Professor Hershel Layton and his faithful apprentice and Gentleman-in-Training Luke Triton have been investigating, and solving, mysteries for a long time now. In their latest adventure, they are not alone. Layton and Luke are joined by legendary lawyer Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright, and his assistant Maya Fey. Together they will investigate the case of a mysterious girl, and the strange place from which she comes, Labyrinthia.

Labyrinthia is no ordinary place, and when Professor meets young Espella Cantabella, it’s obvious she’s no ordinary girl. She’s being pursued by witches! Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright must get to the bottom of this mystery, save Espella, and learn the secrets of the magical land of Labyrinthia in “Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright”!

It should be obvious that this is a mashup of the Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright series of games. For those unfamiliar, Professor Layton spends most of his time gathering clues to solve mysteries, all the while solving brain teasers and logic puzzles in order to get one step closer to the truth. Attorney Phoenix Wright is usually up to his ears (and distinctive haircut) in courtroom drama, cross examining witnesses and pointing out contradictions in testimony in order to win a case. It seems natural that Wright and Layton could come together to form their own super law-and-order team.

The play style of each game series is different. In Professor Layton games, you guide Layton as he investigates, talking to various townspeople, searching for evidence, and from time to time solving a puzzle. These puzzles can be anything from mazes or math problems, to actual slide puzzles. Most will require some amount of brain power to solve. Phoenix Wright games are full of court battles, where Wright must sift through testimony and evidence to find contradictions, and prove what really happened. While generally very different styles, the games are both essentially visual novels. Read some dialogue, watch a cutscene, then participate in some interactive element or game. Not necessarily in that order, but these are the essential elements of both games. Do they fit well together in Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright? Yes, and no.

As Wright and Layton are both involved in finding the truth, and dealing with crimes and mysteries, they fit together well. It almost seems obvious that they should work together at some point. Their partnership makes for a great story, and the two characters work well in the same universe. Each brings their own style of play to this game, and that’s where it becomes a tiny bit disjointed. It’s very obvious where one characters section ends and another begins. Not that anyone is trying to hide it, but the game is very much separated into Layton’s turn and Wright’s turn. at least for most of the game. Actually this might be the appeal of Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright. You’re essentially getting both types of games in one.

As previously noted, the games are like visual novels. You’ll spend a lot of time reading and watching, rather than really playing anything. If plot is more important to you than lots of action, then Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright you should find this enjoyable. If you get frustrated with a lot of “down time” between interactive portions of the game, you may find it a bit tedious. Each of these game series’ appeals to a specific kind of audience, and if you love a good story, then you’re in luck. If you don’t enjoy scrutinizing dialogue and have a tough time with puzzles, this may not be your thing. Different players will have different levels of enjoyment, depending on the kind of games they like. This game isn’t for everyone.

The story in Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright is entertaining, with a variety of interesting characters, good voice acting (when it existed), and convincing dialogue (though it was often repetitive. Characters tend to reiterate what the other said, or find ways to say what they just said in a different way, and over explain themselves). As it is with Professor Layton games, the mechanic of being interrupted from investigating a mystery and often saving a person from danger to solve a puzzle is a bit absurd, but that’s the status quo. Phoenix Wright’s court cases are over the top, and the characters are outlandish and silly, and it takes some concentration to sort through testimony and evidence to discover contradictions. Overall, the story is interesting, and the characters work well together.

I’m trying not to spoil the game, but it’s difficult! The mystery of the storyline is intriguing, and there are a lot of twists and turns. The story is very much a fantasy, full of witches and magic books, and much of it takes place in an an almost medieval town. You’ll be compelled to find out what happens next, and what will become of the characters, who you’ll grow to care about.

The graphics are really nice, with some great, appealing 3D characters in the game play and dialogue sections, and wonderful animated cut scenes. The audio is enjoyable too, with a beautiful soundtrack, and great voiced dialogue. The world of Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright is fleshed out. While fantastic, the setting is believable and quite alive.

Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright is a game of mysteries, of trials (literally!) and tribulations, and discovering truth in unbelievable events. The pacing is at times a little awkward, and it may not be a game that everyone can love, but with such a great story and interesting characters, if you like using your brain while watching (and helping) a mystery unfold, you’ll want to play this game.

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