Professor Layton’s puzzle-solving prowess is well known, but he wasn’t always the archeological savant that he is now. Miracle Mask takes players deep into Layton’s past and the origins of his interest in archeology, rooted in a long-lost childhood friend. The past few Professor Layton games have delved a little deeper into Layton’s history, and this title goes further in illuminating the character–it’s great to see more of his history and motivations. The present day story, meanwhile, follows the mysterious so-called miracles of the Masked Gentleman and his threats to destroy the town of Monte d’Or. Dividing the story between the past and the present helps make this mystery all the more intriguing–answers aren’t quite as obvious when the plot is shifting back and forth, plus you are able to see both the origin and the conclusion of the Miracle Mask’s diabolical effects. All this concludes with easily the most cliffhanger ending of any Professor Layton game which is sure to drum up questions and excitement for the inevitable third piece of this trilogy.
Beneath it's shiny exterior, Monte d'Or hides its own secrets for Layton to puzzle out.
The gameplay formula has seen little change since its inception with Professor Layton and the Curious Village, but Miracle Mask puts a few tweaks on the typical exploration system to make it more fluid and natural. Instead of furiously tapping everywhere on the screen for hint coins, puzzles, and people, you now enter an investigation mode that allows you to scroll over the scenery by moving the stylus around the touch screen. When you scroll over something of importance, the magnifying glass changes color, letting you know you can speak to that person or there’s a hidden item there. This makes the hunt for hint coins a little easier, granted, but it also makes exploring and finding hidden puzzles just plain smoother. Moving from one screen to another has also been altered slightly but only to remove some clutter from the touch screen. These changes are relatively minor, but they make the gameplay just that much smoother and easier.
The puzzle selection this time bears some mentioning since it is both smaller and, arguably, easier. This game seems to have more puzzles with no wrong answer, the kind that require a bit of trial and error but at no expense to your Picarats. This doesn’t make the puzzles any less enjoyable–on the contrary, there are also arguably less frustrating, unclear puzzles–but it is a noticeable change. Furthermore, with 150 puzzles–including all the bonus puzzles–Miracle Mask has less than its predecessor, but while the main game has less, the downloadable puzzles have tons more. Daily downloadable puzzles means 365 extra puzzles beyond the main game, and a very good reason to keep your copy of the game handy so you can download more puzzles to enjoy. Although the format is a little different, in the end Miracle Mask will have more puzzles to solve than any previous game which is sure to delight puzzle fans.
New types of puzzles shirk the typical brain teaser forumla for more trial and error based puzzles.
The controls are still 100% stylus based, though in one specific portion of the game you’re given the option of using the buttons and circle pad/D-pad for control. Even here the stylus can be used with ease though, and aside from the small changes to exploring and moving mentioned earlier, the controls need no further explanation or learning curve.
The jump to 3D is certainly jarring at first, but any concerns that the new dimension reduces or diminishes the value of Professor Layton’s distinctive art style fly out the window after only a few minutes of playing. Cutscenes still use the gorgeous 2D animation that the franchise is known for, but with stereoscopic 3D to give a sense of depth to the otherwise flat drawings. The effect looks great, and of course if you’re ever unsatisfied with it you can simple turn off the 3D effect anyway. The effect is similarly beautiful with the in-game graphics, and the newly 3D modeled characters are given smoother and more lively animation to complement the new visuals. The result is a distinctive change, but a change for the better, and one that will hopefully continue to evolve with the series. Of course it wouldn’t be Professor Layton without the fantastic soundtrack, full of haunting melodies and beautiful arrangements of a variety of instruments. Once again the soundtrack delights the ears as the visuals dazzle the eyes, and once again the excellent voice acting brings these quirky and memorable characters to life.
Mini-games return to give you a break from the main game with their own brand of puzzling tasks.
The main game may have fewer puzzles but it still manages to last a good long while–around 18 hours should see you through the game, bonus puzzles, mini-games, and all. And these mini-games have easily the most charming game yet: Rabbit Theater, starring an adorable bunny of your choosing. Watching the little guy hop around and act in plays certainly wouldn’t be the same without the new 3D graphics, and just watching him play is nearly as much fun as completing the mini-games themselves. The other mini-games aren’t quite as cute but are no less entertaining and brain teasing.
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask makes the transition to 3D beautifully and manages to retain everything that fans love about the series but with new depth in its visuals and a handful of 3D-centric puzzles. The story experiments with the traditional plot formula as well and proves to be more entertaining and intriguing for it. Even in its fifth, nigh yearly installment, Professor Layton remains a uniquely charming and delightfully puzzling adventure, and daily downloadable puzzles ensure that you’ll be enjoying this title for a long time.
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Source:
http://nsider2.com/2012/11/09/professor-layton-and-the-miracle-mask-review/