So I’m uploading this review because I have recently been playing the fourth Professor Layton game in the series. So in anticipation of that review I decided it would be unprofessional to not have a review up for the third game Professor Layton and the Lost Future. As you may have established from my previous reviews I am the biggest fan of these games and so it is really hard to review them with an objective opinion. This is so far my favourite game in the series, I think the narrative is amazingly clever and for those who might think the Layton games are growing tired well they obviously have not played this game. This game just excelled beyond the others I’m amazed at how well drawn in I was. Now for many people who play the games you may argue well how you believe the story in Layton it’s clearly not physically possible, well you annoying nerds how about getting an imagination and believing in the impossible. I love the game even though I know the narrative seems wild and unattainable, I can believe in it. Stop doubting narratives that aren’t realistic enough, how about having fun and getting lost in the world of the game because I know that’s the best way to enjoy games!

So I’ve blathered on about the narrative so maybe I best explain it meaning Spoiler Alert. Though frankly it shouldn’t be because if your reading this review you really should have played the games already. So basically Professor Layton and Luke Triton, Laytons number 1 apprentice if you didn’t know, receive a letter from the future. Not only from the future but future Luke himself! This letter arrives mere days after an incident Layton had attended, whereby Dimitri Allen a scientist conducts a time travelling experiment. The experiment appears to go badly wrong and The Prime Minister who was first to test Dimitri’s machine suddenly disappears. This is not the only strange occurrence, many scientist have also been declared as missing over the past few weeks. The letter instructs Layton to visit a clock store on the outskirts off London. Layton does as the letter instructs and ends up getting sent through time to a future London. In this future London everyone fears a man in a tall hat very familiar to Laytons own. Of course a true gentleman does not take off his hat and Layton carries on to wear it despite what some of London’s inhabitants may warn him. Eventually Layton and Lukes paths cross with Future Luke. Layton sets off to unravel the mysteries of this future London. So that’s about it for the story now of course those who have played the game would know that Layton is not in a future London but merely a replica London built underneath the real city of London. So it’s very good story and obviously that means Future Luke is not in fact Future Luke but a strange closely resembling lookalike.

I loved the story for this game and the cutscenes where so intriguing I was gripped when I played this game, I needed to solve the mystery there and then. So I hardly put this game down, heck if I didn’t have university at the time or had to sleep and eat I probably wouldn’t have put it down. By far the best story, there was so much more mystery surrounding the story so much more compelling than the previous games.

Like the previous games before the music within this game was beyond excellent. A lot of people may find the music repetitive yet I find that not to be the case. The music when solving puzzles really encourages my thought, it feels like the music is in sync with my thought process. The music in other areas of the game are truly brilliant. I feel the music in the Professor Layton games is really one of its strong points, then again I would struggle to find a bad point within this game series. The animation within the game is also excellent. I love the art style to these games and I’m always amazed at how much emotion and personality comes across. I often see animated characters which seem very two-dimensional and I really think that is not the case for those in the Layton series. This game was so emotional and the bonds really strengthened between me as a player and the characters within the game. In fact it was so hard for me to hold back tears at the end of the game. Anyone who doesn’t think this ending is amazingly sad and moving has a heart of stone, that would be the only explanation for it.

This game returns with similar style puzzles as the two previous instalments and throws in a few new styles for good measure. There are new additional activities to complete within Layton’s trunk which are again exceedingly enjoyable, and provide an additional challenge for those who have to complete a game fully much like myself. I love the puzzles within the game series as a whole some are very challenging whilst others more of a breeze, it all depends on what you excel at. I struggle with maths a lot therefore the visual or worded poems are more my area. However I can still complete this game and if your reading this review it means you somehow have access to the internet and a quick google search should get you past any of those incredibly tricky ones you get stuck on. I am actually as part of my next mission attempting to complete the game without the help of guide, so hopefully some of those puzzles won’t keep me stuck for too long. I love the challenge you get from games like Professor Layton. So many games are mindless, require little skill and they can be good don’t get me wrong but I love a game that can make me think.

Professor Layton the Lost Future is an exceptional game and in my opinion by far the best in the series, obviously excluding the more recent game as I’ve yet too fully complete it. It seems like this game improved in every aspect even the tiny details. If you have not played this game you really should. I don’t see what’s stopping you. If you’ve enjoyed the previous games or have not played of the games you really should play this game. If I used a rating system, something other members of the stars team are encouraging me to use, this would break that system because it would go so far beyond that. I really can’t praise this game enough. So go out and buy it, if you have the game go and play it!