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[BowieZ]

The final Professor Layton game ever! It is the third game of the second trilogy, rounding out the stories from The Last Specter/The Spectre’s Call and The Miracle Mask (as well as the Japanese animated film The Eternal Diva). There’s a race around the world, between Layton’s team, the nefarious Jean Descole, and mysterious organisation Targent, to find the ancient Azran civilisation. The trilogy is actually a prequel to the events of the first trilogy (consisting of The Curious Village, The Diabolical Box/Pandora’s Box, and The Unwound Future/The Lost Future).

Release dates:
- Feb 28, 2013 (JP)
- Nov 8, 2013 (EU & AU) *OUT TODAY*
- 2014 (US)

Platform: 3DS (in full autostereoscopic 3D), both at retail and via eShop digital download

Reviews: For those who care, it's currently sitting at 81/100 on Metacritic, not that that means anything at all. Reviews thread here. It's receiving critical praise.

As the memories of Monte d'Or fade into the past, Professor Layton receives a letter from a likeminded archaeologist, Professor Desmond Sycamore. In it, Sycamore claims to have discovered a 'living mummy' and suggests Layton should see it for himself. Intrigued, the professor and his companions, Luke and Emmy, head for the town of Froenborg to investigate…

Once the team arrive, the truth becomes apparent - this 'living mummy' is actually a real person, perfectly frozen in ice! Quickly, Layton works to free her and soon discovers that she is Aurora, a member of a civilisation, long thought lost, called the Azran. But no sooner is Aurora freed than she is whisked away, kidnapped by a secretive force known only as Targent!

Giving chase, Layton soon finds himself inside the ancient ruins of the Azran and discovers more about the mysterious civilisation. With Targent's plans to take control of the Azran's ancient legacy now apparent, it's up to Layton and his friends to travel the world in Professor Sycamore's airship, the Bostonius, and track down the long-lost means to stop them. But with Layton's nemesis also on the trail, can they find it before it's too late?

- 535 new puzzles (150 during story mode, 385 Daily Puzzles to download each day between Nov 8 2013 and Nov 7 2014)
- Solve the Daily Puzzles to unlock decorative statues and models to recreate 6 Layton dioramas
- 3 new mini-games (Dress Up, Nut Roller, Blooms & Shrooms)
- Unlock special brainteasers called “Layton’s Challenges” during your play-through
- Unlock top secret content after you’ve finished the game. The better your overall Picarat score, the better the prize
- Use a special password from Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask to unlock even more top secret content

Find and collect items during the game, and use them to create and share customized treasure hunt challenges via StreetPass. Earn points by spotting well hidden items or when other players rank your challenge highly, and spend these points to unlock special souvenir trophies and bonuses like extra hint coins.

Spoilers at 2:20 onwards!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYd41Jb4EIA

 

[tmarques]

What, ANOTHER one? I have yet to play the previous one that I got free after buying a 3DS + Luigi's Mansion. As much as I like the games, they seem determined to run the series into the ground.

 

[Kouriozan]

Ah yes, I'm getting it tomorrow.
I NEED to know what happens, dat Miracle Mask cliffhanger.

they seem determined to run the series into the ground.

They already have, "Layton 7".

 

[georgetheplushie]

2014? Come on, NoA.

 

[MysticDistance]

Anyone else here have the Japanese version?

Nice to see Europe's getting it! Can't wait to hear Descole in English again.

 

[Notorious_Roy]

Just started this game and I already love it. It's completely translated in Dutch as previous entries which I really like.

Music is just lovely.

 

[LAA]

Was disappointed when I got home, saw no layton package, but a few minutes later, heard it come through the door! Thought ShopTo were gonna let me down after the last 2 games came after release for me (WindWaker which was delayed because of some keyring apparently and Pokemon Y, no idea for that, I pre ordered in the week, but others pre ordered later and got it the day before in fact), so good to see they're back on form for me

As for the game, from what I played so far, looking really good! Graphics seem a little more defined? I love the daily puzzles layout. Only thing I have a little doubts about is the mini games... In the last layton I loved all the minigames, which was awesome, in this.. not so sure about the dress up thing, not sure if its a case of finding the items and then trying out combinations later.

