(no subject)

So it turns out I'm so attentive to what's going on in Death Note fandom that I didn't even realize Another Note had been published in the US until I saw it in Barnes & Noble today. And bought it, because the binding job is fucking gorgeous. I was kind of nervous about the translation, having seen and passed over those wretched FMA novels, but the introduction was actually a pretty fun read. I have high hopes for the rest of the book.

I beat Apollo Justice yesterday. Objection! Phoenix Wright games are supposed to take at least a week to complete! Still, I rather liked it, and the reaction post is forthcoming.

Apollo Justice reaction post

Non-spoilery overall reaction:

This was a game of genuine quality. In many respects, I'm both satisfied and impressed. The graphics and sound quality were both better and more varied, the new gameplay elements were innovative, and the characters and storylines were interesting. Furthermore, Capcom took possession of my soul after the third game, so they'd really have to screw things up to lose me now.

HOWEVER.

There were a few things missing from this one that, although they're fairly intangible and I don't know if I'll be able to articulate them properly, were the life and soul of the first three Phoenix Wright games, as far as I'm concerned. Two, to be exact. The first one lies in the characters. I love nearly all the characters from the Phoenix arc, including two that are tied for first place on my list of favorites, which is unprecedented for me. I love pairings and non-pairings of all gender combinations and levels of canon support between pretty much any two (or three or more) characters, in seriousness or crack or anywhere in between. I do not feel this with the characters from the fourth game. The implications are something I'm not going to go into now, but it's something I just wanted to throw out there. The second thing I felt was missing was the optimistic tone of the Phoenix arc. Even though every single case revolved around a murder trial, the circumstances surrounding which were often tragic well beyond the obvious, there was always an air of hope and a climate of silliness and general optimism that I did not feel while playing this game. I did feel that it was darker and more intense, which can be effective, but it is something I don't want to feel while playing a Phoenix Wright game.

With that said, on to the running commentary!

( OMG spoilers! )