The long-awaited crossover Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney finally reached American shores Friday, offering fans of both series a mix of puzzle solving, contradiction finding and an awful lot of finger pointing.
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In the game, Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright separately stumble upon the same mystical book while assisting a young girl named Espella. The book transports both of them, along with their assistants Luke Triton and Maya Fey, to the medieval town of Labyrinthia. The two super sleuths meet and team up to solve the looming mystery that pervades the town.
The gameplay alternates between the two styles of the protagonists. In one chapter, the four characters will amble around the Layton-esque town, picking up hint coins and solving every puzzle that random pedestrians throw their way. In the next chapter, Phoenix will stand in a courtroom, using pieces of evidence the team picked up while puzzle solving to defend innocent girls from a town out on a witch hunt, literally. Phoenix can also use the hint coins picked up during Layton gameplay to narrow down the options for evidence he should present, hopefully avoiding judge-inflicted penalties along the way.
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The two gameplay styles work well together – both challenge the player to think laterally – and it makes sure that fans of each series will get the true game experience from both genres. Though Layton's puzzle solving formula is difficult to add upon, Phoenix Wright's courtroom gameplay actually receives a couple of new features that add to the experience. Inquisitor Barnham, the knight who leads the prosecution against suspected witches, loads up the witness stand with several witnesses at a time. Though at first this seems like a hurdle for the defense, Phoenix can actually use the situation to his advantage. He can press Witness A if she reacts oddly to a statement made by Witness B. He can also point out contradictions using testimony instead of evidence if Witness C remembers a detail differently from Witness D.
The medieval village setting is decidedly more in tune with Layton's games than Wright's. The minor characters, however, seem to draw inspiration from both sources, showing a mix of Layton's caricatural leanings and Wright's more realistic tendencies. The game's music includes tributes to beloved themes from both sides of the net while, true to form for both series, fantastic writing drives the whole experience. The game as a whole is a wonderful celebration of both franchises and a fine addition to both libraries.
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is now available in stores and on the 3DS eShop for $29.99.