Professor Layton’s Puzzle-Solving Adventures Isn’t Over Yet
-----------------------------------------------------------It’s All Thanks to ‘Company N’, said LEVEL-5 CEO
After a nearly decade-long hiatus, Professor Layton is set to return, thanks to the intervention of a certain mustachioed gaming giant. During the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024, LEVEL-5, the studio behind the beloved puzzle-adventure series, shared intriguing details about the revival of Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.
In a conversation with Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii at TGS 2024, LEVEL-5 CEO Akihiro Hino disclosed that although they believed the series had reached a "beautiful" conclusion with the prequel game Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, the influential "Company ‘N’"—widely recognized as Nintendo—urged the studio to revisit the Steampunk world of Professor Layton.
"There hasn’t been [a new title] in almost 10 years. The series concluded briefly," Hino remarked, as reported by AUTOMATON. "Certain individual(s) from the industry really wanted us to release a new game… we had a strong push coming from company ‘N’."
Nintendo's involvement in the game's revival is understandable, given their long-standing relationship with the franchise, which flourished on the Nintendo DS and 3DS platforms. Not only did Nintendo publish many of the Professor Layton titles, but they also consider the series one of the DS's premier exclusive titles.
"When I heard these opinions, I started to think it would be good to make a new game so that fans could enjoy the series at the level of quality provided by the latest console," Hino explained.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam Overview
Set a year after the events of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam brings back the iconic professor and his loyal apprentice Luke Triton to Steam Bison, a vibrant American city powered by steam technology. Together, they will delve into a new mystery involving Gunman King Joe, described in the latest trailer as a "ghost of a gunslinger lost to the relentless march of progress."
The game will uphold the series' tradition of challenging puzzles, this time crafted with the assistance of QuizKnock, a team renowned for their innovative brain teasers. Fans are eagerly anticipating this collaboration, especially following the mixed reception of the previous game, Layton’s Mystery Journey, which focused on Layton’s daughter Katrielle.
For a deeper dive into the gameplay and story of Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, check out our detailed article below!
