I've always been curious about this game when I would walk by it on the shelf yet I didn't know if I would enjoy it based upon the tiny little speck of a conversation they have on the back of all those games. based upon this review I might actually stop by my local game stop and try to find an used copy of it, even if I don't like it I can take those back with no problem. But when I actually read a well worded review such as this I can gladly run the risk of wanting to get a hold of it. Nice review, you gave me the hope that I am not running out of ds games to get my hands on and play :)
Professor Layton (Franchise) game Review
Professor Layton refers to a series of puzzle adventure games for the Nintendo DS/3DS (1-4 on DS, 5-6 and vs Ace Attorney on 3DS), produced by Level 5 and distributed by Nintendo. In additional to the games, a feature-length film has been produced that directly follows events in the fourth game.
Season 1 consists of three games and follows Professor Hershel Layton and his assistant Luke Triton through a series of stories full of puzzles and adventures. They are joined by Flora (Aroma) in the second and third games.
1: Professor Layton and the Curious Village
2: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (aka Pandora's Box)
3: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (aka Lost Future, Last Time Travel)
Season 2 consists of three games and a movie. The series takes place several years before the events of Season 1. Layton meets Luke Triton in game 4, and is also joined by Layton's assistant, Emmy Altawa.
4: Professor Layton and the Last Specter (aka Specter's Flute) - GAME
4.5: Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva - MOVIE
5: Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle - GAME
6: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies - GAME
Crossovers
Level-5 and Capcom collaborated to produce a crossover of their popular Layton and Ace Attorney series. Appropriately enough the game is titled "Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney" and is available for the Nintendo 3DS.
Story & Playability
NOTE: This is a review of the fourth game only
Professor Layton and the Last Specter (also known as Specter’s Flute) is the fourth installment in the mystery/puzzler
game series for the Nintendo DS.
Specter takes a step back from that rather crazy shenanigans and action sequences that punctuated the third game (slot
machine machine gun, what?) and focuses back on exploration, meeting locals, and slowly uncovering the truth behind the
titular mystery. Endlessly marketed in Japan as “the episode when the Professor and Luke first meet” the story takes
place several years before the first game (Curious Village), and starts an entirely new story arc (expected to take 3
games to tell, along with movies.) The story begins when Layton receives a letter from his old friend, Clark Triton,
asking him to investigate the specter which is destroying his village of Mist Hallaley. There, Layton will discover it
was in fact Clark’s son Luke who wrote to him. This is a very different Luke from the first trilogy - a shy, awkward
boy who is not sure he can trust Layton despite his father’s confidence. The dynamic between the two is delicately
handled and in the end, Luke starts being able to open up just a little, and we get a hint of who he becomes in the
first trilogy.
The main story is not that different from other Layton games. You go around. You talk to people. You solve puzzles. You
eventually find out what is destroying the town. There are some interesting twists (Ragushii is a... what?) but the
story mostly treads familiar ground. The best part about Specter is the new set of characters it introduces. You have
the athletic and clever assisstant Remi Altawa (for whom I finally forgive Level 5 for the utter ineptitude of Flora)
and the gruff but charismatic police chief Clamp Growski (who is so buff he can run from London to Mist Hallaley as fast
as Remi can ride there on her Vespa.) There is more camaraderie between these two and Layton and Luke, and they work
perfectly to smooth over each others faults. They are set against a third new recurring character, arch-villain Jean
Descole, whose smooth appearance and manner disguise a truly diabolical genius. Unlike Don Paolo’s cheesy schemes,
when Descole plots, you are sometimes not quite sure the Professor will be able to outwit him.
Like other Layton games the story is fairly short (probably between 8-10 hours depending on how many puzzles you solve
immediately and how many you defer until later) and split into numerous chapters. The game is casual and you can pick it
up and play for 10 minutes or an hour, without feeling rushed. There are over 150 puzzles of varying difficulty to get
through, as well as downloadable puzzles to extend the game’s life further.
Specter sets up a new trilogy of Layton games very well, introducing and developing a new set of characters whose
potential I can’t wait to see.
Rating:
Graphics
Specter looks just like the other three Layton games. That is to say, it is simple and whimsical, and gives the game
much of its charm. The backgrounds are full of rich earth tones which give the setting a slightly aged feel. The devil
is in the details - tapping on various areas in the background yield hint coins, little trinkets you collect or even
hidden puzzles. Often, Layton, Luke and Remi give commentary on what you’ve tapped on, which both enriches the world,
but is also quite annoying when you’re trying to dig out more hint coins.
