Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Hands-On

The third game in the Professor Layton series is finally here and will be available in North America in the fall. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is part of the first trilogy, but it won't be the last Professor Layton game that we'll see, given that we saw a 3D version in the works under the name of Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle.

We learn from the start that Luke has received a letter from his future self, and this is just one of the many mysteries that the duo will eventually have to solve. The pair head off to London to see the unveiling of a time machine, invented by a Dr. Alain Strahngun. Of course the presentation goes horribly wrong, and now Luke must follow directions that were given by his future self to see where it all leads.

Those who are familiar with the series will feel right at home with the game. You still navigate with the stylus by tapping on the shoe in the corner, and you click around the touch screen to find coins, talk to people, and solve puzzles. There is now a super hint that costs two hint coins if you want the answer to the puzzle once you've exhausted your three initial clues. This is not a bad option, as long as you have the coins to spare. It will at least save you the time of resetting the game if you're keen on getting the maximum number of picarats.

The first few puzzles were fairly easy, ranging from 10 to 20 picarats. As usual, they test your critical thinking ability, but really, sometimes it's about reading the question carefully and finding the right approach. We look forward to playing more of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, and we'll be able to soon when the game is released September 20.