Professor Layton and the Curious Village

 DS
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 231 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 192 out of 231
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 231
  3. Negative: 7 out of 231
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  1. ChristopherR
    Feb 27, 2008
    10
    Despite having obvious problems with the grander story (see: Game Informer), namely that the large mysteries are solved for you in a series of explanations as you near the end, the story-based mysteries seemed obvious to me and not at all intriguing. BUT I still enjoyed the game immensely and I look forward to its future iterations. I used to purchase puzzle books filled with exactly the Despite having obvious problems with the grander story (see: Game Informer), namely that the large mysteries are solved for you in a series of explanations as you near the end, the story-based mysteries seemed obvious to me and not at all intriguing. BUT I still enjoyed the game immensely and I look forward to its future iterations. I used to purchase puzzle books filled with exactly the same types of riddles and this felt so much more natural rather than ruining a puzzle you got wrong because when you read the answer in the back of the book you couldn't try to correct your mistake and re-solve it. Placing it into a video game format is simple and far better. The artwork and occasional cutscenes are what sold it for me, and turned what would have been a great game into a memorable game.… Expand
  2. Gina
    Aug 18, 2008
    10
    Great!!! I'm really sad that the weekly downloads have finished. Monday won't be the same. Can't wait for next release.
  3. [Anonymous]
    Mar 20, 2008
    10
    Wonderful adventure with great graphics(considering its a handheld) and a beautiful story. The puzzles can get a bit frustrating at times, but they kept me on my toes! I would definately recommend this to anyone that likes cute storylines with challenging puzzles along the way.
  4. MiZuNo
    Feb 14, 2008
    10
    Not only a SUPERB compilation of puzzles with some equally stunning graphics and music, but a very original masterpiece of a storyline full of entertainment and elegance. It even gives you the chance to update the puzzle list weekly via WIFI. A must have.
  5. ChimC.
    Apr 6, 2008
    10
    This represents a very good game for all ages. Lots of puzzles. Great artwork. An enjoyable concept all around.
  6. DonaldO.
    Mar 14, 2008
    10
    Good fun, clever puzzles at moderate difficulty range. A good story to boot.
  7. Kozz
    Jul 23, 2015
    10
    一番おもしろくしたDSゲーム。子供も大人もみんな楽しめる良いゲームだと思います。後続作が続い出たらと思います。
  8. Lev
    Aug 20, 2008
    9
    Very enjoyable, very fun game. I wish more games had this kind of more creative imagery instead of the generic anime look or the wanna be realistic fantasy stuff. And the thing I liked most were the animated cartoon cutscenes. God, how I wish that games would have hand/computer drawn 2d animation instead of most of the lame 3d cutscenes. I'm still not finished with this game since I Very enjoyable, very fun game. I wish more games had this kind of more creative imagery instead of the generic anime look or the wanna be realistic fantasy stuff. And the thing I liked most were the animated cartoon cutscenes. God, how I wish that games would have hand/computer drawn 2d animation instead of most of the lame 3d cutscenes. I'm still not finished with this game since I picked it up only recently, but it was really refreshing for me. The puzzles are challenging, yet not impossibly annoying, and there are many kinds of them. The music could be better but, hey, nothing is perfect. Already looking forward to the other two Professor Layton games.… Expand
  9. Level5IsAwesome
    Feb 12, 2008
    9
    Level 5 strikes gold again with a truly original and highly addictive title!
  10. BlaineC.
    Feb 11, 2008
    9
    I've been looking forward to this game since I first heard about it, mostly because I like the DS's mystery offerings, sans one (I'm looking in your general direction, Touch Detective 1 and 2 1/2). I also grew up on a lot of the brain teasers in this game, so it was nice to see some classics and even some variations on classic teasers (like the "get the chickens and wolves I've been looking forward to this game since I first heard about it, mostly because I like the DS's mystery offerings, sans one (I'm looking in your general direction, Touch Detective 1 and 2 1/2). I also grew up on a lot of the brain teasers in this game, so it was nice to see some classics and even some variations on classic teasers (like the "get the chickens and wolves across the river" puzzle). I think my only complaint is that I've now solved about 70 puzzles and I'd like to get more into the story (and more of the great cutscenes), but it's now becoming a little tedious to talk to villagefolk for information, only to be offered a response of "If you solve my puzzle, I'll give you something juicy!" How about spacing out the puzzles a little more? But otherwise, after about 5 hours of gameplay, that's my only complaint, and it's not even a really big one. I hope to see more of Sherlock...er, I mean, Professor Layton.… Expand
  11. JasperP.
    Feb 13, 2008
    9
    Early days, but loving it so far. Very addictive and so charming!
  12. TobyO.
    Mar 12, 2008
    9
    A very charming, clever little game. Nice story ties together already-engaging puzzles. About 15 hours to beat, but plenty of extras. Note: This is no kiddie game, and not for the easily frustrated! If you're fine with that, then you'll have a ball.
  13. Daavpuke
    Jan 31, 2011
    9
    Let's get this straight: Level-5 is one of my favorite developers, ever since I discovered their masterpiece Dark Chronicle on PS2. Does that make me biased? Perhaps, though they've always brought quality titles to the game world, such as Dragon Quest and Rogue Galaxy. Furthermore, Professor Layton And The Curious Village bears little resemblance to any of those games.

