Not too long ago, Professor Layton and The New World of Steam was announced during a Nintendo Direct. The franchise’s return was welcome to fans who loved the game series on the Nintendo DS, 3DS, and certain other platforms. The series of games put a fun puzzle twist on the detective narrative and wove together fun mysteries with enticing characters. But it seemed like the story of Layton and his friends had ended. But with a special Level-5 Presentation in Japan today, we found out more about the game and even got a new trailer to gaze at!
Without a doubt, the most important detail for Professor Layton and The New World of Steam is that Luke Triton, the Professor’s former assistant, is back. If you recall, in the last game of the mainline series, Layton and Luke said goodbye as Luke was to travel to America to learn and grow in a new setting. As we find out, he settled in Steam Bison, America. It’s a place that has made full use of the steam engine and has technology that rivals London’s.
But, in this wondrous place of steam, something odd is going on, so Luke has called the Professor in to help him solve the case that’s going on. Due to the new setting, there will be some fun twists on the formula fans know. For example, while you will play Professor Layton, his name carries no weight in America. He’s an “anonymous gentleman” and nothing more there. But Luke has worked in Steam Bison for a while and is now known as “Detective Luke.” We’re sure the Professor is proud of that.
Another twist has to do with the puzzles. Previously, you would solve puzzles to get coins or to progress the story. But here, you will be able to grow the city and expand what it becomes based on how many puzzles you solve. They even brought in a puzzle-focused team to help ensure that the puzzles you do align with the quality that past games presented.
Another thing you’ll notice is the visual quality of the trailer below. While the game keeps the visual style you’re familiar with, having it on consoles can give it more polish and sheen.
The only catch with everything is that the game wasn’t given a release date. So it could arrive in 2023, or we may have to wait until 2024.
