I am a Gamer (not to the extent like other hard core gamers), but I had my share of Pokemon, Dragon Age, ect. The game I really want to write about is a Japanese Video Game series called Professor Layton. The same way they do with some foreign games like Pokemon, they made English versions.
The series is about an Archaeologist name Hershel Layton and his apprentice/assistant, Luke Triton. Layton works as a Professor at a University in London, while Luke, a young boy, follows him as his apprentice in being a true Gentleman. The game has you play through Professor Layton and Luke's adventures as they solve interesting puzzles and mysteries.
Akira Tago, the game director and inspiration of all the Layton games and puzzles to help Level-5 to develop the games. You help solve the puzzles that the characters face with different styles of puzzles.
The Professor Layton series has 6 games, 2 spin off, and 1 movie. I've played all 6 of the games (I finished the last game in the series around 4am on Thursday morning technically hehe~). Out of the spin offs I finished one out of two. I started playing the one spin off that's on smartphones, but it had different characters from the main games so I didn't get too into it. I seen and own the movie also.
I'll list the games in two orders: Chronicle Order of Released Date and the Chronicle Order by the Story's Timeline.
Released
Date Order
Professor
Layton and the Curious Village
Professor
Layton and the Diabolical Box
Professor
Layton and the Unwound Future
Professor
Layton and the Last Specter
Professor
Layton and the Miracle Mask
(Movie)
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva
(Spin
Off) Layton Brothers: Mystery Room
(Spin
Off) Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Professor
Layton and the Azran Legacy
Story
Timeline Order
Professor
Layton and the Last Specter
(Movie)Professor
Layton and the Eternal Diva
Professor
Layton and the Miracle Mask
Professor
Layton and the Azran Legacy
Professor
Layton and the Curious Village
Professor
Layton and the Diabolical Box
(Spin
Off) Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Professor
Layton and the Unwound Future
(Spin
Off) Layton Brothers: Mystery Room
Interesting how they start us off in the middle of the Story Timeline and then after the third game, they give us prequel games. Remind anyone of the Star War Series? There is talk of a future game? Not quite sure, but it's probably not going to be like Star Wars: Force Awakens where Professor Layton is old. I read that it will be something from the original Professor Layton and Luke.
What drew me into buying the first Professor Layton game was the art, story plot, and gameplay. It was fresh seeing the new artwork for the games. I'm a Mystery lover and it perked my interest that you would solve puzzles in these games.
The artwork is unique and cute in my opinion. It was a new art style to me. I also love the series' music. Like the gameplay and artwork, it felt calm and sophisticated in a way. I recommend you look up the Professor Layton's Soundtracks and you'll see what I mean.
While playing the game, there will be game cuts where it plays in a short animated clip. That is probably my favorite part when those short animated scenes are shown. It felt like a mini anime series through video games.
The puzzles can be a bit difficult and require thinking, but there will be hints for you to help figure out the puzzle.
I was drawn into the gameplay, artwork, soundtrack, and intriguing plot. Over the years, I've become a huge fan of the Professor Layton Series~
Professor Layton and the Curious Village: The first game in the series. Professor Layton and Luke travel to St. Mystere to figure out a interesting inheritance
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box: Professor Layton investigates the death of his mentor involving a mystery train express with the help of his helpful apprentice Luke.
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future: A young man requests the help of Professor Layton and Luke, but the twist is the young man claims he is Luke from the future. You get to see how Layton first got his signature top hat. Interesting isn't it~ This is the last game according to the Story timeline order.
Next three are the prequel games to the original trilogy.
Professor Layton and the Last Specter: Professor Layton accepts a request from his old friend to figure out the mysterious giant terrorizing the old friend's town. This is the game where we are introduce to Emmy, Professor Layton's assistant. Also, this is the game where Layton meets Luke.
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask: Professor Layton is asked by his old friend to help stop 'the Masked Gentleman' from ruining the carnival city, Monte d'Or. The game shows Professor Layton's past before he became a Professor. We see Layton's high school days in this video game. This is the first game of the Layton Saga to be a 3DS game, the other games before this was for DS.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy: The last game of the prequel trilogy games and the last to be release. Professor Layton, Luke, and Emmy travel around the world finding artifacts leading them to the Azran with the help of Aurora, a 1,000 years old Azran, and Professor Sycamore, a specialist on Azran.
I read that Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is the last game to have Layton as the protagonist, so hopefully a new one will have Luke all grown up and solving puzzles with his own apprentice! I can dream~
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva: The first Layton movie which takes place timeline wise after the Last Spector. Professor Layton is invited by his old student, a famous opera diva, to watch her performance as a special guest. Disappearances happens through London, and Layton believes that there is a connect between the opera and the disappearances. The film did a great job incorporating the signature puzzles with the story.
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: If you are not aware of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, it is another game series that follows Phoenix Wright, an Attorney, and you get to figure out murder cases through Investigation and defending your client before a Judge. Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright combines both the game plays of Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright. The story plot is that both Layton, Luke, Wright, and Maya, Wright's friend, were suck into a book that goes back to the Medieval World where Witch Trials go on. I played some Phoenix Wright so it was really fun for me to have both game series I love to join together!
