Recent reviews by megaman with a glock

my review will remain positive as long as valve continues to keep their games as bot-free as possible

So this game is an incredible nod to the first 2 Paper Mario games, and I haven't even finished it as of writing this. But it takes everything that made those games good and takes it a step further to make it great. At the same time, it feels different enough that I don't consider it to be a straight-up PM clone.

What I like about this game so far:
- The characters. God do I love the character writing and their interactions with each other. They are all so likable, funny, and full of personality. I'm pressing select all the time just to see what they have to say about their surroundings.
- The story writing is really well done so far--a lot of RPG writing tends to be really cheesy and rely too heavily on popular tropes. But personally I haven't tasted the cheese with this game, it's engaging and draws you in, making you want to see what happens next.
- The music, art style and direction perfectly captures what Paper Mario had, while staying true to its original themes.
- Controls are tight and feel good to work with.

What I feel could be better (because there's nothing I actually dislike):
- Some instrumentation sounds a little too midi-ish to me. This is absolutely a nitpick and this does not mean that I hate the music, because I love the music. But it can make a difference.
- While I like the sub-dialogue balloons (i.e. replies to the character talking with the main dialogue box), sometimes they come and go a little too quickly and I don't get a chance to read them after I'm done reading the main dialogue. Again, another nitpick.
- The field abilities are creative and useful, but they can be frustrating to use at times (like Vi's beemerang). Trying to use the abilities facing up, down, or diagonally can be a headache.

It is a story to remember with unforgettable and lovable characters. This game is a breath of fresh air for fans of the RPG/bullet hell genre; it encourages the player to not fight their enemies and instead negotiate with them. It really revolutionizes how games can be made and played to persuade someone to do the opposite of what games usually tell you to do.