At its heart, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is essentially a chronicle of the most harrowing study abroad experience imaginable.
Launched globally in 2021, this spin-off entry transports players to Victorian-era London alongside Ryunosuke Naruhodo, a Japanese university student caught in a whirlwind of historical intrigue. Thrust into the deep end, the fledgling attorney must defend a wealthy philanthropist against the formidable “Reaper of the Bailey,” prosecutor Barok van Zieks. True to his ominous moniker, every defendant who crosses paths with van Zieks meets a grim fate, regardless of their actual innocence.
This collection bundles The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve—titles that originally debuted in Japan in 2015 and 2017. Serving as a prequel to the mainline series, it follows Ryunosuke, a Meiji-era scholar and direct ancestor of the iconic Phoenix Wright. Like his descendant, Ryunosuke finds himself constantly battling overwhelming odds.
Image: Capcom
Unlike the traditional courtroom battles of the original series, Ryunosuke faces a unique trial by fire: an English jury predisposed to believe in his client’s guilt. The case often seems hopeless until his judicial assistant, Susato Mikotoba, unearths an obscure precedent in the British legal archives. By invoking the “summation examination,” Ryunosuke forces the jury to re-evaluate their stance, turning the tide of the trial in a flurry of desperate, improvisational legal maneuvering.
In many ways, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles serves as a revival for discarded concepts. A standout addition is the “Dance of Deduction,” a feature where the eccentric detective Herlock Sholmes (a legally distinct iteration of the legendary sleuth) presents an wildly inaccurate theory that the player must meticulously dismantle and correct.
Director Shu Takumi, the mastermind behind the series, had envisioned this “correcting the detective” mechanic as early as 2000. In a 2015 interview, Takumi revealed that he had long harbored a desire to craft a Sherlock Holmes-inspired game, and this project finally provided the perfect canvas. Even the “Jurist System”—which appeared briefly in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney—finds a more refined, permanent home here.
Image: Capcom
Free from the baggage of established, sometimes contradictory storylines, The Great Ace Attorney feels like a genuine passion project from Takumi. It is a uniquely atmospheric experience, distinct from any previous installment.
The series has always relied on quirky gimmicks—be it spirit channeling or mood-sensing jewelry—to spice up the core objective of exposing contradictions. The Great Ace Attorney is no different, trading supernatural elements for steampunk flair. However, the true brilliance lies in how these mechanics are woven into a cohesive narrative. While earlier entries often felt like a collection of episodic cases, this duology is tightly interconnected, with every “Dance of Deduction” serving a grand, overarching conspiracy.
Ryunosuke’s journey also explores weightier themes, including systemic class and racial prejudice. The hostility he and Susato encounter adds a grounded, somber tone to the proceedings. As recurring figures like the street-smart Gina Lestrade and the author Soseki Natsume weave through multiple cases, the emotional stakes intensify, making the player deeply invested in their personal growth within an often-unjust society.
Will there ever be another Ace Attorney game?
Image: Capcom
Takumi once believed Phoenix Wright’s narrative arc concluded with the original trilogy. Yet, The Great Ace Attorney proves that the franchise is capable of thriving even without its spiky-haired mascot at the helm.
It has been a decade since the release of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney — Spirit of Justice, the last brand-new mainline entry. While Capcom has focused on remasters and localizations, fans remain hungry for original content. A December 2025 corporate report offered a glimmer of hope: Capcom now views the series as a core IP alongside giants like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter, explicitly mentioning plans for new releases. With nearly every title now ported to modern platforms—save for the 3DS exclusive Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright—the path is clear for Capcom to finally deliver something entirely fresh.
Until that day arrives, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles stands as a definitive, must-play experience for fans on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation.
Source: Polygon
