u/HalfBurntToast

Wow. I was not expecting this game to be as good as it ended up being. Where I didn't care much for TotK, the sandbox approach to this game just works. Similar to TotK, it sorta feels like playing Zelda with a trainer or cheats enabled. But, it allows for some real creativity when solving puzzles. At times, I had to remind myself that trees are no longer a hard barrier and instead just an obstacle. And there were plenty of times I had that feeling of 'there's no way that was intentional' when it came to some of the solutions I came up with. And, from what I've read, there are a lot of different ways to do the same thing.

The different biomes and dungeons never overstay their welcome. And the dungeons are, generally, pretty good. The game leans on the easier side of things than other 2D Zeldas. In some ways for worse. Instead of using a new item or ability to grab a piece of heart, you can just build a staircase out of beds to get it. But, on the other hand, it's a lot of fun to spawn a hoard of monsters to fight for you. Even then, it might not help you with some of the enemies/bosses. And, not to get into spoilers, I thought the ending levels were really well done. At times it felt like I was playing with another person beside me.

On the other hand, after the halfway point, difficulty drops hard. I don't think I died a single time after the mid-game boss. Between hearts, smoothies, and fairy bottles, Zelda becomes pretty invincible as long as you play defensively. I personally didn't mind that. But, I can see why it would be too easy or casual for some.

I think the biggest, objective issue is the poor performance. Seriously. Nintendo, what the hell is going on with this game engine? Even playing emulated on a machine way, way more powerful than the Switch, this game chugs. The actual Switch performance is even worse. The framerate is capped at 60. But, it jumps from 20-60 constantly when moving. Link's Awakening had these issues too, but they seem worse now. I eventually downloaded a mod that stabilizes the FPS by adjusting the rendering resolution on the fly. At times, the internal resolution dropped down to like <480P. That's just sad.

I'd say the only other personal gripes are that the game kind of silos you into certain objects to solve problems. I'm not a huge fan of the art style, even though it's cute at times. And, more importantly, Zelda should be able to fight on her own without 'channeling' Link. She's literally a ninja in OoT. Come on. She don’t need no man. But, knowing how Zelda timelines work, who knows what matters where anymore in this universe?

Anyways, the game is great. Easy 8 or 9 out of 10 for me. Easy recommend for a casual, laid-back Zelda.

Edit: Just had the credits roll on the game. I don't hate the game. I liked the game overall. I'd probably give it a 7/10. I still stand by my criticism of the clashing art styles for some of the levels. If the models and art were more stylized for New Donk City, it would be far less jarring. But, I also thought the gameplay of Metro city was bad. So...

The easiness of the bosses and platforming in general... may just be influenced by my own nostalgia for Mario 64. But, I still would say things are easier overall than past main titles. But, maybe by a smaller degree than I first thought. That all said, something still just feels off about this game. But, I can admit I don't have a very solid idea of what that exactly is.

Original post:

Pretty much the title. I'm over halfway through the story and... it barely feels like a Mario game at all. The formula of the worlds is basically the same as a Spyro game. Small, disconnected worlds with one or two big objectives, a handful of side objectives, short mini-games with novel mechanics, simple bosses, and tons of collectables. The platforming seems far easier than past Mario games, and the game is practically throwing moons at you. And, frankly, it reminds me way more of Spyro 2/3 than a Mario game. Not that that's a bad thing; the Spyro games are amazing. But, it's not what I was expecting from a Mario game.

Probably what makes it feel the most like a romhack, in a bad way, is the crazy breaks in a consistent art style. One level will feel true to Mario: pastel colors, simple geometry, cartoonish characters, etc. Then a photorealistic T-Rex will pop up out of nowhere. Or you'll drop into a forest with sharp grass textures and trees. Or you'll be thrown into a weird reimagining of New York City with realistic cars and people. But, Mario and enemies like the tanks keep the same cartoony models through the entire game. It's all very jarring and, I think, looks really bad. I think New Donk City might be one of the worst Mario levels ever made.

But, for me, the biggest flaw with this game is how simple everything is. I know that was likely the intention behind this iteration of Mario. But, I have vivid memories of Mario 64 and how you could get lost with exploring a single level. It really required you to study the map and experiment. But, this game feels a lot more like Spyro where the worlds are bite-sized and rarely become difficult.

I guess I can say that if you like Odyssey and want more, Spyro 2 and 3 are games you'd probably love. I guess I was just expecting more of a Mario 64 or 3D World/Land than what I got. I can't say that I love Odyssey. Mostly just because I feel like I've already played it.