This Ace Attorney inspired indie raises the stakes by adding a poker influence

digitaltrends.com:

Visual novelOf the Devil wears its influences proudly on its sleeves. Putting players into the shoes of a cocky lawyer who takes on cases that seem impossible to win, it’s a loving homage to Ace Attorney. Though, like the best games with famous influences, Of the Devil isn’t content to simply replicate a familiar experience, it wants to build on it. With the release of its first episode, of five planned, developer nth Circle Studios establishes it is well equipped to do just that through excellent character designs, sharp writing, and a thrilling cyberpunk world.

Set in the future of 2086, Of the Devil introduces players to a world in which privatized advancements in technology have become so intertwined with the government that almost all the state’s power is tied to corporations (Can you imagine?). This has led to a legal system that gets a guilty verdict in nearly every trial brought to court. As protagonist Morgan puts it in Of the Devil’s must-play prologue episode, trials are now a game of poker: the state is the house, and the house always wins. Of course, it is still Morgan’s job to get the best possible result for her clients, something she refers to not as winning, but as not losing.

Anyone familiar with Ace Attorney or Danganronpa will feel right at home with Of the Devil’s core gameplay loop. Morgan is given a case she’ll take to trial and collects evidence by interviewing witnesses and investigating the crime scene. Collecting evidence nets players poker chips, so it is always in their interest to be as thorough as possible. During trials, picking the right piece of evidence will break apart the state’s case and bolster your own. However,Of the Devil adds a flair to the familiar loop through the law-as-poker metaphor.

Evidence takes the form of playing cards. The prosecution will lay out their argument in the form of a hand of poker. It’s up to the player to know what evidence card in their possession will sufficiently break apart the