Fortunately, the long wait will soon be over (hopefully). Professor Layton and the New World of Steam were announced out of the blue back in February’s Nintendo Direct window with a small teaser to start. This was then expanded on in the Level-5 Vision 2023 presentation, where we took a closer look at what the game has in store, as well as some important details about the team involved.
Below, we’ve compiled a summary of everything we know so far about the New World of Steam. So grab your cup of fruity tea, make sure you have all your Hint Coins in order, and let’s dive into the evidence…
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam FAQ
When is it coming out?
2023/24. We can’t be more specific about that yet because, well, level 5 wasn’t!
We would imagine that the game will come to the Japanese market first, but the studio has announced that it will be this year or next year.
Will it be released outside of Japan?
That! After Level-5 announced back in 2020 that none of its main games would be released for consoles outside of Japan, we were a little worried about this one.
But the Vision 2023 showcase said it loud and clear: Professor Layton and the New World of Steam will get an international release.
Is there a trailer?
Why yes, there is. Below you can watch the entire trailer from the Vision 2023 presentation as well as the February Nintendo Direct teaser:
Who does the puzzles?
QuizKnock will be all about puzzles this time.
After the death of Akira Tago (the puzzle creator of the first six games), this was always going to be a big signing, but it looks like QuizKnock will be made for it. The group is probably best known for its puzzles and riddles YouTube channel and will design a fresh series of top games for the latest game.
Where is he in Layton’s timeline?
Chronologically, this is the latest title in the main Layton franchise. The game takes place one year after the events of the third game in the series, Professor Layton and the Lost Future, following Luke’s letter from that game’s post-credits scene.
This is many years before Katriella and the millionaire conspiracy.
What is it about?
As we theorized, the ‘New World’ of the title is America, and the game will see Hershel Layton traveling across the pond to reunite with Luke.
The game will take place in the city of Steam Bison, an area that has managed to achieve great technological progress thanks to the development of highly advanced steam engines.
As for the central mystery, we can’t be sure yet. The end of the latest trailer seemed to hint at a mysterious gunman on the loose, potentially hinting at a murder investigation — though it wouldn’t be the first time the show has explored the subject.
The trailer states that the city will evolve with the number of puzzles you solve, which could be a suggestion of a new mechanic, or rather just a rehash of the “you have to solve X puzzles to pass” we saw before.
What we do know is that Layton isn’t seen as the famous detective he is in London, so get ready for ‘Detective Luke’ to take a more prominent role in this one.
Will they have the same voice cast?
Partially (at least in Japan). We know that Yo Oizumi will return to voice Hershel Layton again in the Japanese recording, while Mio Imada will take on the role of Luke Triton.
The voice cast from the west has not been announced yet.
Is it releasing on Switch?
That! Unless some mysterious events happen with a later console that we don’t know about yet, the Switch with its massive install base certainly seems like the way to go.
Will Katrielle show up?
Given that the game takes place roughly four years before Katrielle’s birth, it’s unlikely that she’ll appear in this one. Then again, with shows like Layton, time travel is always a possibility…
Stay tuned to this guide for future updates on the New World of Steam, and head to the comments to tell us what features, characters, and story elements you’d like to see in the next release.
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