Did you ever wonder what the Ghostbusters movies would look like in the Mario universe? Well, it looks like Luigi's Mansion. Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon is an action adventure and puzzle game by Nintendo. It was released on March 24, 2013 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. This is the second game in the series which focuses completely on the lovable Super Mario Bros. sidekick Luigi. Luigi is tasked with clearing out various buildings of ghosts using a special vacuum cleaner known as the Poltergust 5000. It features both a single player story mode as well as a multiplayer mode which lets you team up with friends and work together to complete various challenges.
Story - 7
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| The Evil King Boo! |
After successfully containing the ghost infestation in the previous game for Professor E. Gadd, a scientist who studies spectral forces, Luigi returns to his duties helping Mario. E. Gadd begins studying the ghosts and creates a way of controlling them called the "Dark Moon". Using the Dark Moon the professor is able to keep the ghosts in a docile, friendly state, and uses them to help with his research. This peace is short lived. The evil King Boo comes to E. Gadd's labs in Evershade Valley and shatters the Dark Moon into 6 pieces. Fortunately Gadd is able to retrieve one of them before King Boo's Boo minions hide the remaining pieces in various large buildings. Without the moon to control the ghosts, they return to their mischievous ways and begin haunting the surrounding areas. Once again Professor E. Gadd must enlist the help of Luigi to set Evershade Valley right.
Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon is a very cute and fun game. The story is fairly shallow, but it still makes for a very enjoyable experience. The entire game feels like a children's parody of the Ghostbusters films. At times you could even say it satires the survival horror video game genre as well. Though the plot lacks depth, it does not lack fun dialogue. Luigi and Professor E. Gadd interact quite often throughout the game. Luigi, like Mario doesn't have much to say, but E. Gadd's dialogue is rife with terrible puns. Overall the story is quite enjoyable, but like most games in the Mario franchise, it lacks good storytelling.
Audio - 8
Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon has a fun soundtrack that does a good job at setting a light but intense atmosphere. Most of its music is a combination of deep string and wind instruments, complimented by higher wind instruments in the background. This creates a light, but still eerie atmosphere, and sets up a good number of unpredictable jump scares. As for voice acting, since it is a Mario franchise title, it doesn't really have much verbal dialogue. However, this does not stop Charles Martinet from reprising his role as Luigi. Just as he does with every character he voices for Nintendo, he breathes life into Luigi, giving him his fun and quirky personality. Though there is a lack of voice actors in Luigi's Mansion, the few that are there are great in their roles.
Video -8
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| The Quirky Professor E. Gadd |
The graphics for Dark Moon are not amazing. In fact, if I were to compare it to games on the leading consoles, or even the PS Vita, I would consider it pretty bad. This is factored into the score, but I am taking into account that this is still very good for the 3DS' capabilities. On the other hand, though the graphics may be on the poor side, like all Nintendo games the character designs are fantastic. Every ghost's personality is evident in the way it looks and acts. This gives the game the fun, cartoony feel that it is meant to have. Since the game is also on the 3DS it also has a 3D feature available. I only played a few hours in 3D, but it was very enjoyable seeing ghosts jump out of the screen. However, I must caution you to read the warning on the back of the box. Do not use the 3D feature for children under 7 years of age. It can cause damage to young eyes that are still not fully developed.
Gameplay - 9
Unlike most Super Mario games which are more focused on platforming, Luigi's Mansion spends its time on problem solving. Throughout the game you are confronted with many challenges, such as tracking ghosts through the various mansions, by passing locked doors by finding keys or ways around, memory puzzles, and puzzles that require you to utilize your gear effectively. Another aspect of the gameplay is capturing ghosts. Once you're used to it, it becomes fairly simple, but at first it is quite a challenge to figure it out.
When you are sucking up a ghost with the Poltergust 5000, you must first stun the ghost by pointing your flashlight at it, then aim at the ghost with the vacuum. Once you have the ghost on the reigns, you must move in the opposite direction that it is trying to go to tire it out. If you hold it for too long you suck it in and get no reward, but if you time in right you can get bonus coins.Coins are used to upgrade your gear. After you have collected a certain number of them, your Poltergeist 5000 becomes stronger, and your Dark Light device can be used more. The Dark Light device allows you to reveal invisible objects that ghosts have hidden. It also allows you to stun some ghosts, including Boos.
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| All New Ghosts on the Loose |
In total there are 5 different "mansions" to explore in Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon. They range from large estates, to buildings over archaeological dig sites. Each of them are very unique and provide fun and interesting gameplay. On top of this, it also features a completely new set of ghosts. Some of them are large and brutish and deal more damage to you, others are more mischievous and can turn invisible or hide in objects. Aside from the single player story, you can also embark on the ScareScraper. The ScareScraper is a skyscraper which you can take timed challenges with up to three of your friends. You can hunt down ghosts as a group, race through each floor to find the exit, or track down the mischievous Polterpups. Each challenge can be set on various difficulties and can range from five to twenty five floors to explore.
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All in all, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon finishes with an 8/10 which sounds about right to me. It is a great game, and lots of fun for the whole family. Dark Moon is appropriate for all ages, but it may be too difficult for children under the age of seven or eight. I recommend this game to any 3DS owner. I hope you enjoyed this review of Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments section below. Don't forget to subscribe for notifications whenever we post new content.
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