Hallo, alle miteinander, and welcome back to Wright Wednesday. We're smack dab in the middle of Rise from the Ashes, the extra case at the end of the first game in the Ace Attorney series. It's our job to recap, analyze, and review these cases. I'm Roy, and if I had describe myself as "an Ace Attorney fan" or "not an Ace Attorney fan", I would count myself among the former!
As would I, Sam, the Game Professor and friend of the blog!
It's the second day of trial, so why don't you start us off with the recap, Sam?
Alright! As Phoenix and Ema prepare for the trial, Lana shows up, having apparently been kept in questioning all night. Since the police have no idea how to solve this, she took a plea bargain: she tells them the truth about the simultaneous murders, they don't pursue capital punishment. But since she's also in the dark on this, she couldn't tell them much. Phoenix tells Lana about Marshall's bloody fingerprints in the evidence room, and they acknowledge that he'll have to accuse Marshall, as it's the only Trump card they have.
Why...why did you capitalize that word?
I... I didn't mean to. I'm on my phone, it must have gotten confused. That word has been forever ruined.
I feel like Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney did it's best to remedy that, but I don't know if it's possible to cleanse the word.
Well anyway, Meekins is brought up first, and he immediately claims he did it and promises never to murder anyone again. So… not a good start.
I mean, we're representing Lana, so it is actually kind of good for Phoenix and Ema.
But Meekins is a perfect angel and could never have done this, Roy. According to Meekins, he was assigned to guard the evidence room and store the Blue Badger in it, an abnormal assignment for him. He saw a suspicious man on the security cameras and ran into the room, but was attacked with a knife when he asked the man to show his ID. He says he fought for his life, then "did it"--presumably the murder--then passed out.
Remember the Meekins family motto: Do unto other before they do unto you
Meekins has his ID card number on the entry record twice; once before the murder, to relocate the Blue Badger for safekeeping, and the second time when he came back to get it and saw the mysterious intruder in there. Edgeworth eventually states that the next step is to determine if the man in question was actually Detective Goodman. In response, Meekins delivers a videotape of the security footage, which was apparently sent to his cell by Gant. Edgeworth is upset, since he specifically asked if such a tape existed and was told it had been erased on accident.
It's funny, because Edgeworth himself has had a habit of hiding evidence from others, so it's karmic to see him so upset when it happens to him.
He doesn't like a taste of his own medicine. Though it all affirms my suspicions about Gant. We'll see. The video seems to match the testimony, but since the camera moves side-to-side automatically, it misses the key moment of the murder itself. All while the Blue Badger goes about its business and sings its song in the center, which is obviously not creepy in the absolute slightest. Aside from that the footage doesn't seem to reveal anything new, but it does clearly show the intruder unlocking Goodman's fingerprint-protected locker, all but confirming that it is indeed Goodman.
The reactions to the video are some of the funniest in the series. Everyone loves Edgey's "What the hell was that wriggling piece of plywood!?", but I feel the Judge's own "Well, I believe we're all thinking the same thing. How can we deal with these unsettling feelings stirred within us...?" is just as good.
Oh yes, both are excellent and completely reasonable reactions to that horror. On closer inspection of the video, it turns out Goodman's locker was already open, indicating that anyone could have opened it. When asked how it was kept from locking, Phoenix points out the extremely obvious paper that falls from the locker as its opened, indicating that the locker had been kept from locking by something inserted between the door and the lock sensor.
Specifically, the locker is open due to the fact that a light above the locker turns on when open, and it was lit the whole time.
Since this object would have to block electrical currents, Phoenix deduces that it must have been the rubber glove found on the floor of the evidence room (which was also, incidentally, evidence from the SL-9 case). This demonstrates that anyone could have opened the locker, but Edgeworth directs Meekins to testify about something else that will supposedly prove it was Goodman.
This is when it's revealed that this evidence room is highly specialized, only containing evidence from extremely violent cases that involve police personnel.
