The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles isn’t perfect, but it’s the closest that the series has ever been to that lofty goal. These games are Shu Takumi at his absolute best, and it’s a blessing that western players finally have the chance to play them without resorting to fan translations. Whether you’re a new fan, or have been with the series from the very beginning, I can’t recommend The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles enough.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is an outstanding entry for existing fans and a great starting point for new ones. If you're prepared to read through hours of text, this entry provides a collection of supremely well-written cases populated by fascinating characters with no prior series investment required. While its portable origins are plain to see, these newly translated games are a well-earned triumph brought about by a dedicated fanbase.

An adventure that, despite some heaviness in the text and rhythm, offers a very pleasant taste.

This court finds The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles guilty of being a bit uneven, but it more than makes up for it through the quality of the second game in this two-game package.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles has the rush of excitement of the courtroom but chooses melodrama over mystery.

Indeed, if you've only ever played the original Ace Attorney Trilogy, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is still a massive step up from those early games, both in terms of production values and the complexity of its cases. It might not match some of Spirit Of Justice's late-game twists, but this is definitely one of the better Phoenix Wright games in recent memory, and certainly since the original trilogy. As a prequel, it's also a great place to start for Ace Attorney newbies, offering a great introduction to Shu Takumi's visual novel detective series without all the daft baggage it's accumulated in games four to six. If I were a judge presiding over video games court, the strength of the evidence is clear. Far from a villain in the Ace Attorney series, Chronicles is grade-A goodness. With the full weight of the fiery jury behind me, I hereby declare this to be a most excellent video game.