10 More Exciting Puzzle Games For You To Play!
Ace Attorney is a beloved thought-provoking series by the folks over at Capcom. It follows a young attorney named Phoenix Wright who goes around putting criminals to shame with his strong analytical skills. This series features a boatload of compelling characters, exciting trials, and colorful humor to get any visual novel enthusiast hooked.
If you’ve finished playing Ace Attorney and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks.
Of course, for all the games we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link, so you can check out our full thoughts on that and see if it’s something you want to invest your time in.
So without further ado, we present 10 games to check out if you’re looking for a game like Ace Attorney.
Danganronpa (Series)
Danganronpa is an incredible thought-provoking visual novel series like Ace Attorney that features brilliant mysteries, excellent characters, and gripping story beats. This series revolves around a group of students that are trapped in a high-stakes murder game, where they must investigate crime scenes, gather evidence, and engage in intense class trials to identify the culprit.
Like Ace Attorney, Danganronpa provides players with an immersive tale that emphasizes deduction, logic, and critical thinking. After playing it, you’ll feel as intelligent and witty as the characters inserted into it. These games will challenge players to use their analytical skills and deductive reasoning capabilities to uncover the truth and find justice in situations.
On top of having excellent plot twists that will get people more invested in their storylines, Danganronpa is a great visual novel game that promises to entertain Ace Attorney fans.
Professor Layton (Series)
Professor Layton is a beloved gaming franchise that’s crossed over with the Ace Attorney series in the past. It’s another franchise that offers great puzzle-solving mechanics, and immersive storytelling, and places emphasis on logic and deduction. Professor Layton presents players with many brain-teasing puzzles and riddles that will help Layton solve multiple issues.
Like Ace Attorney, players are introduced to a variety of characters in Professor Layton. Each character has a unique background, personality, and motivation that helps them stand out. Layton and Luke, the game’s trademark protagonists, are a charming duo and fans will adore seeing them interact with each and those around them throughout their endeavors.
In addition to having fabulous cinematics and voice acting, Professor Layton is a great alternative to Ace Attorney.
Zero Escape (Series)
The Zero Escape series is just as captivating and mind-numbing as the Ace Attorney franchise. It presents players with complex escape room scenarios and mind-bending puzzles that they must solve to progress through the game and uncover the mystery behind their captivity. It challenges players’ deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills as they work to unravel the layers of each mystery.
Zero Escape offers players a non-linear narrative, where the players’ choices and actions impact the story’s course. This creates multiple branching paths and different narrative outcomes, giving players a sense of agency and the urgency to replay the game.
Like Ace Attorney, Zero Escape incorporates fabulous visual novel elements and features a well-rounded cast. The characters are memorable and diverse, with each playing a crucial role in unraveling the mysteries found within the game. Players will form a tight relationship with these characters and become more invested in their respective journeys.
On top of having compelling puzzle-solving aspects, Zero Escape is a great visual novel game for critical thinkers.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is a splendid detective-themed game with an immersive narrative, emphasis on exploration, and engaging puzzle-solving mechanics. In it, players control Kyle Hyde, a former detective investigating a mysterious hotel for clues about his past. This game’s story excels at creating a suspenseful narrative through dialogue and expeditions.
Both games utilize distinct visual styles to grab players’ attention. Where Ace Attorney adores using animated sprites, Hotel Dusk adopts a unique hand-drawn art style that evokes a noir atmosphere, with a focus on detailed character portraits and atmospheric backgrounds. They use their visual styles to immerse players in their respective worlds which enhances the storytelling experience.
Both games emphasize exploration to an incredible degree. While you’ll be investigating crime scenes and interviewing people in Ace Attorney, you’ll interact with the mysterious Hotel Dusk’s guests and staff to gather evidence and unravel the secrets hidden within its structure.
On top of having delightful logic puzzles and riddles for players to tackle, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 will keep players eagerly anticipating the next revelation.
Overboard!
Imagine playing as one of the culprits Phoenix Wright had to stop in Ace Attorney. That’s the type of vibe you’ll get when playing Overboard for the first time. This game has you control the person who committed a murder while aboard an illustrious ship. You must help this criminal navigate through a web of consequences and choices to avoid suspicion.
