Series offers compelling story, puzzles

The third installment of the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, follows the story of Professor Hershel Layton and Luke Triton, who have recently received a letter that is supposedly from Luke in the future. Brace yourself, this story line gets a bit complicated.

A few weeks before the arrival of the mysterious letter, Layton and Luke were attending a luncheon where the invention of the century was about to be unveiled. People such as the fictional Prime Minister, Bill Hawks, Inspector Chelmey, Constable Barton, the Professor and Luke were invited to attend the unveiling of a time machine, invented by a man known as Doctor Alain Stahngun.

Stahngun invites the Prime Minister to be the test subject in the time machine. The Prime Minister reluctantly enters the time machine and with the pull of a lever and a whirl of machinery the entire machine explodes.

No one can find any sign of Doctor Stahngun or the Prime Minister. Chelmey begins a search for them but nothing, not even a shoe or scrap of clothing, can be found.

Not much happens until Layton receives the letter which was said to have been written by Luke in the future, explaining to him that he lives in the future version of London and that the world is in total chaos.

Nothing else is explained in the letter. The only thing that remains in the letter is directions to a clock shop which future Luke would like Layton and Luke to visit.

Upon entering the clock shop, Layton discovers a gigantic clock in the back room. The owner of the shop pulls a lever attached to clock and with a large creak and a tremendous amount of shaking, Layton and Luke are transported to London ten years in the future.

Layton and Luke search the very different London for future Luke. While scouring the city, Layton spots a very familiar face. A woman that is wandering the streets looks almost exactly like someone Layton had dated before a tragic accident in which she died.

The accident she had died in was the result of an experiment involving two other rather familiar scientists; Stahngun and Bill Hawks. So, what exactly is going on here?

Among all of the Professor Layton games before it, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is by far the most detailed and possibly the most confusing mystery.

Professor Layton and the Unwound future can be played on a Nintendo DS and DSi. The game uses both of the dual screens and the touch screen feature.

With puzzles ready for the player to solve at every turn, and a mystery that just thickens with every question answered, the game is far from boring.

There are a wide variety of puzzles presented, some of which can be solved easily and others that can prove to be very challenging. As Professor Layton says, “Every puzzle has an answer.”

Some may think that it would be hard to follow the story because of the element of time travel. On the contrary, the game does a wonderful job clarifying when the player is in the future and when the player is in the present as well as skillfully presenting flashbacks into the past.

Like the previous games, three mini games are available to play. The player can collect stickers to put in a storybook, solve puzzles involving a parrot and solve an obstacle course like game involving a little toy car.

The ending of the entire game is tear jerking. Many players have cried at the ending, though I won’t detail why as it spoils the mysteries’ solution.

Some of the puzzles seem very similar to the previous games’ puzzles and can be a little repetitive and tiresome, though the brand new puzzles help balance out this negative element.

The story line of the game is very entertaining and suspenseful. Sudden plot twists keep the player on their toes and keep them hooked on the game.

To sum Professor Layton and the Unwound Future up, I would say that absolutely everyone who played the previous two games needs to play this one, even if they didn’t fully enjoy the previous two. The complexity of the story line and the development of each character is truly a spectacular thing and makes the game worth a look.

To read the reviews on the previous two games, Professor Layton and the Curious Village and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, respectively, read the articles Puzzle game provides unique game play (VIDEO) and ‘Diabolical Box’ develops characters, plot (VIDEO).

For more reviews, read the Oct. 13 article, Fair food leaves senior full, includes multiple meals (VIDEO).

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