Professor Layton is a brain game packed in a point and click adventure that is incredibly fun and addictive.
The game is filled with great art work, from the still images to the amazing cut-scenes the game looks fantastic. It game has a fantastic atmosphere, and the curious village is really alive with its citizens all having a distinct personality.
The game has a fantastic gameplay that's somewhat innovative, yet very old-fashioned. You go looking around the village for clues on solving the mysterious case of finding the golden apple hidden somewhere inside St.Mystere. You point and click with your stylus searching to find riddles and hidden coins. Coins are useful for getting hints during solving tough riddles, and after solving them you are awarded with several items like pieces of a painting, vital parts of a mechanical dog, and furniture for you to place in Luke and Laytons hotel rooms. The game is really inventive in giving you a bunch of things to do, never leaving you out in the open. The story never feels stretched out though spanning an impressive 12 hours plus for a 100% completion, which is essential if you are a puzzle geek like me.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village stands for me as one of the DS's best games, and that says something considering how many fantastic games the handheld has on offer. I had a great time playing this game, it's incredibly entertaining, and downloading the weekly released puzzles are a great addition to the exciting story mode. Write some of the riddles down and share them at family tables, or just bring the DS and introduce them to one of last years most fun handheld adventures.