Ace Attorney Deep Dive: “Recipe For Turnabout” (Trials & Tribulations – Case 3)

“Recipe For Turnabout” was supposed to be a case from “Justice For All” but it ended up getting cut and repurposed for “Trials & Tribulations”. It fits neatly into the third case slot … but does it continue the trend of unfortunate Phoenix Wright third cases?

I’ll be deconstructing the case in ten distinct categories and giving a score out of ten for each. This will give a definitive score out of a hundred, if the maths checks out!

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Micro Story

Poisoning! The Mafia! Hackers! Loan Sharks!

For as bonkers as the Micro Story is in “Recipe For Turnabout”, it’s amazing how flat it falls in places. You’re telling me a Loan Shark who owes the Mafia big-time poisoned a hacker who just so happened to win the lottery at the worst moment possible? And that said Loan Shark committed the murder twice and then impersonated a lawyer in order to enact his master plan? Sure …

I appreciate how balls-to-the-wall the plot is in this case, but Glen Elg’s murder and the circumstances surrounding it are bizarre to say the least.

Score: 5/10

Macro Story

Like with all of the third cases so far, “Recipe For Turnabout” doesn’t have much to do with the overarching narrative of the game. The events that transpire within Tres Bien don’t change the characters in any way, nor do they relate to the familial drama of Kurain Village.

What I did appreciate, however, was the hint that Godot can’t see red on white backgrounds. Him not spotting the ketchup on the apron seemed like an odd inclusion at first, but it hits so much harder once you know how the final case plays out.

Score: 6/10

Mystery

Okay, I’ll admit, “Recipe For Turnabout” might have one of the most obvious culprits in the series. It literally can’t be anyone else once you’ve met Furio Tigre, but it’s the mystery of how he did it that I enjoyed most.

Did he have an accomplice? What was the motive? Why commit the crime twice? These answers don’t necessarily have satisfying answers, but the journey to the answers was entertaining.

Score: 7/10

Side Characters

We’re introduced to four new characters and one returning side player, and most of them suck.

Maggey Byrde is the aforementioned returning character, and yet again she’s the defendant of the case due to a wrong place, wrong time deal. She’s quite a forgettable defendant, but her budding romance with Gumshoe is adorable.

Lisa Basil and Viola Cadaverini are two characters I wish we got more time with. The first is a pioneer of technology while the other is a mob boss’s daughter who had a tragic accident, but neither of them gripped me as characters by the time the case was over.

Jean Armstrong is … well, I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be. A satire of restaurant owners? French people? Gay people? It’s uncomfortable and outdated either way, and his scenes always dragged.

Despite all that, my least favourite character has to be Victor Kudo. He’s a pervert through and through, and he’s pretty annoying both in the Investigations and in the courtroom.

The cast didn’t make me want to claw my eyes out, but I also wouldn’t touch most of them with a ten foot pole.

Score: 4/10

Soundtrack

There are some bubbly tracks here and there, and most of them are very on-brand for Tres Bien and the zany characters, but a lot of it is quite forgettable.

The best new addition is easily Furio Tigre’s theme, a raucous romp that’s as boisterous as it is delightful.

Score: 7/10

Investigations

The various locations such as Tres Bien, the park and Blue Screens Inc are vibrant, I’ll give them that, but the Investigations themselves were pretty boring.

There’s a lot of “Go here and do this before I reveal my crucial information!”, and the whole thing drags like a case from the first game. Viola Cadaverini throws a nice spanner in the works, but it’s too little too late by that point.

Score: 6/10

Trials

On the bright side, boring Investigations meant the writers could save all of the best moments and twists for the courtroom.

“Recipe For Turnabout” has some of the most unabashedly entertaining Trials in the series, and Furio Tigre commands the courtroom once he arrives. I love how he makes everyone hide behind their benches, and Phoenix outwitting him was immensely satisfying.

Score: 8/10

Case Logic

Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, for the tidal wave of infuriating logic.

Glen Elg winning the lottery feels like a contrived spit in the face, the culprits committing the murder twice in order to generate a witness is one of the most convoluted things I’ve ever seen, and Furio Tigre impersonating Phoenix SUCCESSFULLY in the courtroom is the final nail in the coffin.

I get how it’s supposed to be a satire of both the Japanese and the in-game legal systems, but it’s far too big a stretch and it ruins immersion completely.

Score: 4/10

Culprit

There’s a common thread in all of my praise for “Recipe For Turnabout” – its culprit is ridiculous but effective.

Furio Tigre makes an immediate impression, and he elevates every single scene he’s in. His backstory is actually quite tragic once you learn the whole truth, his aggressiveness adds an edge to courtroom proceedings, and his lack of critical thinking and intelligence makes for a funny takedown (albeit quite an easy one compared to other, more formidable opponents).

Score: 8/10

Charm

I used to think “Recipe For Turnabout” was a bit of harmless, charming fun, but after a replay I can see why it rubs many fans the wrong way. The characters are annoying, the plot is nonsensical, and it drags in a lot of places.

Score: 6/10

FINAL SCORE: 61/100

It’s better than “Turnabout Big Top”, that’s undeniable, but I was still relatively disappointing by “Recipe For Turnabout”. It continues the trend of weak third cases, and it’s easily the worst case within my favourite game in the series.

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: