VisualNovel Not bad, but not as good as the one before or the one after
The second Ace Attorney, while still a good game in its own right, is probably the weakest game for a number of story- and gameplay-related reasons.
One of the game's main weaknesses is that it's not entirely clear what the plot is, save for how Edgeworth supposedly died after the first game(but as almost everyone knows by now, he's alive) and Phoenix is reuniting with his assistant Maya. As a result, the cases seem rather disconnected from each other, and there's less incentive to keep going.
Franziska von Karma is one of the less interesting prosecutorial opponents in the series, being obsessed with winning at all costs. The Investigations duology did a significantly better job of using her character to her full potential than JFA did. Disappointingly, Maya doesn't have much to do in this game apart from serving as a victim, and doesn't develop very much.
One good thing JFA brings to the series is the Magatama. It allows you to see when witnesses are hiding something, their secret protected by "Psyche-locks," which can be broken by presenting evidence or correctly answering questions.
The game does away with the five penalty system for a health bar, with mistakes taking at least 20% of the bar and sometimes instantly causing you to lose the case. This can increase the pressure on you in critical moments, but the large penalties often feel arbitrary.
The first case is probably the worst opening case in the series, having a one-note villain and some glaring logical issues(like how a man with a broken neck left a Dying Clue). The fact that it takes place after the second case cheapens the impact of Maya's return.
The second case is fairly good in terms of the mystery. It also helps to provide a bit of worldbuilding by introducing the Fey Clan and developing the plotline of Mia and Maya's Missing Mom.
The third case is one of the worst in the series, featuring unlikable witnesses, some rather contrived developments(particularly how the killer accidentally framed the victim), and some brutally unforgiving cross-examinations. It has a decent concept- a murder that doesn't involve any bad people- but its execution is lackluster, albeit one that the anime vastly improved upon.
The fourth case, by contrast, is one of the best in the series. It's a long and challenging case with an amazing twist that I won't spoil here. In it, Phoenix must decide what being a defense attorney means to him, just like Edgeworth rediscovered his sense of justice, providing both men with good Character Development.
JFA isn't entirely bad, but it has some glaring shortcomings, especially how half the cases are subpar. The good moments make it a worthwhile experience if you're a fan of the series, though, as long as you're prepared to stick with it through the not-so-good moments.
VisualNovel A Very Mixed Bag
I covered the first game in the series pretty exhaustively, but I have to admit that I don't have as much to say about its immediate sequel. Justice For All is not a bad game, but it is a frustratingly inconsistent one. It has some of the series' highest highs and some of its lowest lows. Rather than address it case by case, I'm going to start with the things I think it did right before I go into the spots where it went wrong.
I'll start with the introduction of Kurain village and the extended Fey clan. Obviously Maya and Mia were important characters to the first game, but their backstory had plenty of gaps that could be filled. That's not a criticism, we knew exactly as much as we needed in the first game. It's just that there was room for expansion, which this game decided to do. The politics of Kurain village form an important part of the second case and the third game, and they're quite intriguing. A lot of the familial drama feels Shakespearean, particularly Morgan Fey's machinations involving her daughter, Pearl Fey. Pearl is a great addition to the series, and could reasonably be argued to be your main assistant in this game. She's adorable and eager to help, but also naive and a bit quick-tempered when she thinks Phoenix is betraying his 'special someone', Maya. The friendship between her and Maya has a bittersweet edge to it considering how much Morgan hates the latter. Maya suffers a lot at the hands of Morgan, and it's ironic because the person Morgan's doing it for is the one who would want it the least.
There's a good supporting cast for most of the game too. From returning characters like Lotta Hart to new faces like Maggey Bird, there's a lot of fun people to interact with. The core characters of the first game all return as well, and their presence is enjoyable as ever. Edgeworth has a much more limited presence in this one, but it makes the times he does show up all the more impactful. Takumi made a smart decision to restrict his presence going forward, as it allows him to remain a credible obstacle to Phoenix in court while also showcasing the character's growth.
The fourth and final case also deserves a special shout-out as one of the best cases of the series. It's suspenseful and unnerving, frequently leaving the player as desperate as Phoenix himself. The character arc it forces Phoenix through is well done, allowing the character to truly examine why he is a defense attorney. It's also one of the only times a defendant in this series is actually guilty, or so close as to make the difference irrelevant. Uncovering the secrets of the war between Matt Engarde and Juan Corrida is as fascinating as it is repulsive. The casual way the two threw away Celeste and nearly destroyed Adrian's life makes it hard to feel bad for either of their final fates. In Engarde's case (no pun intended) it's the most satisfying trial conclusion in the entire game. For all this game's faults, it ends on a massive high.
But let's get into those faults now. The first case starts the game off on a bad note. While there is a bit of humor to how brazen the way it gives Phoenix amnesia is, its still not a very good case. The mystery isn't exciting, and it takes way too long to bring down Richard Wellington for how dumb and annoying he is. This case did not deserve two segments. The third case is also pretty rough. Ben and Trillo get my vote for the most annoying and frustrating witness in the series, and Moe's humor rarely reached the laughably bad it needed to get to. It doesn't help that Moe is linked to a particular difficulty spike that feels rather pointless. Of course, the absolute worst part of that case though is the romantic elements with three different adult men pursuing a sixteen year old girl. You might be able to write off Ben's behavior as simply being creepy and inappropriate if you assume he's just playing Trillo's crush for a joke, but Max and Bat have no such luck. It's a shame, because if the localization team had just moved Regina's age up to 18 we could've avoided all of this.
On a more general note, I think this game is hurt by Maya's lack of presence in it. She brings a fun, goofy, and slightly chaotic energy to the investigation segments that makes them pop in a way that Pearl sadly can't replicate. Phoenix and Maya are just a great double act, and the chemistry between them has often been imitated throughout the franchise, but never truly duplicated. I understand the story reasons for why Maya takes a backseat, but frankly it just makes me wish they had written the story differently.
The final major problem I have with the game is Franziska. She has a decent redemption at the end, it doesn't make up for how insufferable her character was for the majority of the game. I know these games require suspension of disbelief, but the idea that she could get away with literally whipping the judge in court and not be tossed out is just too much for me. I get that her antics with the whip and overusing the word fool are supposed to be funny, but they just didn't land for me. The ending manages to salvage what it can, and her follow-up appearance in the next game was much better, but it doesn't improve this game.
So with all of that said, where do I stand? I think JFA's reputation as the weakest of the original trilogy is earned. It's neither as consistently good as its predecessor or as ambitious in scope as its sequel. That said, it's not without merit. Cases 2 and 4 are solid, with 4 being an absolute highlight of the franchise. And even Case 3, as bad as its first half is, does pick back up in its second half. The introduction of the Magatama as a gameplay mechanic is a solid idea that was used very effectively. JFA is not a bad game. It is flawed, but it still stands as worthy of being next to the other two entries in the trilogy and worthy of your time.