    This game tells the    Let's get this straight: Level-5 is one of my favorite developers, ever since I discovered their masterpiece Dark Chronicle on PS2. Does that make me biased? Perhaps, though they've always brought quality titles to the game world, such as Dragon Quest and Rogue Galaxy. Furthermore, Professor Layton And The Curious Village bears little resemblance to any of those games.

    This game tells the tale of a puzzle master and his apprentice that travel around to solve mysteries for people in need. Gentlemanlike as they are, they hop in their deux chevaux to aid a family with a peculiar inheritance issue they're having. These aristocrats have been asked to seek out a mysterious Golden Apple in order to claim the vast fortune of their befallen kin. In doing so, they'll have to solve a series of intricate enigmas. So queue the good Professor into the town of Saint Mystère. Yes, they're masters of puzzles, yet can't come up with a decent town name. I guess you can't win them all.

    The cheesiness doesn't stop there though. Although the story is nicely written and brews along casually, most of the actual mysteries become so transparent so fast. Not only that, but in most cases there's little to no creativity in presenting you puzzles. In fact, the gratuitous one-liners, such as "Hey, there's a hidden puzzle in this piece of meat!" will grace your screen more than often. If they've gone out of their way to concoct a complex story with mysteries, one may wonder why they stopped caring halfway through. I suppose it would've made things unnecessarily complicated.

    And complicated is the word you'll think of when playing this game, because this game is hard! Supervised by real-life puzzle master Akira Tago, he has done all he can to torture your brain goo. With well over 100 puzzles, you'll get completely stumped at a good quarter of all riddles and will most likely fail at some as well. However, winning some puzzles after some hard thought, will leave you with an immense sense of self-satisfaction. Many times you'll feel like the smartest and smuggest person on this planet, after finding out that the matchstick had to go to that place. But that will be short-lived, for the villagers will soon enough present you with some other stunning problem.

    There is however the double-edged side of the fluent gameplay that allows you to enter your inventory and save effortlessly. This will result in you cheating yourself out of some experiences and randomly guessing and restarting, if you're really at a loss. They should've implemented a system where failures are permanent; this would've improved the game a lot.

    Other than that the game is a beautiful experience to go through. There is no end to the creativity of the puzzles, even if some are recurring or revolve around the same subject. Finding squares in dotted fields or placing pawns on a chessboard will require you to go all out. You'll tabulate all possible outcomes over and over, in the name of the good Professor.

    More so, the world he lives in is presented in a way unique to any other puzzle game. And this is what separates Professor Layton from the pack of brain teasers on DS. Saint Mystère is a visual wonder, even in its simplicity. A charming French looking village (vil-aaj) that brims with small details, pictured in a unique cartoon fashion. Everything lives and breathes quirky country town and, to a point, St Mystère is perfectly drawn. It makes it such a pleasure to rummage through and it will leave you with a smirk on your face for hours.

    Add to that the perfect soundtrack to amplify French country life. Think of those cheesy, old Parisian tunes with accordions and beret mustaches, waving baguettes around. In short, it will whisk you away to a magical experience. But that will only be in between the suspense moments, which ring in with immaculate sound effects. With the use of the dual screen, you'll get hints of dark touches popping up whenever something's amiss, accompanied by a single grim tone.

    This makes Professor Layton truly stand out and make it the best puzzle game yet created. Much in the line of older Broken Sword games, it combines charming cartoon graphics with mind-crippling puzzles to both charm and infuriate you at the same time. And it's hard to hate on a game that tries so hard to appeal to you. It's almost as hard as its hard puzzles!

