Plus XP

For my first review for Plus XP I have decided to delve into the one of the trendiest and most popular game types on the Nintendo DS with gamers and non-gamers alike – the puzzle game. As a whole, puzzle games on consoles are perceived as the most accessible to all levels of gamers, so who better to review it than someone like me who enjoys the lighter, slightly more puzzling side of gaming?

This review will focus primarily on the latest puzzle game to be released on the DS, Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box, from the Professor Layton series. I played the game at Eurogamer; however it was hard to make a fair judgment of the difficulty level of the puzzles due to bad placement of the console at the expo – the DS consoles were placed near to the Beatles Rock Band stage, and it was hard to focus on the puzzles with a tone-deaf gamer screeching a Beatles Song behind you. However, I will endeavor to give you as much insight as I can.

The plot of the game follows Professor Layton and his young assistant, Luke, as they travel cross-country by train to solve the mystery behind a peculiar box that is said to kill anyone who opens it. The plot revolves around several different locations, unlike the first game in the series, Professor Layton and the Curious Village which focused on just one location.

The game offers a variety of puzzles including brain teasers, sliding puzzles, logic puzzles and many others. One puzzle involved having an image of four couples sat at tables on a train, and with a few clues – such as “Mr Smith is sat opposite his wife”, and “The Jones couple are sitting next to the aisle”, and using deduction work out where a certain person is sitting. Another puzzle involved watching a ball under one of three cups being mixed around, and then working out how many moves would be necessary in order to get the ball into a certain position.

Each puzzle is worth a certain amount of “picarats” depending on difficulty and is given an unlimited time period to solve. However, if you get the puzzle was wrong, the value of the puzzle decreases by approximately ten percent each time. But, the player does have the option to quit the puzzle at no cost and try a different one, although some puzzles are mandatory in order to progress. Further to this, if you are a puzzle junkie and wanna do the puzzle again, once completed they are all accessible via the games menu.

Each game will allow you three hints but the player must spend one “hint coin” to see each of them, which can be found throughout the game; however hint coins are limited, so spend them wisely! If you manage to solve these brain teasing puzzles, the picarats are added to Professor Layton’s total score and sometimes he is even rewarded with an item. 

Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box has a highly entertaining side game of trying to get a morbidly obese hamster into shape. One of the three rewards of which can be earned through completing puzzles are pieces of exercise equipment for said hamster. It is highly amusing to see a very chubby rodent jogging round obstacles in order to shed those pounds!

Another reward which can also be earned through puzzle completion is pieces of a shattered camera that was accidently dropped at the beginning of the game; once all pieces are collected the camera can be restored to full working order.  The final possible reward for completing puzzle are ingredients to make tea so Professor Layton, Luke and any others they meet can celebrate a good puzzle solve with a nice brew.

In total there are 153 brain challenging puzzles to solve, and those with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection can download additional puzzles on a weekly basis. All in all, I felt that Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box continued the Professor Layton series of well developed and at times challenging games, however the plot was highly predictable and merely gave context to the items integrated into the puzzles. I felt it did not really push any boundaries, however it achieves what it sets out to do, give your brain a good work out.

-Sam