Review: Aviary Attorney: Definitive Edition (Switch)

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Today I am reviewing something a little more offbeat than the games I usually write about. I had heard of Aviary Attorney: Definitive Edition through another review site, and I discovered that I wanted to see what it was all about. I am a fan of both good writing and comedies, so I decided to give this game a go.

Aviary Attorney is sort of a spoof of the Ace Attorney games. In this game, you follow the character Jayjay Falcon and his sidekick Sparrowson on a handful of legal cases and detective work that concludes in a trial. The game takes place in mid-19th century France. It should be noted that all the characters are anthropomorphic animals based on the illustrations of J. J. Grandville. The game also features music by Camille Saint-Saëns.

Aviary Attorney is more story than game, and could be classified as a visual novel. Most of the gameplay comes from dialogue choices and searching for clues. That being said, this game is smartly written, and features a lot of corny bird based puns. Even better, the story weaves in enough inconsistencies that help you unravel lies and find out the truth to help the player solve the crimes placed before them. You do have to pay attention to find all the evidence and solve each case, but the fun of this sort of detective work is to try and figure these things out yourself.

Early on, the game gripped me with its humorous puns, but the characters and sharp writing kept me invested as the story took some darker turns. The music was so well integrated to the characters or action on screen that I only grew more intrigued as the suspense was building to each case’s climax. The game also features three endings (I only found one, so far), so you can keep playing to try and find them all. You can even enjoy a few false leads for some dialogue you might have missed.

Aviary Attorney is a short game, but the quick and often funny writing is clever enough to keep you reading until the end of the story. If you like to read, particularly detective novels, and don’t mind some clever wordplay, this game is for you. If you are looking for something more gameplay based, Aviary Attorney might not be up your alley. I found it a quick and fun experience, and any avid reader should give it a look.

Recommendations:

• Read everything carefully when you have plenty of time to follow each case.
• Try to take in as much dialogue as possible, there are some real gems here.
• If not satisfied with the ending, try to find another one when you feel up for it.
• I recommend playing an entire act in one sitting. Taking too many breaks mid act could mean forgetting vital information.
• Playing too long could make you lose track of what is going on too, so take a break after each act.

Pros:

• Smart and funny writing.
• Music meshes well with the action and visuals.
• Gripping story with great use of suspense.
• Might be worth seeing multiple endings.

Cons:

• Very short game.
• Features more story than gameplay (possible con based on personal preferences).

Verdict:

8.2/10 A great visual novel

I feel based on a player’s preference of gameplay to story ratio, this game is anywhere from a 7-8.6. Those looking for more gameplay may rate this game on the lower end, while those who prefer good writing could rate this game more highly.

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Well that wraps up my review of Aviary Attorney: Definitive Edition. Did you like this game? Did you experience all the endings? Are all the endings worth it? What did you make of the price of this game? Let me know in the comments below! If you enjoyed this review, be sure to click that like button. Remember to share this article on social media, and if you want to keep up with That’s All Games you can subscribe via email or through WordPress if you use that platform. Until next time, have fun gaming!