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Layton Brothers Mystery Room Review

ByKevin Simon

Oct 5, 2013

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I just notice in the google app store a new professor Layton game, by Level-5. Im a great fan of the professor Layton games on the normal Nintendo DS, I have played The curious Village, Diabolical box, unwound fortune and the last spector, not played the 3ds versions the miracle mask or Azran Legacy.

So when I seen the Layton Brothers mystery rooms available for both android and ios, I had to get it, the games is free to start with, giving you the prologue and the first two levels, then you can buy through in-app purchase case files 003-006 at £1.99 and case pack 2 levels 007-009 at £1.49 (these prices within the android version so not sure if different for apple devices) which is a very reasonable price and assume more case files to follow.
I have only just played the first case file, so here is my review so far and will update when I have played all the case files. First things first if you are expecting a puzzle game like the previous Layton games look else where as this is a murder mystery game, where you look at clue and deduce the killer.

The graphics are in style with the previous Layton games, with a nice cartoon feel, though not being on the DS or 3DS the picture is sharp, though depends on your device resolution, I was running on a mid range android 10” table, and picture was very clear. You start the game following Detective Constable Lucy Baker on here first case who is accompanied by Alfendi Layton (the son of Professor Layton) . The prologue level just introduces you to the characters.

The First case file the Hand Sandwich (001) you are investigating the murder of a woman on a balcony in a hotel, you have three suspects to choose from. You do this by investigating the crime scene which you can rotate and zoom in, which show you clues. The same goes for the suspect’s, which you are given information on. You have to answer a few multiple choice questions to get further on in the game. Most of the time is spent reading about the scene, suspect etc.

I played the first level in around 15-20 minutes, which was reading everything, so not really that hard, but as a guess will get harder the further you progress. In that time, you are mostly reading and answering a few question. So basically just tapping the screen. Though it is a very interesting story and does keeping you wanting to carry on playing. I did enjoy the first case file and will play on, but was bit disappointed that not a full puzzle game like professor Layton on the DS, which I keep going back to on my normal DSi and now also on my android tablet through the Nintendo DS emulator Drastic, which make the older DS games more enjoyable on a larger screen. I do hope Level-5 do produce more games for mobile now they are not tied into exclusive for Nintendo portable games consoles.

On a side note, the best game I have found so far on android for something like the original Layton games is The Curse, does have its problems but still good puzzle game, if anyone know of other games similar to professor Layton, please leave a comment below.

Here is the official description from Google play:

Genius investigator, Inspector Alfendi Layton and his newly assigned assistant, Detective Constable Lucy Baker, research only the most extraordinary cases in the “Mystery Room” deep within Scotland Yard. Investigate the evidence, find the contradictions, and unravel the truth that lies shrouded in mystery!

■ Investigate the Crime Scene
Uncover the details behind each crime as you zoom in and examine suspicious objects to add them to your mounting list of evidence. Piece them together to form an airtight case!
■ Cut Through the Web of Deceit!
Expose the crucial contradictions in the case files as you match them with evidence that just doesn’t add up. Call in the witnesses and find out if they have anything to hide!
■ Face the Culprit in the Final Showdown!
These criminal masterminds won’t make solving their heinous crimes easy. Find the holes in their arguments until their lies shatter around them, bringing the truth of each mystery to light!
■ These Mysteries and More Await!
File No.001: The Hand Sandwich
A woman was found murdered at the seaside hotel of a bustling travel destination. Her asphyxiated body lies on the balcony with one hand inside the sandwich that was to be her last meal. Who is guilty of murder? What is the significance of the sandwich?
File No.002:The Bungled Burglary
A man was murdered inside his apartment. Two suspects emerge based on eyewitness testimonies, but the murder weapon seems to have vanished into thin air. Who is the perpetrator, and what kind of murder weapon disappears from a locked room?
■ Alfendi Layton’s Secret
As you expose the contradictions and culprits throughout each case, you may catch glimpses of a drastic change that occurs in Inspector Layton’s personality… Uncover the truth of Layton’s condition by solving the mystery of all nine files!

By Kevin Simon

I run this blog & also self employed cleaning out fish ponds, but due to spinal problems not able to do as much, now started a youtube channel showing my converted Peugeot Partner micro camper also as interest in photography so now vlog about the trips and of course Lego figures out in the wild photos.

One thought on “Layton Brothers Mystery Room Review”
  1. played all the previous Professor Layton games on the Nintendo DS, so I was excited to learn about a new game by Level-5 in the Google app store. Although I haven’t played the 3DS versions, I enjoyed The Curious Village, Diabolical Box, Unwound Future, and The Last Specter.

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