Second Story Gamer

Just as the Wii is known for having heaps upon heaps of mini-games on it, the DS is a puzzle game filled handheld. As an avid puzzle aficionado, this was a major selling point of the system. So the second game I bought on the DS (after the New Super Mario Bros.) was Professor Layton and the Curious Village. And, boy, did I get a hold of a puzzler.

Well, I should probably clarify something.  This game isn’t a traditional puzzle game.  The genre puzzle game is usually associated with Tetris, Lumines, or Planet Puzzle League; these are all games that require fast paced stylus action to, usually, match up similar colored blocks.  Take that definition and throw it out the window for Professor Layton.  Hit the jump for the rest of the review.

The best category for this game would be in the “point and click puzzle adventure” folder.  The main characters, Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke, are exploring the fictional town of St. Mystere and encounter many puzzles along the way.  The puzzles at the beginning of the game are fairly easy, but by the end, they are insanely difficult.  Each puzzle earns you a set number of Picarats, which decreases each time you get an incorrect answer.  These Picarats unlock bonuses at the end of the game, but there is little motivation to collect the biggest amount available, so there is little motivation not to cheat.

In a game like this, you would expect the story to take sideline, but surprisingly, it is is well woven into the core gameplay.  Professor Layton and Luke are in St. Mystere to search for the mysterious Golden Apple, which seems like a very bland story, but the plot thickens and twists, which keeps things entertaining.

And speaking of St. Mystere, the art design of this game is great.  The village and all of the characters have a European-styled art design, which really makes up for the limitations of the DS hardware.  And the music of the game is indescribably good.

A problem I had with the game is the difficulty curve.  Some of the puzzles are ridiculously hard, which is very frustrating.  But, the game does have useful hint coins scattered around the town that unlock hints in puzzles your stuck in, so they are bearable.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village took me about 9 hours to complete, so it is pretty meaty.  If you are into riddles, like me, this is an absolute must buy for you.  However, if mental stress while playing video games isn’t your cup of tea, don’t bother with this game.  All you’ll end up with is frustration and a headache.

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