Sega locks up Rhythm Thief for 3DS

Globetrotting adventurers are all the rage on handhelds these days, but where Professor Layton and Doctor Lautrec generally use their keen minds and puzzle-solving proclivities to thwart crime, Sega's newest character takes the opposite tack. The publisher today announced Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, a 3DS adventure that casts players as Raphael, an "honorable thief" who steals priceless pieces of art, only to return them days later.

Set for release early next year, Rhythm Thief will see Raphael run through Paris in pursuit of both the Wristlet of Tiamat and the whereabouts of his missing father. Players will need to solve a number of puzzles to aid Raphael on his quest, but they'll also have to rely on the power of rhythm, using the 3DS to tap, swipe, and tilt their way to the truth.

While Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure is a single-player adventure, Sega is also including a multiplayer mode and using the 3DS's Street Pass features for an as yet undetailed purpose.