The more that things change, the more they stay the same. A good sequel but not revolutionary or even evolutionary.
Personally I don't mind too much, as I buy games second-hand, but at the same time, I don't see any practical reason why the cases here couldn't have been included in the first game. I'm sure the cartridges have enough capacity.
It's purely a commercial decision, and Phoenix Wright is not the only series to suffer from this, but it does annoy me somewhat, like selling a TV series on DVD in more than one box. In an ideal world, these cases should have been in the first game, or this sequel should have offered more than lip-service towards innovation.
Philosophical discussions aside, this is supposed to be a review of the actual game. The good news is that like its predecessor, this game is immersive, addictive, thought-provoking, fun, and emotional.
Yes, there are a couple of issues. The font size should be smaller, meaning less button-presses to continue, but of course most games are guilty of this. What are we all, short-sighted? I'd rather be squinting than suffering from RSI.
Also, It's annoying when you present evidence that could easily have had a meaning and the game penalises you because it's not exactly what the linear plot requires.
Despite that limitation, the format continues to provide fun and annoying characters in equal measure, good laughs, clever scenarios, and a real rush of adrenalin and sense of achievement during the exciting parts. There was only one instance in the entire game when I thought the correct path was a bit unfair.
There are minor tweaks to gameplay. You can now present a character profile to a character as well as evidence that you collect. Plus there's the Psyche Lock system, which involves presenting items to characters to get them to open up, rather like a witness cross-examination off the witness stand.
Like its predecessor, it tends just slightly towards being an interactive book more than a /proper/ game, but when the story is so compelling, it's easy to let that go over your head.
It's not as if it's the only game you can buy, and indeed I wouldn't want every game to be like this, but the fact is, once it got into my DS, it didn't leave until it was finished.
I played it when I should have been sleeping, working, while I was brushing my teeth, you get the picture. I don't have a lot of time for games these days, so that says a lot about the "just one more go"-ness.
In conclusion, in isolation, a great game, but as part of the series, the developer's laziness can't be ignored, and for that, I docked it half a point.