Also... is it just me or is the cover art a little reflective?

 

[daxgame]

Getting it tomorrow.

What, ANOTHER one? I have yet to play the previous one that I got free after buying a 3DS + Luigi's Mansion. As much as I like the games, they seem determined to run the series into the ground.

it's one for year and the quality honestly has been good IMO. The sales have declined though so.......

.... they decided to kill it with Layton 7

 

[Kater]

Woah, completely forgot about that and suddenly, boom. There it is.
Will buy it tomorrow!

 

[Laconic]

Getting it tomorrow.


it's one for year and the quality honestly has been good IMO. The sales have declined though so.......

.... they decided to kill it with Layton 7

Isn't it ending with 6, not 7?

 

[Sandfox]

What, ANOTHER one? I have yet to play the previous one that I got free after buying a 3DS + Luigi's Mansion. As much as I like the games, they seem determined to run the series into the ground.

Six is supposed to be the end(everyone should ignore the mobile game).

 

[BowieZ]

A little nugget in the thread title for those playing at home!

 

[MysticDistance]

Will anyone here be uploading the English voiced cutscenes of the game?

 

[R.I.P]

I've been getting increasingly hyped for this since finishing AA5 last weekend, can't wait to pick it up tomorrow!

 

[thequickandthedead]

Does this have a better story than unwound future?

 

[Oxx]

They've had a good run getting away with annualising a series of single-player puzzle games. 6 seems like enough.

Hopefully a supermarket has it at a respectable price tomorrow.

 

[Aostia]

Tomorrow will be mine!

 

[Currygan]

my backlog absolutely needed it

 

[protonion]

5 hours in.

Its great. Nice pacing so far and the puzzles offer some challenge from the get go.
The mini games are my favorite in the series.

If you want the bonus from the previous game update your daily puzzles there.

Also I was stuck for a while at the puzzle at the op with the four friends. I see two solutions...

 

[JeTmAn81]

The OT for this should not be posted until a week before the North American release. It's cruel, ok?

 

[BowieZ]

I was stuck for a while at the puzzle at the op with the four friends. I see two solutions...

Hah. I was just looking at that. Two solutions, but one of them is probably less logical than the other... hmm...

 

[FootballFan]

My copy shipped yesterday, hope it gets here soon.

 

[Oxx]

Wallet inspector.

 

[Nocturnowl]

I said I wasn't going to get it on launch but I still succumbed to my annual Layton outing, I just can't deny myself the thrill of a good solution as the Professor would say.
The scenery/backdrops looks so damn nice in this entry.

 

[BowieZ]

I said I wasn't going to get it on launch but I still succumbed to my annual Layton outing, I just can't deny myself the thrill of a good solution as the Professor would say.

For a puzzle fanatic, it can be hard to resist the formula!

 

[Kouriozan]

I can confirm that puzzles are somewhat harder than Miracle Mask, at least early in the game.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Waiting for next year to get this will be murder. I love this series and will hate to see it be finished.

I hope they make an epilogue type movie that takes place after The Unwound Future.

So sad...

 

[Nocturnowl]

For a puzzle fanatic, it can be hard to resist the formula!

Funny thing is that I'd never really consider myself much of a puzzle fanatic, these games just do their job so well as a well rounded package.
Comfort food that makes me feel both stupid and clever in equal measure.

 

[Oxx]

This Layton wallet is no reward, merely an invitation to be mocked for buying the game from Game.

 

[Peff]

I can confirm that puzzles are somewhat harder than Miracle Mask, at least early in the game.

Yeah, this puzzle was bullshit though. It says they all have to be connected, but they don't actually have to "fit" with one another, which had me stumped for a while until I decided to try the easy way.

Also Hino just doesn't give a fuck anymore, lol. When you meet Professor Totes-Not-Descole I thought the reveal would be there, but apparently they're dragging it out. Eh.

 

[Kouriozan]

Also Hino just doesn't give a fuck anymore, lol. When you meet Professor Totes-Not-Descole I thought the reveal would be there, but apparently they're dragging it out. Eh.

