So, I wanted to try something out here and start reviewing video games. Its something I've thought of doing for a while, and this seemed like a good place to start. There's two parts of this review: one for people who haven't played the game, and the other for people who have or who aren't too concerned about spoilers.

Anyhow, I recently got a copy of Professor Layton and the Last Specter for the Nintendo DS, the most recent release in the best selling puzzle adventure franchise. As with the other games in the franchise, you play as the good professor of archeology, Hershel Layton and his apprentice Luke Triton. There's also a "new" character appearing this round: Emmy Altava, his assistant. I mark her as "new" because whether you find her new or not depends on if you haven't already seen a subbed version of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, the animated movie that was released some time ago.

This game is supposed to be a new trilogy in the franchise after it finished off in the high note that was Professor Layton and the Unwound Future and is actually a prequel to the franchise as a whole. Professor Layton is called to the town of Misthallery at the request of his friend and current mayor of the town, Clark Triton, who also happens to be the father of Luke. With the unexpected arrival of Emmy as his new assistant, the professor travels to the town to investigate the sudden appearance of the specter, which has been ravaging the town and leaving it in rubble.

The story that ensues is another good Layton mystery, but the reveal is not as good as Unwound Future. There's a key point in the revelation that seems a little out of place, and you can also see that they were trying to emulate for the dramatic, tear-jerking scenes that the last installment had, only to fall short because of lack of sympathy. Its not terrible in the least, but it does seem forced.

I did like the other parts of the game, however, such as the ensuing mystery of the Black Market (yes, there actually is a black market in this game) and the characters within. Emmy seemed to be an interesting character to develop; she's very different from the shy, quiet Flora and specializes in hand to hand combat, so she does add something to the cast. The character designs are also quite well done; their varied appearance and oddly shaped noses guarantee you'll never quite forget which NPC is which.

There are, of course, much more puzzles which are still as challenging as ever. They vary in difficulty, but the harder ones make you earn your picarats. The Memo feature has been expanded into having multiple sizes for the pencil and different colors as well, though admittedly I hardly used the Memo feature as opposed to my previous experiences with the other games. I will admit that I used the Super Hint feature a lot more than usual; some puzzles really got me stumped. However, hint coins were easier to find and I was left with about 87 after my run-through, having gained over 100 during the first half in the game.

Of course, the soundwork is still performing at the high quality bar that was set even by the first game. The tracks are lovely and still have that sort of European feel, and the voice acting is superb. I almost wish they had them record lines all through the game just so I could hear them all. In an age of so many games featuring subpar work, this is certainly a breath of fresh air.

The scope of the game is moderate; bigger than St. Mystere in Curious Village, certainly, and perhaps about as big as the locations in Diabolical Box. However, it is small compared to Unwound Future.

In fact, you'll probably hear me say that a lot in this review. The truth is, that basically can sum up all my thoughts about the game: its not as good as Unwound Future. The scope is smaller, the mystery is less memorable, the locations not as diverse, the characters not as compelling...its a good follow up to the previous games and a good addition to the franchise overall; I just didn't find it as fun as Unwound Future. I would still recommend it, however. I do admit that Unwound Future may have been really good because it was the end to a trilogy, and as this is the start of a new one it may take a little while to build up steam.

While that sums up my review for the actual game, this game also features something that no other Layton game has had before: the alleged 100-hour RPG, London Life. While I can't say that I've completed that yet, from what I've played it seems to be a good add-on. It has a surprising amount of features for what I initially thought to be just a tacked on bonus feature, and although most people say that it doesn't take the amount of hours advertised to complete, so far its been good sized in its regard. Its sort of a cross between Mother 3 and Animal Crossing in that the graphics look like it was made to be a sequel to Mother 3 (and in fact, a few Earthbound fans theorized that it was when they saw initial screens), but the gameplay is very similar to Animal Crossing, what with having neighbors and performing tasks. While not entirely fleshed out as it could be if it was an actual game, it does go beyond what I thought it would and for that I commend it. I'll just have to wait and see if Fantasy Life delivers a more meaty package.

All in all, I'd recommend the games to anyone who enjoyed the first ones. It has a large amount of challenging puzzles, fantastic voice work, and a good story to back it up, though it may not be as compelling as the bar that its predecessor set before it. If you don't have the money to buy a 3DS yet, but want to try one last hurrah for your DS or DSi, definitely try it out.

As for the franchise itself, I hope Mask of Miracle will be hopefully able to build on the new foundation the series has with its prequel trilogy. The new 3D features will definitely offer up some new puzzle-solving possibilities. There's rumors of another animated movie coming out, and of course, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney is coming out in the near future. Its games like that that just compel me to grab a 3DS whenever I can...

Story: 7.9

Graphics: 9.1

Audio: 10.0

Gameplay: 8.8

Afterthoughts: