Mario and Luigi: Brothership Review: Sailing and Waiting

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In 2018, the game “Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story” was re-introduced on the 3DS system. However, it had been more than five years since the dynamic duo embarked on a new original journey, which was in 2015 with the launch of Paper Jam. As we approach the present day, their latest installment marks its debut on consoles, signifying that there is considerable anticipation for this version to restore the series’ prominence and potentially reignite its enchanting prospects for future editions.

Although it has some imperfections, Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a game typical of the series and offers a refreshing change following Nintendo’s rerelease of classic RPGs like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Super Mario RPG. It’s a game that brings a smile to your face, but it also has design or gameplay decisions that may leave you pondering its motives.

A Story That Takes Its Time

The bond of brotherhood takes them on a fresh journey, this time delving into a newly discovered realm named Concordia. After their “Uni-tree” was decimated, the lands were fragmented into islands. The inhabitants of this world are reminiscent of electrical plugs, cords, and cables, symbolizing unity in an endearing and witty manner throughout its architecture. Interestingly, the island you initially set foot on also serves as a vessel for traversing these various islands. It’s home to Connie, a character who cultivates a new Uni-tree to grow large enough to restore harmony across Concordia – get it? Wattanist is a playful take on botanist. The intriguing naming patterns and inside jokes make this world an enchanting diversion from the Mushroom Kingdom.

The game’s narrative gradually unfolds as you explore each island and interact with distinct characters facing their own challenges, although I should clarify that when I say ‘slowly’, I mean it took approximately 10 hours for the game to introduce the main antagonists of the story. Essentially, your objective in this game is a journey across these islands, assisting the locals in resolving their various predicaments and reaching their lighthouse to connect it with your Uni-tree. To reach each island, you must manually adjust your ship’s course, and once a visible island is within range, you can launch yourself onto it using a cannon. It’s worth noting that you need to wait in real-time to get to these islands, so you’ll have to find ways to keep busy during this period. The developers introduced this waiting time initially to gradually introduce the speed-up feature to new players, but in practice, it seems to slow down gameplay more than intended.

Keep in mind that Brothership is Mario and Luigi’s debut on a big screen after spending most of their time on handheld devices. While it might appear that the game aims to offer an experience worth your investment, remember longer isn’t always better. The storyline offers cinematic cutscenes and plenty of action, elements that the series’ previous games couldn’t provide. These scenes are vibrant and colorful, just like the world you’ll be exploring. Although its visual style has moved away from the pixelated look of its earlier games, the game’s refreshed art direction and catchy soundtrack make it an inviting and delightful experience to play, even during periods of waiting.

Lots and Lots of Battles to Get Through

In the heat of battles, you’ve got to stay focused and quick on your toes. Since you’re always battling as both Mario and Luigi, it’s essential to switch up button presses – A for Mario’s attacks and B for Luigi. To maximize combos, time your inputs carefully so they land simultaneously, making both brothers strike at once. However, this synchronized attack is only possible if the brothers are still standing, but nailing those timings isn’t tough; it’s key to dispatching enemies swiftly and efficiently.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve found that mastering defensive strategies takes some dedication since the diverse adversaries come with their own unique attack styles that call for a bit of trial and error to thwart effectively. Interestingly, during an enemy’s turn, if you can perfectly time your jump or hammer strike, not only will you dodge their attacks, but you’ll also inflict damage on them! This element makes each battle interactive and engaging, while simultaneously keeping me alert as enemies exhibit a multitude of attack and movement patterns that I must learn to anticipate.

In boss fights, there’s a unique twist: a “Luigi Logic” moment. During these instances, Luigi will have an inspired idea for inflicting damage on the enemy and rendering them incapable for a turn, creating an opportunity for extra harm without any resistance. Timing your attack precisely is crucial during these moments, as they offer a chance to deal significant damage. However, it’s important to note that these moments don’t necessarily simplify the battle but instead help in swiftly defeating the enemy since, just like regular fights, boss battles can be lengthy.

The challenge with the game “Brothership” is that there aren’t many boss fights and they are spaced out so far apart that you’ll primarily be fighting common enemies as you traverse each island. This wouldn’t be an issue if not for the fact that the game frequently sends these common enemies your way while you explore, which serves to remind you that you need to level up. Although its narrative develops slowly at first, you’ll find yourself engaged in numerous common battles during the initial 10 hours and continuing throughout the entire game, which takes around 35 hours to complete.

In the course of the game, you’ll discover additional plug-ins with unique abilities for your attacks. These include area damage, fire damage, or even continuous attacks without the need for precise timing. However, these abilities can only be used a certain number of times before they require recharging. Despite this limitation, they add an exciting element to your attacks and are enjoyable to experiment with until you find the perfect combination that suits your style. The drawback is that once they’ve been fully depleted, you must wait for them to replenish completely before using them again, rather than having the flexibility to switch to other abilities while these are cooling down.

Final Thoughts

As I traverse through each island, I stumble upon numerous opportunities for exploration and problem-solving. Occasionally, I’m required to employ specific moves from my brotherly arsenal to tackle simple puzzles or synchronize our actions at crucial moments, like hitting switches simultaneously so one of us can unlock a gate, allowing the other to proceed. The islands are brimming with light platforming challenges that are interwoven with these brain teasers, ensuring no two experiences are alike.

In essence, while Brotherhood boasts numerous appealing aspects, these qualities are often obscured by a game that deliberate slows its pace to extract maximum value. The fighting sequences are captivating and demand constant vigilance, yet they tend to overstay their welcome, growing monotonous in the process. Moreover, there are diverse islands to explore, each presenting a distinct atmosphere and conundrum to unravel, but your primary objective on each island remains similar with minor variations here and there.

Engaging in the game becomes rewarding as you grow attached to it, making it compellingly captivating. Don’t anticipate a brief, concise experience or an extensive RPG with an intricate narrative or dynamic combat system. The Mario and Luigi: Brothership game offers enough excitement and charm that makes the journey worth your patience; however, let’s cross our fingers for the next one to be more streamlined and less demanding of your time.

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2024-11-19 11:32