The most underwhelming Mario RPG I've played.
Outside of the main cast, I can count on no hands how many characters I found charming. I'd rather not talk about Booster, and I think the closest thing to a side character I did feel compelled by was Dodo.
And even when I was compelled, I felt like things didn't go anywhere. I feel like the recurrence of certain characters, like Croco appearing a stoic while selling you items in the final act of the game, is supposed to make me feel much more strongly than it actually does. Valentina just leaves the premises after you defeat her with zero fanfare. And while I like the pacing of this game, I don't think adding a few elements to flesh out the various story arcs in this game would have hurt. Bosses fall limply and lifelessly over when you defeat them, the combat is easy & monotonous, and I'm just left feeling this dissonance between how whimsical the game looks at a standstill, and how utterly lifeless it is in motion.
(I audibly laughed when Speardovich's battle took place in a completely different location at a completely different time from what was showing in the overworld)
Super Mario RPG is FAR from all bad, the remastered soundtrack is fantastic; the visuals look nice; the main cast is a fun bunch; while the game is easy, and monotonous as hell, the pacing rarely suffers at any point; and there's certainly charm here - but these moments of awe and enjoyment can often feel few and far between!
Even the visuals, which look nice, have a very lifeless look, and at times I yearn to have experienced a remake that took a better job translating the essence of the original, one that took a few more risks, and was maybe less faithful / exact.
I can say I had fun! I enjoyed some character moments. And since the Mario RPG I played before this was Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, I can definitely appreciate the more subtle writing in this game (save for how rushed certain moments can feel).
I love you Mallow <3
Outside of the main cast, I can count on no hands how many characters I found charming. I'd rather not talk about Booster, and I think the closest thing to a side character I did feel compelled by was Dodo.
And even when I was compelled, I felt like things didn't go anywhere. I feel like the recurrence of certain characters, like Croco appearing a stoic while selling you items in the final act of the game, is supposed to make me feel much more strongly than it actually does. Valentina just leaves the premises after you defeat her with zero fanfare. And while I like the pacing of this game, I don't think adding a few elements to flesh out the various story arcs in this game would have hurt. Bosses fall limply and lifelessly over when you defeat them, the combat is easy & monotonous, and I'm just left feeling this dissonance between how whimsical the game looks at a standstill, and how utterly lifeless it is in motion.
(I audibly laughed when Speardovich's battle took place in a completely different location at a completely different time from what was showing in the overworld)
Super Mario RPG is FAR from all bad, the remastered soundtrack is fantastic; the visuals look nice; the main cast is a fun bunch; while the game is easy, and monotonous as hell, the pacing rarely suffers at any point; and there's certainly charm here - but these moments of awe and enjoyment can often feel few and far between!
Even the visuals, which look nice, have a very lifeless look, and at times I yearn to have experienced a remake that took a better job translating the essence of the original, one that took a few more risks, and was maybe less faithful / exact.
I can say I had fun! I enjoyed some character moments. And since the Mario RPG I played before this was Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, I can definitely appreciate the more subtle writing in this game (save for how rushed certain moments can feel).
I love you Mallow <3