Ace Attorney Investigations 2 Is The Final Missing Piece Of The Series’ Localization Puzzle

Ace Attorney has seen a resurgence of intrigue over the past few years. While the franchise’s prominence waned after Dual Destinies’ release, the launch of the remastered original trilogy and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles has made several entries more accessible than ever before. However, aside from the lack of modern ports for Ace Attorney 4-6 (aside from mobile ports), which deserves a piece of its own, there are two other titles that should not be overlooked; Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and its direct sequel, Ace Attorney Investigations 2.

These two games were initially released for the DS, though the latter never even received a localization. For those unaware, these are spinoffs focusing on prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, a prominent and fan-favorite character in the original trilogy. The first game earned moderate praise, not necessarily standing out but still creating a dedicated community. Though, its sales, especially in the West, were meager, leading to its sequel never getting localized.

This unfortunate occurrence has only been amplified by the sequel’s stellar quality that has made it one of the best entries in the Ace Attorney franchise as a whole. Thankfully, a professional-level fan translation has made this title more accessible to a variety of fans, leading to many, including me, being able to experience it. Several steps were taken for this fan effort, such as editing applicable textures into English and other time-consuming practices. Still, Western fans shouldn’t have to download an unofficial patch to play the game.

With the recent release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, my and probably many other fans’ hopes have been for Ace Attorney Investigations 2 to receive the modern localization treatment. Perhaps most importantly, it’s the only entry in the franchise that has remained Japan-exclusive, so it finally breaking the Western barrier would be a momentous occasion. Simply put, having every Ace Attorney title available worldwide would be unprecedented.

To be honest, when I first began playing the Investigations games, I wasn’t too keen on them due to their namesake. Unlike traditional Ace Attorney, which clearly divides trial and investigation gameplay, the Investigations games are about…investigations. While I’ve never outright disliked this gameplay component, they can usually be seen as the ‘lesser’ aspect of the gameplay divide. However, these Edgeworth-centric spinoffs provide a substantial evolution of the investigation formula that reaches staggering levels of quality in the sequel.

It’s difficult to continually discuss these games’ strengths without spoiling them but to be blunt; they tell damn good stories despite being in the confines of their immediate environments. The sequel especially hones in on Edgeworth as a character, making me appreciate him and his circumstances far more than any previous game did. It’s an entry at the height of the series, deserving to be played by fans the whole world over.

With localizations of titles never thought possible before, like Trails from Zero, Trails to Azure, Live A Live, Chaos;Head Noah, and not to mention The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, I think it’s about time for Ace Attorney Investigations 2 to join the fray. My primary hope for the franchise, first and foremost right now, aside from modern ports of Ace Attorney 4-6, is a remastered pack of the Investigations duology. I think that’s entirely possible, though only time will tell.

If you missed it, be sure to check out our review of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, as it is one of the few 10s we have ever delivered.