Ever wondered how a fine English gent becomes one of the most renowned puzzle solvers in the world? Wonder no more, as you can now find out with today's release of Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Although this is the fourth Professor Layton game launched on the Nintendo DS, The Last Specter is actually a prequel to the earlier titles. Back before Hershel Layton became a crime-solver extraordinaire, he was a university professor who received a letter from an old friend urging him to come to the rural village of Misthallery, which is reportedly "haunted by a nocturnal phantom. As players progress through the story by solving a wide variety of logic, slide, picture, number and language puzzles, they'll also encounter Layton's brainy assistant, Emmy Altava, and witness his first meeting with would-be apprentice Luke Triton."



As well as promising "more puzzles than any previous series installment", including free downloadable puzzles beginning October 23rd through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, The Last Specter offers another first for Layton fans: a bonus role-playing game called "Professor Layton's London Life". This provides an additional storyline and more than 100 hours of gameplay in its own right, allowing players to "customize their appearance and surroundings, work odd jobs or collect clues to help uncover the origins of a mysterious fairy."

Professor Layton and the Last Specter is available at retail stores now in North America, and will be launching in the UK next month under the name Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call. For more details about the game, including some sample online puzzles, be sure to check out the official website.