Note: It was so weird hearing Wright and Maya speak. In the Phoenix Wright games I played, they don't talk so I don't know their voices. So I was surprise when they started talking in this game.
Layton Brothers: Mystery Room: This is about Layton's son who is a Investigator for Scotland Yard. It's on Smart phone.
There are other cell phone games of Professor Layton, manga, and novels I heard, but they are only in Japan right now, I believe.
The game has interesting plot twists and it's amazing how Layton figures out the mystery at the end.
I highly recommend all the games and the film~! It is a series I hold dear to my heart~^_^
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Spoiler Alert
It would be best to read this after you play Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy or if you're ok with a spoiler. I just want to point out something that felt weird to me.
Throughout the game series, you learn Layton is a true gentleman and gives everyone a chance. You see Professor Layton is adopted. He remembers in the last game that he has a brother. They were both in orphanage after their parents was taken from them. In order for Layton to get adopted, his brother, Hershel, gives Layton his name so the Layton family will adopt him. Layton finds out his biological father is the leader of a evil organization that is after the Azran Legacy. Towards the end of the game, he tells his biological father that he doesn't see him as his real father. That his adoptive parents are his real parents. When Layton say that, he sounded a bit out of character to me. Even though his father did evil things in the name of his obsess in finding the Azran civilization, he kind of was force into it. Him and his wife were taken from their sons and house to research it. He saw his wife die encouraging him to finish their dream. It is his fault for giving into the darkness of his obsession, but it probably was the organization that kind of pushed it on him that made him that way. Another question I wonder, who was the head of the organization, Targent, before Layton's biological father took over? They don't talk about that in the game. The dialogue that Layton said to his biological father felt out of character, but he says how he would like to meet again as friends and fellow archaeologist. That sounds more what Layton would say to me. Also! It shocked me when Emmy was actually working for Targent! That surprise me when she threaten Layton by holding Luke hostage, but we learn that she still was on their side. She just did it for the sake of her uncle. Also, since Layton's biological father is Emmy's uncle, does this mean Layton and Emmy are related in some way? Or maybe Emmy was adopted by Layton's biological father maybe?
The artwork is unique and cute in my opinion. It was a new art style to me. I also love the series' music. Like the gameplay and artwork, it felt calm and sophisticated in a way. I recommend you look up the Professor Layton's Soundtracks and you'll see what I mean.
While playing the game, there will be game cuts where it plays in a short animated clip. That is probably my favorite part when those short animated scenes are shown. It felt like a mini anime series through video games.
The puzzles can be a bit difficult and require thinking, but there will be hints for you to help figure out the puzzle.
I was drawn into the gameplay, artwork, soundtrack, and intriguing plot. Over the years, I've become a huge fan of the Professor Layton Series~
Next three are the prequel games to the original trilogy.
 |
| (Hehe, I bought it used, so it didn't come with the case) |
I read that Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is the last game to have Layton as the protagonist, so hopefully a new one will have Luke all grown up and solving puzzles with his own apprentice! I can dream~
Note: It was so weird hearing Wright and Maya speak. In the Phoenix Wright games I played, they don't talk so I don't know their voices. So I was surprise when they started talking in this game.
There are other cell phone games of Professor Layton, manga, and novels I heard, but they are only in Japan right now, I believe.
The game has interesting plot twists and it's amazing how Layton figures out the mystery at the end.
I highly recommend all the games and the film~! It is a series I hold dear to my heart~^_^
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler Alert
It would be best to read this after you play Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy or if you're ok with a spoiler. I just want to point out something that felt weird to me.
Throughout the game series, you learn Layton is a true gentleman and gives everyone a chance. You see Professor Layton is adopted. He remembers in the last game that he has a brother. They were both in orphanage after their parents was taken from them. In order for Layton to get adopted, his brother, Hershel, gives Layton his name so the Layton family will adopt him. Layton finds out his biological father is the leader of a evil organization that is after the Azran Legacy. Towards the end of the game, he tells his biological father that he doesn't see him as his real father. That his adoptive parents are his real parents. When Layton say that, he sounded a bit out of character to me. Even though his father did evil things in the name of his obsess in finding the Azran civilization, he kind of was force into it. Him and his wife were taken from their sons and house to research it. He saw his wife die encouraging him to finish their dream. It is his fault for giving into the darkness of his obsession, but it probably was the organization that kind of pushed it on him that made him that way. Another question I wonder, who was the head of the organization, Targent, before Layton's biological father took over? They don't talk about that in the game. The dialogue that Layton said to his biological father felt out of character, but he says how he would like to meet again as friends and fellow archaeologist. That sounds more what Layton would say to me. Also! It shocked me when Emmy was actually working for Targent! That surprise me when she threaten Layton by holding Luke hostage, but we learn that she still was on their side. She just did it for the sake of her uncle. Also, since Layton's biological father is Emmy's uncle, does this mean Layton and Emmy are related in some way? Or maybe Emmy was adopted by Layton's biological father maybe?
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