I'm about halfway through the second case myself, and so far, everything looks to be on point. The same touch-interface and control scheme that was adapted from the first two DS entries remain unchanged, as does the voice microphone capability. The English translation, once again, was done up by the Capcom in-house localization team. I think they've gotten a bit more confident and comfortable with the writing; it's a solid translation overall, while pop culture references make a return with some pretty clever homages this time around. (My current favorite is Gumshoe's description of Godot: "He's a real ice man, a maverick." I know that's a Top Gun citation, but I can't help but think they were giving a little nod to Mega Man as well.) ;) Character mannerisms have remained consistent, though it's a shame to see Phoenix carry over his dry, witless personality from PW2, and not his keen, more sharply-observant self from PW1. If ever they needed Alex Smith's contribution again, it definitely should've gone to punching up Phoenix's dialogue.
Unfortunately, typos and grammatical errors are evident; nothing major so far that has hurt the experience, though others who already finished the game concedes that the proofreading feels even less polished than PW2. I guess that's the price to pay for getting the game out so quickly...... In any case, one hopes that it'll be fixed up for the domestic releases.
Young Mia and Godot now have new voices. I felt they didn't capture Franziska's English voice for PW2 quite right, but comparatively, Mia's is a lot better. Her "OBJECTION!" still sounds a tad silly, but her "TAKE THAT!" and (especially) "HOLD IT!" are spot-on great. Godot, on the other hand, turned out..... eh. For a guy who practically defines the meaning of "cool," he just sounds unabashedly goofy. Someone said that he sounds like he has a mouth full of marshmallows. I have to agree. *_*
And the music. Been anxiously waiting for the upgraded score, and while it's not as newly refined as the first two games, there are notable differences to be heard. Like before, the sound fidelity sounds crisper and clearer here on the DS than on the GBA, and the deeper and more robust sounding bass and drum samples benefit nicely. Some of the alterations of the original midi, however, I feel are questionable choices, particularly on some of the higher tonal instruments. (That backing string synth in "Examination ~ Allegro," for instance, is on a jarring new pitch.) Some will argue that PW3 was the most sophisticated in terms of GBA instrument quality, thereby forgoing the need for much enhancement, but certain elements seem to be almost exactly the same to the point where some of the sounds are out of place against the updated sonic quality of the DS version.
Like PW2 before it, PW3 also brings back certain songs and themes that have remained series staples, like Auspicious People, Gumshoe's Theme, and the Suspense theme. PW3 also culls a few from PW2 as well, such as Trick And Magic, Pearl's Theme, and Psyche Lock. These tracks are exactly the same as they were in the first two games. (Maya's Theme naturally returns, and they reused the PW2 variation, just as they had done with the GBA version.)
Here's a ten minute medley sample I had recorded. I'm looking forward to ripping/recording the full score:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TPN713KK
All in all, I'm having a wonderful time with the game, and it'll likely remain to be one of my better gaming experiences this year. Although the fourth one is on the way, it's sad that this is the last of the "Phoenix" titles, and that this will be the last time we'll get to visit the ol' Wright Office, looking out the window at the ever-popular Gatewater Hotel, checking out what poster is currently hanging on that wall, and seeing how Charley the plant is making out. I'm gonna cherish this one greatly.
