These Ace Attorney opinions are bizarre but completely honest
Sometimes it's enjoyable to have something that sets you apart from everyone else. My user flair in this community is an example. I'm not saying she's my favorite character but hey, I've never seen anyone else use that flair. I can claim it as my own.
However, these five opinions are absolutely NOT an attempt to be unique. They may be ...outliers, but they are fully and completely sincere. And I'll try to explain why.
1. Lauren Paups is a comfort character who somehow manages to put her case in my top half.
I never said I wouldn't talk about her. All I said was that she wasn't my absolute favorite character.
I'm not saying she's an S-tier character either, but I see some really strong parallels with narratives of unloved children. People often say her acting dramatic is funny or cute, but there's more to it. She subconsciously wants to act childish or vulnerable in the presence of an older man because of her daddy issues. And others have said that her expressions seem fake, but again I think that's part of the point. She's not simply crying, she's crying for a very specific and emotionally conflicting reason that IS in fact partly staged. Finally, picking and sticking with bad relationship partners says unresolved trauma to me.
This probably doesn't make much sense unless you have specific and similar experiences. I'm not saying you should feel the same way about this character, but I'm saying there's a very specific reason for why she's written like this. Hence she's one of my top comfort characters.
2. "Core 2013" is my favorite investigation theme.
Many people say that it's the worst or that it's the only one that misses the mark. However, I disagree.
It's not ominous like Core 2002 or Core 2016 (my other favorites). But instead it feels like something finally clicked. And you went from a dead lack of energy to overloaded with hope in a matter of seconds. It's so abstract but as someone who's recovering from depression it really strikes a chord with some positive mood swings I experience. Again I don't expect everyone to have the same experiences.
Also! Phoenix is also recovering from depression in this game! So it's perfect for the tone.
3. Dual Destinies is my favorite portrayal of Phoenix.
I once did a poll on which games Phoenix portrayed the worst. Dual Destinies was easily the most unpopular with almost 50% of the vote. Again, I disagree.
It's not just for the recovering from depression aspect like I said before. It's also for the story of believing in someone. Phoenix by now has long fulfilled his promise of saving Edgeworth - and yet, believing in Edgeworth was what gave him the most inner strength. So he gains back his motivation by continuing to believe in a complete stranger. It's so senseless, yet so beautiful.
I will concede the 3D sprites aren't well-done yet, but this of his portrayal gives it an edge over others.
4. Divination Seances are my favorite mechanic.
I know the opinions on this one are generally mixed, but I think it did far more good than harm.
We all love cross-examinations right? These seances are quite similar to cross-examinations. Except instead of cross-referencing evidence and extra info from pressing, you're comparing sensations and evidence. Which is great. We have not just one type of cross-examination but two.
A common struggle I hear about is the order you present contradictions. I can't really argue with this because I've never experienced it myself. I'd love to hear more about it in the comments though, ngl.
5. Turnabout Big Top has my second favorite cast out of any third case.
This is not bait.
I love all the characters in this one. They all have personalities and flaws, and most of them have clearly defined character arcs too. Arcs which make sense within the context of the story. Most casts that have a high quantity of characters have at least one I don't like, but not this one.
Now, as for the one cast I like more. It's the Great Departed Soul. I can't argue that all these characters are absolutely amazing. I'd like to see someone try to argue against this cast. However, this one is also so much like a finale case that I wish it didn't count.
I've seen comments suggesting that the love triangle automatically disqualifies most of them. If this is a source of discomfort, I'm not trying to argue against it. I will say that I personally live in a place where it's legal to consent at 16, though I wouldn't personally do it. But also, since AA has made up fake countries and absurd legislation, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for me to imagine that it's legal in "Japanifornia" too? I don't think they've ever stated otherwise anyway. Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong about that though.
And yes I am aware that this would not help Fawles' situation any. I wish they'd handled that better, that's all I can say. And I'm not saying anyone shouldn't dislike Big Top, I'm just saying why someone might NOT dislike it depending on their experiences.
Anyway, those are my craziest AA opinions! What do you think? What are YOUR crazy AA opinions? Let me know in the comments!