Both games excel at creating suspenseful narratives that unfold through dialogue, interactions, and player decisions, providing players with a gripping experience that keeps players invested in the outcome. You’ll be forced to think critically and strategically plan your moves accordingly if you hope to escape situations undetected.
For those looking for a game that will make you ponder and one that offers multiple paths and endings, check out Overboard.
Grim Fandago Remastered
This is a remastered version of an award-winning point-and-click adventure title. It was cherished for its beautiful art, and gripping narrative, and the remastered version only enhances it all in one satisfying package.
Like Ace Attorney, Grim Fandango is a narrative-driven game with a focus on solving mysteries and uncovering the truth. In it, you’ll control Manny Calavera, a travel agent in the Land of the Dead. He gets ripped into a conspiracy surrounding the afterlife. Besides the afterlife setting, Manny’s tasks aren’t too different from Phoenix’s in Ace Attorney. Both games involve our protagonists gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and presenting arguments to people to uncover the truth.
This game features colorful cast members too. From Manny’s loyal friend Glottis to the underground leader Salvador, you’ll be enamored by everyone’s charm and humor.
In addition to having puzzles that’ll force you to think critically for solutions, Grim Fandango Remastered is a great game to play if you cherish Ace Attorney.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective recently got a re-release on many gaming devices. It comes from the same company that brought you Ace Attorney, so it’s a no-brainer for it to be on this list. Like Ace Attorney, this game focuses on storytelling and has a gripping story filled with glorious twists and turns.
In Ghost Trick, players assume the role of Sissel. He is a ghost with the power to possess and manipulate objects to solve puzzles and uncover the truth behind his murder. Throughout the game, you’ll help Sissel examine his surroundings and gather evidence to advance the game’s plot. Sissel will meet many people during his investigations and many of them have enough personality and charm to feel memorable.
On top of having enticing time manipulation mechanics, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is worth picking up.
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is a great role-playing game where you control a detective with a unique skill system at your beck and call. Like Ace Attorney, this game emphasizes storytelling and presents players with enough complex mysteries to keep them entertained.
Both games focus on dialogue and decision-making. You’ll interact with a diverse range of characters to obtain crucial information. This will assist you in making great decisions, uncovering clues, and progressing the story forward. Having great deduction and investigative skills is a must in both titles too. Not only will you analyze crime scenes in Disco Elysium, but you’ll visit and use many mental facilities to reconstruct events and make better decisions.
With its complex storytelling, well-written cast, and gripping gameplay, Disco Elysium is worth your time.
Tangle Tower
Tangle Tower, developed by SFB Games, has similar gameplay mechanics, intriguing mysteries, and riveting visuals as Ace Attorney. In it, players take the roles of detectives Grimoire and Sally as they investigate a murder inside a twisted and enigmatic tower. The game’s focus on investigation, puzzle-solving, and engaging narratives will remind folks of Ace Attorney.
As one can expect, Tangle Tower elicits players to find devices and examine crime scenes like in Ace Attorney. You must explore crime scenes thoroughly, collect items, and uncover clues to piece together the truth behind murders. The interactive environments and puzzles in Tangle Tower are just as engaging and fun as Ace Attorneys.
On top of having branching paths and multiple endings that encourage replayability, Tangle Tower is a great point-and-click adventure title you should add to your wishlist.
Murder By Numbers
Murder By Numbers is a visually appealing and engaging game with fabulous murder mystery vibes like Ace Attorney. In it, you assume the role of Mizrahi, a skilled detective who teams up with a robot named SCOUT to unravel a series of murders while solving nongram puzzles.
Its combination of puzzle-solving, investigation, and gripping storytelling draws clear parallels to the Ace Attorney series. For instance, solving Murder By Number’s picross-like puzzles will help you gather evidence to progress your investigation. This mirrors the logic and deduction tasks you’ll find in Ace Attorney like analyzing testimonials and presenting valid arguments.
Both games feature well-rounded ensemble casts who’ll you grow acquainted with over time. Although these games dabble into treacherous cases, they’re not afraid to add a pinch of lighthearted humor. From funny banter to goofy scenarios, fans will appreciate the game giving them moments to breathe and contemplate.
If you enjoyed unraveling Ace Attorney’s countless mysteries, then you’re bound to have an enjoyable time with Murder By Numbers.
So there we have it, our 10 video game picks to keep you busy after playing Ace Attorney.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!