Trying again over our 2013 overview of Luigi’s Mansion: Darkish Moon on the 3DS has been a well timed reminder of why we love this sport so very a lot, but have didn’t return to it past our authentic playthrough again within the day – an oddity, provided that we’re fairly keen on hoovering up each final secret there may be to search out in most video games we take pleasure in.
It was the controls, you see. They had been fiddly within the first Luigi’s Mansion, and within the second sport the dearth of an additional thumbstick on the 3DS made for an expertise that felt marred barely by the shortcomings of the system on which it was delivered. It wasn’t an enormous deal — this author continues to be very a lot in settlement with the 9/10 rating dished out by this website on the time — it was at all times simply a type of issues with this collection. A fantastic concept, sensible video games, glorious puzzles and tons of environment, all held again a bit of bit. A franchise that felt prefer it wanted unleashing onto a brand new platform.
This subject was then totally addressed with Luigi’s Mansion 3. The massive fancy Swap follow-up that confirmed simply how superb this spooky sub-series may very well be if it received the suitable form of remedy and wasn’t held again within the controls division. It is our favorite sport of the franchise, an expertise that outdoes the scope and scale discovered within the first two video games, and the mannequin that Subsequent Stage Video games has labored in the direction of with this HD revamp of the primary sequel.
We have mentioned already, in our preview of the HD model, how this shiny remaster sticks resolutely to what’s discovered within the authentic package deal from a content material perspective. There isn’t any ‘Deluxe’ or different such moniker within the title, signalling {that a} decision bump and a few further animations are all we’re getting. And so it’s, for probably the most half. It is gonna be a sticking level for some, however Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is the very same sport that lots of you should have little doubt performed 11 years in the past – it simply appears a lot nicer.
And we actually do imply a lot nicer. Sure, quite a lot of the work is within the decision bump — there was at all times a ton of element and artistry to ogle in Luigi’s Mansion. Lighting and environmental results are improved, animations have been enhanced, cleaned up, and added to — Luigi and his enemies are a lot extra emotive than we recall — and the entire thing feels a complete lot extra readable and efficient as these tremendous particulars get an opportunity to shine in each docked and handheld modes. It is a very handsome model of an excellent sport.
After which we come to the true excessive level, from a private perspective not less than, in that the controls with a second stick are simply so a lot better. Your mileage will range with this relying on how irksome you discovered directing the Poltergust 5000 into particular spots within the authentic, however for us it removes the one actual niggle that we had again within the day. This now feels nearly on the identical stage as Luigi’s 2019 journey in the way it performs, and it makes for a decade previous sport that is not misplaced the power to entertain within the slightest.
If you have not ever performed it earlier than, Luigi’s Mansion 2 ditches the claustrophobia of the creepier first sport, in favour of an even bigger and brighter journey that offers the hapless Mario bro a number of places to discover, reasonably than a singular mansion. It is a surprisingly giant sport, someplace across the 30-hour mark should you dig in and probe for secrets and techniques, and each location is designed with a cautious cleverness that basically does make it really feel like a bonafide Nintendo-made product, reasonably than the work of an out of doors celebration (Canadian studio Subsequent Stage Video games, now owned by Nintendo).
Rumble has been added successfully to struggle sequences on Swap, which really feel a lot better now that wrangling ghouls and aiming is smoother. Movement controls are used for fine-tuning and directing the digicam for sure elements, and these touches, together with the refreshed appears, make for a revamp that basically does feel and look very trendy.
The 5 distinct areas that Luigi and firm should battle by with a purpose to collect up items of the Darkish Moon have misplaced none of their potential to attract you in, with every new mission balancing simply the correct quantity of light fight with puzzles that make full use of your pleasant environment – that is a type of video games that makes hoking round in bins and drawers really feel nice. Treasure and hearts and secrets and techniques fly out of issues in simply the suitable manner, in flip locking us into the pursuit of discovering each final hidden Boo and gem. We have by no means spent a lot time with ScareScaper, the sport’s native and on-line multiplayer mode, we gotta be trustworthy it is not likely our bag, nevertheless it additionally makes the minimize right here for individuals who take pleasure in that form of factor.
So, with so many good issues to say about all of it, how come (overview spoilers!) we have gone with a decrease rating this time round? Properly, as a result of we reckon this HD package deal is all a bit of bit too protected and workaday given the premium value that it is being flogged for. Make no mistake, this can be a nice sport, and it is by no means performed higher than it does right here. However to go away little niggling legacy points unaltered…it simply would not sit fairly proper given the value level.
We actually do marvel why there is not any rejigged save system – you must restart a mission from the very starting should you die, and that is not modified right here. Loading instances have not seen the form of shortening we would have anticipated both, so there aren’t any advantages when it comes to with the ability to dip out and in of ranges any faster than within the authentic. We additionally did discover one second throughout an early cutscene the place the body charge stutters a bit of, which is just a bit shocking. It would not have an effect on the gameplay in any respect, nevertheless it matches in with the general vibe of “All excellent however a wee push may have made it superb, lads.”
Talking with different folks who’ve performed this one prior to now, there may be at all times a bit of pushback in opposition to how gradual these video games could make the time between missions really feel. Luigi’s Mansion 2 suffers from this form of plodding tempo in its menus and in how usually it feels the professor pulls you out of ranges as an alternative of simply letting you rip a bit longer. It will have been nice seeing some of these things side-stepped to make all of it a bit…faster, we guess. A bit snappier in the way it strikes us round. Nevertheless, that is for the deluxe fashions, not the HD ports of this world.
For the value, it could have been good to see this stuff remedied, to see extra choices for saving/pausing progress, or for some new aided modes for gamers like the types we see in these snazzy deluxe reissues. Nevertheless, away from these niggles, and away from the actual fact they’ve not made climbing that large bloody staircase within the Hole Tree any simpler, what we have here’s a very easy — but in addition very shiny and good — HD revamp of one of many 3DS’ finest video games. It appears nice, it feels higher than ever to play, it does simply about sufficient to warrant revisiting. All of those factor are true.
Conclusion
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is Luigi’s Mansion 2 with a flowery HD lick of paint. Shock! It appears nice, and the brand new fashions, animations, and revamped visuals make for a sport that is near the wonderful Luigi’s Mansion 3 in how trendy and swish all of it is. It additionally controls a lot nicer due to the second stick on the Swap. It is only a disgrace we have not received any added extras, then, any new means to avoid wasting mid-mission, added content material, or bonuses. That is 100% the easiest way to play the sport as of 2024, there is not any doubt, however it could have been good to get one thing a bit of further, particularly given the value level. Possibly we’ll get a Deluxe version sometime.