Luigi's Mansion 2 (A.K.A Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon in US) is a Ghost Horror Action-Adventure game only for 3DS, which was developed by Next Level Games and published by Nintendo. It is a sequel to the 2001's original title for Gamecube called Luigi's Mansion which is also on the 3DS as remake in 2018 by Grezzo.
I remember back in my childhood days when my brother and I had first bought the Gamecube and the games from the electronic store, so I was looking forward to play the first Gamecube game which is a Luigi's Mansion where you take control of Luigi in the haunting mansion to capture many ghost as well as his job to search his missing brother Mario.
It's one of the game that is quite different from any of Mario games which I really liked the idea of playing as the different character especially with Luigi did end up getting his own game as the main protagonist in whole game.
I believe the whole concept of the game is somewhat inspired by the likes of classic 80's film such as Ghostbusters which is the reason why the game involves catching many ghosts with the vacuum cleaner that fits perfectly well for the Nintendo's ghost-horror title making the most recognisable Gamecube title that sold over 2.5 million units placed in 5th best-selling Gamecube game of all-time.
The game's success had led to sequel for 3DS in 2013 which I had decided to play another Luigi's ghostly adventure featuring 5 different themed mansions and one of the first game to include co-op play for both 4-player local and online.
This game is definitely one of the better entry of the series taking an advantage over the 2001's original thanks to fluid suction and blowing functions mechanics, puzzle-based missions, and variations of ghost enemies and bosses had played absolutely well on the Nintendo's handheld devices, but there's couple of some mistakes that I also wanted to point out which I will explain the further details on my review.
So without go further do, let's start the review.
Presentation
The game starts off with Professor Elvin Gadd, one of Luigi's scientist from the original game, happily working his science work with the friendly ghosts until the villainous fat ghost named King Boo, who already managed to escape from the painting, destroying dark moon which causing the remained pieces scatters in 5 mansions turning all ghosts into hostile.
Meanwhile at the small house, Luigi was contacted by E. Gadd asked him to come at his bunker for terrible news that has already happened.
After learning about the King Boo's returns and ghost's oddly behaviour, Luigi has his quest to obtain 5 missing dark crystals as well as capturing all ghosts to restore peace to Evershade Valley.
I got to say the story is rather more interesting than the original game which I really liked the idea where all the happy looking ghost starting off really nice with the scientist until that the fat spooky ghost had taken his power to changed their behaviour into frightening looking creature and conquered the land of home valley.
I also liked the dialogue between the Luigi and E. Gadd are making their strategy plan and objectives before preparing for the next mission which encouraging Luigi to motivate himself and learning to reduce his fears on ghosts in the mansion which I really liked the part in the game where the person needs to stand up and fight to save the land.
We all know Luigi is a younger brother of ironic mascot hero Mario as well as being a sidekick in many Mario games. Unlike Mario is a brave plumber had the balls to stomp goombas and throwing fireballs, Luigi is much of being a scaredy ass pussycat always act timid which shows lack of bravery that is easily to get frightened by the ghost in entire game, but it makes him quite memorable regarding with his fears that made me liked Luigi a lot.
I don't really mind the side character Professor Elvin Gadd which I know him from the first game. He just the scientist trying to help Luigi to solve the issue inside the haunted mansion filled with many crazy ghosts. He normally contacted him through the video calls for hints and clues during the mission which there's nothing to say about the character because he just a normal scientist thats all.
I can't really stand Toad in any of Mario games especially this where he just completely useless character which I will explain it further later on the review, that damn mushroom people makes me want to eat their heads off.
I really liked the choices of the ghost characters in the game, so you have averaged green ghost, tough red ghost, stick-thin blue ghost, big-fat yellow ghost, sticky purple ghost, crackhead pink ghost, three sisters, variants of possessors, and of course cute little ghost pup.
Besides with story and characters, the presentation looked amazingly appealing with dark and goofy looking mansion which is a straight up cartoony concept that made the locations quite wacky, so you have standard looking Gloomy Manor, overgrown botanical Haunted Towers, an old-fashioned clock tower in Old Clockworks, an mining cold mountain in Secret Mine, and of course the Treachous Mansion with full of museums which I got to say I really liked seeing the different settings of the mansion that you don't end up being stuck in the one mansion just like the first game which really adds up the presentation so nicely in the game that trying to come up with the new concept.
Overall, it has memorable characters, interesting story dialogue, and goofy presentation.
