Update of our American import test carried out on April 23, 2008
Baron Reinhold, pulled off a posthumous stunt by challenging anyone smart enough to find the "Golden Apple", which would provide its buyer with unparalleled wealth. It was invited by the young widow of the baron, Lady Dalhia, that the elegant professor Layton - the archetype of the gentleman with his top hat and his "so British" manners - went to Saint Mystere in order to bring his lights there. Luke, his young assistant, beret screwed on his head, is the typical image of the resourceful kid shining shoes (because it takes a more impulsive and less educated sidekick to energize the couple) that one could imagine in a street of Paris , or other cosmopolitan cities of the time. Once our two protagonists arrive at the mansion, the plot unfolds even more when a member of the family is murdered, and an unsympathetic inspector making his appearance, summons the professor and his student to go to the 'difference. A priori, the frame is not singular and also remains a pretext to stage the puzzles of the game. plot playing out like a Phoenix Wright. But the copy is more elaborate than it looks.
Elementary my dear Layton
Certainly, the puzzles are not very fresh. Among other things, it will be a question of guessing the age of a person, placing the guests in the right places according to their affinities, moving matches to reveal a precise shape, decanting a liquid to have an exact quantity in each container, to pass hens and wolves on the same boat without the cocottes being swallowed, to observe geometric figures, to define logical sequences... In short, gray matter has enough to be put to use. However, the universe created by Level-5 was able to pleasantly stage these puzzles, because the plot is a significant argument which the player can easily get caught up in. A metaphorical concept that is the enigma, since ultimately it involves the application of rationality in order to find a logical solution to a problem that at first sight is mysterious. It is a question of advancing in the game by responding to these kinds of tests, which can return in almost identical form, but certainly with an increasing level of difficulty as the player progresses. Add to that a script context that, as the game progresses, opens the doors to a reward above all these little challenges, the big truth about the plot of the "Golden Apple", and you have a cocktail ideal for reflection and adventure. In Saint Mystere, everything is good for getting into puzzles, because the village is a haven for neurotics who seem to think and live only thanks to riddles, at any time of the day or night. This period universe redesigned to be original without being completely reassuring because it takes up the romantic prejudices that everyone may have of that time and incorporates some architectural oddities and other particular curiosities. Thus, in this small town our two heroes will discover a convoluted tower that does not hold up one knows how, an old house where a grandmother who keeps riddles lives, a dark and not very advisable passage.
A metaphorical concept that is the enigma, since ultimately it involves the application of rationality in order to find a logical solution to a problem that at first sight is mysterious.
The characters participate in this impression of curiosity, because of their caricatural and varied appearance, but also their ready-made name. Professor Layton and Luke will thus meet Crouton, the owner of the restaurant, Gérard the head-in-the-air who loses his belongings, Béatrice the friendly hotel manager, Marco who often hangs around with his sunglasses, or well Crumm, cafe manager. Within the manor, Lady Dalhia is a pretty young woman who has little to do with a grieving widow. Gordon is the chubby member of the family always looking for love, and who is certain that the solution to everything is to solve puzzles. Ramon, the Catalan-looking butler has served the family for many years. Detective Ghelmey has a face as uninviting as his name. This representation even goes as far as the Duchess's white tomcat, a spoiled hair. The overall atmosphere is reminiscent of the very successful animated series Sherlock Holmes by Miyazaki, if only our dear professor Layton with the two points which serve as Tintin-style eyes, does not give off an ounce of animosity. The colors and the design of this world, by this paper side tarnished by time, has the expected retro nostalgic effect. A soundscape based on somewhat melancholic accordion and xylophone music accompanies our heroes through the maze of this endearing town. We will admire the few nicely done animations and an astonishing fluidity which proves that the DS still has surprises in store. However, there remain appearances which do not make us forget that it is indeed a game of enigmas, so obvious are the pretexts for initiating them.
There's lead in the Layton
The tone is set from the start, when finding the way to the village is an opportunity to unravel a riddle. Another riddle is also launched to be able to cross the bridge that leads to it. On the gameplay side, like a classic point & click, interactions with the inhabitants are done with a simple touch of the stylus. Unsurprisingly, almost every dialogue will result in problems to be solved. To move on the map of the village, the representative icon that is the old shoe at the bottom right of the screen allows you to display the possible directions that you will have to choose from a contact of the stylus with the point concerned. . The village is not very big, and it will be necessary to repeatedly go back and forth according to the chapters. Using the stylus, each screen can be examined from every angle to find hidden puzzles or other "hint coins", currency of exchange allowing at least patients to obtain up to three clues per puzzle. For each logic found, the player will earn picarats. With each failed attempt, the number of picarats in play decreases, to stop at the minimum possible gain (without ever reaching 0 so as not to be depressed). In total, no less than 132 puzzles are to be discovered, including 15 as bonuses. Fortunately, repeated console loads can be avoided, because it is not mandatory to solve all of them, and it will always be possible to go to the old shack of old Ruddleton in order to catch up with the failures. But to tell the truth, the most curious will put in the spirit to collect the most successes, in order to overcome some side quests, such as the construction of an automaton, the assembly of pieces of canvas to form a painting, the acquisition of objects by the inhabitants to better adapt the hotel rooms of the two heroes according to their tastes. Small icing on the cake to extend the life of the game, the publisher optimizes the possibilities offered by the DS since it is possible to download some additional puzzles. Too bad there is no multiplayer mode to give more fun to the genre.
