I finished Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box today and I can't help but feel disappointed. The game is every bit as good as its predecessor, but it just didn't grab me. I really think it comes down to the novelty factor. The original game was just that, original. This one is just more of the same. Not far into it, I got sick of tapping the screen, solving simple math problems, and trying to decipher sometimes ridiculous puzzle instructions. There are clearly a lot of people out there who love this style of game and want more, hence the multiple sequels, but I'm not one of them. GB just put up a QL of the newest 3DS game, so I'll check that out to see if things have evolved, but I have a pretty strong feeling I won't be returning to the land of Layton any time soon.

Not sure what you expected from a Layton game. If you say you dont like the tapping of the screen and solving the puzzles then why even buy it? That is the sole foundation of it. It's like saying you don't like Diablo 2 because of the loot, but you are planning on buying Diablo 3.

What interests me the most in the professor layton games is always the characters and the story and less so the puzzles. For most of the games there has always been some sort of emotional climax that i've always enjoyed, except for in the last specter, and that's what i look forward to. I can understand if you're tired of the puzzles since the games are basically all the same thing. If you don't mind playing through another game i would highly recommend Unwound Future because the story is the best in that one in my opinion :)

Both Layton and Phoenix Wright kind of messed up their series' potential pretty early on as far as I'm concerned. They're the kind of games that a lot of people would like enough to really want a second helping pretty quickly, but thirds and fourths? A bit much. Gotta drip it out, make 'em wait! It's the only way to make people excited again about what will inevitably be roughly the same experience.

@Akrid: I never did check out the Phoenix Wright series. I like the idea of the unconventional gameplay, but I get the feeling I'd experience the fatigue exactly as you described.

@Thoseposers: I agree with you for the most part. I feel like the story kind of pulls you in towards the end and always has a surprisingly heartfelt conclusion. Perhaps I'll grab Unwound Future some day when I'm ready for some more puzzling.

@MstrMnyBgs: I think you misunderstood my point. I loved the first Layton game and I knew this was probably going to be more of the same, but I was okay with that before I started. However, I was saddened when I realized that I don't want more of the same. It's tough to say if my gaming goals and my entire life have just changed too much (I am the busiest I've ever been in my life as a second year surgical resident) or if the gameplay really is a one-trick pony. Either way, the fact that I am so disappointed speaks more to the sheer joy I experienced with the first title and not the quality of this one, if that makes any sense.