LogFAQs > #979527105

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.