Toronto Thumbs

REVIEW
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

As devoted Toronto Thumbs readers know, we are cuckoo for Professor Layton. The first game, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, took our breath away. It was a wonderful game with a simple premise and brilliant execution. It had everything we were wanting in a game; only we didn’t even know we had wanted it. Its mysterious, twisting, and compelling plot, punctuated by puzzles and interspersed with animated sequences reminiscent of The Adventures of Tintin with a twist of Studio Ghibli sensibilities, was such a refreshing experience that the game became our go-to Christmas gift in 2008.

Needless to say, when we received our copies of Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, we were overjoyed. This time around, Hershel Layton and his apprentice Luke Triton are investigating the mysterious Elysian Box, an heirloom that has the reputation of bringing death to anyone who opens it. At the start of the game, Layton receives a letter penned by his mentor, Dr. Schrader. In it, Schrader tells Layton he has finally come into possession of the Elysian Box, and that he is close to unravelling the artefact’s mystery. Worrying that Schrader’s life is in danger, Layton and Luke set out after the doctor, and their adventure begins.

Unlike the first game, which took place in just one village, The Diabolical Box takes place across different towns with the added setting of The Molentary Express, a train with a few secrets of its own. Some characters from the first title make cameo appearances, with some reprising old roles. While Layton and Luke spend much of their time in the spotlight, newcomers like Mr. Beluga and Sammy Thunder tend to steal the show with their banter and other antics.

Like the first game, there are plenty of puzzles to solve and plot twists to experience. There’s also a good amount of in-jokes that fans of the series will appreciate, including one that questions the nature of Layton and Luke’s relationship. Apart from the main story, there’s also a good amount of diversions. Not to give anything away, but fairly early in the adventure Luke is given a pet hamster that is horribly overweight. Throughout the game, you’ll come across toys for the hamster that you can use to get the hamster into shape. Once he’s in shape, he’ll do what he can to help out now and then – but keep in mind he’s just a hamster, so he can’t do too much.

Additional side quests involve making tea for people (it’s a gentlemanly thing to do, you know) and playing “spot the difference” by using an antique camera and comparing the slightly altered photos it takes with the actual places you photograph. Despite being tangents of the main story, the end result from embarking on them is a much more engrossing tale and a livelier world.

The puzzles this time around may seem easier at first – especially if you’ve played through the first game – but in time they can get quite challenging. Good thing, then, there is a robust hint system. By finding hint coins throughout Layton’s world, you can save them up for when you really need them. Keeping in mind that the puzzles are supposed to make you think, these coins should be redeemed only when you absolutely have no other alternative. For one coin, the game will reveal a subtle hint about the puzzle. A second coin tends to reveal just a little more, while a third coin might actually reveal too much. As with magic, there’s the danger of knowing too much about the inner workings of the puzzles. If you figure stuff out for yourself, it’s very rewarding, but cheating your way through a puzzle by looking up the answer online or by constantly using hint coins is a sure-fire way to not appreciate all this game has to offer. To help in your puzzle-solving efforts is a memo function that overlays a semi-transparent layer on the touch screen. You can use the stylus to take notes or doodle on top of the puzzle to work things out. For visual puzzles, this is very helpful. But for puzzles that involve anything more than quick note taking, you are better off reaching for a pad of paper and a pen.

The puzzles are, for the most part, seamlessly woven into the plot. This makes a lot more sense in terms of why Layton and Luke would be bothering with riddles in otherwise stressful times (though sometimes, a good riddle can help you relax). But this also makes the game more involving. On the other hand, much like the puzzles, the story starts out rather simple but then introduces so many twists that it’s hard to leap ahead of it. At times, things seem downright absurd. No matter what you think the ending is going to be, you will likely be wrong. It’s exactly this constant guessing that makes you want to keep playing long after you originally planned to stop. Playing Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box often becomes a case of “just one more puzzle!” so be forewarned: bedtimes will be ignored and trains will be missed.

Because of its addictive nature, the game is perfect for the Nintendo DS. While the more enjoyable play sessions are hours-long, the portable nature of it means you can also inch your way to the finish line. Talk about shortening your commute! Even if you spend the whole time playing one exceptionally hard puzzle, time flies by. The length of the game depends on how good or bad you are at solving puzzles, and this time there are 150 of them to go through. In addition to this, there’s a bunch of extras you can unlock by meeting certain conditions in the main game.

Much of the design aesthetic from the first title has been carried over. The main voice actors have returned to reprise their roles, and the game has excellent voice acting throughout. Christopher Robin Miller’s voice work as Layton (as well as two other characters we won’t mention) is superb, and he brings a great amount of life to the kind and gentle archaeologist. His range is remarkable, as the other two characters he voices are nothing like Layton at all.

Musical motifs from The Curious Village have been carried over and referenced, but much of the music is also new. The instrumentation, however, is familiar as a lot of it has a wind-up music box quality to it. The subtler tones and flourishes offer contrast to the musical cues that accompany the more sinister plot twists. Here’s hoping there’s an eventual official soundtrack release.

Beautifully-animated sequences help unfold most of the important story twists, while still images, voice work, and words fill out the rest of the storytelling duties. But not all these sequences are voiced, so there’s a lot of reading involved. For many games, this can be a real turnoff. But it’s a crucial element of the Professor Layton series. It would be hard to imagine a Layton game without the reading.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is proof that a game can be funny, adventurous, thought provoking, and emotional. Depending on how into it you get, you might end up fighting back tears. This isn’t just an amazing DS game, this is an amazing game, period. It’s a prime example, and a good argument, that videogames can be a medium for mature storytelling without the need for a Mature rating.

But perhaps the best thing about Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is the fact that it seems to lead right into a sequel – one we just can’t wait to play.

Posted in Awesome, DS, DSi, Nintendo, Reviews |