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| Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Reviewed by Pirate Yoshi Over-view: In 1996, RPG-making heavyweight Squaresoft joined forces with the most powerful video game designing company in the world, Nintendo, to create a game that would forever hold the hearts of millions. The elements that would capture fans by the bus loads, however, were the unmatched RPG gameplay pieces and a fantastic storyline (which Square has always been known for) and, from Nintendo, the world's most famous video game icon, and the personal mascot of video games as a medium: Super Mario. The resultant was Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, one of the most popular Mario games ever made, and also a fan-favorite RPG of all-time among many groups of gamers. It happens also to be the number one favorite title of this reviewer. It didn't take Nintendo more than a nanosecond to realize that both generic gamers and die-hard Mario fans would snatch up any such offering that would again come their way. Unfortunately, with the loss of Square from its support, Nintendo failed to reproduce such a title when it took a swing at a sequel, entitled Paper Mario. The game obviously had the Mario, and a touch of familiar Nintendo humor and cheer, but it lacked the strength of a Squaresoft work, something that was very essential to making Legend of the Seven Stars such a success. On GameBoy Advance, Nintendo tried again with Mario & Luigi, which was a brotherly quest featuring the two plumbers in a half side-scroller, half RPG, full of cute in-jokes, mini-games, and clever references. The game played nicely and was acknowledged as a top-seller by the public, but it still could not touch the ground obtained on Square's watch. Finally, however, the day has come. Nintendo has found a way to return to the level of fun presented by Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, but has done so alone, with their classic Nintendo touch. Graphics: 9/10 How can you score graphics that aren't exactly 3D, nor are they cel-shaded? What's to compare them to? What are they SUPPOSED to look like? Is that the best they could have done? Every one of these questions just makes this a harder catagory to grade Paper Mario 2 on, and I've got to say that I still haven't entirely made up my mind. The problem is simple: these graphics have obviously taken less time/money/trouble/know-how (not to start a fight, I'm sure the staff could have made it 3D if they had wanted to) than the three dimensional graphics used in virtually every other game out there. And yet, they are put to use extremely well, look spiffy, and get the job done--RIGHT. Sure, some pieces could have looked a little snazzier, but should I complain that everything's made of paper? I justify saying 'no' by the beautiful transitions found everywhere within the game, from flipping pages to folding backgrounds to shattering glass (my favorite transitional effect). I believe these were added primarily to prove to the world that PM's graphics weren't made to be paper just because that was easiest, but rather to show that Nintendo didn't fear the threat of looking primitive in relation to bigger, fancier games with full-scale 3D graphics. Above all, some of the graphics in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door are quite possibly some of the best you can see on a GameCube at the moment. Don't underestimate the paper-made animations! Sound: 9.5/10 A very important catagory to me, particularly in relation to the past Paper Marios/Mario RPGs, the Sound Department definately did their duty on the latest paperized Mario title. Paper Mario 2 is chock full of familiar tunes that have been revamped, inverted, twisted, warped, spun, strewn, and blended into a dazzling mix of classic songs and fresh jams. Every piece of music has a very suiting placement in the game, and if you don't believe me, check some of the new game media posted for PM2; I've recorded some of the earliest songs in the game. The sound effects, as always, are stellar and appropriate, and in a big advancement over the norm, the voices are surprisingly effective here. Even though you won't be hearing a full line of dialogue from ANYONE, the cast has fantastic voice acting that really comes into play more than you might suspect, and--most importantly--doesn't drive you past your sanity, either. Even with a limited vocabulary of such words as "Hmm", "Ohh?", and "Ah-ha!", Mario makes all his points, but does so in such a manner that you couldn't care less that he's used that phrase fifty-gazillion times already, and shows no sign of ever trying his hand at, say, "I don't fully comprehend that, could you please repeat yourself?" Controls: 8.4/10 Honestly, this is a bit disappointing. I wasted quite a lot of time in this game flipping through semi-annoying menus, lining up particular movements, and adjusting my actions. In general, I was dissatisfied with the control scheme for menu-swapping, and how the navigation worked out. THAT SAID, may I now compliment the delightful BATTLE SYSTEM, which just keeps growing better by leaps and bounds. With a great mix of variety to spice up the dozens of moves and attacks at your disposal and a SUPERB new Stylish move system that adds tons of replay for a rather straight-forward battle system, PM2 takes the player up and over the top of where controls halted before. Over all, great work--not flawless, but good enough to merit some pride. Challenge: 7/10 Another big notch in the trunk of the Paper Mario tree. To be blunt, Paper Mario 2 is just too easy. There's really not much to it; it's a snap, and you can breeze right through it relatively quickly, if you play diligently (my problem was not difficulty, it was finding time to make more progress). The puzzles are pretty simple, the bosses