I wasn’t expecting to ever make this review, but “Contempt of Court” – an Ace Attorney fan game – impressed me so much that I knew I had to talk about it.
The whole thing was a pleasant surprise, and you can tell a lot of thought and care went into each case and sprite. As well as giving my thoughts at the end, I’ll rank the cases in order to give a comprehensive review.
Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:
OK
4 – The Haunted Turnabout (Case 2)
“The Haunted Turnabout” had all the hallmarks of a great Ace Attorney filler case – some great characters and a fun location to explore, but the mystery itself was what let it down.
I found the whole “A ghost did the crime!” aspect to be very predictable and underdeveloped, and the murder was full of plot holes and contrivances. I still had a good time, but I think this case needed some more time in the oven.
Good
3 – Turnabout of the Snow (Case 3)
It seems a little unfair to rank “Turnabout of the Snow” on its own, as it’s actually just one big setup for the final case.
Credit where credit is due, it was a great setup to an intriguing crime, and the new characters steal the show yet again. Unfortunately, it ends quite abruptly with an anticlimactic / unfinished payoff.
2 – Turnabout Scapegoat (Case 1)
I went into “Contempt of Court” with low expectations, and I certainly wasn’t expecting the opening case to blow me away as it did.
I was immediately enamoured by the case complexity and the new characters (who each had great themes, might I add), and it felt more like a final case than a first one.
It doesn’t delve into the real meat and gravy of the overarching narrative just yet, of course, and the culprit’s confession seemed way too abrupt and easy, but this was a really fun way to kick off the fan game.
Amazing
1 – The Ensnared Turnabout (Case 4)
The finale of “The Ensnared Turnabout” was a bit too long and melodramatic, but otherwise this was a perfect closing case that upped the stakes and tied up all loose ends.
A lot of the problems I had with previous cases were rectified in this one, and all of the characters bring their A-game – we even got to play as one of my favourite Ace Attorney characters for a decent chunk of it!
Overall Rating: B+
The middle two cases dragged a bit, but the overarching narrative set up by the first and final cases blew me away with their complexity and ingenuity. As fan games go, “Contempt of Court” is a must-play, and an extraordinary achievement!
Aaand that’s my list. You can check out some of my latest blog posts below:
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