Released on 25-Nov-2011

• Review: Professor Layton and the Spectre Call

  Title: Professor Layton and the Spectre Call
  Platform reviewed: Nintendo DS
  Review Date: 28.11.11

  Fun for veterans and newcomers

  
  The Professor Layton series isn exactly full of surprises at this point. The developers work with a familiar set of pieces and make them come to life beautifully. Youe got your titular professor, his young assistant Luke, and a bunch of zany supporting characters. And, of course, youe got your puzzles. Dozens and dozens of puzzles - from maths teasers to squirrelly linguistic trickery, to the dreaded sliding-block conundrums. Theye all here in the latest Layton adventure, Professor Layton and the Spectre Call.

  But that not to say that the puzzles have become stale. No, in fact, the amazing thing about the series is that the developers keep coming up with fun new ways to challenge players. The simple puzzles - gorgeously rendered with a compelling hand-made feel - are almost as tough for experienced Layton fans are they are to newcomersut are accessible to all.
  

  Time travel

  
  This fourth Professor Layton is a prequel, going back to the adventure where Layton and Luke made their fateful first meeting. With his research assistant Emmy, Layton heads to a remote English village called Misthallery that tormented by a huge, mysterious spectre. This ghost visits in the night and wrecks the local buildings, and Layton job is to figure out who behind it. His first tantalizing clue: Luke is somehow able to predict when and where the spectre will appear. And with that, the mystery is afoot.

  The people who live in Misthallery are the usual bunch of friendly weirdos who are united by one thing: their obsession with puzzles. Theyl be happy to tell you which way the criminal ran, but only if you can tell them, for example, how to guide a hungry cat out of a little maze, using only three fish. Sure, it nuts, but everything is so cute and enjoyable that only a true spoilsport could find room to complain about the silliness.
  

  Mini mischief

  Another recurring feature of the Layton games is the professor trunk, which is filled with mini-games that unlock more and more of their secrets in the course of solving the mystery. The games run the gamut from simple to fiendishly tricky. The most straightforward is the puppet theatre, which asks players to fill in the blanks of the script for a puppet vignette so that the plot makes sense. It a fine bit of fluff, if unmemorable.

  There also an aquarium game, in which you must guide a fish around its tank by strategically redirecting its path with big bubbles, and Mouse Alley, a mice-themed take on shooting-gallery games like the old Hogan Alley. The most interesting of the mini-games is a train game in which you must lay track that will guide a locomotive through its route and to a terminal. Sounds easy enough, except that the train route is bedevilled by close encounters with trees, cars, and other trains. Threading the needle to find the right path to the finish requires an agile mind.
  

  A rare attention to detail

  
  Because not everyone wants the ultimate challenge, Spectre Call offers players a number of lifelines. There a generous hint system (activated by spending int coinsthat are hidden throughout Misthallery) that can give you a nudge in the right direction when you most need it, and not every puzzle must be solved in order to finish the game. Touches like this make the game enjoyable for a wider range of ages and play styles.

  This series may not be full of bold new nnovations,yet it hasn become repetitive. Like its predecessors, Spectre Call is made with a rare attention to detail and quality. Within their formula, the developers do their best to keep the game vibrant and interesting. More often than not, they succeed.

  Our rating: 9.0

  SPECTACULAR:
  - Scores of new puzzles
  - Variety of cool mini-games
  - Engrossing story

  SUSPECT:
  - Much the same as previous games
  - Dialogue scenes can run a bit long
  - Interface is clunky in parts
  

• Games for the kids

  GAME rounds up a selection of the best portable titles to keep youngsters entertained and out of trouble.

  Spooky puzzling

  The latest chapter in the popular puzzle adventure franchise, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call (DSi, DS Lite) features a prequel storyline that invites players to help the top-hatted professor solve his very first case, the eerie mystery behind the Misthallery spectre. With more brain-teasing treats than any previous series instalment, all of which are suitable for players of all skill levels and intertwine with the story in clever ways, youl need to explore and investigate environments, interview residents and solve the puzzles that confront you to crack the case.

  Magical adventures

  Based on the last three Harry Potter books and final four films, Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS, DSi, DS Lite, PSP, PC) allows players of all ages to immerse themselves in their favourite characters and environments as they discover new adventures in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Blending family friendly action gameplay, puzzle-solving and exploration with the distinctive brand of LEGO humour and charm, players will encounter new faces, challenges and magic that equip them with the tools necessary to challenge a host of foes.

  Monstrous pets

  Combining adoptable pet monsters with safe social networking, games, stories, missions and educational puzzles, Moshi Monsters is a social online world for kids aged 6-12 that has become a phenomenon with over 50 million registered users worldwide. The first video game in the series, Moshi Monsters: Moshing Zoo (DSi, DS Lite) offers fans a fresh take on the Moshi universe with new locations to explore in search of rare pets, plus a variety of mini-games, puzzles and awards to win that should make it perfect for keeping the little one's busy for hours.

