Mario & Luigi: Brothership Review: When More Isn't Always Better

Legacy Lives On, Perhaps at Too High a Price?

The Mario & Luigi series has always held a special niche in Nintendo’s offerings of RPGs. After AlphaDream’s closure and several years of inactivity on a sequel, it will be interesting to see how this new take on the ‘legendary’ series will feel. While Brothership conveys the charm that we love it for, scope might become its biggest enemy.

A Tale of Two Brothers in a Fractured World

The adventure takes our beloved plumber duo off to Concordia, a world that was once whole and is now literally broken. After the destruction of the mysterious Uni-Tree, a continent that was once joined is now scattered across a vast ocean. It is the job of Mario and Luigi to set sail across their floating island-ship to these isolated communities to rebuild the connections, literal and metaphorical.

Gameplay That Shines. Until It Doesn’t

The series’ signature turn-based combat returns with all its reflex-testing glory. Every battle is a dance of timing and coordination between the brothers, from basic jumps to elaborate “Bros. Attacks.” The new “Luigi Logic” system adds an entertaining twist, letting the green plumber shine with creative (if sometimes impulsive) solutions to tough situations.

Where Brothership Stumbles

What starts as a promising 40+ hour adventure unfortunately suffers from pacing issues:

Opening hour is extremely diversified
The middle section drags and pushes the patience of the player
The climax overextends and fails to do justice to the excitement
Beautiful visuals and animations that cannot compensate for the repetitive gameplay

Technical Excellence Meets Design Challenges

The Nintendo Switch transition has worked wonders for the visual presentation of this series. The game is bursting with personality, in its very detailed animation, and a charming art style that makes the visuals delectable and enjoyable. Even these technical advancements cannot fully cover the structural flaws of the game.

The Verdict

Pros:

Very charming character animations
Interesting combat system
Fantastic “Luigi Logic” feature
Gorgeous visual presentation

Cons:

Inconsistent pacing
Bloated middle section
Repetitive battles
Overextended finale

Final Score: 7/10

While Mario & Luigi: Brothership doesn’t quite reach the series’ highest peaks, it remains a solid entry that shows promise for the franchise’s future on Switch. With tighter pacing and more focused design, this could have been something truly special.

Share Your Thoughts!

Haven’t played Mario & Luigi: Brothership? Let’s hear your thoughts on the new features and how you feel that this installment compares to previous ones. Throw some thoughts down in the comments section for everyone to see!

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