Yep, and you can bet that'll come into play later. Meekins' testimony isn't quite as dramatic as it sounds; it's just the entry log indicating that Goodman's ID was used to enter the evidence room. Since we found Goodman's ID at the other crime scene, it's reasonable to point out (under the premise of simultaneous murders) that his card wasn't present in the evidence room at that time. Phoenix backs this up with Goodman's lost item report, positing that this item was his ID, and someone could have taken it.
Honestly, that evidence doesn't prove it, necessarily, just kind suggest it, but whatevs, it takes us to the next part of the case.
Yeah, it's pretty weak, but it's all Phoenix has so he plays it. Of course, Edgey is playing five moves ahead here. Now that Phoenix has demonstrated that the man in the evidence room was not Goodman, and since the camera does not show the moment of the murder, and the body was found elsewhere, it can be reasonably concluded that no murder took place at the Police Department. Meaning the only remaining crime scene is the Prosecutor's Office, where Lana Skye supposedly killed Goodman. Phoenix just proved all this handily, and cornered himself and Lana in the process.
I'll want to talk about this more in the analysis section, but this concept...is kind of silly?
Yeah, sort of. Well get to it. But of course, none of this proves the incident in the evidence room is actually unrelated, so Phoenix calls for further investigation. Edgeworth has no more witnesses, so Phoenix takes this opportunity to request that Marshall take the stand, and the court goes to recess while the prosecution prepares.
Specifically, Gumshoe arrives in an excited mood, ready to give Phoenix the evidence he requested. Which is odd, because Phoenix didn't do any such thing. No, it was Lana, who had Gumshoe get the SL-9 Incident Case Files for Phoenix, since he seems determined to dig into that old case.
I admit I am extremely curious about Lana's motivations in all this, as she seems so secretive until she just delivers the answers directly to Phoenix. Looking forward to finding out more.
Well, we immediately learn a little more as Phoenix flips through the file and reveals that Lana Skye was a witness in the trial as well as an investigator...and that Ema took the stand as well. This shocks Ema, who asks Lana if the SL-9 Incident really is the case she's suddenly started thinking it is, and Lana Skye confirms her suspicions: this incident was known to the public as the Joe Darke Killings, and this upsets Ema so much she leaves, meaning Phoenix must enter the courtroom alone.
I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but the stuff with Lana and Ema is so great and I wish it showed up more throughout the case.
Agreed. Anyway, back to court. Marshall's called to the stand, he gives Edgeworth a hard time, and testifies that at the time of the crime he wasn't anywhere near the evidence room. He doesn't feel the need, what with how the security systems already do his job for him. Pressing for more details, he makes it clear he barely ever shows up for work anymore, he just collects the meager paycheck and does whatever he wants.
Which makes him partially responsible for this even if he is telling the truth, but you know.
Of course, Phoenix has evidence to debunk the idea that Marshall wasn't there at the time, namely the bloody fingerprints. Marshall isn't fazed, however, claiming that his fingerprints on that locker are normal, it's his locker from when he was a detective, and if some bloody handprint was wiped away, his fingers being in a similar position is just a coincidence.
Which I think would have been obvious given his fingerprints would have been all over it, not just at the tip of one of the bloody handprint fingers, but whatever.
Phoenix tries to dispute this coincidence, which leads Marshall to challenge him for proof of him being there in the video tape. Luckily, that exists, as between swivels Marshall's locker suddenly has something sticking out of it. Marshall is confused on how that implicates him, considering anyone could have opened his locker and stuffed something in it to frame him.
Marking pretty much the only time I've ever been happy about someone's technophobia.
Yep, it sure bit Marshall in the ass. The entire courtroom goes silent and stares at him, leading Phoenix to reveal the truth: as it was his locker, that proves he was at the scene. The Judge is interested to hear where exactly Marshall was at the time, but he clams up, making Phoenix take the ball for explaining things. Obviously, Marshall was the "victim", having been dressed as Detective Goodman. Edgeworth points out how silly that is, as Meekins would have seen his face and known it wasn't Goodman. But Phoenix points out that Meekins didn't know either man well, and in fact "Goodman" attacked when asked for his ID. Why? Because the man's face didn't match that on the card.
