Professor Layton and the Curious Villages still holds up as one of the most charming and memorable DS games of its era.
As a story, it's alright. The mystery serves as an excuse to present you with puzzles, and while there is some intrigue early on, I found myself guessing the twists long before they were revealed. But as a puzzle game, it is absolutely fantastic. Curious Village comes with 120 puzzles, and an additional 15 unlocked in the post-game. And though there's some repetition, the sheer variety in the puzzles keeps it fresh the entire way through. From logic puzzles to math puzzles to puzzles that test your spacial awareness to puzzles that make you think outside the box, it's got them all. And even while playing through the game as a 21 year old, I still found myself stumped by a good few of these.
That being said, the game does show its age. The low resolution sprites, the 240p(?) cutscenes, and the frequent re-use of NPCs and locations does get a little stale by the end. But the charm is enough to carry it all the way to the end. This game oozes style. It's a treat to look at - even at this resolution - and some of the music is absolutely timeless. Layton's theme has stuck with me for over a decade.
The game only took about ten hours to 100%, with minimal usage of a guide. If you've got some time to kill, or you're looking for a lighter game to fill the gaps between 100+ hour RPGs, I cannot recommend Professor Layton and the Curious Village enough. Just remember that it's a DS game from 2007, and adjust your expectations accordingly.
As a story, it's alright. The mystery serves as an excuse to present you with puzzles, and while there is some intrigue early on, I found myself guessing the twists long before they were revealed. But as a puzzle game, it is absolutely fantastic. Curious Village comes with 120 puzzles, and an additional 15 unlocked in the post-game. And though there's some repetition, the sheer variety in the puzzles keeps it fresh the entire way through. From logic puzzles to math puzzles to puzzles that test your spacial awareness to puzzles that make you think outside the box, it's got them all. And even while playing through the game as a 21 year old, I still found myself stumped by a good few of these.
That being said, the game does show its age. The low resolution sprites, the 240p(?) cutscenes, and the frequent re-use of NPCs and locations does get a little stale by the end. But the charm is enough to carry it all the way to the end. This game oozes style. It's a treat to look at - even at this resolution - and some of the music is absolutely timeless. Layton's theme has stuck with me for over a decade.
The game only took about ten hours to 100%, with minimal usage of a guide. If you've got some time to kill, or you're looking for a lighter game to fill the gaps between 100+ hour RPGs, I cannot recommend Professor Layton and the Curious Village enough. Just remember that it's a DS game from 2007, and adjust your expectations accordingly.