Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)

Afternoon teatime with brain-bending flair.
2/28/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 2

One thing that's not so obvious at first is that this is a very social game. You find yourself talking about it with people who really aren't into videogames in the first place, simply because anyone can relate to its puzzles. Having these portable puzzles in your pocket is a sort of masterful way to get the DS into the hands of unsuspecting non-gamers, and the game's charming English presentation lures just about anyone with even a remote artistic sensibility into its snare. There are times, though, when this same sharing sensation makes you think that the game would be better served on the television screen where the whole family could see the puzzle and help solve it.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village combines superb production values with a very leisurely gameplay experience that crosses boundaries between what hardcore gamers expect and what the newly crowned-king casual audience desires. The problem is, brain teasers are just such a black or white preference that you cannot recommend the game unequivocally to just anyone. Even if you enjoy a good mind-bender, it only takes one doozy to drive you to the brink of DS destruction and rip all the entertainment right out of your hand. That leaves Layton and Luke's appeal as a matter of opinion, and only you can decide their place in your life.

Oh, and the alphabet? Why the last letter is T, of course.

This review is based on a retail copy of the game purchased by the reviewer.