Gameplay-wise, the "Dance of Deduction" mechanic has been refined. In the first game, Herlock Sholmes' logic was often wild and required correction. In the sequel, the mechanic feels more integrated into the legal battles. Sholmes himself is written with more depth; we see the cracks in his genius, making him a more compelling character rather than just a comic relief genius.
The Japanese subtitle, Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Kakugo , roughly translates to "The Resolve of Ryūnosuke Naruhodō." This title is significant. In the first game, Ryūnosuke was a bumbling, anxious student swept up in events larger than himself. He was the "dragon who hadn't yet awakened."
For years, Western fans of the Ace Attorney series have shouted a singular phrase into the void:
One of the most common criticisms of the first game was its pacing; it spent a lot of time world-building. DGS2 does not suffer from this. The game consists of five main cases, but they form a tight, continuous narrative. It feels less like an episodic game and more like a ten-part legal drama miniseries.
The Evolution of Resolve: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke and the Subversion of the Ace Attorney Archetype in Dai Gyakuten Saiban 2