Hershel Layton (Professor Layton)

“A gentleman never leaves a puzzle unsolved” (Professor Layton series)

Professor Hershel Layton is the riddle-solving hero of the Professor Layton series of puzzle games. He travels the world with his apprentice, Luke Triton, and uncovers various archeological mysteries that plague his destinations.

Many video game protagonists are simple vehicles for the gameplay. Super Mario is devoid of almost any depth as an individual beyond his blank slate heroism, and exists simply as a vessel for his different jumps. Where the challenges in Mario’s games are based on platforming, Professor Layton’s challenges are the puzzles that must be solved to advance the game. Because of this, Professor Layton could have been a simple host of the game series, similar to Dr Kawashima from Brain Training, wherein the puzzles are simply presented on a menu. However, Hershel Layton, his chivalry, and his adventures add a personality and an atmosphere to the games that elevate them beyond a simple series of puzzles. His kind and gentlemanly demeanour encourage a passionate fanbase that focus as much on his character (as well as the characters and worlds he interacts with) as they do on the puzzles which he was created to showcase.