thankfully Ryunosuke dodges the blame), and we investigate before the dead body jerks upright and starts monologuing. And then promptly collapses on the floor again. I did not see this coming, regular AA had ghosts and now GAA has zombies!

An amusing development, though. Out on the street the other guy we met briefly last time around runs away from us, then we talk to Garrideb, which is a much more pleasant experience without Joan around. I'm assuming the gas meters will be vital here, maybe a gas leak will explain the hauntings. Natsume explains that his room's previous occupant suddenly died, and I do recall that being briefly brought up by the Garridebs way back when. Shamspeare regains consciousness and apparently points the finger at Natsume, and thus concludes our investigation!

The investigating was enjoyable here, though we don't have nearly enough info to put things together yet. I assume van Zieks will be our prosecutor again, I wonder how many repeat jurors we'll get tomorrow. I can't help but note that we've technically not met any new characters yet, given that Green, Shamspeare, and the other guy were all sort of around last time. Please don't bring the Beates back, game! The case is fun but I don't yet see how this will become relevant to the ongoing arc. Mysteries, mysteries.

Flame Wheel Division
+3 Bidoof
+2 Blastoise
+1 Ferroseed
-1 Politoed
-2 Ekans
-3 Misdreavus

Belch Division
+3 Drifblim
+2 Dhelmise
+1 Inkay
-1 Charmeleon
-2 Chikorita
-3 Magby

Jeez i hate this division. So many I want to minus!

I realise now that they've probably done this as an excuse to have Ryunosuke and Susato together again in the second game. We'll see!

Case 1 down!

Well, they've learned to cut the case length by an hour or two, I see. Much like the first game, I like a lot of the character stuff and arching intrigue, but the nuts and bolts of the case are still a bit lacking. We establish that the pen in the hut is probably Menimemo's, and then don't touch on that topic again until the end of the trial. And everybody accepts our rather flimsy 'knife through the back of the hut' evidence far too easily! I'm not too fond of 'he had to stab her after poisoning her or he'd be found out' angle either, given that nobody knew he was there and both Soseki and Rei would be far more likely to be found guilty of her murder than him. He's also weirdly treated no differently after admitting to having stabbed Brett.

I mostly enjoy Raiten as a character, though I think the game bounces back and forth a bit between whether he's awful or sympathetic. I enjoy him much more in the latter category, though I'm glad Susato points out how willing he was to frame an innocent of murder. He's not as bad as Brett though, come on Susato, didn't you see that flashback? She really was a dreadful person, lol. The angle of him sincerely trying to report the truth and uncover government cover-ups though, and being so frustrated at the lack of justice in the world that he snaps, that's all great. Also how the heck is he supposed to be older than Natsume and Hosonaga >_>

I thought that our rather favourable treatment from the judge was due to this being a tutorial case and to contrast with Britain later on, but after the trial we see that the judge is friends with Susato's father, who is looking shadier by the second. Now this could be really interesting. I was disappointed at Yujin being rather bland throughout the case, but we know now that he traveled to GB when Susato was born and is a government adviser, Menimemo even indicates that he was involved with Kazuma's death before being manhandled by the (corrupt?) judge! (Sidenote, is this the first time we've seen a judge out of court? And with a name!) Will Ryutaro have to take him down by the end of the game? If he's the one who invited Wilson to Japan, I wonder how this fits in with his murder... Move over Stronghart, we have a new candidate for big bad. Though I'm getting ahead of myself.

Before we wrap up, Soseki and Hosonaga talk with Susato (who drops her disguise before she's even left the courthouse), and I'm reminded that Hosonaga is really very bad at keeping the people he's meant to protect alive. Maybe he's a secret mastermind! Soseki and Susato talk about a secret second case that took place during the events of the first game. Was this hinted at last game and I missed it, or are they pulling it out of their ass? Either way, it's not what I expected, and I am intrigued. I doubt this is the last time we'll be in Japan this game, but for now Susato hangs up her dashing disguise and hands the reins back to her cousin.

...

'Sprig of my topknot
the time is right for farewell
Hope is lost forever.' - Taketsuchi

OK and Auchi is mostly unironically the case highlight. His slight growth from the last game has him treated more like a real character than ever before, and I appreciate how every character reacts appropriately to his sacrifice. I'm not even mad they use the sad Kazuma theme here, what a hilarious scene.

Go, Team Generic!

Go, Team Amnesia!

Octazooka Division
+3 Tatsugiri
+2 Serperior
+1 Cyclizar
-1 Woobat
-2 Stantler
-3 Fidough

Pain Split Division
+3 Blissey
+2 Glimmet
+1 Marowak
-1 Unfezant
-2 Crabominable
-3 Mr. Mime

I'm surprised Enamorus didn't break a new low record tbh so it did well by my expectations!

