The game will be released in America this coming Sunday (September 12, 2010). It was released in Japan way back in November of 2008 under the title, “Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel”, and is only now hitting the West two years later.
This game has the most voice acting of any game in the series, and it is also full of glorious cutscenes, so that must be the reason for the long wait. They had so much audio to translate. Europe will get the game, under the title “Professor Layton and the Lost Future” on October 22, 2010 with Australians getting the game before then on September 20, 2010 (which was the original US date as well, but they actually moved it UP to the 12th).
The game is an adventure title, where you explore various locations, tapping the screen to gain info or comments from “renowned archaeologist” and master puzzle solver Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke. By tapping the shoe icon in the bottom right corner you can move about the different frames or “scenes”, which are generally still pictures as you’d expect from an Adventure game. Most scenes will contain a character or two that you can talk to by tapping them and doors you can enter that lead to various shops or other locations. You can also tap specific objects in the environment to earn “Hint Coins”, which can be used to purchase hints on difficult puzzles.
What are your personal favorite E3 2010 games that were shown or revealed at gaming’s biggest expo this year?
There is plenty to choose from, and chances are that no two gamers will have a list of titles that exactly matches another person’s list.
That is why these Opinion Editorial lists are “personal”. So right now I present to our fellow readers my personal favorites. I’ll get everyone else to chip in their own lists as well, when they get around to writing them, and post them after my list.
Josh’s E3 2010 picks of the show:
1. Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii)
THE PINK PUFFBALL COMETH! This game just looks flat out AWESOME. I couldn’t love the art style more than I do for this game. Highly innovative both graphically AND gameplay-wise because of the visuals. Plus it’s KIRBY! How can you go wrong? A definite must by for me and my surprise pick of the show!
2. Metroid: Other M (Wii)
This is by far my most anticipated game right now. I simply LOVE the Metroid series and can’t wait for this new take on the franchise. You can read my reviews of several Metroid games including 1, 2, Super Metroid, Metroid Prime and Prime Pinball at VGB Reviews List. The most exciting aspect of Other M is the fact that they are FINALLY delving into Samus’ story in a much deeper way, and doing it with top-notch CG movie scenes and high-quality action throughout. The pedigree of Team Ninja is high, but if you MIX IT with the pedigree of Nintendo/Retro Studios, then you have one HELL of a mix. I anticipate this to be one of the greatest games ever, if my humble opinion. Simply because they are FINALLY bringing Samus into the third-person perspective, and doing it in kick-ass style.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
FINALLY a Zelda game that really is innovating! This hasn’t truly happened since Ocarina of Time and I couldn’t be happier. I also think the art-style is quite beautiful, even if you don’t really notice it on first glance. Excited about this one even though I didn’t play Twilight Princess (which I pre-ordered along with the guide at launch, just haven’t actually gotten around to playing it yet).
4. Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
“!!!!”
That’s what I said when I saw this. I could NOT BELIEVE that they actually did it and that it turned out to be THIS. I’m still kinda wishing/hoping Retro Studios might be doing a Wii take on Kid Icarus, but this game looks AWESOME, so I take it without complaint! Fast, fluid, action-packed gameplay that melds shooters/action adventures/platformers into one. I was awe-struck! Hooray for Pit! Now where the HELL is EarthBound?!?!
5. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
Another game that came out of absolutely NO WHERE and freakin’ blew my socks off! Granted it’s pretty much Donkey Kong as we know and love him. But it just looks so great to be returning to fantastic 2D design. And the new elements along with cool visuals will elevate this to GREAT status as far as I’m concerned. Hopefully there is 2-player ONLINE Co-Op. That would seal the deal. Don’t forget to check out my Donkey Kong Country review. That classic is still one of the best games of all time as far as I’m concerned.
6. Disney Epic Mickey (Wii)
I simply LOVE everything I’ve seen about this game so far. Bringing the cool of Mickey back but doing it in some very unique ways. The creating/erasing feature is really innovative. Hopefully everything will be fleshed out enough and paced well enough to elevate this to great status. Love those side-scrolling levels!
7. Sorcery (PS3)
I’ve only recently began reading Harry Potter since last year, because the girl I like loaned the books to me, and they’re pretty good. I just finished Prisoner of Azkaban. I always was curious about the series but never curious enough to pick the books up myself over something else, so it took her giving them to me for me to give the series a real shot. I’ve still yet to watch the movies outside of the first one though. I bring this up because in Sorcery, it’s like you ARE Harry Potter…. ON POWERDRINKS! So freakin’ awesome. Even though playing a title called “Sorcery” where you are literally conjuring spells still twings (is that a word? :P) my Christian spirit a bit to the “I shouldn’t be liking this” side, I nonetheless can’t help but to still love the concept. And the most interest part of the game is how things really had impact when spells were “flung” with the PlayStation Move controller. It was like you could feel them “hit”. And this whole concept is something that simply WOULDN’T WORK without Move. Because it’s only cool because YOU are actually doing it as if you were holding a real Wand. That makes Sorcery definitely a Move killer-app IMHO. Hopefully there will be enough meat on the adventure and enough interesting aspects though to make it feel like a fully-fledged game and not a Move tech-demo or somesuch.
8. Hard Corps: Uprising (Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network)
WHO DOENS’T LOVE CONTRA!?! This is a series that NEEDS to be revived, and this game just might do it. While I didn’t see anything that blew me away, all the right pieces are in place and I can’t imagine Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear fame) dropping the ball on this one. I love me some Contra so I’m hoping this game will be great despite being a downloadable title.
9. Metal Gear Solid: Rising (Xbox 360, PS3)
I feel like I shouldn’t even be allowed to put this game on my list given that I have ONLY played the first Metal Gear Solid game (still planning on playing the others. I own MGS2: Substance, still need to track down and play Snake Eater: Subsistance… One of these days! *shakes fist*) but HOT DAMN if this game didn’t look incredible! The slicing feature is AMAZING and looks truly innovative, something that really hasn’t been done before. This game should really be higher on my list simply cause of it’s pure awesomeness and cutting power. The power of cheese. *SLICES*
10. Twisted Metal (PS3)
In my youth I had a Nintendo-fueled bias and innate hatred toward this PS1 classic (talking: Twisted Metal 2) as my siblings and friends battled each other and praised the game while I sat in back with a scowl on my face and stroked my Nintendo 64/SNES. I played Twisted Metal 2 a few times myself though and couldn’t get into it (but I loved the music). A decade later, I am flat-out EXCITED at seeing this game and this series return to glory. The game looked fast, furious, and interesting. Fun as heck as well, and Sweet Tooth captured my attention AND nostalgia despite being a hater back in the day. Now THAT’S some powerful stuff. Looking forward to this one.
Welcome to the first entry in our VGB “Op-Ed” series, which are simply opinion pieces or articles written about a particular topic relating to videogames. Articles that fall outside the categories of news/features/reviews/cheats/walkthroughs, etc. These articles will generally be written by contributers, although sometimes me, Ferry or Jester will also post our own opinion pieces …
What is in the DSi box when you purchase it? Find out in this system unboxing video where the crew at GiantBomb shows you what they see as they open up the box. The DSi launches here in America tomorrow, April 5th 2009. As you probably know by now, the system offers numerous new features …
