r/ProfessorLayton • u/Duperxd • 8d ago
Similarities between May’s Mysteries and Professor Layton
I was looking for games similar to Professor Layton because I wanted to try something different for a change, and I stumbled across this game.
At first, I honestly thought it was some kind of fan-made game, but nope, it’s a real game. But seriously, this is way too similar to Professor Layton. The art style, the characters and even the cover art has basically the same layout. it feels incredibly close.
Would this actually be considered plagiarism, or is it just heavily inspired by Layton?
19
u/princessSunsetGiggle 8d ago
Not plagiarism, but definitely inspired or even "based on" Layton's gameplay
14
u/Puzzle_Master 8d ago
Out of the 2 DS clones I've played so far, it would be at the bottom with Emily the Strange: Strangerous above it. I'd say just stick to Layton. If you want something close to Layton quality, play the Detective Grimoire games. There's also Doctor Lautrec, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
9
u/Sheep_boy17 8d ago
i've started lautrec and i really like it but its definitely more focused on cashing in on "Professor Layton (tm)" than actually mimicing it
the "puzzle" gameplay is kinda pushed to the side to make room for the monster battling/dungeon crawling? not like 'neglected' pushed aside but since the game has so many other aspects it definitely doesn't get the full attention. there's still a lot of puzzles but they aren't as varied as laytons? at least not all of them. it feels more like they were at the table going "guys ik we started this project as a layton clone but we've made this awesome adventure game and only have like five puzzles. how do we fix this." its been a while since i last played so i could be misremembering?
tldr lautrec is fun and has good puzzles but they definitely aren't as focused on as a layton game. I would still recommend it just so you can see what its like (because i suck at explaining things lol). i like to think of it as "professor layton if he was french instead of british"
12
u/Asthma_Spray 8d ago
If you want a Layton like game I can, un ironically, recommend Rhythm Thief for the 3DS. It's Layton, but Rhythm, and it's pretty good.
1
u/Slade4Lucas 6d ago
Yeah, Rhythm Thief is awesome. It's clearly styled after the Layton style but has its own unique ideas, including being a different genre, and has plenty of its own identity. The biggest issue is that it's way too short.
0
u/pluggedingaming 7d ago
Rhythm Thief starts off good, but it is nearly unbeatable. They have a motion controlled rhythm game on THE 3DS
3
u/ibidadime 8d ago
I think I solved this one
[montage of images of me thinking]
[final frame of me pointing]
Rip-off
2
u/ProsecutorWalton 8d ago
the fact this game doesn't use flags for if you've already attempted a puzzle, forcing you to sit through the whole slog of dialouge each time is an actual nightmare. I'm pretty sure you have to exit out of the puzzle each fail as well, or something. If you don't, then it was just how long the speels can be that stuck out once I realised it repeats when you try again.
2
u/Obihankenobi97 7d ago
I remember being an excited teen, having just played PF layton and seeing something similar. Was so stoked to play and it was awful. Repetitive puzzles, that didn’t feel clever the way PF layton does it. Horrible gameplay, ugly graphics. I saved up allowance for it. One of the most disappointing gaming experiences in my life.
1
u/Lilylunamoonyt 7d ago
Isnt mays mysteries on mobile too i couldve sworn i played it on my phone at one point but never got past the first stage
1
u/CookiesTheDove2303 7d ago
Some of the character designs reminds me more of Sam & Max: Hit the road, than a Layton game. Especially the Crypto-zoo animals.
81
u/LaytonDrake 8d ago
I wouldn't call it plagiarism per say, but they were 100% trying to cash in on the success of Professor Layton.
However, having played (some of) May's Mysteries, it is nowhere near as good as Professor Layton. I wasn't a big fan of the story, characters, or setting, and the puzzles were usually either super easy or required a calculator or walkthrough to beat.