Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney - Gameplay

Gameplay

The gameplay of Apollo Justice can be separated into two types of situations: Investigation Mode and Courtroom Mode. Both are presented in the style of a visual novel and therefore, storyline is heavily linear, though there are often interactive interludes to the dialogue. The player is given a health bar. If the player ever presents the incorrect evidence, health is lost. If the health bar reaches zero, the player loses. Apollo Justice is the first game in the series to be developed specifically for the DS as opposed to being a port of a game originally for the Game Boy Advance. As such, the DS' touch screen and microphone features are a fundamental part of Apollo Justice. Additionally, this game is the first in the series where Phoenix Wright is not the main protagonist, though it is not the first time a different attorney has been playable.

During the Investigation phase of each case, the player explores the game world by either using the stylus or the D-pad to select the actions they wish to engage in: Examine, Move, Talk, or Present. The player converses with non-player characters by selecting dialogue and can move around the game world by selecting the locations they wish to travel to. Information gained during Investigation Mode can be used during the Trial phase of the game and items picked up can be used as evidence. The player, however, cannot progress without completing certain actions. Ema Skye, a character from the DS remake of the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney game, often provides the player with opportunities to use DS features such as the microphone to perform actions such as dusting for fingerprints.

The Trial portion of the game is similar to that of previous Ace Attorney games and consists of listening to and cross-examining witness testimonies. The player is given the option to either Press or Present evidence in response to statements made by witnesses. The player can either select their choice or yell into the microphone. Pressing will force the witness to expand on a previous testimony and may unlock new segments of the testimony, while Present is used to present information—either in the form of evidence or profiles—that contradicts the witness's testimony. "Psyche locks," first introduced in Justice for All, are used only during the final case. However, while presenting evidence, the player is no longer able to determine between presenting evidence or a character profile, simplifying the game. A new system, known as the "Perceive System," can be used to look for motions or actions made by witnesses that show nervousness, similar to a tell in poker. The move even comes with the catchphrase, "Gotcha!" ("There!" (そこだ!, Soko da!?) in Japanese). The game also includes a "Crime Recreation Mode" that models evidence or the crime scene in a 3-D rendition and allow the player to explore the recreation to look for clues. Additionally, the game often recreates the crime in cutscene sequences, allowing the player to observe the action and find contradictions.