Verdict
While the game tolerate from a want of three-D , Luigi ’s Mansion 2 HD is still tons of fun to playact , keeping young gamers harbor with its accessible gameplay whilst elderly players will find gross ton of collectible and an exciting multiplayer mode to keep them occupied .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The second installation in Nintendo ’s ghost - busting series , Luigi ’s Mansion 2 is now the latest legacy plot to get a HD update on the Nintendo Switch .
Out of all the games in Nintendo ’s backlog that could have seen an upscaled re - release on the company ’s a la mode console , Luigi ’s Mansion 2 was n’t particularly gamy on my list of predictions .
There are plenty of Gamecube classic like Star Fox Adventures and Eternal Darkness that would sit absolutely alongside recent upscaled title likeMetroid Prime RemasteredandPaper Mario : The Thousand - Year Door . Still , having now finished the Switch version of Luigi ’s Mansion 2 , I can safely say that I ’m happy it made the parachuting .
Story and Gameplay
If you ’ve played either of the other two Luigi ’s Mansion games then it wo n’t be too much of a surprise of how the story move in the serial ’ 2nd episode . Some metre after the first plot , Luigi is call upon by Professor E Gadd once more to take down an army of rampage ghosts , this sentence causing mayhem throughout Evershade Valley .
There are a few extra elements to the account this metre around as the trace are actually friendly at the beginning of the biz , but when the skybound Dark Moon is shattered into slice , its absence seizure repulse the ghosts into a frenzy . Unlike the first secret plan , LM2HD takes its lead part to several locations , each with unique concepts , lend a turn more variety beyond the one mansion setting .
One second you ’ll be walking down whine hallways in a mansion that feels familiar to the first game , and the next you ’ll be trundle through an abandoned clock factory that take on a wild Mae West esthetic . There is n’t much more beyond that from a narration - telling perspective however , so if you ’re after something juicier in that department that ’s still kid - friendly , you ’re good off playing eitherPaper Mario : The Thousand - Year DoororLego Star Wars : The Skywalker Saga .
Just like with most Mario titles however , the taradiddle is n’t the draw here but rather the simple yet engaging gameplay that makes Luigi ’s Mansion 2 a great title for new audiences . At its nub , LM2HD go steady you shining a light in the guidance of a nearby ghost and then using your Poltergust 5000 to vacuum-clean them up .
As soon as your blow latches onto a ghost , you take to tug both joystick in the diametric direction to their movement , slowly pare down their health which is represented by a number that surveil them intimately . The longer you hold on , the more chance you have of building up a power stripe that , when filled , lets you take down a serious lump of their health .
There is a flake of scheme involved , particularly in the later parts of the game as you ’ll have multiple ghosts trying to pare down your own wellness count , and the only path to actively nullify them whilst trying to vacuum another ghost is to allow it to carry you around the room and out of hurt ’s way . This lead to a push button and pull active , akin to a paranormal tug - of - war .
It ’s all in force play and it definitely hold my attention to the end of the game but it does n’t evolve much beyond that concept . There is a separate hyperkinetic syndrome - on called the Dark - Light gadget which is required to reveal any nearby Boos , but otherwise it is n’t scream into combat all that often . This might sound a bit wearisome to some , but I call back it works in appropriate the secret plan to be nestling - friendly and avoid any consistent feeling of frustration that might lead them to discontinue playing .
I only fail once during my entire playthrough and that was due to some confutable natural philosophy at playing period during a particular boss fight that might call for an adult to ill-use in , but otherwise the core gameplay is n’t too much of a challenge .
alternatively , the collection to older histrion can be found in the bold amount of collectibles dissipate throughout the game . You ’ve get under one’s skin all - sort from gem to golden bones , blot out Boos and gobs of Johnny Cash that can be used towards upgrade for your Poltergust . There are even hole-and-corner bosses to fight after you ’ve top through a certain amount of those aforementioned collectibles , so there ’s tidy sum to keep you come back .
It ’s also worth mentioning that the secret plan has a terrific sense of mood that had me chuckling more than I expected to during my playthrough . Almost all of it comes from Professor E Gadd , but his interactions with Luigi as well as his on-going comment of events are very risible .
Graphics and Performance
Luigi ’s Mansion 2 ( or Luigi ’s Mansion : Dark Moon , as it was previously known ) used to be one of the finest sounding games on the Nintendo 3D , making full use of the cabinet ’s wider showing to show off some impressive looking venue . Though it pains me to take on however , that game is now 11 years old and limitations of the era ’s computer hardware are more ostensible than ever .
With that in creative thinker , this HD remaking does a great job of bringing new life to the game with more vivacious colours and slap-up contingent that expect specially optic - catching on theNintendo Switch OLED .