Gameplay
In single player mode, the game is divided into multiple mission-based levels that has the number of the objectives you need to complete throughout the game, such as retrieving an object, accessing a particular room, and defeating a stronger boss ghost. You take control of Luigi at the top of the 3DS screen for 3D gameplay, while the bottom touchscreen displays the map screen which you can able to navigate the rooms during the exploration.
The circle-pad moves Luigi around, while pressing Y and B button to look up and down while standing still. Holding the B button and pushing forward makes Luigi sprinting while not holding B button and push forward makes him walk instead. You can interact the objects by pressing the X button when the X icon appears on objects like furniture, treasures, and any objects.
After retrieving the vacuum cleaner and UV touch from the first mission, your vacuum has two functions mechanics such as suctions that sucked all the way inside the vacuum by holding R button, while blowing just used for blowing out of suction by holding the L button.
You can use these methods which helps you to gather the items such as money and collectables, interact things like elevator with pinwheels, inflating the balloon makes Luigi float up in air, picking up objects like logs or books, and shooting out spike ball.
To capture the ghost, you may need to use flashlight to stun ghost which expose their health rate and then use suction while pushing back circle pad to decrease its hit points until it is weak enough to be captured, but you can vacuum up to three ghosts simultaneously. You can also charge up your torchlight by holding then let go the A button to perform the large range stun which worked effectively against the bigger ghost enemies.
There are meter level system which tells you that if you reached up to the full meter while performing the suction on enemies this will allow you to damage their hit points faster by simply hitting the A button making a easier chance to capture ghost.
Your UV touch are designed for finding a hidden objects or footprints in the area, so you will hold Y button to use UV light until the hidden objects like furniture or treasures will suddenly re-appear, but it is also worked effectively against the invisible boos in some areas.
What I liked about the game is that each of the enemy ghosts has different abilities and attacks such as green ghost that are the weakest of all ghosts, but it uses a clever armed and shielded tactics that preventing Luigi from capturing them such as dressing up in suit of armor or mummies and using the swords and shields as their armed weapon that you need to find the way to stun them until you found one of their weak spot.
The red ghost are slow but strong brutes that can create a ranged shockwave attack, the blue ghost are quite fast paced has their ability to hide on the objects as well as throwing the banana peel on the ground to make Luigi slip so you need to track them down faster by interacting the right spot of the objects, the pink ghost can surprise you behind your back with the jumpscare causing to lose Luigi's health points, the purple ghost can stick you inside their body as well as their defense is slightly better compared with the rest of the ghost which you cannot capture them when they are attached to the floor, and then you have fat yellow ghost which has higher health rate can throw their goos as a projectiles as well as slamming Luigi in close contact resulting heavy damage point.
So far, the enemy ghosts in this game is pretty good when it comes with their strategy resulting a many variations of attacks and ability making them a less boring that worked pretty well for most rooms.
The game involving puzzle solving where you need to solve the problem in the area such as collecting 4 missing gears to unlock new passage, clearing out spider-webs, activating hydro generator, repairing pinwheel lock to enter hollow tree, rescuing toads by putting them into safe location, chasing down ghost dog for special key, and many more mission-based objectives that I really liked how the ghost horror title involves solving the problems and being able to gain access to new rooms adding a fun factor of the game.
I also liked collecting the moneys, golds and coins which can be located in each rooms resulting a higher scores after beating the level, so if you collect many of currencies then you will be awarded with the upgradable items such as increasing UV gauge bar which allows you to use UV light much longer and meter strength level of vacuum cleaner is making easier to pull ghost enemies resulting a higher damage points.
I got to say the ghost capturing system is slightly better in this game because I liked the improvements on suctions and blowing functions especially with adding strength meter that is so easier to pull the enemy ghost into the vacuum cleaner which takes 5 to 10 seconds, while the first game has wonky controls that you had to push the stick back can leads the slow process of capturing ghosts.
I also liked the large range of charged flashlight which I can able to stun them much quicker compared with turning the flashlight off then turn back on from the first game.
Capturing the boos on this game is less headache than the first ones because instead of using suction on boos when they fly around the room, you can capture boos by simply expose them with the light, pull their tongue out till the health is down and then suck them into the vacuum cleaner which I kinda glad that the boos doesn't run around the room as much in first game.
The puzzle solving is pretty straightforward that does not require a complicated objectives meaning that you can able to solve problems faster thanks to simple list of tasks resulting a very good mission play in each levels.
The boss battles are pretty fun in the game, so you have the three ghostly sisters, the variation of possessor, and of course the King Boo which really adds up a experience of the game thanks to clever tactics that keeps you engaging with the boss fights.
