Retrospective - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - When A Sequel Won The Heart Of A Generation

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The prelude:

 Hello, welcome to a new review.

First of all I must say than this is my favorite game, out of every genre, generation and console but the retrospective will remain neutral and critical with some zones for nostalgia and others for specific hits or miss from the game.

I can hear the music like it was playing right now, the nostalgic punch kicks hard

The Story : 

First of all I have to say my opinion of the Rpgs take.

A lot of people on the reviews and opinions in general on the web says that the story are the most important part of a Rpg and I don't agree with that view, for me, the core gameplay will always be the most important part of a game.

For example if the story is bad or the structure of the world isn't that good, still to a certain degree you can ignore these things with a fun and diverse mean of playing the game.

Now try to ignore the gameplay and the games sometimes are so unbearable that great stories are buried on some old games and sagas.

If the gameplay was as good as the story would be different (Shenmue flashbacks).

Chrono Trigger
For some (me included) the best Rpg to be known to this day but my point stands, not every rpg has to be 100 hours to be a great game

Of course there's exceptions to the rule as always had been to anything.

Things like visual novels or point&click adventures are nothing without a engaging story and a gameplay that helps to tell that story.

I say this because games often are a 15-20 hours long for the most standards of the industry to this day.

The RPGs are always from 50-60 hours to almost the double, there's some games that the story drags about 80 hours to a hundred for the "boom" (Yeah I'm looking at you Xenoblade).

Paper Mario with less than 30-40 hours is also a good example of a Rpg with the half of common length

By drag I mean that you are so burned out because the story is slowly getting interesting or takes a lot of time to fly and don't fly to high.

This is more an opinion but the fact is that the hours don't speak for quality as the quality of something don't have to be brief to be good.

So if I am expected to play something for a hundred of hours of course I am in if the gameplay is fun and the story holds their own.

Fallout New Vegas
An example of the other side, a long but of high quality Rpg

The Paper Mario Essence:

For the original Paper Mario the story wasn't a big deal, it was pretty good and had some good ideas and great characters but was a "Mario" game as an Rpg.

With the cycle of Bowser kidnapping Peach and actually beating Mario, it was a good refresh for the saga and I actually love that game too, but didn't really "break that shell of being a Mario game".

This isn't exactly bad but for a general statement, the sequels of games that are so good, also put on the light the faults and letdowns of the original.

It happened recently with TOTK and happened before with things like Assassin's Creed 2.

Then Super Paper Mario after this one with a heavily focused story game with is perks and letdowns but check out our job for a better context.

With the Thousand Year Door this happens again and it's always subject of discussion if a sequel lowers the quality of the original because of this (I absolutely don't think that)

Not exactly a welcoming sight but an unique ambience

For example one of the strongest points in this game are the story, the development team didn't keep any punches.

Everything from the ambience, the grim tone of the city (just look at the gallow in the central plaza, a welcoming vibe).

Just put attention at the first moment you enter Rougeport, you don't see a new beautiful city to explore, you see a dark tone that some dangerous hoods in real life makes you feel.

Also a few moments later you're already involved in a fight, meet with some new enemies, and intertwined with a dangerous legend, all in one days work.

Add that you have a new companion for luck or not, a large and treacherous journey and a mystery to resolve, that's what I call optimization of time.

Talk about a shocking first impression
(also we probably don't want to know what is happening on the back)

The game don't really open up after the tutorials,  yes you can explore certain zones and some events encourages you to do it.

In other words, some parts of the city and it's back alleys are closed by some character or you need an ability to access to them.

Just entering the second part of the city you are robbed and the game don't tell you that you have to go seek the robber but you can do it and recover your money and discover new locations at the same time.

The Structure Of The Game:

It works on a structure of chapters and every chapter starts with you in front of the thousand year door showing you a vague representation of where you have to go and explore.

Next you know you're speaking with a certain character and starts right away with the preparations for going into the next journey.

This is your spoily tool that with show you a graphical explanation of your objectives

The first chapter introduces the legend of the door and the fact that something sleeps on the other, to uncover the truth you have to collect the Star Crystal's.

Then you know where you have to go, explore a little and then you enter a pipe to the new world, just to take a few steps in and the game introduces on a very small cutscene of the main enemy of this chapter (I don't say more).

My point is that the first chapter is very straight forward to enter into the world that become the carpet but subsequent chapters need more complex to get into the new part of the world that you need to explore.

The environment are always welcome to explore

Imagine things like making an alliance with the mafia(no I am not exaggerating), making contact with a strange creature that thinks you want to eat him, solve a mystery on a trip on train or get stolen you whole body and face.

The chapters are very different, from atmospheres to little gameplay variations like fighting in certain zones with pikmin-like creatures to interview different characters.

Seeking for evidence to solve a crime or fighting in a straight gladiators arena (with Mario gimmicks of course), the story is well crafted and the progression feels very organic.