It ’s not quite up to the same standard asLuigi ’s Mansion 3which managed to drive the Switch ironware to its limits , delivering gorgeous graphics that sit mightily up there withMario Kart 8 Deluxe , but it ’s a respectable enhancement that does make the biz feel more forward-looking .
In this conversion , one key aspect of the original secret plan ’s identity has been lost along the way , and that ’s 3D. Much like Super Mario 3D Land , LM2 really put 3D front and centre to make the most of its diorama - like levels , add together a sense of depth that allowed secrets and out of sight passages to stand out from the background .
The absence seizure of this applied science is most greatly felt during the ‘ peek - through ’ moments where Luigi can put his eye up to a crack in the bulwark and see what lies in the next elbow room before head in . unremarkably there ’s a modest comedic scene that wager out as the ghosts become after - life versions of Laurel and Hardy , but they just do n’t hit with the same impact when take in on a flat 2D CRT screen .
Obviously I recognise that there ’s very petty that can be done here as the 3-D fad came and run low with the 3DS , but it is still detectable . What has benefitted from the rise though is the plot ’s animation style .
Because the plot ’s protagonist is mostly soundless , with the exception of a few humble words , the report is told almost entirely on Luigi ’s facial expression and his foible which are animize brilliantly . There ’s so much emotion to Luigi ’s movements that sealed cutscenes palpate more like watching a toon , helping to alleviate the game ’s darker musical note for young musician .
avowedly , I really do overleap the almost full - on horror aesthetic of the original game which felt more like the Spencer Mansion from Resident Evil than anything found in LM2HD , but given Nintendo ’s target audience I ca n’t say I pick the company for wanting to pivot the overall tone of the series .
On a pure performance level , the plot is careen strong . Given that dependable performance is never a give , even from Nintendo ( see : The Legend of Zelda : Link ’s Awakening ) , I ’m pleased to report that I never experienced any visual or secret plan - breaking bug throughout my playthrough , nor did the framerate ever take a dive , even during the game ’s more chaotic moments .
Multiplayer
Even though I play through a sightly amount of LM2 back on the 3DS , I never got around to trying out its multiplayer element until now , and I can easily say that I was overlook out .
LM2HD ’s multiplayer takes the form of the ‘ ScareScraper ’ mode which sees you and up to three other player ( either online or topically ) work your way through several shade - infested floors before taking on a boss on the construction ’s rooftop .
There are four modes to choose from let in Hunter , Rush , Polterpup and Surprise , with the final examination of those four being my sheer favorite as it ’s a combining of all three that really keeps you on your toes .
Hunter musical mode construe you capture as many ghost as you could , while Rush sees you racing to discover the exit before time runs out , and Polterpup has you using your Dark - Light to try and track down a small dance band of ghostly domestic dog .
At the end of each mode , there ’s a ‘ Red Coin Scramble ’ which sees four red coins breed randomly throughout the map and you ’re give a very diminished amount of time to garner them all . It ’s all quite frenetic , and with several difficulty options to choose from , those who feel that they breezed through the political campaign will have an absolute blast here – I know I ’ll be dive in for more when the public server are bouncy .
The game even has a go at you if you ’re not performing quite as well as the other members of the group , so there are plenty of bragging rights to be had by perfecting your proficiency , in particular as the winners are more likely to get key upgrade for the next flooring .
There ’s also an endless version of the ScareScraper for those who really are a glutton for punishment , although I was n’t capable to test it out in time for this review .
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Should you buy it?
LM2HD ’s easy - to - understand gameplay loop take in it a great buy for any younger gamers with a Nintendo Switch .
The Luigi ’s Mansion series has never gone all - in on tell a cryptic narrative , so those who want a near story on Switch will be better served by the likes ofMetroid Prime Remastered .
Final Thoughts
Luigi ’s Mansion 2 HD is just a lot of fun to toy . Whether it was in scouring the environment for secret , trying to take down as many ghost as possible in one go or making a run for the nearest Red Coin in multiplayer , I was thoroughly entertained .
While the absence of three-D is decidedly a sticking stage for some section of the secret plan , the improve visuals and liveliness impart new life to this entry , making it well worth pick up for anyone looking to dive into another witching Nintendo adventure on their Switch . Otherwise more veteran gamers will find more to write rest home about in thought-provoking title likeMetroid Prime RemasteredandThe Legend of Zelda : Tears of the Kingdom .
Trusted Score
How we test
We bet every game we critique through to the end , out of doors of sure exclusion where getting 100 % closing , like Skyrim , is close to unacceptable to do . When we do n’t fully end a game before reviewing it we will always alarm the proofreader .
FAQs
Yes , Luigi ’s Mansion 2 HD is the same core game as Luigi ’s Mansion : Dark Moon but with improved visuals .
Yes , the plot feature an accesible gameplay iteration and only mild scares , have it appropriate for children .
Full Specs
