Anyone who knows me knows that I am a massive fan of the Professor Layton games. As a kid, I was always (and still am) a major nerd when it comes to puzzles. Logic puzzles, riddles, you name it. So, when wandering through a game store, looking for something to spend my birthday money on, I spotted Professor Layton and the Curious Village. I read the back, saw the word “puzzles” and was instantly excited – running over to my mum and showing her with a massive grin on my face.
The puzzles, the story, the characters and the music are all a part of what makes this series so impactful to people like me. It reminds me of Agatha Christie, just with a bit less murder and trauma (though Miracle Mask STILL MAKES ME CRY). It was a passion I shared with one of my closest friends, Olivia. We used to sit and watch the cutscenes during lunchtimes, chat about the characters and share inside jokes that others had no clue about. To this day, we still share the occasional meme about it.
To this day I still frequently come back and play through the games again. It’s interesting to see which puzzles I find easier now that I’m older. For example, I’m a lot better at sliding block puzzles nowadays than I was as a kid – I cannot tell you how high the move counter was back when I was eleven, mainly because I think it stopped when you got to 999. I’m still horrific at visualising what a cube should look like when you fold up the given net but that’s why we have walkthroughs.
The Layton games take a lesson from the Star Wars films, where the first three games are not canonically the first in the timeline. Once the creators realised the popularity of the games and the loyalty of it’s fanbase, they created the prequel trilogy which delved into the past of the character’s, explaining how Luke and Layton met, what Layton’s past was like and introducing fan favourite Emmy (aka my ninja wife). Each of the six main games are brilliantly written, with emotional interactions and dramatic twists throughout, all pieced together by the brilliant mind of gaming’s favourite gentleman.
Here’s a CaitlinRC synopsis of each of the games, in canonical order:
- Spectre’s Call – Introduces Emmy, you get to meet Luke in the days before his time with Layton – features sadness, soul resounding music, rooftop jumping crows, corrupt police, a whole lot of mist, Emmy’s quest for sweets and giant over the top mechanical creations (LOOKING AT YOU DESCOLE)
- Miracle Mask – A more Layton focused game, we switch between his teen years with his best friend and the present day – with carnival shenanigans, Luke on a feisty donkey, EMOTIONS, the robot revolution, a terrible storybook, the blame game, Indiana Jones but cooler and child endangerment.
- Azran Legacy – Ties up many of the loose ends in the series, with a world travelling adventure with our favourite envoy of ancient civilisations Aurora who just needs LOVE AND HUGS OK. Probably the most emotional of all the games – with BETRAYAL, the most dramatic egg hunt ever, terrible parenting, A VERY TRAUMATIC FINALE, bridal vanishing acts, Duck Layton and snowmen.
- Curious Village – Probably the hardest game in terms of puzzles but also very heart warming. You meet Don Paolo aka Oh God Its Him Again and get to spend time with sweetheart Flora, featuring – cat chasing, Tetris Hotel Edition, WHY DOES THIS VILLAGE HAVE A DRAWBRIDGE, angry Ferris wheels, far too many chess puzzles, sewer exploration and Layton having the most dramatic escapes ever.
- Pandora’s Box – Probably the oddest out of the games, considering some of the twists and turns but still an intriguing story and good moments of suspense, following the myth of Pandora’s Box and trying to uncover what its true nature is. Featuring – angsty vampire grandad, the weirdest train ride ever, disturbing disguises, treasure hunting, THAT HAMSTER, Layton being a badass, a very odd baby and dramatic revelations over tea.
- Lost Future – Time travelling hijinks, future versions of themselves and a whole lot of emotional upheaval. Thrown into Future London, Layton and Luke try to track down the missing prime minister and scientists, whilst avoiding the eye of “Evil Layton”. Featuring – furious rabbits, far too many stairs, STOP HURTING LAYTON HE DESERVES HAPPINESS GODDAMIT, angry youths, the destruction of London, ridiculous massive robots like what the hell where did you get all the resources for it and crying in a river.
There are also three additional games in the Layton universe, that take place separately – Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright, Layton Brothers Mystery Room and Layton’s Mystery Journey. There is also a feature film based around Layton which is genuinely good (surprising I know) called Professor Layton and The Eternal Diva. Layton vs Phoenix follows an intriguing story with courtroom segments and puzzle segments whilst Mystery Room is a series of condensed cases in a more “investigative style” following Layton’s son Alfendi and his … strange alter ego. Meanwhile, Mystery Journey follows Layton’s daughter Katrielle, who is searching for her father through establishing a detective agency and solving cases.
Although the games have not yet been ported from the DS/3DS consoles, a few of them are available on mobile – which you should give a shot if you haven’t experienced the series before. Mystery Room is a good starting point, it gives off a Sherlock Holmes vibe whilst staying true to the Layton narrative. Plus, the first few cases are free so if you don’t like it, then your bank account doesn’t need to worry!
A well-designed game series is one you can come back to and enjoy it more each time you play it. I’ve played through all the games more times that I can count but manage to discover something new every single time. Whether its character dialogue providing subtle hints to future events or quiet references to past games, it is clear how much love and care the developers put into these games. Every puzzle, every spoken line, every chord of the music, it is all given the attention it deserves to make these games shine. (Though Layton’s appearance in PL vs PW is a tad unsettling)
I can’t exactly explain why, but the Layton games have always brought a sense of calm and peace to me, even when my anxiety is running rampant. I often listen to the soundtracks to cope with my panic attacks, focusing on the music and the memories it evokes in order to slow my heartbeat and breathing back to a normal pace. I’ve built up an association between the series and my happy memories, to the point where I know even talking about the games can put a smile on my face.
We should aspire for our lives to have a positive impact. Be it through spreading a message, raising awareness or just bringing joy to people, if your work can make the world around you a better place then you have lived life to the fullest. Humans are inherently social and cooperative creatures, forming unbreakable bonds with friends and family members, sharing experiences be they good or bad. For me, the Layton games have been that source of light. It’s something I can share with my friend. It’s given me so many good memories and provided me with a coping mechanism for the anxiety I’ve fought all my life.
I could ramble on for hours about these games, but I think you should experience them for yourselves. Try any of them and let me know what you think of them, as well as any games you would like me to talk about in a future article! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch the cutscenes from Miracle Mask and cry like the grown adult I am.
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See you soon,
CaitlinRC (@OurMindGames)