Professor Layton and the Curious Village

THE GOOD:

• Fun puzzles
• Stylish cartoon graphics
• Lots of extra content and unlockables
• Ability to download puzzles via Nintendo WiFi Connection.

THE BAD:

• Inability to solve mysteries yourself
• Music is nothing memorable

SUMMARY:
Booting up Professor Layton and the Curious Village is like throwing yourself into an Encyclopedia Brown book, but without the chance to solve the mysteries yourself. The premise of the game seems to be a point and click mystery game, but it turns out to be a entirely puzzle-driven experience with little else to do. While there is a great story that drives the plot, there's not a whole lot you can do to actually progress it other than completing puzzles as you find them. However, if you can look past this and enjoy it for the quirky...

THE GOOD:
~The graphics, while not overly amazing, are simple, whimsical, and well-detailed.
~The puzzles are interesting, fun, and challenging, without being too frustrating or hard to understand.
~The storyline is interesting, moves at a good pace, and will keep players guessing until the very end.
~The game itself has great replay value, with unlockable puzzles, information on characters, and a special code tied to the next game in the series.
~Full, movie-style video clips add entertainment value and a new dimension to the game.
~Voicing, music, and sound effects are well compressed, and exhibit the audio capabilities of the DS well.

THE BAD:
~Some puzzles require prior knowledge, which may be difficult for some players, especially children.
~Hint coins can be hard to find, and without them, some players may suffer.
~The art style may turn away some players, believing that the game is too childish.

SUMMARY: