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PSP | Adventure | Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

Boxart for Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law
Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law 24 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.00
  • SOUND: 4.50
  • CONTROL: 4.50
  • FUN FACTOR 3.75
  • AVG USER SCORE n/a
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 3.8

Review: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

Review by Emily Balistrieri | 03/04/2008 | 11:01:51 AM PST

With the Ace Attorney series covering courtroom drama, there remained the untapped market of courtroom comedy, so it makes perfect sense for Adult Swim's Harvey Birdman to step in. "Who is the man in the suit?" Well, now it's you.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law plays out like five interactive episodes of the TV show. Peanut, Birdman's legal clerk, is as inscrutable as ever, Birdgirl overflows with enthusiasm, and X still wants that crest on Birdman's forehead. You may miss Stephen Colbert as pirate-eyed president Phil Ken Sebben, but other characters keep their voices intact.

Each case consists of investigation and courtroom shenanigans. Changing sides between prosecution and defense, Judge Mentok the Mind-Taker swapping people's minds, potato-powered jail break attempts, and an army of litigating clones all figure into the plot. Case four (with the clones) is particularly entertaining, as Peanut is arrested for copyright infringement. Snooping on his laptop reveals a folder labeled "PRON" and yes, the pun goes there.

Production values are high. The voices, music, and art all make it feel like you're watching a UMD video series instead of playing a game. Honestly, sometimes you may wish that were true. The game is fun because you're advancing the plot and usually laughing, not because of any amazing gameplay mechanics. Gravitas points, i.e. Birdman's lawyer powers, are used up if you "present the wrong piece of evidence like a boob," but certain clever but non-essential actions will be rewarded with an extra one. You can also unlock bonus videos, including out-takes. There are these incentives to play and replay the game, but sometimes you wish you could just sit back and let the laughs unfold without having to choose whether to object or shoot lasers.

One thing definitely worth mentioning along with the smoothness of navigation (including slim load times) is that you can skip any cinematic clip. From segments you might have to replay due to an improbable failure, to the repetitive clips of Birdman dismissing your choice to press a bit of testimony that doesn't warrant pressing-you don't have to watch anything that feels like a waste of time.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is a pretty short game, and not terribly challenging, but for those who appreciate the humor of the series it's likely to be an enjoyable romp-- more of what you already like, only with buttons attached.

Pros: High production quality, some laugh-out-loud moments
Cons: Rather short, no Stephen Colbert


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