A couple pieces of trivia before we start out: * One of my favorite manga artists, or Suekane Kumiko, did the character design on almost all major characters in this first game. Her Phoenix Wright illustrations are top notch, look them up sometime if you have the chance. You won't regret it. [for ease of Googling: Suekane Kumiko Phoenix Wright ] * The original Japanese title of the franchise is [pronounced: Gyakuten Saiban], which literally means "Turnabout Trial". This really helped clear up the seemingly weird obsession nearly all these case titles have with the word 'turnabout'. Ill take these cases in order, just because its the most logical thing to do. And I did say progressive spoilers, did I not? Just reiterating that, in case someone missed it.
Case 1-1 - The First Turnabout https://i.imgur.com/huZ6R9W.jpg We meet Larry Butz, and are told by our main character Phoenix Wright that when something smells its usually the Butz. Apparently in Japanese the name pun is I already knew it, with certainty - and when Larrys involved, you pretty much know it. Poor Larry was dating a pretty model, and we came to find that a bungled burglar killed her when she came home from travelling overseas. Sadly, she was killed with blunt force trauma by Larrys gift to her - a speaking clock shaped like Rodins The Thinker sculpture. Despite his rep as something of a hamfisted fellow, its a very well-made object.
Phoenix Wright stands by his old school chum by figuring out that Frank Sahwit, the witness giving testimony, is actually our larcenous murderer. He tries to pin the crime on the hapless Larry Butz, and is foiled by time zone differences. Weve all been there, right? #relatable
Culprit: Frank Sahwit is memorable as the first witness sprite you see go through a series of increasingly grotesque transformations, as the truth is uncovered by titular defense lawyer Mr Wright.
Overall: This was my least favorite of the AA1 cases. Although it holds a nostalgic spot as the first case you win, its easily supplanted by more challenging cases later on in the game.
Yeah, I have to agree on ranking. Although the fact that I think its also an excellently concise snippet of what makes the series great and a pretty fun case anyway is just a testament to how great the first game was.
