Who ya gonna call? Not Mario that’s for sure…
The original Luigi’s Mansion was a really underrated gem of a game for the GameCube and personally one of my favourite launch titles for the system, with the only downside being its incredibly short length. I could breeze through it in an hour or two, but I always hoped a sequel would emerge and as time went on I had given up hope…until now.
Professor E. Gadd is living peacefully with the ghosts who have become friendly, but then they resort back to their mischievous ways and Luigi is brought in by the good professor to put it right. The gameplay remains very similar to the original, but it’s a deeper experience and it’ll take a lot more time to complete than its predecessor. Luigi is sent on individual missions throughout the mansions which will follow the lines of clearing a set level of rooms of its ghosts or getting rid of all the cobwebs in the entire mansion, with a few boss battles thrown in for good measure.
The bottom screen of the 3DS shows the map and where Luigi needs to go, but it doesn’t tell you exactly what or where the ghosts or objectives are when you reach the areas, leaving Luigi free to find the answer for himself with his trusty flashlight and Poltergust 5000. There are even hidden objects that appear when a light is flashed on them, as well as safes full of cash, gold and gems to find.
The comedic value of the original game is still intact in this sequel, but more so. Luigi’s reactions are truly memorable and the ghosts are full of humorous animations, while E.Gadd is still as funny as ever. The biggest surprise is the multiplayer which is local, download play or online, yes online! You and up to 3 others can tackle rooms with specific objectives and time limits and you can use the touch screen to notify your friends of where to go, it’s a great and welcome addition to the game, one that I will be playing for quite a while.
Visually, Luigi’s Mansion 2 is a marvel to watch. The 3D effects add extra depth to the mansion and its guests, be they ghosts or spiders or something else. The animation is like that of a Pixar film and is just brilliant to look at, Luigi’s got some stick with being in his brother’s shadow but I think now he’s starting to find his own way. The music is also great and the noises of the cast are hilarious, Luigi hums the theme tune and it’s even the ringtone on his DS.
The Verdict
Luigi can finally step out Mario’s shadow with this excellent sequel to the GameCube classic. Luigi’s Mansion 2 is funny, well designed and full of truly memorable moments that makes this a must-have for any 3DS owner.
