There is a rule in the commercial world: when you have the rights to use the names of heroes whose popularity has already reached the legendary level, start making crossovers. And it does not matter that the characters live in different temporary eras or even universes-the plot will somehow grow together. But the target audience of the project will be many times wider. This time, Phoenix Wright and Professor Leighton will meet each other – representatives of two cults for owners of consoles from Nintendo series.

The hammer of the witches

The idea of ​​”crossing” in this case does not seem to be unlogging and violating the laws of common sense. The characters have a lot in common: both are outstanding intellectuals, both meet with complex riddles and strive for the search for truth. Thanks to this, the plot Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney organically combines the research and intellectual activities of Leiton with the court hearings of Wright.

The era and the territory for the joint pastime of the two heroes have been chosen neutral – the action takes place in the medieval city of Labyrinthia, full of puzzles and secrets. Management is carried out by the narrator who composes stories that in an inevitable way are implemented. He writes the fate of the city, and the inhabitants accept it for granted-magic and magic here are not considered here something fabulous and impossible. On the contrary, the Order of Inquisitors regularly performs the courts over witches, saying each to mortal torment in fire.

Our heroes fall into this world with a mystical way: the girl Espella, suffering from the loss of memory, comes to the house of Leighton, asks him for help and shows a magic book, having read which the professor is in Labyrinthia. The same fate is waiting for Phoenix. In the vastness of the Dark Middle Ages, our heroes have to enter the court debate with the Inquisitors more than once, protecting the witches, find out the dark past of Espella and solve numerous secrets of the city.

The script is full of exciting events and unexpected turns, so you quickly get used to the new setting. In addition, traditionally an enchanting ending will put everything in its place. If you close my eyes to some inaccuracies, then it, as usual, will turn everything upside down and will make the good old “matrix”.

Judicial puzzles

Since the canons of the development of the plot in both episodes are fully consistent with each other, no serious compositional or semantic contradictions should have arisen. More alarming was a way to connect two different mechanics. Fortunately, the developers did not sculpt a new monstrous hympler, but simply offered us a series of fragments of the gameplay from both episodes. Thus, the travels of Leiton in the city move the story forward, and Wright’s court hearings “chew” key points. Nevertheless, each of the mechanic has undergone some changes.

“Leitonovsky” episodes followed the path of quantitative and qualitative simplification. As usual, we will meet dozens of different locations full of interactive points with hidden coins and puzzles. In total, you will have to solve about six dozen puzzles – not as many as in the same Azran Legacy. There are no additional mini-games here and hidden collection items. The puzzles themselves became an order of magnitude easier-the cost of their larger number is twenty to thirty “picaratas” (local analogues of glasses). Only a few times in the process of passing we will have to meet with really complex trials.

If the main part of the game for the lacton has become definitely simpler and poorer, then with the “lawyer” gameplay more and more complicated. On the one hand, the opportunity to participate in real ships over witches and defeat representatives of the Inquisition in a verbal battle is a very interesting find of developers. On the other hand, an updated setting is able to confuse the fan of the series: what can be in common with the world in which magic reigns with accurate procedures for establishing causal relationships? But in fact, there is no problem here, since magic in Labyrinthia acts according to certain laws, and any spell obeys the established rules that are recorded in the encyclopedia of magic Grand Grimoir. During the interrogation, Phoenix can contact the records of the book and, extracting information about a particular spell, find holes in the testimony.

Another important innovation in the “law” mechanics is a simultaneous interrogation of several witnesses. Earlier, the protagonist talked tete-a-tete with an eyewitness to events. Now, two, three will try to deceive Wright at once, and at the last meeting – even ten participants. In this regard, the value of evidence has decreased, and now in our inventory a dozen objects will not accumulate. To convict one witness in the lies, you need to find the inconsistency of his testimony to the words of another. The solution is very promising for the series, but in this case it is not realized too well – liars give themselves out bright emotional reactions, which makes the search for contradictions very simple.

Professor Wright and Phoenix Leighton

The developers found some related points in the gameplay of both episodes, which became bridges between two mechanics and made it possible to create a whole gameplay. Thus, there are no “interdub” scenes with the location in the crossover – instead of them, we have a more convenient study of locations using a lupa of Leiton. And errors in the presentation of the evidence will turn into not just the loss of “life”, but by the deprivation of a couple of dozens of Picarat, which now evaluate the success of the actions of Phoenix.

In addition, the creators constantly connect the characters of one of the series with the rules of functioning of the other, putting heroes in unusual conditions for them. We will more than once see the professor in court both as a lawyer and as an inquisitor, and Phoenix will test the deductive method in solving puzzles. In addition to them, from familiar characters we will meet the faithful companion of Wright May May Fei, and the professor will help the professor a young but high hopes boy Luke.

All this free combinatorics of characters and their roles performed are a very curious sight, which, unfortunately, will only be able to enjoy the users who are familiar with two series. The same applies to observation of the development of relations between heroes – not everyone will be

able to understand all the subtleties of dialogs. The developers also allowed themselves a lot of humor and irony – for example, Phoenix, forgetting that he is at the medieval court, demands to remove fingerprints from evidence.

In general, the Phoenix against the background of Leighton seems like a worthless boy without any talents. The professor constantly literally on his fingers explains to the blushing Wright, what evidence it is necessary to present and what should be said, while with all the appearance showing that he has long unraveled all the secrets and only wants to enjoy the suffering of the “blue knight”. So the feelings of devoted Phoenix fans can be affected.

Another reason for the discontent of Wright lovers can be the schedule of the new game. The developers needed to bring two episodes to a uniform appearance. And as a guideline, the visual style of the “Leiton” was chosen. All characters at the court hearings are now three -dimensional. Previously, the heroes of the Saga about Phoenix have always been distinguished by sharp emotional reactions to what was happening-someone from excitement began to bite his nails, someone full of confidence in his rightness, smiled charismatically. Although the actions of the characters were repeated, look at the individual facial expressions of each of them did not bother. Now the new visual style, as well as an increased number of witnesses, affected the quality of the drawing of actors. Many are quite sparingly and are not distinguished by memorable emotions.

But with music the situation is completely opposite. For Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright a huge number of compositions were written. The soundtrack is remembered and accurately conveys the mood of what is happening, whether it be the nostalgic memories of the heroes or the aggressive course of a lawyer in court. Particularly interesting are the compositions combining the themes of both episodes.

Fans, of course, can make complaints about updated stylistics, interpretation of characters’ images and a somewhat rustic “Leitonov” line. But if we approach the assessment with less dogmatic positions, then Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney turned out to be an extremely successful crossover. The authors successfully connected the elements of two mechanics with an exciting plot with many unexpected turns. Beginners got an excellent opportunity to kill two birds with one shot, getting acquainted with the principles of both episodes.

Pros: An interesting story with a memorable ending;A great combination of two mechanics;Bright music;Dialogs pierced by humor.
Cons: a small number of familiar characters;Deficiency of complex puzzles.