Aviary Attorney Definitive Edition Out on Nintendo Switch

I can say with certainty that not many have heard of a small gem called Aviary Attorney. An indie title created by Sketchy Logic, and inspired by the famous Ace Attorney series. Well, if you’re familiar with the Ace Attorney series, you know you’re in for a genuine treat. The only title produced by the studio until now, it is by far one of the wackiest, charming, and puzzling adventures out there. And as of January the 30th, it’s officially out on Nintendo Switch. So this is a perfect opportunity to look at the game a little closer, without any spoiler.

Without spoiling any of the plot details, Aviary Attorney isn’t your typical court-room drama adventure game. Instead of the humans known in the Ace Attorney series, this time anthropomorphic animals take front and center. You play as Jayjay Falcon, a spiffy defense lawyer, accompanied by his trusty sidekick Sparowson. As a defense attorney, Falcon takes on multiple cases over the course of four chapters. Throughout his case examination, he meets a variety of different characters, all of the anthropomorphic kind. Your job is to investigate, guide Falcon, in order to mount a case, to persuade others into helping him, and of course, to come on top in the criminal justice system.

Yet its main appeal is in the game’s artwork and presentation. Set in 1848 Paris, Falcon is set loose to conduct his case, through a diversity of real-life locations. From Notre Dame to the Louvre, both the player and protagonist has only a small number of days to investigate and bask in the beauty of 19th-century architecture, in the midst of a real historical revolution. Even more so, the game’s art style is ripped straight from J.J. Grandville. A well-known french caricaturist known for such classics as ‘Metamorphoses.’ The soundtrack, on the other hand, is comprised of compositions from the romantic era, from composer Camille Saint-Saëns.

Two more astounding features that I cannot just pass by are the humor and the multiple endings. Every action during the investigation leads to a different outcome, which adds so much replay value on top of the original 4h playtime. It might not be as long as many other games on the market today, but it manages to shake a feather or two. And captivate with its silliness and charm. Oh, and of course, bird puns. Lots and lots of bird puns.

The game initially released in 2015, so I didn’t plan on making this a review article. Yet without spoiler, if this game does intrigue you, you should give it a try. It’s simple, and doesn’t eat up much time, yet is well polished and intriguing. And who knows, with a Definitive Edition coming out on the Nintendo Switch, maybe they added some more exclusive things. Give it a quick glance, and you might not be disappointed. It’s also a perfect time to buy it since it’s cheep. Get it bird pun, cheep. Okay, I’ll stop.