As a Vivillon +3er I am surprised it won the division.

I like Vivillon solely for its gimmick, it is a great gimmick.

Do not get what people see in Victini in the slightest! But then I haven't played gen 5.

Yeah I'm really not very familiar with Holmes so a lot of that goes over my head. I suppose the lion and tunnelling under the store ones were real stories?

And yeah I also know absolutely nothing about Soseki Natsume, I am very uncultured :( I will look him up... after I've finished this series.

Paratroopa1 posted...

I correctly predicted Susato would be the playable character in the first case based on this logic: Auchi is literally required to be the prosecutor in the first case, so either he comes to London or we begin in Japan, and it makes more sense to begin in Japan since we sent Susato there anyway, and Susato is the only person who could be the playable lawyer in that case

It made sense for Susato to be playable, I think I mentioned the possibility earlier (I definitely mentioned my desire for it!), but I didn't believe they'd actually do it.
And I know Payne/Auchi is the tutorial guy but I didn't think of that as being a hard rule, and GAA has already broken some series conventions anyway. Has he really been the first case prosecutor in every AA game? Even Investigations and Layton?

I didn't have much time to play today, but I'd waited too long to start Resolve already so I went through to the first court recess. Of how many this time, I wonder. The opening cutscene has Susato talking to Kazuma's grave ( :( ) about what she's been up to, and informs us in a very hype way that she is going to be a lawyer for one case. Yeah!! I didn't think this would actually happen but I'm very glad it did, it makes so much sense. Glad I didn't know of it either, I imagine this hook was featured in trailers when the game first came out in Japan. We also see that the new victim is Brett!

We begin the case in the same way as the first game, in the Japanese Supreme Court with Taketsuchi Auchi, Susato's father, and even Hosonaga as a witness. I was curious how this game would handle its tutorial, with it being a standalone game in Japan they'd have to account for new players but for all of us in the West we're coming into this with dozens of hours of experience. There is some basic handholding but it appears to be over with much more quickly than last time. ...Although we haven't done pursuing, investigating, or jury stuff yet so maybe I'm speaking too soon. The game at least gives us the option to skip the examine tutorial.

Another repeat of last time is our lawyer herself, sort of. Susato follows the classic trope of dressing as a man, and I'm glad they aren't shying away from the sexism angle now. Ryutaro Naruhodo is her new name in court, even on the textbox, and she inherits her surname's animations right down to the hand raise and twitchy eyes. It's worth noting that Ryutaro asserts himself far more quickly than Ryunosuke did, as you'd expect from someone with Susato's judicial experience. There's no shaky hand slam here! Gosh, I really am so happy that this is the direction they chose to go in.

Our defendant is Rei Membami (insert Anthony Higgs joke here), Susato's best friend who we've never heard of before (I guess she forgot!). Rei has a not so slight crush on the elegant and dashing Ryutaro.

As said Jezaille Brett is our victim this time, which is a surprise. Did the Reaper of the Supreme Court of Judicature get her? I like that her ridiculous hat is in the victim photo, though I feel for whatever poor soul played this game before the first and was baffled as to why nobody was mentioning the giant swan. The case involves poison just like last time, we're coming full circle. And Jezaille's lack of known motive for killing Wilson has also been brought up, so we're definitely getting closure here.

I'm not surprised to see Hosonaga on the stand in a silly outfit, but Soseki Natsume is a different story. Not just Soseki, but cocky and successful Soseki! Japan agrees with him, I take it. He's now a famous author, complete with a background paparrazo, and it's a very neat little quirk to have that background character become an actual witness (maybe the killer :O). The first recess transpires as the police go to bring Reiten Menimemo (I get it!) to court. I don't love that the judge is taking the photo as decisive evidence when it already fits with our notion of Rei pulling the knife out of Brett, but we'll see how things go. No steaks or koban coins so far, here's hoping it stays that way.

LAWYER SUSATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo

Pika Papow Division
+3 Crabrawler
+2 Sigilyph
+1 Iron Valiant
-1 Zweilous
-2 Iron Hands
-3 Bagon

Amnesia Division
+3 Boltund
+2 Quilava
+1 Scolipede
-1 Azelf
-2 Regidrago
-3 Lucario

Cool divisions today, especially Amnesia.

Wow I guess I don't really care for fighting pokemon

Auron

Triple Dive Division
+3 Zygarde
+2 Duosion
+1 Carbink
-1 Cetoddle
-2 Victini
-3 Enamorus

Bad!
(Snake > Dog > Mech)

Hyper Beam Division
+3 Vivillon
+2 Sealeo
+1 Girafarig
-1 Patrat
-2 Oinkologne
-3 Chewtle

Good!

