Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

Josey Wales

Anyone play this yet? Any opinions?

I've been looking forward to it since I saw some videos a few months back. I saw it in HMV today for only €26.99. Seemed like a good price for a new release.

Actually it is only €20 on Play.com

Retr0gamer

Looks like a less scrupulous publisher trying to jump on the professor layton bandwagon to be honest

WellyJ

Hmm it's gotten good reviews, and it looks nothing like Professor Layton,

More like a Platformer/Puzzle hybrid.

Might check it out

Josey Wales

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Looks like a less scrupulous publisher trying to jump on the professor layton bandwagon to be honest

It plays nothing like Professor Layton. It is a platformer with puzzle elements.

GenghisCon

I posted about this last week (insert attention seeking posturing here) It definitely appears to be a novel concept and reinforces the DS's claim as most creative console out there.

Retr0gamer

Hmm, seems I may have gotten this game totally wrong. Must give it a go.

Mr E

I've been playing it for the weekend and its a great game. The platforming bits are nicely challenging (especially when you're locked in a room in mini boss battles with enemies swarming from the left and right of the screen firing fireballs and waving swords at you - lots of nifty jumping and ducking required to survive). The proper boss battles every 6 levels or so are classic pattern recognition fights (and pretty lengthy), so they should appeal to you, Retr0gamer.

The puzzle elements seemed a bit out of place at first, but one you're used to them, they're very clever. Killing enemies on the screen adds them to the puzzle area as blocks (which are slowly rising up the screen). If they reach the top, they escape as tougher enemies that you have to avoid and kill again. The puzzle area also contains powerups (smart bombs, extra health, time freezes etc.). The puzzle game itself is a simple swap tiles left/right to match 3 or more of the same colour.

Combos build up a power up bar on the side, which, keeping with the british aristocacy theme, gives you a "tea time" mode which ..... er.... turns you in to a giant indestructible robot.

Don't dismiss this as a professor layton type game... its nothing like it. Games like this are a nice antidote to Generic FPS #227 on the 360, and make me glad I own a DS.

WellyJ

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Hmm, seems I may have gotten this game totally wrong. Must give it a go.

That's what can happen when you make assumptions based solely on the title of a game

valleyoftheunos

Being playing this for the last day or two and its good fun. Not very far in but there is surprising depth to the platforming sections with the attacks available. The puzzling elements are a little simple but it can get a bit frantic and addictive.

Only complaint is that the levels are a little long and there is nothing new in the level design but over all its just plain enjoyable.

Mr E

I'm going to be controversial here and say that this is my favourite game on the DS so far this year, and its the only thing I'm playing at the moment (with some Giana Sisters on the side).

It starts off pretty easy, and to start with, the puzzles seem like a distraction. By the time you get to world 2, you see the genius of the puzzle - you can use it for timely powerups to beat tough enemies, use it to get much-needed hearts and use it to get the robot suit. It gets seriously bloody challenging, especially the arenas (fixed screens with waves of enemies). I've struggled through every level since the end of world 1, and most take a bunch of retries. Up to 5-2 now, and having a very hard time. If the regular game of 25 levels wasn't tricky enough, there are 10 hidden levels (2 per world) that are seriously tough, and will absolutely test your platforming skills. Very cleverly hidden too (reminds me of the hidden exits in Super Mario World).

Lastly, the bosses are very cool. They are old style bosses with 3 or 4 attacks each, and you have to learn how to deal with them all. You can't just wade in and mash the button - you won't last very long if you do. These fights can last 10 minutes or more.

Love this game. You'll turn it off in frustration, then turn it on 10 mins later for "one more go".

Its only €25 too..... well worth it.

valleyoftheunos

Mr E wrote: »

I'm going to be controversial here and say that this is my favourite game on the DS so far this year, and its the only thing I'm playing at the moment (with some Giana Sisters on the side).

It starts off pretty easy, and to start with, the puzzles seem like a distraction. By the time you get to world 2, you see the genius of the puzzle - you can use it for timely powerups to beat tough enemies, use it to get much-needed hearts and use it to get the robot suit. It gets seriously bloody challenging, especially the arenas (fixed screens with waves of enemies). I've struggled through every level since the end of world 1, and most take a bunch of retries. Up to 5-2 now, and having a very hard time. If the regular game of 25 levels wasn't tricky enough, there are 10 hidden levels (2 per world) that are seriously tough, and will absolutely test your platforming skills. Very cleverly hidden too (reminds me of the hidden exits in Super Mario World).

Lastly, the bosses are very cool. They are old style bosses with 3 or 4 attacks each, and you have to learn how to deal with them all. You can't just wade in and mash the button - you won't last very long if you do. These fights can last 10 minutes or more.

Love this game. You'll turn it off in frustration, then turn it on 10 mins later for "one more go".

Its only €25 too..... well worth it.

Exactly! the sign if a good tough game imo.

lizzyd66

Really enjoying it too - O Poppycocks!!!!! Hearing that a bit too often for my liking.

majiktripp

I have sworen more vigorously and abusively at my DS since getting this game. Highly addictive, can be difficult to the point of onset rage but you always come back to it "one more time..."

Mr E

Still struggling through world 5-1. I've done 8 of the 10 secret levels up to this point, I've farmed money to upgrade everything, and I'm still bloody struggling with World 5. This is hardcore. I've read that when you finish the game, you'll have 98% completion. You have to finish it on Gentleman's mode (basically a "New Game+" on the hardest difficulty) to get 100%.

whitetrash

Anyone finished it yet? Pretty stuck on 3-6 with the old man boss. I haven't exactly breezed through the earlier parts of the game, but this is the first part where I'm in danger of losing all my lives...

Mr E

Yeah, finished it while on holidays. After struggling through 5-1, it was pretty plain sailing until the end. Nice twist for the final boss (no spoilers!) and it was another fun oldskool pattern-learning battle.

If I was to give a tip, I'd say do the secret levels (2 per world) - you can find a guide on gamefaqs. 4 or 5 of them will give you upgrades to the gentlemans suit that you won't get in normal play, and will make your life easier for the main game. For example, one piece of the suit reduces damage taken from spikes and lava by half, and another piece increases the value of all gems picked up by 15%.

I restarted on gentlemans mode (hard mode with all powerups carried forward from normal mode), but I don't think I'll play through it. Puzzle meter wears out too quickly and sucks all the fun out of the game.

Still my game of the year so far on the DS. Good show!