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Vs: Harvey Birdman v. Phoenix Wright

Two of Capcom's top attorneys duke it out for legal superiority. Who will survive? Will there be lawsuits? Where are my pants?

The legal system turns out to be something cool to base a video game on - if you're Capcom, that is. The company's been churning out reasonably entertaining attorney simulations for the past few years, starting with the Phoenix Wright trilogy for Nintendo DS and continuing into 2008 with Apollo Justice for the DS and Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law for the PSP. But let's face it, Apollo's just a young pup. Phoenix and Harvey have been going at this for years. So who really holds their own when it comes to the power of attorney? Fortunately, this week's Versus column answers that question...well, sort of.

Legal Prowess

Phoenix Wright has been solving cases for a number of years, starting out as a young kid and eventually gaining the knowledge from his protege needed to be the best damn attorney in the business. He still has his problems here and there, such as cold sweats, amnesia, that sort of thing, but overall his dominating performance continues to hold up well, even the third time in. Unfortunately, he soon gets into hot water again, if his appearance in the upcoming Apollo Justice gives any indication.

Harvey Birdman fought crime for years alongside his hawk Avenger before deciding to settle down into a legal career. Of course, the wacky animation staff at Williams Street lent a hand to his cases as well, giving him everything from Yakky Doodle's potential name change to Chemical Castration to Droopy's over-the-top Botox injection (MUST SEE). In the game Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law, his dumbfounded legal skills are put to the test in a number of cases, including ones against his legal partner, his wife and his very freedom.

Overall, both men know what they're doing. Harvey's a bit dunderheaded when it comes to some decision-making, but Phoenix has his lapses as well.

Winner: Draw!

Nemesis's (Nemeses? Nemesi?)

Both men have sworn enemies. If the guy that gave Phoenix Wright in Justice For All didn't do enough damage to him, he also has to put up with Godot, the super-attorney with a Cyclops-ish visor on his face and the pure attitude that he simply cannot lose. The judge is also a pain in the ass at times, refusing to put up with Phoenix's tomfoolery and insisting on getting justice by any means necessary.

Harvey Birdman's gaggle of villains, however, is far more interesting. X the Eliminator (voiced by Peter Macnicol) is a handful in himself, a loser who lives in his mother's basement and stores his super-sized laser weapon in Harvey's office for safe keeping. He also just made a purchase at a weapons lair for a whole bunch of equipment - torture equipment. If that's not enough, Harvey also has to content with the ineptitude of the assisting Birdgirl, the mind-numbing prowess of Mentok the Mindtaker, and a few other interesting characters - including Guile and Zangief from the Street Fighter series.

Winner: Harvey Birdman

Gameplay

Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law is essentially Phoenix Wright lite. You basically go through evidence and profiles, trying to poke holes in testimonies and finding the truth as a result. The gameplay meanders somewhat midway through the game, as Harvey attempts to get out of prison by finding a remote powered by a super potato. Still, it's funny, so that's going for it.

As for Phoenix Wright, the dynamic of case-solving remains untouched. You dig through evidence, point out inaccuracies, lay down the truth in true dramatic fashion and eventually get your client off scot-free, even though there are so many legal hoops that you have to jump through. Hey, no one said being an attorney was easy.

Winner: Phoenix Wright

Humor

Phoenix Wright's games have always had an underlying sense of humor. A good portion of the characters featured in all three games is egotistical, over-the-top and absolutely ridiculous. How else can you explain a prep boy who suddenly loses his mind on the stand when holes are poked in his story, only to go back to being calm a minute later? And let's not forget Godot. This guy's so far in over his head that you're surprised there's enough room in the courtroom for his ego.

Meanwhile, Harvey Birdman has sharp, hilarious writing on his side. No matter what decisions you make in the case, there's a zinger waiting around the corner. Some jokes don't work as well as others, but the delivery by Gary Cole and the rest of the cast keep the game moving along just fine. And let's not forget Macnicol, who reads X as such a farfetched character that you can't help but adore his blatant stupidity. All for the sake of Birdman's crest...for crying out loud.

Winner: Even

The Victor?

In the end, both attorneys serve their purpose luxuriously. Phoenix Wright has the gameplay to back him up, along with numerous memorable characters and a smooth interface to work through. Harvey Birdman is equally good. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for with hilarious dialogue, great performances and likable gameplay. In the end, no matter which attorney you end up with, you'll go home happy...unless you're O.J. Simpson. Nothing can save that guy.

Winner: Everyone but O.J.