That's plain obvious it's Descole, but maybe there is a plot twist after >.<
I mean, his name (in the French version) is Desmond Sycamore and you meet him 10 mins after starting a new game.

 

[Samurai_Heart]

Got the game, it's now backlogged till I finish Dual Destinies =p

 

[Deleted member 30609]

I kind of feel like a new puzzle game. It's a shame The Last Spector isn't on the e-shop, I haven't played any of the three recent games.

 

[Oxx]

Got the game, but I don't got time to play it.

I'll just construct a fort out of the boxes of the Layton series.

 

[Kouriozan]

Chapter 4, I can choose where to go next, first non-linear Layton game woot!

 

[VegiHam]

Well, I just finished this instead of doing my coursework. If everyone else could catch up so we can talk spoilers that'd be great! I have so many opinions. Spoilers for everything follow.

Spoiler

The pacing in this one felt weird, to me. Bloom is written out really fast; we never got to know him and he's gone. Clamp had nothing to do for most of the game. In fact the whole middle was weird in this one; the non linearity meant nothing really happened for loads of the game as you visit a collection of rejected ideas for Layton games. Which was actually really cool; tons of interesting stories and I loved the core 5 characters working together. Disappointed the 'Sycamore is Descole' twist was so dragged out; but in the end I loved Sycamore anyway. And then because of the long stretch of nothing you get hit with like a million crazy twists in one go. Overall I'd say it's a really solid conclusion to the trilogy, but it doesn't really feel like an end to the series, and Unwound Future is still my favourite. This one might be second best though.

 

[Oxx]

Finished already!? It has taken me this long to take a picture of the double-trilogy.

Thanks for the memories, Prof. And Emmy.

 

[Oxx]

Sorry, but double-posts might be inevitable considering the lack of interest and Euro-only release at the moment.

I've put an hour in. Classic Layton so far: Great music, mysterious setting, cute dialogue, and the puzzles might be the least interesting bit.

Glad to see streetpass stuff was explained within 15 minutes (but it took another 30 minutes to set-up).

I might be misunderstanding, but this streetpass implementation might be even less practical in the west than most. Won't we need to pass the same person twice to get anything out of it? Once to accept the challenge, and again once the challenge has been completed?

 

[Kouriozan]

the lack of interest

I'm kinda suprised, it's the last (real) Layton gameand the end of a trilogy, it should really have more people interested than that.
I reached the final chapter so I'll be able to talk about spoilers soon enough.

 

[Earthpainting]

I bought it to finish the series, but I have no clue when I'll bother to start it. The Miracle Mask kind of dampened my interest in the series. I suppose they made too many of these too quickly. My hope is that some extra time between playing these will help.

 

[Oxx]

I'm kinda suprised, it's the last (real) Layton gameand the end of a trilogy, it should really have more people interested than that.
I reached the final chapter so I'll be able to talk about spoilers soon enough.

The Layton games have never had bustling discussions on Gaf.

Combined with series fatigue and next-gen distractions, I'm not that shocked.

 

[slaughterking]

This is the first Layton game I haven't bought at launch. That's really weird to me and it's not because of a lack of interest, I just don't have the time right now. I'll definitely, absolutely buy it at some point, though. The series has been a great ride and I want to see how it ends.

 

[R.I.P]

Oh god yes, they have the live version of the London theme in this game, I got such an eargasm when I walked out of Layton's office and it started playing

Only a few hours in right now, but it's definitely classic Layton so far. The puzzles so far do feel a bit more challenging than the ones in Miracle Mask, I've even used a few hint coins in the ones that have stumped me the most. I like that the game takes place in multiple smaller environments instead of just one large one, as there's a lot more variety this way. The backgrounds are gorgeous and look amazing with the 3D on, both the 3ds layton games have some of the best looking use of 3D IMO.

 

[kobashi100]

This is the first Layton game I haven't bought at launch. That's really weird to me and it's not because of a lack of interest, I just don't have the time right now. I'll definitely, absolutely buy it at some point, though. The series has been a great ride and I want to see how it ends.

I normally buy on launch but Pokemon and Ace Attorney are taking up my 3DS playtime @ the moment.

