With all the hubbub of Q4 releases and tons of news swirling around regarding Wii U, I thought it would be nice to go back to a game I never got a chance to play rather than buying new junk.
Being that Super Mario RPG was the first RPG I ever played, followed by Earth Bound, I have a soft spot for RPGs with a sense of humor, but they are few and far between. This game has that feeling in spades, to the point that after mostly playing "super-challenging" games lately like Spelunky, XCOM, and Super Meat Boy, it was refreshing to play something more low-key and story focused.
Pros:
+Being able to punch, jump, and interact with the environment in various ways. I really wish more RPGs would explore this sort of thing.
+Writing that is often funny, and otherwise very competent. Refreshing for the genre.
+Battles that are uniquely interesting and very direct. The bosses especially are great fun so far.
+Intuitive switching between bowser and the mario bros. This is really hard to explain, but this part is really enjoyable and a fabulous pacing device.
+Streamlined RPG elements where it counts. In my old age, I've lost my appetite for grinding and other time-wasting mechanics. So far, this game never feels grindy.
+Graphics - they seem basic at first glance but the animations have a ton of charm. I am jealous of whoever got to do these for a living
With everything being so action-oriented and streamlined in just the right places, it almost feels like an evolution of the genre to something more fresh and modern. It's funny, but to me Nintendo has made one of the most progressive games in the genre.
Cons:
+Constant intrusive dialog from the star dude.
+Way-too frequent tutorials. Its way to easy to mistakenly accept them when you don't intend to, because you are clicking through the annoying dialog from the star dude.
Overall this is a fantastic game and I recommend it just as heartily as any new release I've played this year, the only downside is that this hasn't reached budget-territory simply because it's a Nintendo release.
Being that Super Mario RPG was the first RPG I ever played, followed by Earth Bound, I have a soft spot for RPGs with a sense of humor, but they are few and far between. This game has that feeling in spades, to the point that after mostly playing "super-challenging" games lately like Spelunky, XCOM, and Super Meat Boy, it was refreshing to play something more low-key and story focused.
Pros:
+Being able to punch, jump, and interact with the environment in various ways. I really wish more RPGs would explore this sort of thing.
+Writing that is often funny, and otherwise very competent. Refreshing for the genre.
+Battles that are uniquely interesting and very direct. The bosses especially are great fun so far.
+Intuitive switching between bowser and the mario bros. This is really hard to explain, but this part is really enjoyable and a fabulous pacing device.
+Streamlined RPG elements where it counts. In my old age, I've lost my appetite for grinding and other time-wasting mechanics. So far, this game never feels grindy.
+Graphics - they seem basic at first glance but the animations have a ton of charm. I am jealous of whoever got to do these for a living
With everything being so action-oriented and streamlined in just the right places, it almost feels like an evolution of the genre to something more fresh and modern. It's funny, but to me Nintendo has made one of the most progressive games in the genre.
Cons:
+Constant intrusive dialog from the star dude.
+Way-too frequent tutorials. Its way to easy to mistakenly accept them when you don't intend to, because you are clicking through the annoying dialog from the star dude.
Overall this is a fantastic game and I recommend it just as heartily as any new release I've played this year, the only downside is that this hasn't reached budget-territory simply because it's a Nintendo release.
