逆転検事 2 | Gyakuten Kenji 2

Company: Capcom

Platforms: Nintendo DS, Smartphone (iOS, Android) JAPAN ONLY

Category: Visual Novel

Release Date: February 3, 2011 (DS)

Walkthrough used: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ds/605817-gyakuten-kenji-2/faqs/67912

What it is

Basically, Miles Edgeworth struggles to find meaning in his job as a Prosecutor. As Miles figures out his life choices, he becomes entangled in a series of cases where he meets new and old characters alike. Every character he meets and cases he handles test his resolve to continue his path towards finding the truth.

Just so we’re clear, this is not an official English release. Unfortunately, Capcom doesn’t have any plans of releasing Gyakuten Kenji 2 overseas. But luckily, there’s a fan translation to allow us, players, to play this game.

I think I only mentioned it briefly in my previous Ace Attorney post years ago, but I did play the 1st game. It’s been a while so I already forgot most of it, but I think I have a good impression of the series (other than ogling Miles lol) at the very least. So why only play this now? Thanks to playing the demo of AI Somnium Files, I feel like playing something that involves investigations and crimes and all that shizz. And there’s only one game that comes to mind.

May contain spoilers so proceed with caution!

Why I love it ♡(｡- ω -)

Theme

When I started playing Gyakuten Kenji 2, I never thought that I’d love its theme. I thought the whole thing about finding one’s purpose would be something that appeals to me. But what made a bigger impact is how a father-child relationship affects the child throughout the lifetime. This theme is incorporated seamlessly that it only becomes more apparent the further you got to the game. All kinds of father-child relationships and the effects it has on the child are all shown here.

Tight connection between cases

Some Ace Attorney games have cases that can be considered as a filler case. These cases don’t add that much information and value to the overall theme, but just there to balance the atmosphere or a breather before a long and plot-heavy case. For Gyakuten Kenji 2, all cases are connected with each other and build from one case to another. Even the first 2 cases, which I initially thought to be fillers, play an important part in this intricate plot. By the time I reached the final case, the connection blew me away.

Characters

Oh boy. There are lots of characters, both new and recurring ones. Each character plays an important role in this complicated and complex story.

Miles

I love Miles, and I love this game for showing Miles’s progress as a character. Everything that happens here defines what becomes of him in the succeeding AA games. He proves that he is more than the genius prosecutor everyone knows him for. He deserves the Chief Prosecutor title, not because of seniority but because he embodies the truth and aims for a fairer justice for everyone, unlike some of his predecessors.

Also, in this game, we get to learn his past as we get to play as Miles’s father, Gregory. Too bad I already forgot how Gregory died or his case (or Miles’s even), which made me want to replay Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright.

While the AA franchise is mostly known for the defense team, Miles is also an important character, and this game is important for his character arc. It’s such a shame that the game won’t ever reach the Western shores.

Miles-Kay partnership

Alright. As a character, I still don’t like Kay that much (more on that later), but I think she works hard GK2 to be worthy of Miles’s assistant. It is almost somehow like Nick-Maya pairing.

Other Characters

There is a bunch of new and old characters here. The good thing is, aside from Miles, the rest of the characters have their own growth too. Let’s see, there’s good old Gumshoe, for instance. He progresses into a reliable and indispensable detective.

From the official site of the smartphone version

However, Judge Justine Courtney and Prosecutor Sebastian Debeste made me frustrated to no end with their stubbornness and skewed sense of justice. I swear, I took delight in seeing Sebastian getting whipped by Franziska von Karma lol. I never thought that by the time I finished the game, they would become my favorite side characters.

It’s sad that we won’t be able to see these characters in other AA games. 😢

Fan Translation Group

Kudos to the fan translation team for creating a job well done. They maintained the usual jokes and puns and even added voices for the new characters. If I didn’t know, I would have thought that this is an official translation.

Easter Egg

I love it every time Miles alludes to ‘that’ certain friend who helps him find his wrongs. Miles Investigations doesn’t usually drop names from the main series not connected to the cases in this series, so they don’t usually name Phoenix and others. I was contented with that. But then the game showed a cameo of Phoenix and Maya, and I just lost it. 😂

I won’t tell which part do they appear, so always be on the lookout for that blue suit. 😉

What didn’t work (¯ . ¯٥)

Length

Some cases are just way too long. At the top of my head, cases 2 and 3 are long drawn out. The new gameplay, Logic Chess, adds to its length. While I like how the answers in Logic Chess are in line with Miles’s personality, sometimes the exchange is too darn long.

Miles’s humor

A very minor complaint. Miles is not the funniest guy, I know that. Unlike Nick and Apollo who make fun of themselves, Miles is serious and stiff. In the midst of heavy cases, a few humor would have work to somehow lighten the tension. Too much seriousness is boring. But, eh, that’s Miles for you.

Kay

In relation to above, no, Kay’s jokes and bubbly personality don’t help. She makes me feel bored at times even especially when she constantly says that she’s the great thief. Like, we know Kay, you’ve been saying that every 3 sentences. While her contraptions are awesome, sometimes I feel like she’s a female Gumshoe. She is the voice of emotion (like every other female’s role in fiction 🙄). With this, it is easy to highlight Miles’s logical approach. When can we have an assistant like Mia…

This is for… (✯◡✯)

☑️ Miles Edgeworth fans

☑️ Ace Attorney fans