Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights' producer Noriaki Okamura discusses the title's similarities to the Professor Layton series.

Since its announcement several months ago Konami's Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights has often been likened to Level-5's successful Professor Layton series. With both titles set in 19th Century Europe and sharing similar character designs and art styles many people have been quick to draw parallels.

Speaking to Planet3DS the game's producer Noriaki Okamura acknowledges superficial similarities exist, such as both titular characters wear a top hat, but reminds us that fashion of the time dictated that rather than a desire to imitate.

Mr. Okamura states his admiration for the Professor Layton series, calling it one that he "truly respect[s]" and is "inspired by", but states that the games are very different. When asked if he would like to work alongside Level-5 and develop a 'Professor Layton vs. Doctor Lautrec' title Mr. Okamura responded, "I personally respect the company, Level 5 very much, so it would be an honor for me." He also expressed his desire to work on a sequel to this game.

During the interview Noriaki Okamura discussed how he was inspired by the rich history of Paris and the mysterious nature of its undergrounds, set to play a key role in Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights. One way in which Doctor Lautrec is different from Professor Layton is the fact at times you must engage in battle. The characters are searching for "the treasure" but as it is guarded you must fight magic-based battles.

Noriaki Okamura estimates that the game will take around twenty hours to complete if you quickly run through it but a full play through could take between thirty and fifty hours. The game is also being marketed as a "story-telling game" rather than a puzzle one, so anyone who dislikes puzzles should check it out as well.

While Doctor Lautrec makes full use of the console's 3D display it is not designed to utilise some of the 3DS console's features because Konami felt the focus should be on story-telling. Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights is due out later this year on the Nintendo 3DS so stay tuned for more information.