    So, forget other flaunters of thinking exercises. Sure, this might not be a perfect game in terms of story, but what it lacks there it makes up with simplicity. It enhances perfectly the core gameplay of any puzzle game, with its alluring appearance and absolute logic. Professor Layton And The Curious Village is like Brain Academy on an acid trip! It's an unforgettable experience with a puzzle game, if you'll ever have one. Kick your mother in the face if she ever dares to touch another brain teaser, other than a Professor Layton game, for that's what she should play!    … Expand
  14. namDa65
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    This game is awesome. The FMVs are great and enjoyable to watch. The voice acting is better than a lot of triple a console releases. The puzzles are fun and engaging. Some puzzles are difficult but w.e, I love layton!
  15. gboukensha
    Jan 23, 2012
    9
    This adventure-puzzle game really surprised me and was in fact the reason why I bought a DS console in the first place. The majority of the puzzles are really fun and well-balanced, with only a couple of instances where the puzzle explanation is not very clear. The nice story, marvelous setting and fun characters (all of which supported by gorgeous graphics and nicely fitting music) doThis adventure-puzzle game really surprised me and was in fact the reason why I bought a DS console in the first place. The majority of the puzzles are really fun and well-balanced, with only a couple of instances where the puzzle explanation is not very clear. The nice story, marvelous setting and fun characters (all of which supported by gorgeous graphics and nicely fitting music) do their work also. What's incredible about this title is that it can attract people of all kinds and of all ages, and each of these categories will find their share of fun and challenge. If had to find a flaw in this game is the fact that most of the puzzles are completely unlinked to the plot, and above all the graphic styles used in the puzzles differ too much between them. It would have been nice to have a little more graphical coherence in this game, but apart this, the game should be played and finished by anyone possessing a DS.… Expand
  16. maxxy3000
    Mar 6, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed playing this game. Not only were the puzzles very clever and appealing, but the overall atmosphere and story were both well made and portrayed.
    The story rounded itself up quite nicely, and left it wide open of a sequel.
    There was some difficult questions, and some hard to understand places; but these weren't too troubling, and I was able to really enjoy every second of this game
  17. MrHayden4495
    Mar 11, 2013
    9
    This game is arguably the best puzzle video game on the DS. Complete with challenging puzzles and a well written story, the game forces the player to think in new ways, and as a matter of fact, the game greatly increases cognitive ability. All puzzles are done with the stylus, and this seems logical because when you see people completing puzzles like a crossword or a cryptogram, thereThis game is arguably the best puzzle video game on the DS. Complete with challenging puzzles and a well written story, the game forces the player to think in new ways, and as a matter of fact, the game greatly increases cognitive ability. All puzzles are done with the stylus, and this seems logical because when you see people completing puzzles like a crossword or a cryptogram, there are no buttons. But enough about gameplay, how is the story? The game has a marvelous cast, including my new favorite video game character Professor Layton, who was actually based off of Phoenix Wright with the "bad qualities" removed. The lush anglomaniac environment and lovely cutscenes and charming side characters emanate the game's most prominent quality: character. This game is its own, isolated from other puzzle games like Momento Mori or Brain Age.… Expand
  18. pdxl
    Mar 15, 2015
    9
    An exciting and original story, interesting mysteries and a cute animation. A good game for those who enjoyed of RPG or strategy games.

