I liked the game for the most part, but the second trial phase went majorly downhill for me. To be honest, that part alone made the game as a whole more frustrating than entertaining. The whole time, there was a single pressing question. It never had a good answer. The fact that there wasn't a good answer was only touched on at times, and most of the time, Phoenix thought that there was a perfectly valid answer. The question is: why is Snow on trial, and Brisbane not in a padded cell?! I think it would help to show my reactions over time.
Pre-Trial: The only thing pointing to Snow is that Maggey arrested him. Considering that there was proof of a scheme to kill Snow, Snow's prints weren't on the murder weapon, it's likely that this won't last long. (Although I am willing to bet that Vulper was framed by Aculeus somehow...)
During Testimony One: So far, so predictable...
During Testimony Two: Brisbane has gone completely and utterly insane. Smith confirmed that the wound matches the blade at the crime scene, and Brisbane accuses the first knife of Snow’s that he sees of being the murder weapon. He’s lost it.
Brisbane is bananas. So Snow found out that Docks planned to kill him for no reason in particular, planned to kill Docks first instead of arresting him like a normal officer, then he grabs a decorative knife, kills Docks with it, stabs Docks with a fake knife, plants Vulper’s prints on it, gets arrested and then teleports the stiletto to his office… Right…
Wait, Brisbane thinks he was caught in the act? Why in blazes did he not have the stiletto on him then?!
This isn’t even a frame-up. Brisbane has gone as insane as Vulper.
Brisbane: So obviously, the defendant carried a stiletto on him, despite this being physically impossible.
Judge: I only have one question… Why?
Brisbane: I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him?
Phoenix: ZOMG SNOW Y DID U DO DIS?!?!?!?!??!?!?!
Snow: I’ve been framed!
Enthalpy: DWaM has competition for title of the Banana King.
This isn’t even a discovery… This is the sort of wild mass-guessing and bluffing that Phoenix is accused of.
This dagger is more expected than the Spanish Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisiton’s weapons were fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope. Brisbane’s weapons are fear, surprise, ruthless inefficiency, and a fanatical devotion to winning.
We know that Snow can only afford instant noodles, and his appetite is as big as a whale’s. Therefore, there exist noodle packages with Snow’s fingerprints on them in his office. PERRY DOCKS WAS STABBED TO DEATH WITH A VERY THICK NOODLE!
Your Honor, he planted a seed of unreasonable doubt.
During Testimony Three: So, the prosecution never had ANYTHING on Snow?
You call that a testimony? Yes, you proved that the defendant was at the crime scene at the time of the crime and that he was panicked afterwards, none of which were in dispute. *clap*
Brisbane is insane if he still thinks this stiletto was relevant.
… Brisbane, are you completely and totally out of your mind?! Give me one thing, just one, that points to Snow’s guilt! Your murder weapon has been denied. Your witness has been denied. Everything that’s left is screaming, “Vulper is guilty or framed.”
During Testimony Four: Yes, more proof on Vulper. Because the court was so receptive to the last lot.
Why is there another testimony? Just why? Come to think of it, why does this testimony even exist? Why is this trial still going on?
During Testimony Five: … What suspicions?! There is no case against Snow! None, none, none!
During Testimony Six: Why is this testimony even admissible?
During Testimony Seven: Brisbane, you’re arguing in circles. Just because you theorize that the victim poisoned the coffee doesn’t make it so. Ugh... Let's end this.
During Testimony Eight: Finally, I can end this!
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I know this sounded harsh, but it would be a massive step in the right direction if Phoenix so much as acknowledged that none of this trial made any sense, as opposed to taking Brisbane seriously. Also, I love how the judge caught Brisbane off when he talked about how the atroquinine would had to have been planted, which was Brisbane's one valid point.