Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Reviews
'Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney proves to be a strong match despite some clear growing pains.
This collaboration between the DS’s most intelligent and sharply-dressed heroes is a delightful yarn. Tom Hoggins presents his evidence
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.
Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney delivers an utterly charming, enjoyable experience to satisfy fans of both franchises; it's a crossover that, when experienced, seems entirely natural. The individual parts are pleasurable and entertaining, as always, though perhaps fall a little below the exceptional standards of their main-series contemporaries, and there's a lingering sense that more gameplay innovation to blend the two brands could have been explored. These are minor complaints in the grand scheme of a lengthy adventure, however, and the storytelling — combined with character development — has been delicately constructed; Level-5 and Capcom have done a commendable job. The end result is another 3DS title that exemplifies much of what sets Nintendo's portable hardware and supporting software apart; it provides heart-warming, accessible fun, and entertainment to last for many hours.
With a great execution of both series' mechanics, a solid and well-paced story, and appealing presentation, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a must-play for adventure fans.
Layton's brain-teasing puzzles and Ace Attorney's rigorous courtroom circus make for a surprisingly good match despite some pacing and plot issues.
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.
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.
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.
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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Something that will please long time fans and newcomers alike.
The worlds of puzzle-wizard Professor Layton and ace attorney Phoenix Wright combine for the ultimate brain teaser
This unique crossover is a powerful draw for fans of either series, but it doesn’t make the most of its potential. It sacrifices some of both series’ challenge, and the alternate-universe story feels like a missed opportunity where there could have been more meaningful interaction between the worlds of Wright and Layton. The witty dialogue writing, however, is as charming and enjoyable as ever.
I’d love to have seen a more radical take on each title’s conventions in order to play a mash-up that’s truly different. As an advertisement for each legacy franchise, though, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright is a solid showcase for what both do better than any other game, if only by default.
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.
Chances are, if you’ve never picked up a Professor Layton or a Phoenix Wright game, you’ll have little to no interest in this crossover. But for those who have only played one, you’ll find plenty of joy in Professor Layton vs.
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.
Though it’s engrossing in its own right, and it provides a hearty serving of gameplay, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney feels full of wasted potential.
As a system built for story delivery, everything just works beautifully.
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