Nintendo: An Ace Attorney's latest additions

With the eagerly awaited sequel to one of last year's biggest surprise hits on Nintendo DS fast approaching, it's time to take a closer look at what's new under the sun in Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice For All.

Fans of the first game will find themselves instantly at home, and thanks to the setup of the first of the game's four cases, newcomers won't be at a loss either; Phoenix is suffering from a serious bout of amnesia, and will need to relearn the basic tricks of the trade along with the player.

The core gameplay has been left mostly intact, but Capcom's Ace Attorney has some new tricks up his sleeve and a new ally by his side - which is just as well, as he'll be facing off against a ruthless new adversary in the courtroom.

While a few familiar faces return, Justice For All has lined up a colourful cast of new characters, whose ability to bend the truth for their own nasty purposes will require a sharp defence lawyer exposing their lies - but a mighty mystical item called a Magatama comes in handy as well.

This spiritual stone allows Phoenix to channel the mystical powers of Pearl Fey (Maya and Mia Fey's 8-year-old cousin), or more specifically, to see the Psyche-Locks that prevent witnesses from speaking freely.

In a similar vein to his Cross-Examination tactics, Phoenix must now present witnesses with evidence that will break these mental locks, allowing the witness to answer his questions properly. Your life bar will decrease with every failed attempt at breaking a Psyche-Lock, so be on your guard. The more Psyche-Locks Phoenix sees, the bigger the secret the witness is hiding"¦

Your task is further complicated by wily prosecutor Franziska von Karma. She has a score to settle with Phoenix (for destroying her father's reputation, and for what happened to Miles Edgeworth, the main adversary from the first game). Like her father, she doesn't shy away from tampering with evidence to swing the verdict in her favour. And she has a whip, too! - Nintendo.