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Hi Cheezy -.-
Blogs: MapleStory for DS?, Bleh?
Hey, I made a group at Profil3 dedicated to Paper Mario and posted my review, but apparently that wasn't the best place to put it. I've been hearing a bit more of this site lately, and I just realized I never checked it out (and how long has it been around?). So, uhh… Enjoy the ramblings of a minor reviewer. ^-^*
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Personally, it was a good game, but it didn't live up to the other games. It was definately more platform-based than RPG-based, and that's not the PM I grew to love.
I'll try not to spoil it, but here's a gist of the outline: A devious foe, Count Bleck, appears in the Mushroom Kingdom and captures Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser. He uses Peach and Bowser to produce the Chaos Heart (using a makeshift wedding), so he can fufill the prophecy of the Dark Prognasticus. Mario teams up with a Pixl named Tippi, and uses the help of Merlon in Flipside Town to counter-act the Dark Prognasticus using the power of the Light Prognasticus and the Pure Hearts.
1.) Let's see; my biggest problem with this game might have to be the Partners. The only one who actually matters in the plotline is Tippi, and the other are just there to solve an occasional problem or two. Usually you have to set them free from a chest, but that's the only actualy screen-time they'll get. At least in the last games your partners talked and had a background story, but in this one, all the Pixls were trapped until the hero could save them; that's it.
Another problem dealing with partners is that some of the skills Mario could use on his own (i.e. hammer, ground pound) have to be used by using a Pixl. There's Thudley for the ground-pound and Cudge for the hammer, but you have to use those Pixl's ability to use the hammer and ground-pound, which is very annoying. Basically, they're just taking away Mario's abilities, and adding to the Pixl list. (there's also the super-jump that Mario can't use; you have to use Luigi for that)
2.) Okay, I've griped enough about the partners, so now to the main characters: Mario, Peach, Bowser, and Luigi. I'll reveal a little bit in saying that they're all unlockable by Chapter 7. I find that you'll end up using Mario a whole bunch, and never get to play as the other characters unless you need their abilities (Bowser's flames, Peach's parasol, Lugi's super-jump). I really like to play as Bowser because his attacks do twice the damage as the other characters, and Luigi because he can jump higher than Mario, but I constantly have to switch between Mario and those guys just to get passed a certain part in a level (you have to use Mario's ability to flip between 2-D and 3-D a lot to get passed levels). There's just too much character switching! >.<
3.) The storyline… It was good and all, but it only goes somewhere in little increments at a time. Basically, it's just going from point A to point B (like all platformers) but the PM series has always been good with the plotline, and this is the type of game in which that doesn't matter. I guess I'm just complaining about it being a platformer instead of an RPG.
4.) The main town: Flipside. You just use this place to find these heart pillar things, and you move onto the next level. You can complete the game with almost no interaction with the townspeople and the facilities. The only guy that matters here is Merlon, and he just talks to you after you complete chapters n' stuff. At least in the other games there were quests and you got involved with people, but in this game they're just… there taking up space. (even though you can just walk past them)
5.) Enemy and character data. You have to get cards (whether you find them in chests, enemy drops, or buy them) to get data on a character. There may be data on all the characters, instead of just enemies, but it's a major hassle to find all these cards, and it's hardly worth the search. At least in the other games you could use the Tattle ability (Goombario and Goombella have them) and get info in the Tattle Log, but you have to waste time and money to get info this time.
6.) The Pure Hearts. They don't give you any fancy abilities like the stars n' stuff in the previous games. You just get one, put it in a heart pillar, and open the door to the next chapter.
7.) Action commands. You only use them when you use an attacking item, and that hardly happens. You can easily take care of most enemies with a single jump.
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Okay, definately too much complaining now, so I'll move onto the positive stuff.
1.) New characters! Even though you have to switch between them a lot, it's still pretty cool to be laying waste to foes with Bowser's fire breath and pouncing with Luigi's hella-awesome jumping skills. That's about all I have to say on this matter…
2.) Cards! They may be annoying, but they double the damage to enemies if ya have their card.
3.) The game's kinda funny. There's a good amount of humor in it, so yah. The opening scene in Bowser's Castle (where Bleck shows up and messes everything up) was pretty funny. There's no Kammy Koopa though. =/
4.) Nifty music and backgrounds. Even though a dark void usually takes up the whole background at times, they're pretty spiffy. The music does get a little repetitive at some times though…
5.) The main enemies. At the end of every chapter it shows Count Bleck and his minions. Those would probably be my favorite parts of the game as they comically discuss ways to dispatch the Hero threatening to ruin their plans.
There may be some problems with this game, but I still give it a good score. I guess it just doesn't seem that good compared to the other games, but it still entertained me, and I've still got to beat the Pit of 100 Trials. I'll give it… an 8/10.