are--surprisingly--cake, and the quests are mainly long and dull, rather than brutal and challenging. For some gamers (in particular, those who are more relaxed about gaming), this difficulty level will be perfect; no boss too hard, no chest too hidden, and no quest too tough. For real RPG addicts, however, who expect a solid 80 hour experience that will push them to their limits, well...don't look here. This is a relatively simple RPG, relying on fun, not challenge, to addict gamers. Gameplay: 9.8/10 This is where Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door truly shines. The greatest part about PM2 is its gameplay. The quests, while sometimes long and dull, can become a full-scale mystery that leaves you hanging on edge every time a door opens, or they tranform into a high-strung adventure full of the uncanny danger you know must be lurking behind every corner. The tension that builds from increasingly difficult battles, the rush of glee you feel when you come up with a Shine or a new badge...it all adds up to make for great gameplay. PM2 is an incredibly addicting game, mainly because it just becomes hard to put down; the characters are totally personable and lovable, and the locations and quests are often memorable and slickly composed. This is just one of those titles that are impossible not to memorize, but are impossible to predict during your first trip through. The battles are hugely advanced over the past scraps Mario's been in; your audience plays a huge role, and adds unspeakable depth to the game. The Stylish moves give this catagory a huge boost, as well. Destructive scenery and random events during battle top it all off, and the extra little slot-like counter that could shower you in fame--or spell your doom--is a final tidbit tacked on. The battle system has gone up so much since the last Paper Mario, it's hard to describe just how satisfying it's become. The badge hunt, as always, is clever, challenging, and exciting, and side-quests, such as helping citizens and--the by-far fan-favorite--Bowser's Super Mario Bros-esque adventure between Chapters, takes gameplay where it's never gone before: off the deep end. This is a maximum helping of face lift over the first Paper Mario, and the only corrections that could be made are less errand-running tasks that require lots of backtracking and more stats/moves/partners. I still miss the days of double-digit damage... Replay: 7/10 Unfortunately, this catagory took a hit simply because it's a single-player game. Admittedly, there's not purpose to go back through the game a second time, except to-...well...go back through it a second time! As fun as the game is to play through, it loses something the second time, like a good thriller movie, mainly because the element of surprise has been taken away; every plot twist, every big boss, and every special item already is known to you. Playing the game the first time is an adventure; playing through a second time is a memory of that adventure. It's really too bad, because there's more than enough to do to keep you busy, but it's a big quest to undertake, and picking it up for a second time from the beginning just feels like a bigger burden than it may be worth. The battle system, again, redeems this score, mainly because of the constantly-changing stage, backdrop, and random occurances. **Story: 1/1 Is this if the first Mario game ever to get a perfect Story score from me? Counting only those I've reviewed on YS, then yes, it is! Paper Mario 2's storyline is, at last, COMPLETELY original...minus a few common elements from past Mario games. Oh, sure, Princess Peach is kidnapped...but by whom? Surely it's not whom you would suspect... And what purpose does she serve? Who knows..... What could possibly rest behind this ancient Thousand Year Door? You'll have to find out! If I may say so (risking major attack from Zelda fanboys), Paper Mario 2's storyline is a true epic that easily reminds me of a game like the Wind Waker, and perhaps can even rival it! The mystery remains thick from start to finish, but the truth will come out eventually, and when it does, it will hit like a brick. This is not your typical Mario-saves-Peach; this is a Super Mario game taking place where no Mario game has ever gone, against an enemy this little plumber never would've dreamed of facing... **Multiplayer: 0/1 This game does not feature multiplayer support. Graphics: 9/10 Sound: 9.5/10 Controls: 8.4/10 Challenge: 7/10 Gameplay: 9.8/10 Replay: 7/10 **Story: 1/1 **Multiplayer: 0/1 Total Score: 8.6 Score Explanation: Wow. This really surprised me, as far as how it would look for an over-all score in the end. No doubt, I predicted that it would be lower than I intended, due to some poor performances in Replay and Challenge, but only now has it sunk it just how much those catagories damaged its score. I'd like to tell you where I foresaw this title standing, in relation to our typical ten-point scale: a nine point six. Or there around. Yes, a 9.6 out of 10. A point higher than it averaged. Unfortunately, statistics speak for themselves, and when you calculate all these points, this game equals out at a Silver medal. If you are NOT concerned about an immense challenge, then this average will be more fitting for you as a gamer: I recalculated the score without the challenge, and PM2 got an 8.94, very close to a solid 9.0 (Gold medal). In short, Paper Mario 2 will be best for gamers who, like me, are out less to challenge ourselves for months on end, and more to play a solid, funny game for fun and entertainment. I highly recommend giving this title at least a try. Mario fans should definately look into getting their hands on this one long-term; Final Fantasy nuts may not even spare it a rental. Weigh out your gaming values before you make a decision about this one. I bought this game...and have not regretted doing so. |