There are some parts in the game that really annoys the f**k out of me was that little mushroom head toad was completely doing my heading because the part where I walked on the water or swamp ground he's not willing to cross over the things that he is afraid off so I had to pick him up with the bloody vacuum cleaner to help him get across is just unbelievably painful and then when the ghost appears in the room he ran around like an idiot and I was like ugh just shut the f**k up.
I also wanted to point out the gyro control where I crossing on the narrow bridge without having to falling off the stage, so I had to balance out by keeping your 3DS system steady incase I don't fall down instantly which I think it felt its way to gimmicky for my playstyle, so I rather much preferred using with the circle pad instead.
I've managed to enjoy the whole single-player campaign because this game got it everything right for level design, variation of enemies ghost, the list of objectives, and gameplay mechanics which brings me many moment of this spookiness adventure. The game also includes 4-player modes called thrill tower which you take control of different coloured Luigi so your goal is to explore each floor of mansion and complete the objective within time limit which leads you to the next floor. You will have 3 different objectives such as rush where players must race to find the exit door, hunters involves capturing many ghosts as possible, and polterpup where you must pursue and capture ghost dogs.
These multiplayer can be played on both locals and online play which gives you an option to play on solo or teams which I got to say it is a fun game mode that I really liked in the game, so it's pretty wicked.
Overall, it has good level design, variation of enemies ghost, the list of objectives, and great gameplay mechanics.
Graphics
The graphics are sure looks pretty solid on the Nintendo's handheld system. You have a spectacular character's design that looks very recognisable especially with Luigi and bunch of colourful ghosts that is way more appealing than the original game. I also liked the rendered cartoony animation for most that makes the whole settings of the game look wacky and goofy, and the environmental design sure does look haunting for most of the areas which they did a decent job on textures and surfaces of rooms and courtyard.
The use of visual effects filled with cloudy mists, sandpits, swamps, and sparkling stars above the night sky that is looking perfect with the stereoscopic 3D display which really helps the graphic design feel more like a true 3DS experience.
Overall, it has spectacular character's design, cartoony animation, and impressive environmental design.
Music and Sounds
They did a fabulous job on the original soundtrack featuring orchestrated sounds that feels just like the original game. It was composed by Chad York, Darren Radtke, and Mike Peacock did made a great rendition of the Kazumi Totaka's original score from the first game because I really liked the whole entire music in every playable area that really adds the Tim Burton's films vibes to the game's personality.
The sound effects are very well done with atmospheric sounds of level environment and the grunting noise of ghosts did add up a solid overall sound design, and I also liked the voice of Luigi by Charles Martinet who has voiced his role of our favourite mascot Mario from many Super Mario titles that is the reason why I liked the iconic voices of the beloved character gets really frightened in entire game.
Overall, it has memorable soundtrack, solid sound design, and iconic voice role.
Special Features
The game does have unlockable bonus level when you capture all 5 boos in each mansion, the vault room has the collection of captured ghosts and the gems you collected, and it has collectable E. Gadd medals which unlocks gold file frame.
Overall, an acceptable features.
Advantages
Goofy presentation
Recognisable characters
Great gameplay mechanics
Clever enemy's tactics
Good puzzle solving
Amazing visuals
Memorable soundtrack
Disadvantages
Gyro controls feels gimmicky
That damn Toad
Final Verdict
Presentation 8.5/10 - memorable characters, interesting story dialogue, and goofy presentation.
Gameplay 8/10 - good level design, variation of enemies ghost, the list of objectives, and great gameplay mechanics.
Graphics 8/10 - spectacular character's design, cartoony animation, and impressive environmental design.
Music and Sounds 9/10 - memorable soundtrack, solid sound design, and iconic voice role.
Special Features 7/10 - unlockable bonus level, the vault room, and collectable E. Gadd medals.
Overall 8/10 - It is a solid overall title that gets everything right for a sequel that does better job than the first installiment thanks to fluid capturing system with improved gameplay mechanics, additional bonus missions, entertaining boss battles, great cast of enemy ghost, and has good multiplayer mode and excellent single player campaign that made Luigi's Mansion 2 a fun ghost-horror title on the 3DS library.
So what you're know? it's a Nintendo game everyone, it's supposed to be a fun games for all families and children, so I say this is definitely a buy for everyone who own a 3DS. Will I able to see another Luigi's spooky nightmare (Luigi's Mansion 3 on Switch)??? maybe just maybe for another future as consideration, but enough talk I'll go out and catch many ghost as possible with my vacuum cleaner, time for my ghost haunting action.
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