Operation Backlog Completion 2024
Dec 202021
 

Even in this year of niche games getting unexpected sequels, I didn’t expect to be talking about Layton Brothers: Mystery Room.

While it might not have a sequel (yet), Level-5 is adapting the story of Layton Brothers: Mystery Room as a manga being released on their manga website Manga-5.

The manga follows the game’s story, but it seems as though it will have new story content as well. Two parts of the manga have already come out and can be read for free, with more parts being released each week. It’s only available in Japanese so far, but I hope they consider an official translation eventually.

(Manga Alfendi is absolutely adorable, too. I can’t wait to see how the manga handles “Potty Prof.”)

If you’re unfamiliar with it, Layton Brothers: Mystery Room is a Professor Layton spin-off starring the professor’s son, Alfendi Layton, who works as a detective for Scotland Yard solving particularly unusual cases, and his new assistant, Lucy Baker. It plays more like a streamlined Ace Attorney game than anything else, and I’ve been hoping for a sequel for quite some time.

Layton Brothers was only ever released for mobile devices, so I’d love to see them port the original game, too. For the first time in years, it actually seems possible.

From celebrating over the tiniest reference to Alfendi in Layton’s Mystery Journey to actually getting an official manga… things are looking up for sure!

Have you played Layton Brothers: Mystery Room? Would you play a port and/or sequel? Are you planning to read the manga, especially if it gets translated?

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Nov 132020
 

There have been several “Ultimania” books released for the Kingdom Hearts series over the years, but they’ve never been available in English.

So every time an Ultimania comes out, most of us rely on fan translations to learn about the interviews, explanations, and other story details included in these books.

For the first time, however, a Kingdom Hearts Ultimania is getting an English release.

Dark Horse Books will publish Kingdom Hearts Ultimania: The Story Before Kingdom Hearts III on June 15, 2021 for $44.99, with preorders available now.

Titled Kingdom Hearts Series Memorial Ultimania in Japan, this was first released in 2014 as a recap of the games leading up to Kingdom Hearts III.

So no, we won’t be getting new insight into Kingdom Hearts III and the upcoming new saga from this.

But even though it’s an old one, it’s exciting to finally get an official English Kingdom Hearts Ultimania. Hopefully this will just be the first of many to come.

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Nov 222017
 

Finally, we’ve reached the conclusion of the Witcher saga, the final novel before the events of the games take place, The Lake of the Lake.

This is the culmination of Ciri’s quest, Geralt & company’s search for her, and all the machinations that have been bubbling throughout the saga, and it’s an epic conclusion.

Like the previous novel, there’s a bit of a frame story here, although it takes a couple different forms. Ciri telling her story to Galahad is the larger frame, but there is also a fair amount of framing as the sorceresses Nimue and Condwiramurs attempt to piece together the truth of Ciri’s history.

There are so many good moments in this novel, and although I felt a couple parts went on a bit too long (specifically the war section and the ending), it’s a fantastic story.

The section in Toussaint is great (especially Regis giving advice on how to deal with vampires), I love the entire section with the elves (especially when Ciri makes her escape and learns the truth about their world), and the confrontations at the end are satisfying (if a bit heartbreaking).

Unfortunately, I’ve heard that The Witcher 3 doesn’t really do Eredin justice, which is a disappointment because he’s pretty cool in the novel. Are there other Eredin fans out there? He steals the scene whenever he’s on the page!

Click for Lady of the Lake spoiler
And the revelation about Emhyr’s identity is one of the most unexpected twists I’ve ever seen. Before I first read The Lady of the Lake, I accidentally read a spoiler about his true identity… and dismissed it as the person who wrote it getting Emhyr and Duny confused.

When I reached that part of the novel, I was shocked. I just stared at the page in disbelief (and then started laughing over my earlier assumption when I saw the spoiler).

As I mentioned in my Tower of Swallows review, there is definite foreshadowing, which makes it the best sort of twist.

Anyway, if you’ve been enjoying the Witcher novels, The Lady of the Lake is where it all comes together.

And of course, the games pick up afterwards. We’ve already looked at The Witcher, but it doesn’t look like I’ll get to the other games this year after all. Next year, however, our journey through the Witcher series will resume!

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