Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy was just announced, but it can be a little hard to ignore the collection's strange name. While the next-gen remake of the games is definitely something worth celebrating, it's also worth questioning a few of the details. Ace Attorney is one of Capcom's more notable IPs, even though it has been fairly under the radar in recent years aside from the release of the spinoff compilation The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles in 2021. Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice Trilogy could be exactly what the series needs to get back on track after its sabbatical.
As one of Capcom's most surprising hits, Ace Attorney is a visual novel landmark that brought its genre some much-needed relevance in the United States. A big reason for the series' popularity was thanks to Phoenix Wright himself, the likable underdog protagonist of the series, as well as the quirky sense of humor that frequently makes itself known throughout the games. After the Nintendo 3DS eShop ended, it seemed that Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice could be left in limbo. However, the announcement of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy ensured that, just like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy before it, the remake would help the games live on - though the name of this new release is an odd one.
Apollo Justice is Important to Ace Attorney, But Naming a Trilogy After Him Seems Unusual
Even though it's difficult for one to deny Ace Attorney's proud legacy, Apollo Justice Trilogy's name seems odd for one simple reason: Apollo is not the main protagonist of the trilogy. True, he is the main character of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, as the game's name implies. However, come Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney- Dual Destinies, Phoenix is in the starring role again, although Apollo is important to the plot and playable in a few cases, and Spirit of Justice unfurls the same way. With the exception of his self-named debut, Apollo is not the main protagonist of any game in the trilogy.
Of course, that's not to say that Apollo's role is unimportant, because Ace Attorney's ongoing plot features him prominently in the second trilogy. In addition to working for Phoenix, Apollo undergoes quite an evolution, becoming bolder and more confident as he starts working more independently. This goes even further in Spirit of Justice, where he finds out that his biological father was a freedom fighter in the kingdom of Khura'in. At the game's conclusion, he decides to stay in Khura'in to help fix the country after Ga'ran's defeat. Apollo at the end of his arc is an entirely different character from his introduction.
Even though Apollo gets a lot of development, it's hard to call him the main character. Similar to the first Ace Attorney Trilogy, Phoenix is still the lead for a majority of the latter two games, and he's the one who ultimately heads the cases that end the schemes of The Phantom as well as Ga'Ran. Granted, when it comes to story, Apollo is the one receiving more development, but after Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, the role of protagonist was clearly transferred back to Phoenix. Apollo is important, but being the trilogy's namesake feels like an odd move.
The Ace Attorney franchise has not had a major release since Spirit of Justice for the 3DS in 2016, and the storyline has remained dormant since. With the announcement of Apollo Justice Trilogy, there is an encouraging sign for the series' future. It shows that Capcom hasn't given up on gaming's greatest lawyer and his adventures and gives players a second chance to experience the latter chapters of Phoenix's story, whether they missed it the first time around or not. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy may not be a perfectly accurate name, but the games' return is a triumph.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy will be released in 2024 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.