Gotta love when you solve all the inconsistencies and present the only version of events that makes any sense and they get you on a lack of directly empirical evidence.
Well, that's going to come up later in the series as a serious issue with the judicial system that needs to be fixed. Until the game after it gave up on that idea and pretended it didn't happen.
What would they have done if that was where it ended? "I guess we'll just convict Meekins on the premise that he murdered the same man that was murdered simultaneously across town, that makes more sense."
Hey, that's for analysis! Back to the recap, Phoenix figures out the solution: Meekins was cut in the fight, and the blood can be seen on the white coat Marshall was wearing. Not wanting to be seen walking around in a bloody coat, he quickly hid it in his locker. Honestly, this still isn't really conclusive proof, but it is enough to make Marshall admit his guilt.
Yeah, it seems the only way around that big hole in the process is to prove it well enough that the witness cracks themselves.
His new testimony is pretty simple: not wanting the evidence to disappear into storage with the evidence transferal, he stole Goodman's ID and snuck in to take it, not even realizing his plan wouldn't have worked if the door hasn't been malfunction due to the glove in the door. He hadn't expected Meekins, so he knocked him out and left using his knowledge of the security camera, keeping in the blind spots. He claims there was no murder in that evidence room.
Which leads to one of the better revelations of the case so far, I'd say.
Yeah, while you get a few interesting details for pressing Marshall, he refuses to go more into why he was investigating this case illegally. That is, until you check the SL-9 Incident case file and present the truth: one of the reported victims of the case was Neil Marshall, our witnesses younger brother. He was also a prosecutor, having won the King of Prosecutors award not long before being murdered by Joe Darke. The thing is, Marshall knows there has to be more to the story, something being covered up.
It feels like it took us forever to get to the heart behind this whole case, but it's finally starting to show.
Unfortunately, this brings us right back to where we were before calling Marshall: the evidence room 'murder' was nothing of the sort, and the Judge is ready to declare Lana guilty without hesitation. But, in what will become a series hallmark, someone comes to the stand to halt the verdict and give new insight, in this case Ema.
Well, to try at least.
True. After calming down from the revelation of what SL-9 referred to, Ema went to reinvestigate evidence room, specifically the second bloody handprint, but she didn't find anything. However, Phoenix is given one last chance to tie it to the case, and he does. Namely, by pointing out a contradiction with the floorplan. The thing is, at the time of Marshall and Meekins' encounter, the Blue Badger was in the room, and directly in front of the handprint. Thus, it couldn't have been left at that time, which means that it happened before the Badger was placed there. Combined with the insane amount of blood traces found at the scene, Phoenix posits that the evidence room really is the real murder scene, and that the crime happened earlier than they thought it had.
That is the only explanation for the amount of blood that was in there, for sure.
When brought up earlier, they try to say that must have been from Meekins hand cut, which is just silly. Anyway, looking at the ID card record, the previous person to enter that day, before the Badger was there, was Edgeworth. Everyone freaks out, suspicion seeming to fall on his head, but he points out the obvious: there was only a ten minute gap between his entry and Meekins'. He claims that isn't enough time to kill someone, hide the body, and clean up all the blood and evidence. Which...sure, I guess, but also, Citation Needed?
It does seem strange for them to give that explanation so much credence when they were about to convict a man for simultaneous murder despite an even more credible explanation like ten minutes ago.
Yeah, it's weird. But the more likely suspect is the only person on the record yet to have their identity revealed, someone whose number is 7777777. There's a twenty minute gap between that person and Edgeworth, and while Goodman didn't leave a record he also didn't have his card, so he likely entered with that person. The only issue? The number belongs to someone of the rank Captain or higher, and as an executive they can only have their identity revealed if they are already being accused of a crime.
Three guesses about who that could be!
Clearly, it has to be Larry Butz.
The big twist.
Well, the court session is just about rapping up, but Marshall has one last request. He wants to ask Lana Skye if all the evidence presented at the trial of Joe Darke was legitimate. When brought to the stand to answer the question, she evades at first before admitting that sometimes, she felt the powerlessness of the law, that it hampered her more than it helped. And that sometimes, if it meant getting justice, forging evidence could be considered necessary. This stuns everyone, the audience gets so loud they have to just suspend the trial.
