Since the sequel to “Professor Layton and the Curious Village” just hit store shelves last week, I thought it would be timely to provide a review of the first game in the series to help those who are on the fence about whether they should get into the games or not. The basic premise is that a woman has sent Professor Layton, an acclaimed archaeologist, a letter detailing her unusual problem. Her husband, who was the wealthiest and most prominent figure of St. Mystere, recently passed away. However, in his will he stated that the entirety of his fortune will be given to the one person who can find the Golden Apple, which he has hidden somewhere within St. Mystere. The recent widow asks for Layton’s assistance in locating her husband’s Golden Apple before anyone else. So, Layton, and his kid-assistant Luke, set off for the village. But, upon arriving in St. Mystere, the two discover that the town is, well, curious. Villagers litter the streets, willing to give information regarding their village and those that inhabit it only if you are able to solve their riddle. And all the while, there is something mischievous, almost sinister, taking place behind the scenes, unnoticed by the townspeople. The major draw of the game is the brain-teasers, and there are approximately 200 puzzles in the game, some of which you can download via wi-fi connection. There are a wide variety of puzzles, ranging from word puzzles to optical illusions to pattern recognition to geometry. You will go from trying to deduce which kid out of four sent a soccer ball crashing through your window by listening to each of their statements to cracking a gang of thieves’ secret code to helping a princess escape from a castle, even though the castle is filled to the brim with guards. The puzzles seem impossible at first, but they are usually extremely obvious once you take the time to really look at them. It is tremendously satisfying to spend hours on a puzzle, juggling the facts around in your head, and then finally seeing the answer. It may be even more fun, once you know the answer, to give the puzzles to your friends and watch them rack their brains! In addition to the addicting puzzles, the game offers a brilliant and engrossing story and some of the most memorable characters in gaming. The story, while it begins at a snail’s pace, quickly picks up steam and never stops. Major and unexpected twists thicken the plot around every turn, and towards the end of the game you will be filled with such a strong desire to uncover the secret of St. Mystere and finding the Golden Apple that you won’t be able to put your DS down. And when you finally reach the end of the game, well, you’ll be absolutely speechless. Suffice it to say that you won’t look at your stay in St. Mystere in quite the same way ever again. The major characters you meet during your journey are really brought to life through some superb writing and voice acting. The writing mixes humor and suspense expertly and consistently throughout and each conversation is brimming with personality. Even the minor characters you encounter on the streets often are witty or just plain weird, or some combination of the two. The inhabitants of St. Mystere will likely remain a part of you for many years. My only complaint is that some of the puzzles are extremely difficult, especially towards the end, and can quickly become frustrating and overwhelming. However, I found that it was great fun to gather with your friends and ponder the puzzle as a collective. Even if you aren’t an avid puzzle fan, the story, writing and quaint art style and charming, accordion-laden music are reason enough to travel to St. Mystere and seek the mystery of the Golden Apple.