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    Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

    January 20, 2010, 1:42 pm

    GC Rating:
    5

    Comments: 1 (Go to Comments)
    Categories: Review
    Tags: , , , ,

    Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box CoverProfessor Layton and the Diabolical Box
    Developer: Level-5
    Publisher: Nintendo
    Platform: Nintendo DS
    Released: August 24, 2009
    Test Freaks’ Freak Score: 9.6/10    In their second outing, Professor Layton and Apprentice Luke explore not one, but two curious villages as well as the curious train that connects them. This time they’re on the trail of the Elysian Box, a cursed object that kills whoever opens it. It’s most recent victim? Professor Layton’s mentor, Dr. Schrader.

    If you’ve played the first game, you’ll recognize the game’s structure. Resembling a point-and-click adventure, you navigate around a map by tapping your stylus on a series of mostly static screens. Populating these screens are villagers who fill-in their locale’s backstory and challenge you with puzzles.

    The Professor Layton games collect brain teasers and plug them into a framework of overarching mysteries. Want to find someone’s home? You’ll have to decipher clues they’ve left you. Need to explore a mine? You’ll have to deal with wiring issues. Combine this with a whimsical art style, solid voice acting, beautiful music, and gorgeous animation and you have a charming game.

    Which key opens the lock?

    Which key opens the door?

    Diabolical Box is packed with puzzles. Puzzle master Akira Tago combines original puzzles with reworked classics: the towers of Hanoi are now pancakes which must carefully be served; a slider puzzle contains an important key. You may remember some puzzle-types from the previous game, but none of this entry’s puzzles are an outright copy.

    Even if this game were a retread of Curious Village, I would have no problem recommending it, but Level-5 has added some fun new features. Apprentice Luke creates a sandbox obstacle course for his overweight hamster. Professor Layton brews tea for picky villagers. Building a camera leads to spot-the-difference camera puzzles.

    With over 20 hours invested, I’ve completed the story mode and beaten most of the 138 puzzles in the core game. However, I’ve barely touched Layton’s Challenges and haven’t downloaded any of the weekly puzzles. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out how many hops it takes a frog to get to his home.

    Comments (1)

    1. January 20th, 2010 • 2:14 pm
      Yukino:

      The Professor Layton games are incredibly addicting and something that everyone in the family can enjoy.

      I just wish the next game would be out sooner. =)

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