I played Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law · 5:06am May 23rd, 2020
I felt like playing something short and filled with jokes. So here we go.
Based on the TV show of the same name, you play as the titular Super Hero turned lawyer Harvey Birdman. Attorney at Sebben and Sebben Law firm.
And I'm just going to bring this up now: Could they just not afford to get Stephen Colbert to voice Phil Ken Sebben and for this game? Possibly not, but this really bugs me when most of the voices are right.
The animation isn't bad, but it feels to me like since it's more of a point and click style game they could have done a better job with that. It not like you're making Harvey jump, fly, and fight. The video sequences could have been better. Especially when they use clips of the show that show off better animation.
Thank goodness they didn't skimp on the writing. Though that might say more about the show than the game. Oh well, at least I enjoyed the humor.
So the game starts with a arson case. You watch a shadowy figure set fire to an building, Peter Potamus drives up, announces that the smell makes him want a sausage, and he then drives away. A model Citizen he is not, but you'd better have that thing he sent 'cha.
Cut to Harvey's office and you're making the first important decision of the game. Solving a Crossword.
Once you've made your choice Peter bursts in and gives you the news about your half of the duplex burning down before the police come in and arrest him. Harvey takes the case and it's into the game proper. Though this is a simple case to get you used to playing and the court mechanics.
The user interactions are like those for Ace Attorney (another Capcom series) and obviously focus on investigation over action. It's simple, functional, and nothing to really get excited about. You mostly just select options from a menu and in some areas you can use the cursor to point and investigate.
The real appeal of this game is the fact that it is just more of the show. Cartoon hijinx, crude humor, goofy plots, and dirty jokes abound. It's rated T for a reason. It hits the notes of the show, and has the running gags so if you're a fan you know what to expect. That's not a downfall for it either, because of the show it's based on any big changes would have come off as a negative. Best to keep this one in formula.
Though with that formula it's really short. You can play through it in a bored afternoon, killing a few hours if you take your time. It's biggest downside is that it's just not that special or memorable. It's fun for a bit then you forget about it.
All in all, this game is alright. If you're a fan of the show, you'll probably have some fun. If you're a fan of Ace Attorney, you'll catch on quickly, but probably go back to Phoenix Wright shortly after. This is a game to take out when you just want a quick cheep laugh on a boring evening.
I only remember parts of this show, never played Ace Attorney
5267950
I've only played a little Ace Attorney. But the controls are simple, pretty much just selecting from menus and moving your icon over individual screens.
5268131
certainly sounds straight forward