Professor Layton And Pandora's Box is the brilliant second game in the innovative Professor Layton series. This franchise tells the tales of the renowned puzzle master Professor Layton and his young self-appointed apprentice Luke, as they tackle many mysterious that would daunt even the best of detectives. In this game, the Professor and Luke are hunting down the elusive Pandora's Box, rumoured to kill all those who open it.

Our story begins with Professor Layton receiving a peculiar letter from his mentor Dr Schrader, in which he has written that he has discovered Pandora's Box and is going to open it. The Professor is sceptical about the powers of the Box, believing it to be simply another myth, but arrives at the home of Dr Schrader to find him dead, and the Box gone. Unsure now of the Box's powers, the only clue the Professor and Luke can find is a train ticket for the Mol

This game boasts over 150 brand new and riveting puzzles designed to challenge even the sharpest of minds, with the puzzles gradually increasing in difficulty as you progress throughout the game. These puzzles are designed to test your number skills, spatial awareness, and more, even throwing in tricky riddles to really get your brain cogs in motion. Each beautifully drawn and animated environment you find yourself in will need to be investigated thoroughly in order to find these puzzles, with movement initiated by tapping the “shoe” icon with your stylus. In fact, the whole game is controlled by you tapping the touch screen of the Nintendo DS with your stylus.

With each puzzle you discover, there will be three hints available to you to help you solve it, or at least point you in the right direction should you find it just a tad too difficult. If you want to solve the puzzle without any help, the game also provides a “memo” pad on the touch screen where you can keep your notes. When you solve the challenge simply tap, tick, or write your answer to the puzzle using the stylus as your pen. You can also speak to all of the colourful characters you will meet along the way of this gripping storyline in order to make allies, and make sure you leave nothing un-investigated so you can find every clue you need to solve this challenging and diverse mystery. If you do complete the game from the inside out and have broadband internet connection, you can connect your Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, and get instant access to bonus downloadable puzzles, meaning you'll never be short of a brainteaser or two. (Cat Emerson)

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