| Viewing Single Post From: Super Mario Galaxy: Is It Really That Good? | |
|---|---|
| Mr. Storm | Jan 15 2008, 03:37 AM |
Child of Dust
|
 Super Mario Galaxy. The plumber’s grand inevitable return to platforming goodness. Well, I suppose we should go over the game first before we judge, eh? Even Mario isn’t excused from that, so let’s dive into the depths of Galaxy. You should know the basics by now. Collect the stars, save the princess, blah, blah, blah... let's just do this.  We’re off to collect the stars once more. I wonder what Mario does with them after his adventures… Super Mario Galaxy starts off with a great cut-scene that gets you set and ready for the graphical feast that is Galaxy. You’ll really be amazed by the light effects, color, and just general art that goes into each level. It’s quite evident from the get-go that Galaxy was a labor of love for its developers. Truly, Galaxy makes almost all other Wii games look like cheap, old-generation titles. It’s just that darn beautiful and fluid.  Eye-candy. Pure, unadulterated eye candy. Mmm…candy. The audio is by far the best in a Nintendo title yet. A fully orchestrated breath-taking soundtrack enchants the user by taking classic Mario tunes and puts a new spin on it. Of course, it makes new tunes to add to the library as well. Dolby Pro-Logic II is supported, as expected, and if you have a setup that can use it, enjoy the melodies as they wash over you. It’s really nostalgia and beauty in audio form. Even the plain old sound effects seem to have new life. Maybe it was just me, but Mario’s “Wahoo!” sounds much more full of life than normal. Enjoy the sensory experience in Galaxy, it’s unmatched on the Wii, and perhaps in all of gaming.  If you don’t enjoy this game’s sensory experience, you have no soul. The controls feel smooth and sharp. Joystick to move, A to jump, shake your Wiimote to spin, etc. It’s a very smooth experience. Alas, Galaxy’s greatness really ends there for me. The all-too-common theme, in Galaxy in the admittedly short time I played it, was “been there, done that.” I re-played Super Mario 64 a few weeks in advance of Galaxy in preparation for it. I had fun, the game was fresh, inventive, fun, and it sucked you in. Galaxy merely takes all the old Mario pieces, shuffles them up, and makes them pretty. Boss battle after boss battle seemed to just be the same old thing. Hit the tail, hit the ball back at him, jump… you get the picture. It’s just the same old thing. For a system so obsessed with innovation, surely it could do far better. Not to say they didn’t try…  Welcome Gimmick #1. Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Bee Mario and Boo Mario. Don’t get excited, there’s nothing new here. It’s just new suits for the same old stuff. We’ve climbed grates, I mean, honeycombs before. The only thing really new in this entire game is Starbits. Both a key to new areas, and a weapon, Starbits are a fresh take on the Mario series. However, instead of being something fresh and new, it feels like a desperate attempt to use the Wiimote. Use the IR interface to shoot things? This is Mario, right? I didn’t think it was a shooter… My fault, Nintendo. What I do know is that the only truly new thing in Galaxy fell flat on it’s face.  Starbits. Because when you see this, you think “Where’s my $%#@ing gun?!” It appears Nintendo has met its match. I felt it in Twilight Princes creeping up, but I ignored it. But now, Galaxy just makes it so obvious, it’s impossible to ignore. Nintendo is merely taking the same old puzzles and strategy, putting it in a new world, and pasting on a new story. By the way, I didn’t mention the story for a reason, cause it’s not worth mentioning. Back to my point, this wouldn’t be excused in any other franchise, so I cannot find myself to do it now. The bottom line is this. I only played the game about ten hours. You say “He didn’t play it long enough!” I merely respond with this. Shouldn’t a game make you want to play it by 10 hours in? I honestly have no desire to ever go back to this title. I don’t WANT to play it more. Why should I? Is the game going to change that drastically? Nah, I don’t think so. It’s going to be the same thing from then on. So if you’re looking for the same old stuff repackaged and prettified, by all means, pick up Galaxy. If you want something fresh and innovative, don’t give this game a second look.  Goodbye Bowser. It appears I won’t see you in your true form for another 4 years. Here’s hoping it’ll be better. FINAL GRADE: C- |
 "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use." - Galileo Galilei | |
 |
|
| Super Mario Galaxy: Is It Really That Good? · Game Reviews | |
