Henry Hatsworth is the sleeper hit of the year for the DS.
First off, this is NOT comparable to Professor Layton and The Curious Village. I'll admit that this game has the same amount of charm and originality. But other than that, the comparisons stop there. Professor Layton could be classified as Puzzle Adventure, where-as Henry Hatsworth would be more of a Puzzle Platformer. The "puzzle" aspect of each game is also incomparably different.
I will be honest and say that I had only recently heard of this game through a podcast. But from those five or so minutes of talking it up; it had definitely piqued my interest. The talk of combining an in-depth and flashy platformer with an engaging puzzle game was definitely something I had never heard of, let alone think of as a smart design choice.
Well I was in for a surprise. Think of Henry Hatsworth as a combination of Castlevania and Planet Puzzle League, sprinkled with some Metal Slug, then add a dash of British charm to top it off. If that doesn't sound appetizing already, you need a better taste in games!
From the moment you first start the game, you will be hooked. The menu music alone is inviting and gives you that "all warm inside" feeling. The feeling you get when you know you are playing something absolutely new and original. The dialogue is Banjo-Kazooie esque and makes you chuckle the first time you hear it, with sentences starting in the stereotypical British mumbling "him-haw's" and ending in abrupt "righto's", "gov'na's", and "good show's".
The game itself starts you off with a quick series of scenes that briefly describe the setting and purpose of the story; you are an explorer on a quest for a golden suit that grants the wearer a god-like status and powers. This is followed by a dialogue between Hatsworth and his assistant about retrieving an artifact from the jungle. You are then plopped into a training stage of sorts. There are no enemies and you are only able to jump through the first part of the level; getting you used to the way Hatsworth handles and learning basic platforming maneuvers.
When you return, your assistant informs you about the "puzzle realm" and why it exists. He then takes you through a series of trials that get you familiar with the puzzle aspect of the game. After that, it's game on, and you start in world 1-1 dawning your journey to find the rest of the golden suit artifacts.
The integration of each the platforming mode, and puzzle mode, is flawless. You are in control at all times, and switching to one mode pauses the other (a relief for those of you that were worried about multi-tasking modes). Platforming mode is where you advance the game and the storyline, where the puzzle mode is more for power-ups, getting rid of enemies permanently, and filling your super-meter.
I have only played the first few levels, so I don't have much info on boss battles and weapon/meter enhancements; but they are there. There is also a combo mechanic in the platforming, so I can imagine that upgrading weapons will lead to flashier combat.
Other than that, this is a great game and a must-buy for any platformer/puzzle fan. Spread the word so that a sequel may be made! Good job EA! Keep those fresh ideas coming.