    unfortunately once you finish the game there are no reasons to play it again, poor replay value.
  19. ZaikoDrox
    May 4, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Un juego fresco, ademas de ser el debut de una de mis sagas favoritas, a pesar de algunos fallos que pueda tener, es un muy buen inicio, que la verdad tan solo jugarlo 5 minutos me hizo sentir que este juego tiene mucho por ofrecer, dandole mas importancia a los puzzles, los cuales la mayoria son muy ingeniosos, a pesar de estar basados en los libros de Akira Tago creador de los Head Gymnastics, una serie de puzzles japoneses exitosos que en El Profesor Layton son muy bien aprovechados. Dejando de lado todo lo anterior, LEVEL-5, nos ofrece una muy buena historia que para mi es un enorme puzzle que se ira resolviendo con el avance del juego. En resumen, El Profesor Layton nos presenta un concepto poco explorado, teniendo como enfoque principal una serie de muy buenos puzzles que parten desde lo sencillo hasta lo complejo, con una historia inteligente que llamara la atencion del jugador estableciendo el tipo de atmosfera que se presentara, es muy ingenioso y "Laytonesco" los que hallan jugado "La llamada del espectro" reconoceran la refeencia.… Expand
  20. LeeFoo
    Apr 14, 2017
    9
    Adventure, puzzles. What more could you ask for? it's like being in a small movie as a detective searching for mysteries and unsolved clues to connect the plot together. Big surprises at the end. Fun, addictive and a brilliant story made. Don't miss out.
  21. Anxo
    Jul 18, 2017
    9
    El primer juego de una saga increible, con sus puntos flacos pero de los mejores para su época. No me cabe ninguna duda de que es un juego excelente que dio el pistoletazo de salida a una saga que es insuperable.
  22. jjjj2367904
    Nov 25, 2017
    9
    Not my favorite out of the Layton series but it sure is one awesome game the dialogue,story,and etc are just very well made and my score for it is a 9.4
  23. brendo214
    Jul 31, 2019
    9
    For a game that essentially just boils down to a bunch of puzzles with a good mystery plot, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is a ton of fun.
  24. Mutty99
    Feb 9, 2020
    9
    The beginning of a legacy which will never be forgotten. There are some limitations, like not being able to go back to the file selection screen without turning off the console, but the story is awesome and the characters too. Disappointment rate: 0% :D
  25. MarkDream35
    Feb 8, 2020
    9
    This game influenced who I am today, and holds a very special place in my heart. I own both the original DS version and the HD mobile re-release.
  26. DadoBaro
    Oct 4, 2020
    9
    A beautiful game... nothing more, nothing less. The sound, the storyline and the character take you into the game, you live the game.
  27. hector_bcn98
    Nov 7, 2022
    9
    El inicio de la saga más única de la plataforma. Pocas veces un juego de puzzles enganchó tanto con una trama tan interesante. Puede parecer para niños... hasta que juegues a algunos puzzles. De lo intrincados que son, estoy convencido de que un niño pequeño no lo completa. Y un adulto... tampoco, a salvo que le eche muchas horas.
  28. Albeirito
    Aug 10, 2023
    9
    Professor Layton is one of the best video game franchises in history and this game proves it.
    I love every single one of the clever and fun puzzles in this game.
    Some of them are not too complicated but others you will have to use all your brains to solve. Like all Leve 5 games, it has a noticeable focus on humour and the mystery that awaits you throughout the game is structured in a    Professor Layton is one of the best video game franchises in history and this game proves it.
    I love every single one of the clever and fun puzzles in this game.
    Some of them are not too complicated but others you will have to use all your brains to solve.
    Like all Leve 5 games, it has a noticeable focus on humour and the mystery that awaits you throughout the game is structured in a very good and clever way.
    This game can be enjoyed by everyone; old or young? it doesn't matter, even a person who initially didn't like puzzle games too much (like me) can enjoy it and even fall in love with the genre just by trying this title (like me again XD).
    A highly recommended game in my opinion.

    9.4/10    … Expand
  29. ShawnF.
    Jun 5, 2008
    8
    Great puzzle game! Quite a few puzzles weren't that difficult or should have had multiple working answers. The story was lackluster (which was too bad since that was what originally got me interested in the game) but the overall experience was a nice change from other puzzle games.
  30. JustinB.
    Feb 27, 2008
    8
    This is a great puzzle game with a decent story attached to give it it's own, unique feel. The graphics are very stylish and creative, including both the in-game graphics and interwoven animated cut-scenes. The music tends to get a bit annoying as the same music seems to play through the majority of the game. I found myself turning the volume down on some puzzles because it was This is a great puzzle game with a decent story attached to give it it's own, unique feel. The graphics are very stylish and creative, including both the in-game graphics and interwoven animated cut-scenes. The music tends to get a bit annoying as the same music seems to play through the majority of the game. I found myself turning the volume down on some puzzles because it was affecting my ability to concentrate on the problem. The main part of the game--the puzzles--are challenging enough to keep you interested throughout and some are downright hard. Overall, I would recommend playing this game and I look forward to seeing the next game in the series released on this side of the Pacific as well.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best DS Game of 2008
3
#3 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
22
#22 Most Shared DS Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 72
  3. Negative: 0 out of 72
  1. games(TM)
    70
    Taken as a purely forward-looking puzzle game (with a well-told story, to boot), Layton provides DS entertainment in a unique fashion. [JPN Import; May 2007, p.112]
  2. Nintendo Gamer
    86
    Lots of variety, good use of the touch screen. [May 2008, p.73]
    Read full review
  3. Play Magazine
    80
    As good as the puzzles are, the presentation is almost better. [JPN Import; May 2007, p.77]
See all critic reviews »