Hershel Layton is returning after several years of absence withProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam,a brand-new title from Level 5. This game will feature the Professor reuniting with his assistant Luke in America and solving a new mystery in a town powered by steam. While trailers have revealed some information about the game, one thing is unclear: whether Hershel’s adopted daughter, Katrielle Layton, will appear inProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam. It currently seems unlikely given the game’s time period, but a flash-forward section featuring Katrielle could tie the series' disparate installments together.
Professor Hershel Layton’s adventures consist of a “present” trilogy, concluding withProfessor Layton and the Unwound Future,and a “prequel” trilogy starring a younger Layton earlier in his career. With Hershel’s story seemingly finished, Level-5 releasedLayton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracyin 2017. This game took place over twenty years after theoriginalLaytontrilogy- and, sinceNew World of Steampicks up shortly afterUnwound Future,her inclusion seems near-impossible. However, Level-5 finding some way to incorporate Katrielle could benefitNew World of Steamand make the entireLaytonuniverse feel more cohesive.
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Katrielle’s Origin Story Could Be Elaborated On
Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracyindicates that the younger Layton is 21 years old, meaning that she was born at around the timeNew World of Steamwill be taking place. Although her origins and how Layton came to adopt her were briefly explained in the animeLayton Mystery Detective Agency: Katrielle’s Puzzle-Solving Files,it would be interesting to see it play out in the game. This would be especially valuable to Western fans, as the anime was never officially translated into English or released in the West.
Although an infant Katrielle would be hard to incorporate as a game mechanic, she could still contribute in some small way. Perhaps Baby Kat could be in charge of collecting all the puzzles the player skips and storing them for later, replacing previous recurring character Granny Riddleton. Alternately, she could be related to the “city building” mechanic the latest trailer hinted at, as Layton andLuke Tritonwould need to build or invest in facilities to take care of her while they are off solving mysteries.
Katrielle Layton Could Appear In a Flash-Forward Section
Alternately, a flash-forward section somewhere in the game could give Katrielle some kind of role. Perhaps Professor Layton or Luke could be relating thestory ofNew World of Steamto Katrielle in the future, or she could be reading about it in journals left behind by either detective. The series previously played around with the concept of stories taking place across multiple time periods inProfessor Layton and the Unwound Future,which is one of the most popular and highly regarded entries in the series.
Including some sort of flash-forward would be a great way to include both Katrielle and other supporting characters who may not be able to join Professor Layton and Luke on their steam-powered adventure. Of course, Kat would be accompanied by her assistant Ernest Greeves and Sherl the talking dog – whose own mysterious origins could be touched upon in this game. OtherLaytoncharacters who could show up in “future” segments include Layton’s second assistant Flora, his rival Don Paolo, or Scotland Yard inspectors Chelmey or Hastings. EvenAlfendi Layton, who currently only appears in the mobile spinoffLayton Brothers: Mystery Room,could be incorporated into the main series in this way.
With no official release date announced forProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam,Level-5will surely release more trailers and information regarding the game in the near future. These could confirm whether Katrielle and her supporting cast will be added to the game in any capacity. In the meantime, Level-5 leaves fans wondering what mysteries Layton and Luke will face next.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steamis currently in development for the Nintendo Switch.
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