Low bar, but easy gen 7. It's surprising how bad gen 6's lineup is considering fairies were its main focus.

Bounsweet is amusing in New Snap so it gets a pass from me.

Though I, too, would've rather seen Togedemaru survive!

Wow, I didn't know people liked Nidoqueen. And I'm surprised Wo-Chien didn't do better!

The second game won't start before tomorrow, I'm afraid! In the meantime, here's all the lingering questions I could think of.

• What was Kazuma's secret important goal in Great Britain?
• Why did Jezaille Brett kill John H Wilson?
• Why did Wilson abandon his daughter to go to Japan and become a professor?
• Why is Hosonaga always coughing up blood?
• What was Sholmes' primary purpose on board the SS Burya, and why was he in the East to begin with?
• Why was Stronghart several hours late to meet us when we first arrived in London, when keeping time is his whole thing? (OK this might not actually be a mystery but it bothers me)
• What was the deal with those two randos who we saw for 30 seconds in case 4's investigation?
• How did Susato know about The Hound of the Baskervilles?
• Why did Sholmes insist on the Baskervilles manuscript not being released?
• Why did van Zieks leave law for 5 years, then come back now?
• Who betrayed van Zieks, and how?
• Why do all of van Zieks's opposing defendants die?
• What's the deal with the four names on the disk? And by extension, what are the shady communications between GB and Japan all about?
• ...Does Sholmes still have a scalpel inside him?

And not a mystery as such, but there's so much talk about the Great Exhibition and Crystal Tower dotted throughout the game that I imagine we'll see it coming up.

Water Sport Division
+3 Crustle
+2 Gligar
+1 Lokix
-1 Bruxish
-2 Runerigus
-3 Zangoose

Electroweb Division
+3 Drilbur
+2 Fezandipiti
+1 Mabosstiff
-1 Finizen
-2 Silicobra
-3 Sneasler

woo top 50!

rwlh posted...

Donkey Kong Country 2 - Forest Interlude

Wow I'm very surprised this wasn't on your list already. It even retired in VGMC, didn't it?

Tidus

As a heads up I'm probably gonna start Resolve tomorrow or Friday. I was thinking of making a list of unresolved mysteries we need answers to, but there's probs too many to remember.

I randomly remembered Sholmes's caramel imprint of the disk, which never up in the case. So maybe we'll hear the full contents of the disk next time. I assume Iris looked at the player enough to replicate it accurately.

I can't think what connects the 4 names on the disk. Asogi and Wilson were both killed (and Ryunosuke was blamed for their murders), but Kazuma's death wasn't premeditated so I don't think it's a hitlist. Wilson and Gregson have close ties to Sholmes, but Kazuma didn't. We've never (knowingly) met Shin so Ryunosuke can't be the link. How old was Kazuma? I know he was a registered lawyer but I don't see how he could be important enough to be listed in a secret government message post-death. But he did have grand plans for changing the legal system and there was something important he had to do in GB. I still don't remember if we've been told he'd been to Britain or not but I'm assuming he must have been, to connect to anyone else.

Also looking back it's funny that they made a whole model for Susato's father when he appears in exactly two scenes and doesn't do anything. He must have a role to play in the second game, unless he dies of his mystery illness in the meantime. Come to think of it, I wonder how far ahead the timeskip will be.

The biggest possible twist in the second game would be Stronghart not being an antagonist.

I've seen bugs eat grass

Floaty Fall was probably the weakest division so far, I can't speak for anyone else but Vileplume kinda defaulted to top of my list because of how bad the competition was. And I wouldn't call Lanturn's result a dud when it only lost to a super popular gen 1 mon!

Paratroopa1 posted...

-13 Gholdengo
-14 Machop
-16 Vigoroth
-18 Malamar

Wow, tight. Bad luck for Malamar here.

Sand Tomb Division
+3 Trevenant
+2 Trapinch
+1 Eelektross
-1 Flaaffy
-2 Rellor
-3 Gimmighoul

Max Darkness Division
+3 Aggron
+2 Togedemaru
+1 Wo-Chien
-1 Swanna
-2 Nidoqueen
-3 Ambipom

OK, I've watched the escapades. Kazuma and Herlock interacting (too briefly :( )! Fun with taxes! And kanji! And wacky crazes! The misadventures of a shilling! Van Zieks's dramatic daydream of Sholmes being framed for the murder of a parakeet by Gregson! What more could you want. I enjoyed the slice of life stuff here, it's fun being around everyone in casual situations. Dunno how Gina got out of jail already. And van Zieks was given a new animation facing straight on, that's interesting. Ryunosuke didn't, so I assume we'll encounter Van Zieks outside of court in the second game.

Sent by: Sholmes, Envoy of Hell!