A large cast of eccentric non-player characters, as well as an invocative soundtrack designed to match the varied game environments and gameplay
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More than 165 new puzzles weave seamlessly into the storyline, challenging player with fun, brain-teasing logic puzzles and riddles, and even new types of puzzles
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This game features significantly more hand-drawn animated sequences and voice acting than the previous installment of the series
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Players who are still stumped with a puzzle after three subtle hints can select the new "superhint" option to point them toward a solution
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As with previous incarnations in the franchise, weekly downloadable puzzles will be available after launch for a limited time
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69 of 71 found the following review helpful:
The Best Professor Layton YetSep 16, 2010
By Steve G The latest entry in the Professor Layton series is pretty much the perfect portable game, assuming of course that you're into puzzle solving. It's fun and quick to pick up and play, with high production values and a ton of content. If you've played earlier entries in the series, then you won't be too surprised by this one - it follows a fairly similar formula. Professor Layton and Luke (his faithful assistant) travel to London in order to see a demonstration of a brand new invention: the Time Machine. Things go a little haywire with the demonstration, and then a few days later the Professor receives a letter in the mail from Luke - sent from 10 years in the future! This kicks off a whole adventure of puzzle solving, and things only get crazier from there.
This game has 12 chapters, and a total of 165 puzzles - which should be enough to keep anyone busy for a while. There's a hint system available in case you get stuck, just like previous entries in the series. As you play through the game, you'll collect coins that can be used to purchase hints if you're having trouble with a puzzle. If you're REALLY stuck then you can buy a super hint - which is a new addition to the series and pretty much just tells you the answer to the puzzle. So don't worry too much about getting stuck and frustrated.
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is a lot of fun to look at. They did a fantastic job with the art style and animation, and there's even some decent voiceover work. If you're a fan of the Professor Layton series then you should pick this game up immediately. If you haven't played any of the previous entries and you're into puzzle game, then definitely give this one a shot. You don't need to know about any of the previous games in order to enjoy it, and it really is one of the more polished DS games available.
26 of 29 found the following review helpful:
Best Professor Layton to Date~So funSep 14, 2010
By kindred spirit I got this yesterday and played for 3 hours straight without noticing time passing. Funny because it is about time travel. There are so far no repeat puzzles and they are challenging. I love the story line of Luke and the professor traveling to the future. The animation is the best yet. There are a lot more scenes where Luke and the Professort talk just like a video and some of the scenes are like a movie of real London.
If you like games that challenge your brain and have a story line to follow this it is. I mastered the first edition and I am almost done with the Diabolical Box one but seem to be stuck in a loop on the train. You still search for hidden coins and talk to people you will recognize from former games. There are 165 puzzles and at the end you can unlock hidden content more games just like the last two.
Love it! Professor Layton fans don't miss this one it is truly the BEST!
21 of 23 found the following review helpful:
not as good as the first 2Nov 30, 2010
By T. Meyer I don't write reviews often, only when there aren't may product reviews already or my opinion varies from the majority of reviews. I am writing this one because of the latter - I am supporting the other reviewer who gave it 3 stars. I should say that I am a fan of the Professor Layton series and have both other games. The first (Curious Village) was my favorite, followed by the Diabolical Box and lastly this one.
No need to review the story line as some have already done that. The story line is fine. The problem is that there is WAY too much dialogue (reading) this time and the puzzles are too easy. It seems that the Curious Village had the best variety of types of puzzles and they seem to be running out of new ideas each time. In this version I like the car mini game, but again I usually solve the routes in minutes - wish they were a bit more challenging. The parrot mini game is clever, but seems disproportionately hard compared to the car mini game. I prefer both of these mini games to the stupid tea one in the Diabolical Box. There is also a sticker mini game that I don't care for. It's not too easy or hard, I just think it's dumb / perhaps it's too much reading again for me in my gaming preference. As for the new "super hint" option, I guess I like the option. It's good for when my 10 yr old daughter plays. She can decide if it's worth it to buy the extra hint or not. The "super hint" really does spell out the solution for you. Before this, I was my daughter's super hint!! Now it will cost her!
