15.7 hours played
Written 7 hours ago
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 223:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/10)
This game is everything I want from a mystery adventure. Set in early-1900s China, it blends courtroom drama with scenic exploration, deep cultural context, and a love letter to the detective genre. I binge-played it in one sitting, and each case built on the last—until that final, brutal finale that nearly broke me. It’s not just inspired by [i]Ace Attorney[/i]—it perhaps surpasses it in cultural depth, narrative pacing, and emotional weight.
🏮[b] Pros:[/b]
[list]
[*] Masterfully structured mystery arcs. Each of the interconnected cases is self-contained yet clearly builds toward the emotional core of the story. The pace tightens as you go—from clever locked-room puzzles to morally complex courtroom-esque showdowns. The writing is airtight, with clues woven elegantly into dialogue and evidence. No filler, just purposeful mystery progression.
[*] Cultural immersion that deepens the narrative. Beyond murder puzzles, the game immerses you in early 20th-century Chinese legal customs, societal trauma from opium wars, and colonial tensions in Shanghai. Historical fact cards give you context without dragging down the plot. It's detective work and cultural exploration—a rare, welcome combo.
[*] Visuals that blend elegance with storytelling. The game’s ink-wash, brush-style art makes it feel like walking through a living painting. The beauty contrasts perfectly with the darker, more realistic courtroom scenes, giving the whole game unique visual identity—stylized, but serious.
[*] Engaging gameplay flow with varied mechanics. You move between collecting evidence, analyzing dialogue cues, presenting contradictions, and activating specialized minigames—mixing science-y liquids, re-enacting crime scenes, group interrogations. It keeps the detective experience fresh.
[*] Expressive voice acting and atmospheric OST. Mostly Chinese voice acting with English subtitles adds authenticity. The music strikes a perfect note between tense drama and scenic reflection, elevating every courtroom moment into a cinematic experience.
[*] You can skip the minigames! Good accessibility.
[/list]
⚖️[b] Cons:[/b]
[list]
[*] Final case is a serious brain-buster. The final mystery not only ties every previous plot thread together, but demands razor-sharp attention from you. The payoff was good, but man, was it hard.
[*] Some puzzles lean into trial-and-error. A few deductions feel like wild guesses more than logical leaps—though the game’s retry system softens the blow, it can still be difficult.
[/list]