Developer: Tantalus Media
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch
Tested on: Switch
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD – Review
With the many Mario releases over the last few years, be it the remake of Super Mario RPG, the remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, or Super Mario Bros. Wonder, one sometimes forgets that the red iconic plumber also has a younger brother, Luigi. Luigi is an easygoing guy, and he actually prefers to stay away from the limelight, hoping he can live out his life in peace. Sadly, over the years he has been dragged through spooky mansions to capture ghosts, forcing him into a leading role. Today, we’ll be looking at the HD remaster of Luigi’s Mansion 2, a title that originally debuted on Nintendo’s 3DS in 2013.
Story
Some time has passed since the events from the first Luigi’s Mansion game, and it seems that Professor E. Gadd is conducting important research in the Evershade Valley while Luigi is finally able to relax at home. Sadly, things go awry and the Dark Moon crystal is shattered into tiny pieces, turning the peaceful ghosts in Evershade Valley into hostile creatures. Luigi gets forcefully summoned by the professor and is tasked with finding the pieces of the Dark Moon. From here on out, a fairly predictable story with a reluctant hero starts.
In terms of story, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD doesn’t have a very expansive plot. You’ll get all the necessary information to complete the tasks at hand when you progress through the game, but the story itself does take the background for the most part. We didn’t mind the fact that the narrative was kept simple, as this is one of those games where the atmosphere and gameplay matter the most.
Graphics
With a 3DS exclusive title under the hood, you’ll clearly see that this isn’t a brand-new title that pushes the Switch to its limits. It is, however, a great remaster that grants a second lease on life for a title that only got limited exposure on Nintendo’s 2011 handheld. Now, you’ll be able to enjoy all the sceneries of the different mansions on the big screen as well, and we have to say that Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD looks quite good. The iconic, underappreciated Luigi looks great in his second big adventure, and his expressions are quite amusing. The ghost designs look fairly good as well, and so do all the different backdrops. There is enough clutter for the haunted mansions to feel somewhat lived in, and all in all, the effects look decently done as well. You’ll see a few rough edges here and there, but all things considered, this is a good-looking remaster of a 2013 handheld title.
With the original release, the second screen would display the map. In the HD remaster, you’ll have a small mini-map in the top right corner, and there are also improved lighting effects, a clear depiction of the dark-light meter, and so on. It’s mainly minor changes, but the UI is clear and you don’t really miss the absence of the 3DS’ second screen.
Sound
As a whole, the sound design is quite good. If you have played the original, you’ll instantly feel at home with the spooky yet upbeat soundtrack accompanying you throughout the adventure. There is enough variety when it comes to the music, and the sound effects provide great audio feedback when you bust out your vacuum cleaner to get rid of ghosts, obstacles, and other creepy crawlies. There is no voice acting present, but all characters speak a sort of gibberish, which does have a bit of charm. It also never gets old to hear Luigi humming along with the background music.
Gameplay
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is in essence still the same puzzle-adventure title as its original 2013 3DS release. You’ll be playing as Luigi, Mario’s brother, who sadly doesn’t get his time in the spotlight that often. In Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, you’ll have to explore different mansions to capture ghosts, find pieces of the Dark Moon, complete fairly simple puzzles, and simply explore to your heart’s content. The offset is quite straightforward, and just like slightly over a decade ago, things are very accessible and entertaining for gamers of all ages. The HD upgrade didn’t really spice things up that much in terms of gameplay, and thus you’ll be treated to a fairly similar experience as the original 3DS release.
Considering the original was designed for the 3DS, the gameplay flow is a bit different than the first installment on the GameCube. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is designed to be played in short bursts, and thus you’ll be playing the game in a sort of mission-based format. Most missions you play through are often roughly around thirty minutes, depending on how much you wish to investigate every nook and cranny. We finished some stages in less than ten minutes, while others actually took more than half an hour to find a few hidden secrets. The flow of most missions is quite similar, as you explore your surroundings, find new ways to access rooms or outside areas, solve fairly simple puzzles, capture a few ghosts, and so on. The further you progress, the more tools you’ll have at your disposal.
Outside of the game’s main content, there is also the Scarescraper mode. This is a multiplayer mode in which you and up to three other players will go through the so-called Scarescraper to clear floors of ghosts. There are also other modes to choose from, but we reckon you’ll spend most of your time catching ghosts with friends. Sadly, the game does not support couch co-op, and you’ll either need to play locally with others who also own a copy of the game and have their own Switch console, or you’ll have to play online. It would have been nice if they added couch co-op for the Scarescraper mode.
As the controller layout has changed a bit over the years, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD also received an update in this department. You’ll be able to properly use both sticks to aim your ghost-busting vacuum cleaner, which does help with pinpointing certain ghouls and goblins. Sadly, the controls still feel extremely rough around the edges, and somewhat dated. In all honesty, it was the controls that dragged down the otherwise wonderful experience. We would have probably loved a full overhaul here, instead of a mild update to create a functional experience for modern controllers.
Conclusion
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a great remaster of an already great handheld title. The game has easily withstood the test of time, and with the small updates in place, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD could be dubbed the definitive version of the game. This spooky title for all ages pushes all the right buttons thanks to its interesting set designs, the fun gameplay, and of course, Luigi’s overall charm as the reluctant protagonist. Even so, if you already own the original 3DS game, we don’t see that much reason to pick up the HD version at its current price. If you missed this title the first time around, and you’re a fan of other games in the series, then it’s a no-brainer to pick this one up.
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