Edgeworth's reaction here is notable as well, which I'm sure we'll get into later.
Well, later is now. Time for analysis, Sam.
Alright, well we're finally getting into it now. We've got a tale of revenge, corruption, obsession... lots of good stuff here. I don't care much for Marshall, honestly, but the revelations about him in this trial reveal a lot more interesting elements of this story. The case has questioned the effectiveness of the law, and even labeled it as restrictive in some cases. We're now aware of at least two instances of breaking the law in a legitimate pursuit of justice, and there's likely to be a third, less noble example when we find out who's really behind all this and why. The game thus far has been fairly optimistic about the ability of the law to expose wrongdoing and bring people to justice when handled by competent, well-meaning people, but this case is really starting to question that premise.
For sure. The very concept of a police department forging evidence against a serial killer who everyone is sure is guilty is fascinating. After all, the ethical dilemma is more muddled. The outcome is what everyone wanted, but the very question of capital punishment using forged evidence is given the weight it deserves.
There mere fact that this case includes a line (from someone who is not a villain) about the law being restrictive to justice, rather than providing an ethical and orderly framework for achieving it, is a major departure from the game's themes so far. I'm not sure of the timeline for all these games and their localizations, but I get the impression this case was added to the first one after they had made Justice for All.
That's correct, it was made between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice. I do think it evolves out of the games themes naturally, however. The game has been about corruption in it's various forms: corporate, organized crime, and legal. But Dee Vasquez and Miles Edgeworth both played their parts in corruption, but weren't shown to be totally evil people. This case is tackling law enforcement corruption, and the fact they're taking a closer look at the ethics involved, how it isn't black and white, is a great concept to run with.
For sure! The concepts aren't foreign to this game, but this case does seem to be taking them a bit further than previous cases. But we'll see how they turn out in the end.
I do feel we should also focus on Marshall today, as while he will appear later on, this is basically the apex of his character. I know you said you didn't care for him, which I understand considering his abrasive attitude and careless actions, but I actually quite like the guy, especially compared to Angel Starr. His motivations are understandable, and he isn't nearly as needlessly antagonistic, only turning on Phoenix once accused as a murderer.
Oh yeah, I think of Marshall as the alright version of Starr's character. He's not as unlikable, and his personal connection to the SL-9 incident is one of the best moments of the case so far, as well as connecting him to it in a far more interesting way than Starr. So I don't super love him as a character, but I absolutely appreciate his role in the case and am glad he's here.
What do you think of the video camera piece of evidence? It's another example of them testing what's possible using the DS hardware, and like basically all other of those features, quite a few folks didn't like it.
Really? Honestly, of the things this case has done to play to the DS's improved processing power, this is my favorite so far. It definitely feels a little jarring to see moving 3D models in this game, but this is a far more interesting twist on the usual "find contradiction, present item" formula than the 3D item examination.
I completely agree, it's part of what makes this day in court fairly engaging and unique. It easily could have felt like a diversion from the real mystery, but Meekins and Marshall are both fun witnesses, and this unique piece of gameplay ties it all together.
Yeah, I definitely have my logical issues with the way the whole "second murder of the same person at the same time" thing is approached, but using a seemingly unrelated tangent to prove something important and advance the story is an Ace Attorney move as old as time.
I do think it works better than the Gordy subplot from last time.
Absolutely it does. I love that case, but... yeah.
There is a piece of ludonarrative dissonance that a lot of people bring up with this case. Care to guess what it is, and perhaps explain the term for the folks at home?
Ludonarrative dissonance is when a game's narrative message is at odds with its mechanics. So for an easy example, an ultraviolent shooter with a story about how nonviolent the protagonist is would be full of ludonarrative dissonance; the story says one thing, the gameplay says another. That said, I'm honestly not sure what you're referring to here!
The narrative: Phoenix defending Lana Skye for a crime she (hopefully) did not commit, and is emotionally invested in getting her a Not Guilty verdict. The testimony in the first half of the segment actually exonerates Lana, and by fighting it successfully Phoenix almost loses the case.
