AA2 had Pearls. AA4 was horribly mediocre. Didn't like a single case. CAN FEEL EMOTIONS WITH MY BRACELET. TRIXIE AND APOLLO ARE LOST LOST SIBLINGS. Just what.
I at least give AA4 credit for having the balls to realize the old cast's story was finished. AAI, AAI2, and AA5 were cowardly regressions. AA4 is actually in the top 50% of the series by now, and I expect it to keep rising with each new cash-in.
AA4 does have balls, but ultimately, the cast isn't as good nor do they stand on their own unlike AA1-3's. I haven't played AAI or AA5 yet, and AA4 was my last one. I thought Ghost Trick did the Phoenix Wright formula in a new exciting way, and I'm peeved we're not getting more of that.
I'm not sure I'd say their stories are finished after 3, either. For Phoenix? Ehh, maybe. He defeated his old "lover", but that was it. Maya? I'm not sure she's gotten a concrete ending and it certainly wasn't ended well. Same for Edgeworth and Gumshoe. If I'm remembering things right, 3 leaves the doors wide open for another sequel easily, unlike say, Yakuza games. Like, I thought Yakuza 1 ended Kiryu's story completely, and 2 should have starred a totally different cast despite Yak 2 being my favorite Yakuza.