  A new dimension in gaming

  Offering 2D and 3D gaming without the need for special glasses, Nintendo 3DS Console Metallic Red with Mario Kart 7 ushers in a new era of handheld play. Boasting touch screen, analogue and motion controls, the ability to take 3D pictures and videos, plus full support for DS Lite and DSi games, it delivers the excitement of the new alongside cherished older features. Mario Kart 7 also mixes old and new to great effect, with 16 fresh courses and 16 classic ones, new airborne and underwater sections to compliment the on-track action, and kart customisation options to deliver one of the slickest racing games to date.

  Platforming evolved

  Mixing the best of Mario games from yesteryear with new ideas and technology, Super Mario Land 3D (3DS) is must-play title for newcomers and series veterans alike. It allows players to run, jump, hover and glide through a series of magical worlds, collecting coins, bumping question blocks and stomping on enemies in the first Mario platforming environment displayed in true 3D. The next evolution in Mario gameplay, players will experience an exhilarating new sense of depth, distance and speed as they navigate environmental challenges to reach the finish line and explore fantastical levels in search of fresh items, power-ups and hidden secrets.
  

  Published: 08/12/2011

• "Final adventure" for Professor Layton announced for 3DS

  Time may be running out for Professor Layton, that puzzle-loving sleuth who has enchanted gamers on an annual basis since 2007. In a Japanese press presentation, developer Level 5 has announced it's working on another game in the series due for release on Nintendo 3DS next year.

  Going by the rather unwieldy literal Japanese title of Professor Layton and the Legacy of Super Civilisation A, the plot for this game, the sixth in the series, apparently kicks off when someone contacts the professor claiming to have found a living mummy. Fans will be saddened to learn that the title, which will boast lots of new puzzles, is being described as "the final adventure" for the top-hatted hero.

  Worry not, however, as the lengthy translation process means we've still got the Prof's fifth outing to look forward to. Just as Japan was revealing its plans for his final outing, Nintendo's European operation confirmed it'll be launching Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle in UK shops on October 26th, also for Nintendo 3DS.

  Published: 30/08/2012

• Professor Layton and The Spectre's Call - Review

  
  

  

  Fun for veterans and newcomers

  The Professor Layton series isn exactly full of surprises at this point. The developers work with a familiar set of pieces and make them come to life beautifully. Youe got your titular professor, his young assistant Luke, and a bunch of zany supporting characters. And, of course, youe got your puzzles. Dozens and dozens of puzzles - from maths teasers to squirrelly linguistic trickery, to the dreaded sliding-block conundrums. Theye all here in the latest Layton adventure, Professor Layton and The Spectre's Call.

  But that not to say that the puzzles have become stale. No, in fact, the amazing thing about the series is that the developers keep coming up with fun new ways to challenge players. The simple puzzles - gorgeously rendered with a compelling hand-made feel - are almost as tough for experienced Layton fans are they are to newcomersut are accessible to all.

  Time travel

  This fourth Professor Layton is a prequel, going back to the adventure where Layton and Luke made their fateful first meeting. With his research assistant Emmy, Layton heads to a remote English village called Misthallery that tormented by a huge, mysterious spectre. This ghost visits in the night and wrecks the local buildings, and Layton job is to figure out who behind it. His first tantalizing clue: Luke is somehow able to predict when and where the spectre will appear. And with that, the mystery is afoot.

  

  The people who live in Misthallery are the usual bunch of friendly weirdos who are united by one thing: their obsession with puzzles. Theyl be happy to tell you which way the criminal ran, but only if you can tell them, for example, how to guide a hungry cat out of a little maze, using only three fish. Sure, it nuts, but everything is so cute and enjoyable that only a true spoilsport could find room to complain about the silliness.

  Mini mischief

  Another recurring feature of the Layton games is the professor trunk, which is filled with mini-games that unlock more and more of their secrets in the course of solving the mystery. The games run the gamut from simple to fiendishly tricky. The most straightforward is the puppet theatre, which asks players to fill in the blanks of the script for a puppet vignette so that the plot makes sense. It a fine bit of fluff, if unmemorable.

  There also an aquarium game, in which you must guide a fish around its tank by strategically redirecting its path with big bubbles, and Mouse Alley, a mice-themed take on shooting-gallery games like the old Hogan Alley. The most interesting of the mini-games is a train game in which you must lay track that will guide a locomotive through its route and to a terminal. Sounds easy enough, except that the train route is bedevilled by close encounters with trees, cars, and other trains. Threading the needle to find the right path to the finish requires an agile mind.

  

  A rare attention to detail

  Because not everyone wants the ultimate challenge, Spectre's Call offers players a number of lifelines. There a generous hint system (activated by spending int coinsthat are hidden throughout Misthallery) that can give you a nudge in the right direction when you most need it, and not every puzzle must be solved in order to finish the game. Touches like this make the game enjoyable for a wider range of ages and play styles.

  This series may not be full of bold new nnovations,yet it hasn become repetitive. Like its predecessors, Spectre's Call is made with a rare attention to detail and quality. Within their formula, the developers do their best to keep the game vibrant and interesting. More often than not, they succeed.

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good

  • Scores of new puzzles
  • Variety of cool mini-games
  • Engrossing story

  The Bad

  • Much the same as previous games
  • Dialogue scenes can run a bit long
  • Interface is clunky in parts

  Published: 12/12/2011

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