Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy

LQ: 9.45

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Brain grade: 9.2
Fun score: 9.7

Game Type: ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ Platform/Console: , , , , LWK Recommended Age: 10+ Thinking Skills Used: , Academic Skills Used: , ,

 iPhone iPad Nintendo Switch Android Nintendo 3DS

 

Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy is the latest game in the Professor Layton series of puzzle games. The player takes on the role of Katrielle Layton, a young female detective who is the daughter to the famous detective Hershel Layton from the previous games. Katreille has set up her own detective agency in the heart of London and is looking for new cases to solve. Along with her lovestruck assistant Ernest and a talking dog with amnesia named Sherl, they will solve twelve different cases surrounding seven mysterious millionaires. 

Within the game, the player explores various locations by moving a magnifying glass around looking for clues. Some clues may lead to conversations with suspects, which in turn can give you solid information towards your case. Katrielle needs to collect a set number of clues before she is ready to solve the case, so exploring and talking to people is essential. Occasionally, other characters in the game will not help you unless you prove your detective skills. This means solving a puzzle. These puzzles can be based in logic, math, spatial reasoning, etc. Solving them earns you points called picarats which add up to your total score in the game. Solving cases can also earn you design tickets which can then be used to redecorate your new detective office. 

The game also has a series of mini games such as sleuthing out the perfect meal for a restaurant customer or playing through the codas of cases that have already been solved. 

Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy is available to play on iOS with a subscription to Apple Arcade. It is also available for purchase on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, and Android. 


Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaire’s Conspiracy  Review  helps kids practice and improve the following skills:

Focus: Sustaining energy for short-term and long-term tasks. 

Playing puzzle games like Layton’s Mystery Journey requires both short-term and long-term focusing skills. The puzzles you are asked to solve in the game are short and only require a limited amount of attention; once they are solved, the player can move on with another part of the game. But because this game is also part visual novel, there is a great deal of reading that does not have accompanying voice acting. The player needs to focus on what they are reading in order to determine who the culprit is at the end of each case. The mini games also require focusing skills. For example, when you are choosing the perfect menu for a client, you need to listen carefully to what they are telling you to choose the appropriate dishes. If not, you will be marked off-track and will have to start over. For players who struggle with focus, playing the game for a set amount of time and then taking a break to do some non-screen play can be a way to reset and come back to reading and puzzle solving with fresh eyes and a renewed interest. 

Flexibility: Trying new things. 

The puzzles in Layton’s Mystery Journey require the user to think outside of the box. Some puzzles require math while others require logic or critical thinking skills. The player needs to be willing to try new approaches to the puzzles until they feel that they have reached the correct solution. Getting the answer wrong will decrease the amount of picarats you receive so trying to get the puzzle on the first try is important. For players who struggle with flexibility, there are hint coins that can be found by exploring the various environments. These are, however, limited so the player needs to be sure they are truly stuck before spending them. 

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