Nothing Really Poignant - James in Taiwan

The Chinese New Year holiday gave me plenty of time to relax and get some Advance Wars Dual Strike play in, but on the last two days I was blessed with a new game, Professor Layton and the Curious Village.

This game is a collection of mini-games and puzzles all following the main plot line of a mysterious treasure. The person who finds this treasure will be left the entire estate, which coincidentally includes the entire village. Along the way Layton encounters additional trials including solving a murder and finding out what the strange tower is in the middle of the town.

The great thing about this game is what it contains:

• A strong plot-line
• Puzzles that range from simple to complex
• A built in hint system for less skilled users
• A free weekly puzzle that can be downloaded from the internet
• Full-motion animation and voice acting
• A quirky retro art style

I recommend anyone who is fond of puzzles (including Martin Gardner fans), mysteries, and logic games check this game out. The great thing is that the website has a fully interactive demo which demonstrates the play mechanics of the game, meaning you can try before you buy.