There's a reason why there are similarities between Level-5's Professor Layton games and the upcoming Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights from Konami, as the game's producer Noriaki Okamura explains.
Speaking to Planet3DS, Okamura acknowledges superficial similarities such as the main character's top hat but reminds us that the headwear is not uncommon for a time like the 19th Century. As for the game's inspiration:
The Layton series is a game that I truly respect and it's true that I am inspired by it. It might sound like an excuse to people who feel this game is inspired by the Layton series, but I did not intend to make the game look like the Layton series.
Although the game will be typically categorised as a puzzle adventure game, the aim has been to produce a story-telling game that requires the player to think throughout the course of the narrative:
Yes, this is a game that uses your head so tremendous amounts of elements are included in the game. I'm guessing the average play time of the game is around 20 hours at the shortest. But if you play all the sum episodes, it will take around 30 to 50 hours. The help/clue features for novice players are pretty rich in content. I myself like puzzle games but when I can't solve them, I just quit playing. In order to keep the players playing the game, I've made it so all the users can solve the puzzles. Even users who dislike puzzles, they can enjoy this game as a "story-telling game".
Even though the game hasn't launched yet, that's no reason for Okamura to not consider developing a sequel if the opportunity comes up, maybe even cooperate with Level-5 and make a crossover title:
I would love to challenge other consoles in the sequels. Most importantly, we need the users to enjoy playing this game and I would be delighted if more and more users will think they would like to play a sequel of this game. Layton vs....well, what do you think? I personally respect the company, Level 5 very much, so it would be an honor for me. At first, I would like all the users to enjoy this game so that there would be plenty of opportunities ahead.
[source planet3ds.de]
Comments 32
"It might sound like an excuse, but..."
Who is he trying to kid, exactly?
If thats true why does his monkey look like Luke?
weird??
Yeah and Magician's Quest wasn't intendoed to be a blatant magically infused rip off of Animal Crossing either >.< It was still fun to play though
Lautrec? As in the french artist?
If it is not supposed to be confused with Proffesor Layton WHY oh WHY is it called Doctor Laudrec....hmmmmmmmm
It's the poor-man's Layton, and they know it.
Well, copy or not I still think it looks interesting.
I think he is trying to tell us to not think about Professor Layton when playing the game because he doesn't want you to want to play the superior game instead. Of course I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
Love the Layton series and we're two games behind in comparison to our japanese counterparts so if ALSO having Lautrec's adventure set for release in the US means having more great puzzle games with superbly animated cutscenes and great voice acting... what's the problem?
As I said before, the game doesn't look like Layton at all. There's just a top hat and an intriguing plot. No one seems to know how the game will actually play, or if the puzzles will be like Layton at all. The screenshots don't look similar. Regardless, the majority of games are "inspired" by or ripped from another. Big deal.
that crossover thing sounds like a good idea.
To be honest, I have yet to play a game from this series.
I hope this turns out good, I want another puzzle-adventure game then just Professor Layton. But really? doctor and professor and Lautrec and Layton ? Those sound an awfully amount alike.
If that's the case, I'll use and italian looking carpenter in my games.
NO ONE WILL EVER NOTICE.
Well Laurtec's companion aint human,so thats a plus.......
They can say whatever they want, DOCTOR LAutrec is a blatant copy of PROFESSOR LAyton.
I'm gonna laugh so hard if this turns out to be frickin' awesome.
I can see it now: "Lautric Does Layton Better than Layton"
I didn't know that AiAi could help to solve crimes. At least sounds more useful than rolling all day in a ball capturing bananas that cannot enter inside the ball right?
That monkey looks like Wiki from Zack & Wiki
Cel-shaded gentleman scholar in a top hat, in a story-driven puzzle adventure game. Hmmmm.
who knew there were so many layton fanboys/girls.
shesh so if i go and put a scholarized top-hat wearing 19th century man into a puzzle/adventure game i am directly copying and pasting the layton formula.
Doctor refers to a Ph.D. degree which makes sense considering he's an archeologist. What else would you call him?
Whatever, this looks gorgeous, and it'll hit the West way before Layton anyway.
it's like saying why a new jaguar looks like an aston martin or why the new ferrari four looks like the panamera.
guys they are competitive products and they address the same audience.
it's ok to look the same and even have the same pet.
what is important is how the game plays. are the puzzles more interesting? do you have fun while playing it? etc etc. Doctor, Professor.. well intellectual guys would have such a title back then. The top hat and woollen scarf for a little bohemian element were very common back then.Monkeys are considered smart and mischievous animals so they are the perfect sidekicks in such a case.
Anyway ,i will play both games those who bother with the similarities well... your loss
btw the only things that make Mario Italian are his voice and name.
otherwise he could even be a carpenter from Poland. In fact Mario looks a lot like Ron Jeremy
http://tinyurl.com/6e5uymc
hmmmm
30-50 hours of gameplay huh....
interestingly interesting
im hoping this is good last time i really liked a konami game it was mystical ninja on n64 i think
Well the settings and main characters might have a lot in common. Though i sense a bit of Ghost Trick art style in the trailer too. But if the game has a bit more of an edge to it than the kind of static Layton games i'm all for it. gameplay AND characters referred Even Henry Hatsworth comes to mind and if this game's got the same quirkiness i'd say hooray and hello to a new cult classic.
And i'm not trying to bash any Layton game here since i think they're very cleverly made and quite enjoyable.
I'm just saying that in the end i do like both Deep Impact and Armageddon though you could say one blatantly copies the subject of the other. Same goes for Twilight Princess and Okami.
To be honest i hate layton!
So do I. But I like the description of this game. A "storytelling experience" is just what I wanted out of the Layton games, so if the story in this game holds up, I'll be sure to buy it.
Looks great. I honestly don't give a hoot about the Layton simularities. It looks fun that's all I care about.
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