You’ve probably already read the preview for this, so what you can expect is that this review delves deeper into the inner workings of the game.
What is it?
A puzzle adventure game where you step into the shoes of Katrielle Layton. You go about London investigating mysteries by solving puzzles using the touchscreen.
Accessible to all
It’s pretty clear from the start that this game is a continuity of the franchise, and won’t veer far from it. It’s built in the same universe, so a lot of elements from previous games come back. The change here is that the story is split up and each chapter has its own unique setting in the busy city of London. All this makes it easy for veteran players to pick up. Even for new players, the story is pretty straightforward and you don’t need to know the full story to know what is about. A new game in an already established franchise and making it accessible to all is Layton’s Mystery Journey’s strongest point.
“THE STORY HAS ONE THEME, BUT IS SPLIT UP IN 12 UNIQUE CASES”
Getting clues
The story has one theme, but is split up in 12 unique cases. The main quest is Katrielle looking for her father, but along the way she solves cases with the same intellect as her father. Her trusty assistants are also able to solve puzzles- if you happen to stumble upon one. When you examine the environment with your magnifier, sometimes it will turn red and a riddle is presented. These are mostly harder than the main case you’re working on. Likewise, you can interact with strangers who will give you riddles and puzzle for your solving pleasures.
The clues themselves are presented as a puzzle. You fit together the pieces to solve the case. It’s a cute metaphor that works great in this context. Once the puzzle completed, the case is classified and you’re onto the next case, by first watching a cutscene leading up to it. You get some interesting information and exposition into the story from these cutscenes. They serve as a break between chapters, a moment for you to reflect and get ready for the next set of brain scratching puzzles.
“THE DIALOGUE IS WELL WRITTEN -ALMOST LIKE A MOVIE SCRIPT- AND IT ONLY ENHANCES THE GAMEPLAY FURTHER”
Written crimes
The writing is a great example of how it should be done; the plot-twist comes at the very end of the case, so you have no clue who’s the culprit until you found all clues. The dialogue is well written -almost like a movie script- and it only enhances the gameplay further. The text is sometimes accompanied with voice-over, and the characters really come alive. From that moment on, you read everything in their accent. Voicing the whole game would mean having actors for each individual language, which is a lot. By minimising the amount of spoken words, you can effectively concentrate on writing great dialogue, without having a voice actor butcher it.
The characters are caricatures of Sherlock Holmes personages, with Katrielle being the smart & witty detective, her assistant Ernest having a massive crush on her and being well versed, and the Officer being an angry overworked Brit, straight from Scotland Yard. It’s blown out of proportions for comedic purposes, but sometimes it loses its grip. Katrielle, being a very skinny person, can eat 5 meals and have room for cake. I get that it’s funny, but it doesn’t fit well with Katrielle’s persona. She sometimes seems oblivious to the world around her. There isn’t a solid ground on which to found her character, and I’d love to see some more developed versions of her in the next games.
“YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR TIME PLAYING AND EXPLORING THE GAME, NOT SPEED-RUN IT”
Take your time
Continuing on the dialogue, it’s not a game you can play on short trips. When you start a puzzle, you have to finish it or you’ll lose points. The best moment to play Layton’s Mystery Journey is on long road-trips, when you’re on a plane or cozy at home. You have to take your time playing and exploring the game, not speed-run it. Some puzzles are easier to solve than others, but still, it’s not something you’d play when you have 5 mins left on your lunch break. Because it takes some time, it’s always good to occasionally save your progress. I was mid chapter 2 when I had to hop off the train and quit my game. When I came back, I had to sit through all the dialogue I’ve already seen. Spare yourself the trouble, don’t be a fool like me and save!
Like a painting
Spending time playing this game, you really have to enjoy how it looks. It’s a game that heavily depends on looking around and investigating, so Level-5 made sure every detail is beautiful. It almost looks like an aquarelle painting coming to life; bright, pastel colors -unlike the muted, dirty brown in previous titles- make the game appealing to the eye. The UI also got a massive clean-up, making it a lot more pleasant to look at and use. The cutesy romantic style isn’t for everybody, but it sure is pretty to look at. Overall, it looks a lot more polished and refined, something we can only encourage.
“THE CUTESY ROMANTIC STYLE ISN’T FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IT SURE IS PRETTY TO LOOK AT”
It’s a shame the 3DS isn’t powerful enough to render higher resolutions or have some decent anti-aliasing. The clean lines of the game are ruined by this. I know, ‘graphics are less important than gameplay’ but if you have a game that looks and performs this good, you’d expect to see it in HD. This is solely because of the 3DS hardware limitations, and nothing to do with the game.
CONCLUSION
“AGATHA CHRISTIE WOULD RECOMMEND IT”
Lander said: “It would honestly surprise me if a Layton game would suddenly be crap.” And he’s right; Layton’s Mystery Journey proves yet again that Level-5 has it on lock. Great dialogue, clever puzzles, and a new story format are all things that make it a great game. Whether you are a purist or a casual new player, Katrielles journey quest has something for everyone. There is actually little to write about, as the game is nearly perfect. I wish they’d mix up the formula a bit more, as it feels the same. I know there isn’t much you can do with puzzle adventure games, but seeing how things are turning out, I have great hopes for an improved game next time. In short: another great installment in the (2nd) most famous detective series.
Case closed.
Pros:
- Clever puzzles and riddles
- Accessible
- Charming characters and well-written dialogue
- Clean graphics
Con’s:
- Not a lot of difference from previous titles
