Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Reviews

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
GameXplain
Ted Wiesen
Top Critic
Liked-a-lot
Aug 25, 2014
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Video Review (3DS) video thumbnail
8 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2014

The first crossover between Professor Layton and Ace Attorney is a fantastic adventure that is sure to please fans of either series. At its best it is an engaging and entertaining visual novel, while at its worst it is less than sum of its parts.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 3, 2014

After playing Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, I realized that the lengthy title is actually perfect. This is a cross-over by definition, but the game plays like the Layton sections and the Ace Attorney sections were made separately and mashed together. Instead of a perfect fusion like Gogeta from Dragon Ball Z, it's more like Janus from Roman mythology, having two very different faces looking in different directions.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 3, 2014

Two worlds collide in Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and they collide quite well. Great pains have been taken to ensure that the combination works as a cohesive unit, and for the most part it succeeds (with some minor hiccups along the way). There’s more than enough content for old fans of either franchise and new players will find this game as a more than welcoming entry point to both games. Those that enter the world of Labrynthia will thoroughly enjoy their foray — just mind the witch trials.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 28, 2014

An excellent addition to the 3DS library, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright offers the best of both franchises in fantastic bite sized portions.

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Unscored
Sep 15, 2014

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a game that I’d recommend to any fan of either series.

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4 / 5.0
Aug 29, 2014

Overall, the game doesn't quite break the kind of new ground some fans might desire for a crossover between two iconic characters. It feels like it tried to take things safe so it doesn't alienate fans of the two franchises who may have differing expectations. At the same time, it does a great job of polishing and melding the strengths of two series while breathing new life to old mechanics such as court cases. If you're a fan of either series or like playing games that give your twitch reflexes a break while exercising your noggin, then this title is something you won't have any objection to.

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8 / 10
Mar 18, 2014

This crossover between Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright brings the best of two worlds into one game. With its very well thought and executed concept, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright is set to charm fans of both series alike. It does miss out, though, on the quantity and quality of the puzzles offered, as well as on the lacklustre outcome of its plot, perhaps a casualty of such an ambitious crossover.

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Mar 18, 2014

When you aren't bogged down by text, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney's crossover gameplay is perfectly complementary, providing an experience we wouldn't object to one day revisiting.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 25, 2014

You wouldn't think it, but the Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright series complement each other very well. This game is fanservice at its best: gameplay styles that work beautifully together, two iconic characters teaming up to use their deductive skills, and thankfully a lack of cameos and franchise clutter. While not as challenging or involved as the best games from either series, this is still a crossover fans of both Wright and Layton don't want to pass up.

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Apr 4, 2014

This collaboration between the DS’s most intelligent and sharply-dressed heroes is a delightful yarn. Tom Hoggins presents his evidence

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75 / 100
Mar 1, 2015

While the gameplay in Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney consists of each series’ respective experiences, neither feels like the full experience fans would expect from each of the series on their own. The Layton-style puzzles are dumbed down to the point of being overly simple and even boring at times, while the Ace Attorney courtroom battles are shorter and more straight-forward than fans will be used to.

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Sep 1, 2014

'Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney proves to be a strong match despite some clear growing pains.

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6.5 / 10.0
Sep 3, 2014

Many people will end up in the same boat as our reviewer, bearing through half the adventure just to get to the parts they enjoy

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85 / 100
Aug 25, 2014

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is an extremely satisfying pairing — if not actually a blend — of the puzzle solving and courtroom twists from the two series. The game’s high production values add charm and character to the experience. The compelling storyline and animation make up for dialogue that might linger a little too long and puzzles that might speed by a little too quickly. If you like both nonviolent handheld heroes, “Take That” copy of Layton vs. Wright, without hesitation.

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9 / 10
Mar 19, 2014

A wonderful crossover.

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Aug 27, 2014

Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney combines two very different but still complementary series into one exciting experience for your handheld.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 18, 2014

This would be forgivable if the story was engaging enough to drive things, but it tends to devolve into a slog from one puzzle to the next, with the occasional trial in-between to brighten it up. It’s worth a go if you’re a fan of either series, and you won’t be disappointed by the story – just be prepared to invest plenty of time to see it through.

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8 / 10
Aug 28, 2014

Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney comes out with a game that in many ways improves upon both formulas. It may be too bogged down in its own story and look slightly dated, but the pure puzzle mechanics still work both in and out of the courtroom, and are bolstered by the crossing of ideas. It's more than the sum of its parts, and as a result is a nice treat.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2014

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is two great tastes that taste great together, even if they don't congeal together until the finale. But wow, what a finale it is! The framerate issues are very unfortunate and the new Ace Attorney mechanics can make the game a bit repetitive, but with over 20 hours of well-written content, this is a game who will please fans of either series, and will delight anyone who is a fan of both series. This game is also a great entry point for either series, since it offers a glimpse into both without heavily favoring one or the other.

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