The Thousand-Year Door is one of the best combinations of childlike charmful aesthetic and super witty writing currently out there. It's an excellent rpg that seamlessly smacks on a solid combat system on top of its beautiful narrative structure.
Every single chapter is a delight, from characters mouthing off quotable and hilarious lines every few minutes to setpieces as bizarre and unique as they are fun to explore. Even at the lowest point in chapter 2 there was always a cohesion to The Thousand-Year Door's mystical and roguish aesthetic. From the great onslaught of the Glitz Pit to the spatial craziness of the X-Naut Fortress, there isn't a single point where I feel like the game dragged (well, I guess other than parts of the Boggly Tree).
There's also a good amount of soul, and while that is a big non-descriptive term, I can't think of another word to express the amount of heart and detail put into the writing here. There's crows mouthing off about politics alongside Mario getting his own taste of the Rocky stardom.
The combat is also worth praising, simply for awarding skilled timing while having distinct decision making to every turn, even if nothing on offer here is terribly complex or difficult. It certainly has its ups of enemy design but unfortunately it never makes complete utilization of its mechanics outside an optional pit of trials, but even that's a bit of a stretch. But even still, stylish presses and parries gives the combat some added replayability and opportunity to master well before the curtain call.
Even with that light shortcoming, I can't think of a better rpg to start out with in terms of the genre. The Thousand-Year Door is an excellent love letter to rpgs that has aged better than the rest of its peers.
Every single chapter is a delight, from characters mouthing off quotable and hilarious lines every few minutes to setpieces as bizarre and unique as they are fun to explore. Even at the lowest point in chapter 2 there was always a cohesion to The Thousand-Year Door's mystical and roguish aesthetic. From the great onslaught of the Glitz Pit to the spatial craziness of the X-Naut Fortress, there isn't a single point where I feel like the game dragged (well, I guess other than parts of the Boggly Tree).
There's also a good amount of soul, and while that is a big non-descriptive term, I can't think of another word to express the amount of heart and detail put into the writing here. There's crows mouthing off about politics alongside Mario getting his own taste of the Rocky stardom.
The combat is also worth praising, simply for awarding skilled timing while having distinct decision making to every turn, even if nothing on offer here is terribly complex or difficult. It certainly has its ups of enemy design but unfortunately it never makes complete utilization of its mechanics outside an optional pit of trials, but even that's a bit of a stretch. But even still, stylish presses and parries gives the combat some added replayability and opportunity to master well before the curtain call.
Even with that light shortcoming, I can't think of a better rpg to start out with in terms of the genre. The Thousand-Year Door is an excellent love letter to rpgs that has aged better than the rest of its peers.