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The world of law is a serious one, with important stakes for all parties involved. But it’s also a compelling and intriguing industry that has captured the imagination of the media. From movies and books, to films and more, popular culture loves a good lawyer. This trend is even true of video games. There’s a small but much-loved collection of video games that celebrate the legal profession in all its glory, enabling you to play as a lawyer and go on courtroom adventures. Here are just some of the legal-inspired video games we love.
Capcom’s Ace Attorney series was the origin point of the law-inspired video game niche. This series of 11 visual novels follows the adventures of defense lawyer Phoenix Wright and prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as they argue cases and investigate wrongdoing. While the original versions of the games are set in modern-day Japan, the English-language versions are set in the United States, though they keep various elements of Japanese culture.
In the Ace Attorney series, players must argue criminal cases in court before a judge, using evidence found at crime scenes to disprove witness statements and either convict or acquit the accused. The games frequently involve investigative components, where players examine crime scenes for critical evidence that is later used at trial. Players will need a strong sense of logic and attention to detail in order to win this game; while correctly objecting to problematic evidence will progress the game further, raising irrelevant objections or objecting to the wrong evidence will cause players to lose health.
The Ace Attorney series is available on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. Most of the games in this series are rated “T” for Teen, though at least one is rated “M” for Mature.
Released in 2015, Aviary Attorney is an Ace Attorney-inspired game where players take on the role of a defence lawyer in revolution-era France. All of the characters are anthropomorphized animals, and the player plays as defence lawyer Jayjay Falcon, a bird. Players investigate various cases, moving around Paris to gather clues and identify red herrings. Later, at trial, the player uses the evidence gathered to cross-examine witnesses and try to get the jury to acquit their client. Adding to the 19th-century ambiance is a unique art style and the historical backdrop of a Paris on the brink of revolution.
Aviary Attorney is available for Windows, MacOS, and Nintendo Switch users. The game is rated for players aged 12 and up.
This mobile game is a lighthearted and unserious role-playing game where you play as Max McMann, a morally grey defense lawyer who is obsessed with winning no matter the cost. A turn-based strategy game set in the 1980s and with the soundtrack to match, Devil’s Attorney is full of humour and wit. Your only job? To get criminals off the hook for their crimes any way you can. As a morally corrupt lawyer, you’ll use your winnings from your cases to buy new furniture for your apartment, unlocking new skills along the way that you can use in the courtroom.
If you’re looking to take a walk on the dark side of the law, this game is for you. Devil’s Attorney is available for iOS and Android devices. The game is rated for players aged 12 and up.
Aviary Attorney isn’t the only Revolution-themed game on this list. We. The Revolution is a turn-based political simulator where you play as a tribunal judge in the middle of the French Revolution. Set in Paris in 1794, you preside over a variety of cases in this game, involving regular French citizens, dangerous criminals, and enemies of the Revolution. In this game, it’s difficult to tell friend from foe, and every decision you make as a judge has consequences. Can you uphold justice and deliver fair verdicts without ending up in a guillotine? Can you go home to your family and face them with the decisions you’ve made?
A mature game with mature themes, this game focuses on morally grey situations where there’s never an easy or “correct” answer, requiring you to exercise your discretion, all the while knowing that every judgment you make will, itself, be judged. There are politics to being a judge during the French Revolution, and you’re about to discover that no decision is without risk.
We. The Revolution is available on Steam for Windows and MacOS systems, and is also available for Nintendo Switch users through the Nintendo Store. The game is rated for players aged 12 and up.
This free-to-play visual novel follows a female defence lawyer as she works to exonerate her clients. The game begins in an investigative matter, with the player character going to various locations to uncover evidence and question witnesses. The player character must then build a case using the evidence found, with the end goal of getting your clients acquitted.
While this sounds very much like Ace Attorney and other courtroom drama games, Tears of Themis is unique among legal video games in that it adds a romance element, with four different romanceable non-player characters (NPCs) in the game. Tears of Themis also features a subplot involving illegal pharmaceutical research.
Tears of Themis is available for iOS and Android devices. The game is rated “T” for Teen.
If you ever wanted to defend wizards in court, Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane is the game for you. A visual novel inspired by Ace Attorney, in this game, you play as a defense lawyer who defends magic-users in court. Your clients are wizards and magic-users who are accused of using their magic to commit crimes, and you must use the logic of magic to prove your clients’ innocence. As you play, you’ll assess crime scenes and cross-examine witnesses in your pursuit of justice as you defend the innocent and catch the real culprits.
The only problem? The entire justice system is stacked against you. A corrupt aristocracy has seized power and is manipulating the judicial system to suit its own whims, meaning you’ll have to get creative in order to win your cases.
Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane is available on Steam for Windows and Mac computers, or on Google Play for Android devices. It’s also available in the Apple App Store for Mac and iOS devices. This game is rated “T” for Teen.
The legal profession is a serious and high-stakes one, with legal professionals often clocking long hours on mentally draining work. So why not unwind in your off hours with one of these legal-themed games?
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