Hope to Jump on Layton soon though.

 

[LAA]

Just beat Layton before, honestly... a little disappointed. (Wont be posting spoilers don't worry), but the big thing that disappoints me, is that in past laytons, you usually play through the game wondering about particular mysteries. In this, you don't really.
You only really get "mini-mysteries" and I didn't find them so thought provoking.
I felt its really just for the end you're playing for, the climax of it all.

I will say however, that I feel it has a lot of content and happy to see downloadable daily puzzles are back and was happy to see some certain "truths" revealed, some unexpected.

 

[Kouriozan]

Just finished it, I finally can read some spoilers!

Spoiler

Bloom is written out really fast; we never got to know him and he's gone. Clamp had nothing to do for most of the game.

Spoiler

I agree, if you just talk about this game, but it really feel like a Miracle Mask sequel, in fact both game could have been one.

Spoiler

Disappointed the 'Sycamore is Descole' twist was so dragged out; but in the end I loved Sycamore anyway. And then because of the long stretch of nothing you get hit with like a million crazy twists in one go. Overall I'd say it's a really solid conclusion to the trilogy, but it doesn't really feel like an end to the series, and Unwound Future is still my favourite. This one might be second best though.

Spoiler

I agree on this too, it was a bit too much too fast, but I really liked all the revelations, and yep, Unwound Future is definitely the best Layton game and this one would be the second best.

I'm a bit sad that Level 5 decided to kill this IP, after that ending I feel there is still room for at least a sequel
Oh well, I hope I'll like Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney.

 

[BassForever]

Now I know how PAL regions felt for the past 15 years

NA release can't get here soon enough

 

[MysticDistance]

Can anyone with the English PAL version of the game please upload some of the cutscenes? The ones with Descole in particular.

I heard some people beat the game, so you know.

 

[OMG Aero]

Six is supposed to be the end(everyone should ignore the mobile game).

I'm not sure if you're talking about Layton 7 or Layton Brothers, but Layton Brothers wasn't a bad game when you get past the fact that it's more of a Phoenix Wright game than it is a Layton game. I'm only at the start of Azran Legacy so I don't know how it ends but assuming they are telling the truth about it being Professor Layton's last game and they continue the series without him (because they aren't going to just leave it) I'd much rather it follow on with the characters from Layton Brothers than start being Professor Luke or something.

I can confirm that puzzles are somewhat harder than Miracle Mask, at least early in the game.

Yep, the second puzzle (about how many cups of hot water to melt a block of ice) totally got me. I'll spoiler what I thought so I don't ruin it for anyone who hasn't started, but it was literally puzzle 002:

Spoiler

I spent ages working out the puzzle literally of how many 150ml cups it would take, then I re-read the puzzle text and saw it said it takes five 150ml cups of water to melt the example block of ice and assumed I had spotted where the game was trying to trick me. So I started working out the numbers and at some point thought I was doing way too much work for the second puzzle so I looked at the answer input, and realised it only accepted double digits but the way my working out was going was leading to more than that. At this point I figured "yep, it's a trick question", entered 1 as my answer with the reasoning that you only use one cup but fill it up multiple times to melt the ice and thought I had the answer in the bag. Nope, wrong answer. The only logical place to go from there was 0 which I entered to get the right answer.

No other early puzzle in a Layton game has got me like that.

I might be misunderstanding, but this streetpass implementation might be even less practical in the west than most. Won't we need to pass the same person twice to get anything out of it? Once to accept the challenge, and again once the challenge has been completed?

The way I interpreted the streetpass tutorial text was that when you streetpass someone you get the challenge and then if you complete it you get the reward points and get to rate the challenge. When you streetpass that person again, you will send back what you rated the challenge and if it was great then they get bonus points, so the only thing you are missing if you only pass someone once is potential bonus points if they rated your challenge well. I could be wrong since I haven't streetpassed anyone (and probably won't ever) but that's how I understood the tutorial.

 

[Oxx]

Yeah, it doesn't seem like a second streetpass with the same person is that crucial.

I did actually streetpass somebody playing Layton today... but it was Miracle Mask. Grr.