I haven't played a Mario game since 2002 when Super Mario Sunshine rocked my 13-year old brain. Maybe it's a simple case of rose-coloured lenses and nostalgia, but Odyssey just didn't live up to the expectations I had based on my memories of this beloved title.
What appears to be a new and fresh take on the franchise, thanks to the imaginative cappy mechanics, begins to feel bland very quickly. Maybe it was the forgettable level-design, or the uninspired music, perhaps it was the repetitive boss battles, most of the game felt like it was lacking a certain, hard-to-define charm that older Mario titles had.
There is plenty to see and do, and so many collectibles to be found, but I didn't feel compelled to replay this one. One of the biggest issues may have been the shear number of collectibles to be found here, which is overwhelming but also a bit too easy. Difficulty (or lack thereof) wasn't the main issue, I wouldn't judge a Mario game on it's level of challenge; but it did stop feeling fun fairly quickly, whereas older Mario games compelled me to replay until I discovered every single secret and collectible.
What appears to be a new and fresh take on the franchise, thanks to the imaginative cappy mechanics, begins to feel bland very quickly. Maybe it was the forgettable level-design, or the uninspired music, perhaps it was the repetitive boss battles, most of the game felt like it was lacking a certain, hard-to-define charm that older Mario titles had.
There is plenty to see and do, and so many collectibles to be found, but I didn't feel compelled to replay this one. One of the biggest issues may have been the shear number of collectibles to be found here, which is overwhelming but also a bit too easy. Difficulty (or lack thereof) wasn't the main issue, I wouldn't judge a Mario game on it's level of challenge; but it did stop feeling fun fairly quickly, whereas older Mario games compelled me to replay until I discovered every single secret and collectible.