The gameplay: Making wrong choices in the first half of the segment leads to the same result as always; Lana is found guilty.
Ah okay, I was thinking thematically but it applies on a practical level too! If you're trying to accomplish one thing in the story, but actively and intentionally doing another in the gameplay, that's also a dissonance between the story and gameplay. And yeah, that's definitely an element of this court session.
I think what really makes it odd, for me at least, is that in nearly every game in the series situations like this have Non Standard Game Overs, because the usual "Well, you screwed up, Guilty" doesn't actually apply to the situation. This case actually has one later on, but for some reason there's nothing like it here, and it's very odd. Even in-story, the fact that Phoenix doesn't realize that by defending Meekins he is implicating Lana is more than a little odd.
You know, I've been thinking about this since you brought it up, and... I almost feel like maybe it actually works? One of my favorite linear interactive storytelling devices (that is, storytelling tools that don't let the player change the story but do involve them directly in how the linear story is told) is using game mindsets against the player, especially when doing so to sort of simulate the mental state of the player character. Like the stuff that lends power to games like Spec Ops: The Line and Bioshock. And this technique actually requires a bit of intentional, careful ludonarrative dissonance to pull it off.
But it's not always used in such grand ways, and I think I see some elements of that here. I mean, I sure wasn't thinking about how my exonerating Meekins would implicate Lana. This is Phoenix Wright; innocent people get accused and I use my deductive powers to work through the game's logic puzzles and figure out what really happened. As someone following a story, I absolutely should have realized that I was being counter-productive; but as someone playing a puzzle game about proving people innocent, I was just doing what I'm supposed to; solving the puzzle and finding out the truth.
Phoenix, I think, has a similar mindset. Especially this early in his career, and after all his victories so far were born out of a genuinely good-hearted desire to discover the truth and protect the innocent. Just as I was playing a game more than tracking with my narrative goals, Phoenix was finding contradictions and protecting an innocent (my sweet, perfect boy Meekins) more than pursuing his ultimate goal. And honestly, that sounds like an incredibly Phoenix Wright kind of thing to do. How intentional that is as a storytelling tool, I'm not sure, but... I think I like it.
Honestly, I kind of agree, you've won me over. I'd forgotten how single-minded and kind of dumb Phoenix often is, so this is both in-character and a pretty good way to get the player into Phoenix's mental shoes. Still, a Non-Standard Game Over would have been appreciated, as losing here would immediately make you wonder how that led to Lana's guilty verdict. It kind of breaks up the immersion, in that aspect.
I've mentioned it here and there throughout, but I also think it's worth noting that this is the an incredibly funny segment of gameplay. The writing is fantastic, from Meekins going beyond his normal limits of ridiculousness to reach new heights of comedy, to the reveal of the Blue Badger to the court, to the word limit gag with Marshall, this segment is overall fairly strong, a huge improvement over the first trial day, which was for the most part a letdown.
I absolutely agree. The humor was on point for this one, the characters were all interesting in one way or another, and the progression of the mystery was generally excellent (a few weird points notwithstanding). Huge improvement this time around, and it's actually got me looking forward to the next court segment.
I did have a couple problems with it, most notably the bit where the game makes you point out the light above the locker as proof that it was open when you could just as easily deduce that from the paper that's sticking out of it and falls on the floor as it opens. Would have been easy to include two routes of logic for that, and the paper is more easily noticeable in the video because of the movement, but you lose credibility if you point that out first instead of the light. There's also a bit where you have to point out someone's location and the victim/killer pins are confusingly placed compared to the footage you've seen a million times by that point.
But those didn't matter much to me once Marshall took his hat off for the first time when admitting the connection to his brother. It's a pretty solid trial day despite those few issues. I'm a sucker for new sprites that accentuate strong emotional story beats.
For sure. Some of the exact contradictions were a bit odd, but that's old hat for this series already. Next time, we'll head into the last day of investigation, and see what it holds for us. Auf wiedersehen.
See you then!
