4/5 ★ – MatthewB_03's review of Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

This game is just phenomenal in every way. When I originally played the game back in 2019, I thought it was pretty great, but coming back to it now has allowed newfound appreciation for it. What I and many others criticized the game for was the ending, but upon replay, I actually think it's a beautiful touching moment that rivals even Professor Layton and the Lost Future, though I'll discuss other things first. To catch everyone up, I've been replaying both the Ace Attorney and Professor Layton series, before coming to this game. This is in prep for the new Layton game next year. Both main series are fresh in my mind, and playing this title so recently has shown me just how much care and affection has gone into this game. This game perfectly blends both elements of each franchise seamlessly, and delivers on every moment of fan service you could expect. Being a spin-off allowed for some incredibly shocking moments that just would not happen from either of the main series, and I absolutely cannot discuss these as they are just remarkable, jaw-dropping moments. The blending of artstyles works really well, and a lot of these character designs are the best among each series. The Storyteller, Barnham, The Great Witch, they're all incredible. Even the 3D effect works well, though I recommend having the slider halfway as the amount of detail in the backgrounds also in 3D did strain my eyes. The performance also dipped fairly often, mainly when there were 3 or so models all on screen, and especially during the final few chapters of the game. I was also playing on a New 3DS XL, so christ I can't imagine what it's like on an original 3DS. The music, good lord. All the most iconic tracks have been remixed with a grand feel to them, and the original tracks are just heavenly. The only complaint is that the Professor's Theme played far too often. It's usually reserved to once per game, but here it's at least once per chapter; it felt bizarre to hear it so often. Now, the story. First of all, the characterisation is great. All 4 main characters feel like themselves which is essential. Luke and Maya's childish tendencies mix perfectly for them to be a boatload of chaos, and Layton and Wright together just fills me with pure joy. However I have one large criticism - Maya. She's perfectly in character, sure, but the whole spirit medium part of her character is just swept under the rug. Like talking to animals is brought up a LOT, so Maya's spirit channeling not being there felt so odd. It would've been great in two instances. 1) If Maya tried to channel the spirit of a witch that had been burned 2) During the final witch trial, Maya should have channelled a spirit to protect her identity instead of wearing Barnham's helmet. This could've been her channeling Mia offering advice to Phoenix, who maybe is struggling to believe in Espella or something. Just an idea thrown on a whim. The actual story revolves around witches. Both Layton and Wright are transported through a book into a medieval setting, which has witch trials. Obviously Phoenix defends, and it truly does feel like there is a lot at stake here, because a guilty verdict means being sent to the flames. The tension is like no other Ace Attorney game or case, except maybe 2-4. Magic is also real, which adds to the arsenal in court - the Grand Grimoire (the spell book) as well as the Court Record. It's truly unique and worth a play, especially because of the second addition - multiple witnesses at once. This was later reused in The Great Ace Attorney which I have yet to play. It's an incredibly fun mechanic that shakes things up really well and sets it apart from the main game. Unfortunately the Layton part of the gameplay doesn't have many fun twists like this. The only change is the map. It now allows you to travel wherever you want instead of just one place at a time. This makes manoeuvring less frustrating as it's no longer easy to get lost. It also tells you how many hint coins and hidden puzzles are in a location, removing all the guesswork and making for a more satisfying experience. Hint Coins can also be used during trials to narrow down what testimony to focus on, or what evidence to present. This is really awesome as it means I didn't need to use a guide, but I feel there should have been some form of punishment in doing this. Maybe only 5 times per trial or something, or tie it into the Credibility. I finished with ~140 hint coins left so I could've easily breezed through every court segment if I wanted. 🚨SPOILERS AHEAD🚨 I'm now going to discuss the ending, and along with it, spoilers. You have been warned. The ending is what rubs people the wrong way. It's an oh-so-classic Layton twist - the town is fake!! Magic isn't actually real! It was all an incredibly elaborate scheme! As a Layton fan, this isn't farfetched, trust me. But Professor Layton games tend to be 8-10 hours long. This game took me 23 hours on a replay. It's an incredibly long game, and by the time you're settled and happy with magic being real, you're halfway through the game. There's still another 10 hours to go until the truth is revealed, and I believe that is why many people get upset over it. "It's a fun silly crossover, sure magic can exist!". That's what I thought 4 years ago, and that's why it annoyed me. Now, playing the game with the knowledge of magic and witches not being real has definitely improved my opinion of the game and its ending. I feel like the poor reception to the ending isn't even at fault of the writers - they made witches and magic seem entirely plausible, to the point that when it's realised that they're not real, the players are upset. I commend the team for that. Overall, this game was a treat to play. It honors both series incredibly well, and the only criticisms I have are Maya's abilities not being fully represented, and the performance. It still remains one of the greatest the 3DS has to offer, a must-play for anyone who is a fan of both these series, or a fan trying to get into the other series. 8.5/10