Operation Backlog Completion 2026
Sep 072018
 

It’s been quite a while since Capcom confirmed that Ace Attorney would be on the Switch in fiscal year 2018, and we still haven’t heard any more details.

Rumors claimed the Phoenix Wright Trilogy, a second collection containing Apollo Justice, Dual Destinies, and Spirit of Justice, and Ace Attorney 7 would all be announced for the Switch.

Well, we might have an answer in just a few weeks!

The Tokyo Game Show runs from September 20-23, and Capcom’s schedule includes an Ace Attorney panel.

According to the official description, it will cover the latest information about the series and be “unmissable” for fans. That implies we’ll get some sort of major announcement out of it. Motohide Eshiro and Shinsuke Kodama will also be there.

Now, Motohide Eshiro has been the Ace Attorney producer for the past few entries, but Shinsuke Kodama seems to have only worked on Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright and the Dai Gyakuten Saiban games. (My heart hopes this means localization news, but TGS would be an unusual place for that.)

I think this will probably be the announcement of the next mainline Ace Attorney game. Could there be more, like the rumored collections? Maybe, since it sounds like a big event.

What do you think will be announced at Capcom’s TGS 2018 Ace Attorney panel?


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Jul 062018
 

Considering my love for mad scientists, maybe it’s no surprise that my first BL visual novel would be something called “Dr. Frank’s Build a Boyfriend.”

Dr. Frank’s Build a Boyfriend follows a mad scientist named Dr. Frank, who devotes himself to the typical sorts of Frankenstein-style experiments you’d expect.

Then his boyfriend steals his research to present as his own, and Dr. Frank comes up with the only logical revenge: building the world’s best boyfriend!

If you haven’t guessed, this game doesn’t take itself too seriously.

As Dr. Frank prepares his dubious revenge, with his poor assistant Iggs helping out despite his better judgment, they go from one absurd situation to another. Digging up graves while hoping no one sees, dealing with the fact that the monster considers Dr. Frank to be his father, finding a replacement arm when they lose one…

While it’s mainly a visual novel, it’s a bit of an adventure game hybrid as well, with a few sections that let you explore Dr. Frank’s house to find the items you need. It has a nice built-in hint system where you can ask Iggs for advice if you get stuck.

There’s plenty of humor in these sections as well.

Dr. Frank is a funny (and often immature) character, but there’s also a serious message beneath all the silliness as his character develops.

This visual novel was cute and a couple parts made me laugh out loud. The only downside is that it’s pretty short. It took me a little over an hour to get both endings. On the other hand, it’s also free, so it’s hard to complain.

If the developer ever makes a sequel to Dr. Frank’s Build a Boyfriend, I’d be happy to see where this dubious mad scientist’s journey takes him next.

Jun 292018
 

When The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit was announced during E3 at Microsoft’s press conference, I commented that even though it looked lighthearted, I didn’t trust it since it’s a game from Dontnod (and set in the Life is Strange universe, no less).

My suspicions were well-placed.

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is free, takes about 2 hours or so to complete, and alternates between being cute and sad.

Gameplay is pretty much like it is in Life is Strange, except you can use Chris’s “superpowers” in various situations. Chris is a little boy who pretends to be a superhero called Captain Spirit, and most of the game follows the adventures he plays out around the house.

He’s also struggling to cope with the death of his mother, as well as his father’s newfound alcoholism and bouts of anger.

Oh.

There were times when Captain Spirit felt like a lighthearted nostalgia trip, but the underlying darkness always lurked nearby. If you enjoyed the parts of Life is Strange that discussed what Max and Chloe were like as kids, or the “Farewell” bonus episode to Before the Storm, you’ll probably enjoy The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit as well.

The very end teases two additional characters who will probably play a role in Life is Strange 2. The ending screen confirms that Chris will return in Life is Strange 2, but it’s unclear if he’ll be the protagonist or not. I think one of the two brothers will be the main character, especially with how they’re introduced.

Click for Captain Spirit spoiler
That scene looked to me like one of them has actual powers and saved Chris from falling.

Many parts of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit made me smile, but it ultimately left me feeling sad. Still, we all know I’m going to play Life is Strange 2 no matter how depressing it is.