Release: 2017
Developer: Nintendo
Platform: Switch
Genre: Platformer, Collectathon
Gameplay Stats: 960 Moons (I'll hit 1000, don't worry)
I've been working through this game for a couple months, but I think I'm ready to write about this one. I haven't completely finished playing the game, but my thoughts about it are pretty solidified.
Visuals: This game is really pretty. It's a Mario game, so it definitely goes after a stylized aesthetic instead of trying to look realistic and I think that plays to the consoles strengths instead of trying to compete with the PS4 Pro and Xbox 1X. The game takes place across several different worlds each with their own look and flavor. Each one looks great and really shows what the Switch is capable of. I'm actually impressed with how good this game looks! I didn't think the Switch would be able to do something like this. There's not too much that's groundbreaking here, but everything is really good.
Audio: Every single level here has great music. There isn't a single one that I disliked even when spending hours in each world to get most all of the moons. I even like at the end that you get an iPod type of item where you can play any songs in the game that you particularly enjoyed while continuing to play. The sound effects are really well matched to what's happening as well. I will definitely revisit this sound track.
Plot: Pretty standard plot here, but they don't waste your time with the why. There was no Bowser crashing a birthday party or anything like that, the game opens with Bowser punching Mario into space and flying away with Peach. It was like a nod to long time series players and a concession that the story is mostly unimportant. It takes a back seat to the gameplay for certain...
Gameplay: Good lord this game feels fantastic. The controls felt a little bit slippery at first, but once you get used to them they are extremely tight. I think I've had the easiest time controlling Mario in this game compared to all of the others that I've played. It also seems like this game has more movement options than in previous entries. I have two small nit picks that I can offer here, but they are really minor things. Swimming feels more cumbersome than it has in previous entries and some of the better moves are tied to motion controls. These are relatively minor gripes and don't really hamper much enjoyment of the game. Every time that you swim, it's more beneficial to capture a creature to control instead of swimming as Mario, so it's really not that bad.
This game is phenomenal. Easily one of the best games of 2017 which says a lot because this was a great year for games. For me, Mario Odyssey was a system seller and I have no regrets about that at all. It is an extremely fun game, and I have no doubts that I will replay all 50 or so hours at some point. [9.5/10]
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