Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is one beautifully crafted game and an extremely well put together crossover. The original story has many twists and it becomes more interesting as everything unfolds. The intriguing cast of characters, seamless transitions of the two gameplay styles and stunning presentation makes this all one adventure you don't want to miss. It will be somewhat easy for veterans and that is a slight irritation, but nothing that should stop you from having a fine time in Labyrinthia. If you have been searching for the next big Nintendo 3DS game, well, you have just found it. With roughly 25 hours of content and additional free stuff coming at a later date, you would be shamefully missing one of the best games to ever grace the system.

THE GOOD
+ Some of the best courtroom scenes of any Ace Attorney
+ Hysterical dialogue
+ Quality cutscenes make the story a delight
+ Interesting setting that makes character crossover seem plausible
THE BAD
− Layton's sections are not as interesting as Phoenix's
− Feels like two games, rather than a cohesive one

"All rise!"

"Your Honour, we are here today to hear the case of Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, two popular 3DS puzzle series brought together for the first time by franchise creators Level-5 and Capcom. We will seek to establish that this collaboration has been both creatively fruitful and rewarding for fans of both."

Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney delivers an utterly charming, enjoyable experience to satisfy fans of both franchises; it's a crossover that, when experienced, seems entirely natural. The individual parts are pleasurable and entertaining, as always, though perhaps fall a little below the exceptional standards of their main-series contemporaries, and there's a lingering sense that more gameplay innovation to blend the two brands could have been explored. These are minor complaints in the grand scheme of a lengthy adventure, however, and the storytelling — combined with character development — has been delicately constructed; Level-5 and Capcom have done a commendable job. The end result is another 3DS title that exemplifies much of what sets Nintendo's portable hardware and supporting software apart; it provides heart-warming, accessible fun, and entertainment to last for many hours.

Though the necessities of catering to two different audiences mean that it perhaps never quite reaches the heights of either of the pair’s best individual outings, as the credits roll, you’ll likely experience a hollow feeling, the emptiness that only the best stories leave behind. In the end, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright is a collaboration that rarely feels like a compromise; few, we imagine, would object to a rematch.

In Short: Probably the most satisfying video games crossover ever made, and one that plays with the conventions of both franchises and still delivers a funny and touching story.

Pros: Utterly charming from the first moment, with a structure that never short changes either game or its characters. Some interesting twists to Ace Attorney’s gameplay and fantastic presentation.

Cons: It is still possible to get completely stuck on the Layton puzzles, although there’s a little more help than usual with Phoenix. It’s pretty easy to guess how the plot is going to end.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is very much a jack of all trades, master of none. The puzzles in the Adventure scenario can be enjoyable, but are mostly far too easy and it feels like the whole thing was designed on autopilot, and I was disappointed with the way the plot explained certain things away. Thankfully, the witch trials are a lot better, and certainly provide the high points for the game.

Don’t get me wrong, the game is certainly above average, but doesn’t come close to touching the best that Professor Layton or Phoenix Wright has to offer.

Fittingly, the combination of the two series is a logical one. You use puzzles to find evidence to support a case, and it all makes sense, which is vital for this kind of crossover. Similarly, creating a new setting blends the world together better than making only one of them a fish out of water. But while the crossover may make sense, neither the Layton or the Wright sections are perfect. It’s all a bit too “entry level” on both counts.

Rather than relying on multidimensional portals or hackneyed excuses as to why these two franchises can come together, Shu Takumi (Ace Attorney) and his staff keep it simple. Layton lives in England and Phoenix lives in Japan. There's absolutely no reason why the two of them can't meet, which lends Layton vs AA consistency in terms of its overall narrative. These are the characters you know and love, and it feels surprisingly natural to see them interact and work together on screen. Professor Layton's wisdom and confidence complement Phoenix Wright's goofy underdog personality in ways that play with player expectations. Likewise, Luke and Maya are adorable together, forming something of an older sister/little brother bond. Bringing Shu Takumi, on board was clearly the right decision, as he manages to make these crossover relationships feel natural.

So Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney somehow manages to come together on a narrative level, but what about the gameplay? This is where I think people might need to temper their expectations. The game is divided into two very clear sections: the Layton part, and the Ace Attorney part. The different gameplay in both sections never really comes together in a cohesive way, which is something of a disappointment.

The answers to the town's many mysteries don't come easily, meaning there are more than 30 hours of gameplay to get through. Individual trials can take hours, and there's no shortage of talking between puzzles, so be prepared to settle down to get the most from the experience.

When you aren't bogged down by text, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney's crossover gameplay is perfectly complementary, providing an experience we wouldn't object to one day revisiting.

The rest of the game follows the same structure as that featured in the prologue: a Layton exploration section, then a Wright courtroom section, then back to Layton again and so forth. Given the story's unusually long adventure - taking us around 30 hours to finish it, it's twice as long as an entry from either series - it's essentially two full games split into chapter-sized chunks and mixed together.

Does it work in practice? For the most part, yes. Fans of both series can be satisfied that each game is respectfully handled and well represented in this joint-venture, though there's still room for improvement.

>that single negative french review where the reviewer gave 40/100

I wonder if puzzles killed his family in a courtroom when he was little or something.

>that single negative french review where the reviewer gave 40/100

I wonder if puzzles killed his family in a courtroom when he was little or something.

Well it looks like the person reviewed an import copy (from JP) which isn't a true representation of the localisation.

Im finding it ridiculous that we have reviews of the EU copy before we even have a release date for the NA version.

The reviews do look pretty good though. I found it funny how it was very easy to tell who was used to puzzle games and who was not.

Erm I don't understand, why is it ridiculous to have reviews of a game that is out in 9 days?

But I imagine the US version will have a June release

I'm pretty sure the ridiculousness applies to the lack of an NA release date, not the presence of the reviews.

Slowly running out of patience. Too much excitement!!!!

I was talking about just the crazy delay in information about the NA release, so while patience is necessary for the game itself, I think the date should have been announced a loooong time ago.

This is ridiculous. Why the hell has there been no new news about a NA release date!? Why the hell wasn't it released at the same time as the European date!? The game's ALREADY in English! It's complete bullshit.

This is ridiculous. Why the hell has there been no new news about a NA release date!? Why the hell wasn't it released at the same time as the European date!? The game's ALREADY in English! It's complete bullshit.

Like I said earlier, ghw time difference between Layton Azran and this game for us is just over 5 months, you've only had Layton for about 1/2 months, and releasing two games within 2 months has the potential to confuse consumers as to what the are buying, if they are not hardcore fans.

They is also the case of extra translation, and possible change in voice actor for Luke. So really, it makes sense.

On the topic of different release dates between EU and USA I think the worst I've heard is Persona 4 Arena. August 2012 for America....May 2013 for EU XP

They literally changed nothing to my knowledge between versions either.

Procrastination, much?

Loving these good reviews, though. I absolutely can't wait to play this beauty.

It should be. I don't know if it'll be a midnight release, though. Could anyone confirm this?

I don't think I will attend any midnight release. Mostly because I will already be playing the game by then. Either the Swedish mail uses a timemachine or they send the package two days before release, with a one day delivery time. Either way, good for me!

We were talking about the midnight release on the Nintendo 3DS eShop :-) but I highly doubt any store will do a midnight release (physical)

Except the online retailer I shop games at in Denmark - Coolshop - usually sends packages so they arrive one day early of the actual release, so I'll get it thursday noon if I'm super-lucky :D