Okay. FIRST OFF. The Luigi's Mansion review from Famitsu that I sent in a couple times, that kept getting HACKED UP. Now, I'm in control! So you have no CHOICE but to read it! Wahahahahaha!

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Luigi's Mansion:

Famitsu score: 9 9 8 8 - 34/40 (gold)

The review crew were all in agreement that the control method was tricky to get to grips with, but after a short time, found themselves enjoying dual analogue method, saying the better you got, the more interesting the game became. The structure of the game was said to be well thought out, with the new game play elements or 'tricks', being of a high standard, and well balanced throughout. Technically, the visuals (animation and ghosts in particular) were said to be outstanding, lending to the overall atmosphere. One reviewer said that there is almost nothing to complain about; indeed the only real criticism came from one who thought Luigi's (walking) pace to be somewhat slow.

Thoughts so far:

Having played through the first level and worked my way into the basement, I have still to scratch the surface of this title, and its habit of throwing up new 'tricks', as the Famitsu crew would call them, has kept me more than happy. The basic mechanism of capturing ghosts with a vacuum cleaner is the staple of the game's encounters, but don't worry, as this is the most pedestrian of its uses (and even this is a lot of fun). The key to progress is thorough exploration of your surroundings. Rooms can be viewed in their entirety by using your Game Boy Horror, which acts like the 'look' function in Super Mario 64 and the Nintendo 64’s Legend of Zelda titles. You can also use this to examine particular areas of a room, and if there is anything of interest, it will inform you. Your vacuum must be used in conjunction with your surroundings to open the way forward, with the promised use of water and fire as new elements to aid you as the game progresses. At present I have just been assigned the task of hunting down fifty Teresas (Boos), which I released from their basement prison. To do this, I had to unlock a room, clear it of two ghosts and look at the 'transparent' wall using my GBH to reveal a button adorned with the words, "Do not Press". After naturally ignoring this instruction, the wall next to me began to move away, revealing a grille in the floor and a poster of an imprisoned Boo on the wall. Using the hoover to remove the poster reveals another button, which when pressed, opens the grille, flooding the mansion with Boos, and so begins a game of hide and seek. Backtracking upstairs and entering a previously cleared room, I noticed a curious bump under the tablecloth, which as I removed it, started tittering, and flew out to reveal a grinning Boo. This is actually a side quest to the game proper, and hopefully gives you some idea of what to expect. If it doesn't grab you so far, don't worry, it will. As for the visuals, I don't think we'll have to wait for Mario Sunshine to see a more mature style emerge. An example of this is the first 'boss', who is the giant ghost of a baby who tries to dispatch you with floating wooden rocking horses, in a scene, which owes more to David Lynch than Nintendo. As I said, this isn't a review, so I'll leave it there for now. All I can say is, for those who have a GameCube arriving next week; you have a treat in store...

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SO THERE. Doesn't sound all that bad, eh? Now then. On with the DRCs.

"The sound of music" was the one redeemable quality of yesterday's UDRCs. Now never pretend to imitate Brandon again. -Jai Deliete

Okay, that's enough ranting about this particular subject. Let us never speak of Brandön again.

Brandon r0x0rs. -Gemini