Aviary Attorney

Aviary Attorney is a visual novel based in Paris during the turmoil years of the 1840s. The player takes the role of the attorney Jayjay Falcon (and his assistant Sparrowson) who has to defend his clients in four criminal cases. The drawing style is reminiscent of the European Romantic period and is inspired by the French caricaturist J.J. Grandville; the writing has both serious and humorous (puns, contemporary references) elements. All participants are depicted as humanized animals, mostly birds.

Each case begins with a investigation period. Here Jayjay talks to various witnesses to collect information and evidence. Usually there are a number of questions to ask and sometimes he has the option to probe into a subject - but this may antagonize the witness. This opens up more locations to visit which can be chosen from the Paris overhead map. However, there is only a limited amount of time available until the trial starts.

During the trial, the accuser introduces their evidence and witness. Of course Jayjay has the option for cross-examination (topics of further interest are marked in the text and can be clicked on) and presenting his own evidence. Every action influences the jury's opinion, so it is important to avoid irrelevant questions. Like many court dramas, there may also be some twists and turns like an unplanned recession and another investigation phase. It is possible to fail a case when asking the wrong questions or missing pieces of evidence, but because of its branching structure the game still continues. Especially the last case and the ending have major changes depending on the previous results.