Overall I'm glad I bought the game. I am a puzzle fan. I would also buy it as a gift for someone who likes the series, but if choosing only one of the 3 - go with the Curious Village. If you are tight on $$ you might want to wait for a used copy or discounted price. I think for puzzle games out there, the Layton series is the best. I will certainly by the next one in the series if there is a next one.
16 of 18 found the following review helpful:
Fantastic Series- Even more fantastic game!Sep 19, 2010
By Heather Babb NOTE: this review is spoiler free, so if you've played through the game and wonder why I refer to a person or place, etc., by a certain title, know I am trying not to spoil it for others. Let me just say-WOW! These games never fail to stun me with their awesomeness! Beautiful artwork, great stories, excellent vocal work are all things that make these games some of my favorites. And this one blows the first two out of the water. First of all, the graphics are just gorgeous. Unique, quirky, and beautiful, particularly for the graphically-challenged DS. But Layton takes the small, pixelated screens and turns them into works of art. The characters! OMIGOODNESS! The characters are so lovable it's impossible not to fall in love with them. This game boasts more of the trademark bizarre people the series has been known for. People of all sects of life populate the world of future London. Some of the voice acting is simply stunning. Despite the fact that Luke and Flora sometimes make me want to stuff cotton in my ears, the rest of the cast is superb. Layton is charming and gentlemanly as ever. But it's the new characters that really touched my heart. Dr. Stahngun's emotion-filled voice was a delight to listen to. Celeste was so real and pleasant that I wanted to cry. My absolute FAVORITE was future Luke. He was simply fantastic. At one point he screams, "It won't end this way!" and I actually got the chills. The story and cutscenes are simply brilliant. Although I admit I figured out a few of the game's little twists, it was still awesome to watch all of the complex mysteries come together. The cutscenes are works of art. I loved how most of this game was character driven and you got to see some backstory. Score is fantastic, animation is stunning, everything is just great great great! I marvel how the makers of this game continue to bust out hundreds of new puzzles. All of them are fresh and meld seamlessly into the story. I admit that the vast number of slide puzzles made me want to scratch out my own eyes at times, but I loved them nonetheless. Overall, a great game. If you haven't played this series, you are missing out on a real work of art.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Layton redeems himself.Jun 18, 2011
By M.D.C.
"The Franchise"
I know a few others consider this to be a step down from previous games, in my mind it fixed a lot of things and broke a few others.
Unwound Future picks up where Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box left off, mostly. This time, you are witness to what appears to be the invention of a decade...a real life time machine. A catastrophe occurs, and the mayor and the scientist disappear. You receive a letter from "Luke", but stating that it's from the future, and that Layton's help is needed to put things right. You are guided to a clock shop, and your adventure begins.
I have to admit, the story didn't really grab me this time around, at least not initially. Near the end it started to pick up and things really got interesting, but I will give the game credit for its presentation. There are little details that went into the story that make it somewhat interesting, though as you get further in, you'll start to shake your head at how ludicrous certain events and activities are. It's not a dealbreaker or anything, just felt as though certain things weren't really thought through.
The puzzles this time were a lot more forgiving, and I rarely ran across poorly worded ones. Where the puzzles broke is by way of the "Super Hint", which was supposed to be a way to basically give the answer away at the cost of 2 coins IN ADDITION TO the 3 coins for the basic hints. The problem is that the Super Hint frequently was no more helpful than the basic hints. The only time I really ever needed to use it and found it helpful was for a puzzle that admittedly could have been worded better that talked about finding some building, and you got no sort of useful information to help you. Every other time I used it, I got something along the lines of "come on, you can figure it out!!!!"....ok, wasted 2 coins for a pep talk instead of what should be a giveaway.
I noticed a lot of "move bricks" puzzles in Unwound Future. Ironically those are the ones I hate the most. There were ones where I just looked online for the resolution on YouTube - I work full time, I'm in my 30's, I just don't have the patience for certain puzzles that have no give.
I didn't really have major complaints about Unwound Future, it certainly wasn't worse than Diabolical Box, but I still found Curious Village to be the most compelling of them all. Near the end is where it really got good. Definitely recommend at least a playthrough.
based on 89 reviews
( 89 customer reviews )
