This game takes almost all the best parts of both the original and Dark Moon and squeezes them together into a very enjoyable experience. The new mechanics and returning ones blend very well together, creating a diverse set of puzzles and boss fights.
The actual ghost catching I don't think is the main appeal of this entry. I was definitely more enthralled with the puzzles scattered throughout every inch of the hotel. Seriously, they are literally everywhere. It's honestly impressive how many secrets they managed to cram into every floor. It had me searching every room top to bottom looking cor collectables and money, as unimportant as they are.
Like in the first game, money has basically no value in the actual gameplay segments, only serving to give you a letter rank at the end of the game. You can buy items from E. Gadd in his lab, but these are inconsequential. Extra lives, Boo seekers (which I don't think I ever actually unlocked for some reason?), and gem seekers are literally all you get. I would've much preferred if they went the route they did in Dark Moon and granted you upgrades to your kit, such as a stronger vacuum, or maybe extra health.
Another knock I'd give it is the lack of ghost variety. Contrary to the first game and Dark Moon, there are only four regular ghosts, two mini variants, and one that can only be described as an equivalent to those eye doors in Metroid. As you might've guessed, these ghosts don't really present much of a challenge, but I think that's fine as the puzzle aspect of the game is top-notch.
You have a whole host of options at your disposal when it comes to solving puzzles.The Dark Light is my favorite returning addition. Having objects be invisible and intangible until scanning is a great concept and is very well executed. Having a mirror reflect an object that is supposed to be there but isn't is still fun to point out and go "aha". Another plus to the Dark Light is it not being the main focus of the game, this means the solution isn't always just "use the Dark Light" like in Dark Moon.
However, I think the best feature is Gooigi. Your friendly translucent, squishy companion. Along with him just being silly, he also provides couch co-op, which is something I sorely miss in modern games. Even when alone, Gooigi being able to slip past fence gates and into crevasses not normally accessible is such a fun idea that my brain was just not used to. It actually took me a fair bit to come to grips with "oh, this fence doesn't actually prevent my from progressing" which was kind of a cool feeling as it turned my knowledge of in-game mechanics on its head.
Overall, Luigi's Mansion 3 is a fantastic puzzle game that really gets you thinking, especially if you want all those collectibles. However, if you want more of a combat-oriented challenge, I suggest finding a copy of Dark Moon instead.
(Also why is it called Luigi's Mansion 3 and not something else like Dark Moon was? This bothers me way more than it should.)
The actual ghost catching I don't think is the main appeal of this entry. I was definitely more enthralled with the puzzles scattered throughout every inch of the hotel. Seriously, they are literally everywhere. It's honestly impressive how many secrets they managed to cram into every floor. It had me searching every room top to bottom looking cor collectables and money, as unimportant as they are.
Like in the first game, money has basically no value in the actual gameplay segments, only serving to give you a letter rank at the end of the game. You can buy items from E. Gadd in his lab, but these are inconsequential. Extra lives, Boo seekers (which I don't think I ever actually unlocked for some reason?), and gem seekers are literally all you get. I would've much preferred if they went the route they did in Dark Moon and granted you upgrades to your kit, such as a stronger vacuum, or maybe extra health.
Another knock I'd give it is the lack of ghost variety. Contrary to the first game and Dark Moon, there are only four regular ghosts, two mini variants, and one that can only be described as an equivalent to those eye doors in Metroid. As you might've guessed, these ghosts don't really present much of a challenge, but I think that's fine as the puzzle aspect of the game is top-notch.
You have a whole host of options at your disposal when it comes to solving puzzles.The Dark Light is my favorite returning addition. Having objects be invisible and intangible until scanning is a great concept and is very well executed. Having a mirror reflect an object that is supposed to be there but isn't is still fun to point out and go "aha". Another plus to the Dark Light is it not being the main focus of the game, this means the solution isn't always just "use the Dark Light" like in Dark Moon.
However, I think the best feature is Gooigi. Your friendly translucent, squishy companion. Along with him just being silly, he also provides couch co-op, which is something I sorely miss in modern games. Even when alone, Gooigi being able to slip past fence gates and into crevasses not normally accessible is such a fun idea that my brain was just not used to. It actually took me a fair bit to come to grips with "oh, this fence doesn't actually prevent my from progressing" which was kind of a cool feeling as it turned my knowledge of in-game mechanics on its head.
Overall, Luigi's Mansion 3 is a fantastic puzzle game that really gets you thinking, especially if you want all those collectibles. However, if you want more of a combat-oriented challenge, I suggest finding a copy of Dark Moon instead.
(Also why is it called Luigi's Mansion 3 and not something else like Dark Moon was? This bothers me way more than it should.)
Mymy64
2 years ago