The second installment in the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, continues to match up brain-twisting puzzles and top-notch graphics in one nifty game for the NDS platform. Diabolical Box contains myriads of puzzles and relies on the stylus for all in-game navigation.
The story starts with the death of the Prof’s mentor. A sinister box, rumored to kill anyone who opens it, is connected to the murder. With a single train ticket for no clear destination as their only lead, Layton and his apprentice set out to find the killer and solve the mystery behind the devilish fetish.
The murder mystery at the beginning is a solid starting point for the game’s plot. While the entire plot is not necessarily bad, its twists at times seem illogical and out of place, especially as it affects the placement of most puzzles. Plenty of the puzzles have no connection to the plot.
The presentation department is outstanding. Most of the graphics are 2D artwork with impressive detailing and design. The music and background sounds are also impressive for a hand-held game.
The game package also features fully animated cut-scenes complete with voiceovers. And for once, the voiceover acting is appropriate.
The core of the game is the puzzles, and the package contains more than 150. The player advances through the game by solving various puzzles and miniquests scattered around the game world. There are different kinds of puzzles: logical and reasoning, mathematical, algebraic and some classic puzzles like Knight’s Tour, based on chess. Difficulty levels range from really easy to absolutely brain twisting.
Three minigames help distract the player from the onslaught of puzzles in the main game. On top of the default 150+ puzzles, players who just can’t get enough can download weekly updates. There are plenty of bonus goodies in the extras section, unlockable after the player has earned enough points from solving puzzles. The unlockables make replay something to look forward to.
For our bottom line, Diabolical Box is a well-rounded game with outstanding presentation and good longevity for an NDS game. Whether you like puzzles or not, it is still enjoyable.