Character designs are unique and exaggerated. It’s safe to say you will not get anyone mixed up, as each person is
distinct both in look and in mannerisms.
There are numerous cut scenes sprinkled throughout the game, and liven up the story line. Animations are fluid and
seamless, and give a hint of what you can expect in Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, a movie which takes place
several months after the incidents of Specter’s Flute. A few of the scenes are a bit questionable (do we really need
20 seconds of Jakes’ maniacal laughter?) but others are worth watching over and over (like Remi chasing the Black Crow
across the marketplace.)
The art is exactly what you’d expect from a Layton game, nothing more, nothing less.
Rating:
Sound
As the fourth game in an established series, the music also contains no surprises. Composed by series veteran Nishiura
Tomohito, there are numerous cues from past games (such as Layton’s theme, or the idyllic afternoon theme) and a set
of new ones. The music remains quiet and uncomplicated, with piano, flute, and accordion providing the bulk of the
accompaniment. Violins come in for moodier or more mysterious pieces. by contrast, Descole’s theme is heavy-handed
with pipe organs and crashing cymbals (which sounds even better as a live orchestral theme) and the theme during the
final battle is a fast-paced violin number that gets the heart racing, and provide a bit of variety to the
soundtrack.
Voice work is solid and help build up each character. After three games, Yo Oizumi has Layton’s dignified voice down
to a T. Luke’s voice is more subdued owing to his difference in character. Remi’s voice confirms her self-confidence
and sometimes brash demeanor, while Growski rough voice belies his caring manner. Descole is the ultimate smooth talker,
never raising above a quiet conversational level except when surprised (and he is a very hard man to startle.)
No surprises here, but Level 5 isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel either.
Rating:
Fun
For people who like Layton games, Professor Layton and the Last Specter won’t disappoint. After 3 games of puzzle
hunting, you would think it would get old (“I haff tvelve metchsteek”), but the Layton series manages to inject just
enough newness and whimsy to keep fans interested and asking for more. Specter reigns in many of the wackier ideas that
went into Last Time Travel, and the game is better for it. The fresh story arc looks exciting so far, and should keep
fans hooked, especially as the new trilogy includes feature-length movies.
For people who haven’t yet gotten into the Layton franchise but are interested, Specter is not a bad place to start.
The first game (Curious Village) certainly has its rough spots and weak points, many which were remedied in the second
and third games, but it’s hard for non-fans to start in the middle of a trilogy. Specter is as polished as you would
hope a fourth game to be, and there’s no need to have prior knowledge of Layton characters, events or settings
(although there may be a few jokes you’ll miss along the way.)
The game is slated for a North American release in Fall 2011. Unless you can read Japanese, you really should wait, or
you will be like me and curse the fast that there are two ways to write “giraffe” in Japanese, both which involve 3
katakana, and you managed to choose the wrong one.
In the Japanese release, finishing the main story unlocks a mini RPG called London Life, where you get to create a
character to explore the London of Layton’s world. It’s very lightweight, focused on daily activities. There is no
real story, you just get to meet people and do tasks, and if you do things right you’ll eventually be able to run into
Layton himself. Still, it’s an unexpected way to extend the life of the game long after you’ve sent Descole packing
and plotting his revenge. I hope it’s included in the North American version.
Rating:
Final Verdict
7.6667 (good)
Reviewed by Tama-Neko, Jun 09, 2011
Comments
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angelxxuan Banned Member Jun 09, 2011
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SnickerdoodleNinja Retired Moderator Jun 09, 2011
Yay, puzzle game! I've been looking for more games for my DS (especially puzzle games) so I might have to look into this one.
I really liked your word choice and phrasing because they helped keep attention and interest. You also seem to have covered most of the major points, telling it just like it is while adding interesting examples. Excellent review! :)
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flyindreams Jun 11, 2011
Yay Layton! Lol "metchsteeks" -
I'm actually traveling in the States right now (tail end of a long vacation) and I was going to binge buy DS games like I did last time - I still haven't picked up Okamiden, Zelda, and the third Layton game... But I ended up binge buying (and returning) PS2 games, which was silly since I never play the PS2 anymore. Go figure. Mostly I think it's because those DS games used are still quite expensive, although no comparison to Australian prices really. This review is really tempting me to pick up those other games though if I manage to stop by a game store before I leave... sorry this comment is only tangentially about your review btw, it's well-written as always and really makes me look forward to the US release :D
Speaking of Layton 5, have you picked up a 3DS yet? :3
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Tama-Neko Jun 11, 2011
For anyone wondering about the meetchsteek comment:
I haff tvelve meetchsteeck
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