Treehouse Riddle

It's a good thing that Nintendo announced that Professor Layton is coming back later this year. If I had to endure many more puzzle games like Treehouse Riddle, that are inspired by the venerable professor but nowhere near as good, I think I'd be ready to give up on the genre.

Treehouse Riddle's familiar puzzles are simple enough to be welcoming to newcomers and complex enough that they'll challenge veterans. I just wish that more new and innovative puzzles had been implemented.

Treehouse Riddle isn't bad for what it is, a niche puzzle game. If you're part of that niche, and the thought of busting out pen and paper to solve complex math problems appeals to you, by all means, this is a satisfactory implementation. But the lack of variety keeps me from giving this a broad recommendation as a good game since I didn't enjoy my time enough with it. The unique setting, solid story, and good music only go so far.

You don’t have to be a logic puzzle buff to enjoy this. For a game with such challenging puzzles, Treehouse Riddle does a fantastic job of offering assistance to players who need it. The hint system is great, the presentation is solid, and the overall execution is polished. So even though I didn’t enjoy some puzzles (math riddles just aren’t my cup of tea), I can’t help but give this Two Thumbs Up.

Treehouse Riddle is a very competent title and has many clever and satisfying puzzles to solve. The uninspired graphics and music don't allow the game to reach higher levels, but it's not enough to spoil or detract from its value. Finally, the fact that many of the puzzles involve math may turn some players off; however, for those who don't hate calculations, the Fruitbat Factory title offers good hours of thinking and fun.