Spoiler : :
The stupid kind of idiot, I reckon.
Synopsis: 4 people are locked in a hotel resort by an unknown Fiend. We also follow the story of Phoenix Wright defending himself in court.
By request of the creator, the broken and followed rules will not be revealed in this review.
Story: As stated in the Synopsis, we're following 2 stories at once: one at the resort from the perspective of an unnamed hostage and one from the perspective of Phoenix Wright: Ace Pianist. Both of these plots are introduced in a way that gets you invested in what's to come, and they alternate in a cliffhanger way, swapping to the other story when things in the current story get "really good". But as these stories progress, the crazier they get. I know Ace Attorney is known for its crazy story progression, but even canon Ace Attorney has nothing on the twists and turns this case takes. Though despite how bonkers this case can get, I was still eager to keep going and see everything through to the end. That being said, I must admit that as the case approached its ending, I was feeling like things were starting to get a bit TOO crazy, with some story elements being introduced in a way that I felt could've been handled better. Also, the tone surrounding a canon character added towards the end of the story is very jokey, which is very out of place in a case that's otherwise serious in nature (not to mention that said character feels flanderized throughout their entire screen time, which again, wouldn't be so bad/noticeable except all the other characters felt true to their canon selves). And a motivation reveal at the end just felt very slapped-on and doesn't really feel like it was built up. But despite all these criticisms, I was very much enjoying the story as I played. Though the biggest thing that threw me off was, despite this being a one-part case, it is as long as a multi-part case. I don't know the exact frame number, but I reckon it's around 4 or 5 thousand frames! But that's not a criticism, as the case ran well with no noticeable technical issues. If anything, it's a praise, as despite its length, the case is complete! So overall, the story is lengthy and can get a bit out there towards the end, but it's completed and a very investing read that'll keep you asking what's to come next.
Presentation: As this case is set in the main Ace Attorney canon, it mostly consists of in-engine character sprites throughout, with in-engine backgrounds taking up the Phoenix side of the story. But there are a few custom character sprites thrown in, as well, with the resort story consisting of custom backgrounds that fit their roles greatly. There were also some good animated backgrounds used in the beginning and end of the case, and one sequence towards the case's end was very visually pleasing and set the right tone it needed. Aside from that, it was a standard Ace Attorney layout, which there's definitely nothing wrong with.
Gameplay: Like I said above, this case has a standard Ace Attorney layout. There are a handful of Investigation sequences sprinkled in, but for the most part, we're dealing with text dumps and trial mechanics. There was a moment while playing that I needed the guide, but it was a result of me not following the "order of operations", which is always a bit of a pain to encounter, but the logic was still there, so at least there was that.
Theme Relevance: While playing, several opportunities emerged that left me wondering if X would be the broken rule, but thankfully, by the end, it was clear what the broken and followed rules were. And without going into too much detail, the execution of the broken rule/rules was done in a very interesting and believable way, which is definitely what the aim of the game is for this comp. The followed rule/rules seemed a bit in your face, but it was also a natural topic to bring up, so that's not an issue.
Final Thoughts: Despite some issues I had with the story, this is still a well-written mystery that feels at home with Ace Attorney. If I feel like I've been a bit vague with this review, it's mostly because there's really no way to go into too much depth without giving things away. Though since this case is complete, I hope DWaM releases it, as it's definitely something I feel you will all enjoy. (Though do make sure you've got a few hours to spare before you play it; you'll need it.)