Every one of them are very unique to obtain

Also another few things that's worth to point out is that in the predule from one chapter to the other you play as Peach and Bowser in their respective adventures.

Intertwined with the main story of course but this little "moments" explain some things for the Mario side of the adventures or simply shows another viewpoint.

The length of the game are from 30 to 40 hours first play but when you know the game, for example I consistently finish this game under 30 hours in, with some side quests and exploring to my heart content.

I don't really remember the exact number of my 100% run but I recall around 60 to 80 hours including the secret "arena" if I may call it that way.

Spoiler alert of side content

This is an almost end game 100 floors battle pit with a secret boss, it's unlocked very early on the story and encourages you to visit it every now and then in the mean of side stories.

It's a fun challenge but has a problem, every ten floors you will encounter something to help you on your run and in the first few floors some things that will help you on the story.

It's recommended to visit this place when you grow stronger but you don't have any way to know how far your abilities and level can get you.

Every try it's a lot of time, the only thing that helps a little is the rescue of a Toad that becomes available every now and then.

The hint of every beginning of a chapter are presented the same way.

The gameplay : 

This is the stellar part without any doubt of the game, it's a straight upgraded version of the 64 Paper Mario, to me also feels a little faster, but with new moves (base ones and with badges).

A very healthy pool of enemies and attacks, the action commands are back with some new features like the super defense (a parry, on a turn based game , talk about bold decisions).

A lot new ways of powering your actions with pushing the correct buttons or tilting the joystick in certain ways.

For those who didn't play the original (go and play it please) the main world and the battles happens in two separated sections as the standard turn based fight style.

The battle is very fun, nothing more to add here

You choose what to do and can push buttons in the exact moment to do more damage, just as the Mario Rpg from Super Nintendo (expect some day a review of that game too).

You can come in contact with an enemy, with the exception of the battles that aren't scripted. 

Enemy on the overworld are seen and you can choose to engage or flee, but if you hit the enemy before the enemy touches or attacks you, win a bonus attack that happens automatically.

Only watch out if you jump attack a spiky enemy without the proper equipment you will suffer damage ( logic).

The ambience of the battle stage is pretty unique

The battle stage comes with a "theater" scenario for the battles that can level up with you.

This means new features and random things to happen, also add that you now have stylish moves for almost all of your attacks that helps you gather star power more faster.

Add a public that encourages you or attacks you from time to time considering the enemy you're fighting and the characters that they are, a lot of interactions like a casino slot machine that helps or drags you down.

Yeah boy!

Some battles also interacts directly with the public, I know that it sounds like a lot to take in but trust me, when you play it all will come natural.

It's not a game hard to master, you will be fighting the first or second main boss in complete control of the battle system.

At first glance it can even look basic but all the tools are here and some will arrive when necessary

The other half of the game are the main world or the exploration mode.

You control Mario in a 3D style world full of Paper gimmicks, like optical illusions , the use of the thin than the Paper is, some transformations with a loot of charisma.

A paper plane or turn to the side to enter on really tight spaces, you can jump, use the hammer.

Add the use of some special abilities that your partners have, almost the same mobility that the original but we have a really sad lose, the spin that Mario had on that game.

Rest in peace

The World design :

Rougeport as a hub .-

We will be here..... a lot.

After every chapter we find our way again to the principal hub of the game, it's not that the city changes a lot but there's always something new to see.

The news on the panel or the graffiti's behind the news sign (Tip), we sometimes meet interesting characters here than we will meet again, more ahead on the adventure on different sections and contexts.

Some pointers that I can make it's for example the Trouble Center, we will get across this part of the map as the side quests hub with a little of context to every problem that we have to solve.

The most glorious chapter of all the game
(For me)

We will meet characters that we had seen before or we will unlock new interactions, minigames, items, you name it.

After we solve the problems of the citizens , as a little easter egg we can see who's behind the trouble center with the help of a certain companion but that's your mystery to solve.

The minigames we can play are at the local casino and you must meet certain requirements but they're worth the job, they're fun and different from the main gameplay.

Now let's talk about the bad parts, the moments that (not to my personal opinion but I know that they're the low point of the game).

Nothing suspicious about this place , seems legit

The exploration is less rewarding than it seems at first glance, a lot of the collectibles don't worth that much trouble if you're not on the 100% path and thats fall low.

For example the star pieces are almost hidden in the same way across all the chapters, on corners, behind walls that results on ilusions of viewpoint or my least favorite, the false fragments of floor that will flip with a certain special move.

There are 3 paths to discover these collectibles, spamming the move on absolutely all the game or go to a fortune teller that helps you (a lot of backtrack and a very slow animation everytime so for me it's not worth it) and the last one, a partner.

The problem is that this partner is basically an end game companion and you literally must revisit all the game to find the star pieces.

Some basic, some interesting and some that are a boring chore, a bit of everything

Now the side quests at the trouble center involves getting from point A to B and return to A to get an object, speak to someone or do something to return again to B.

A log that feels underwhelming to any person including me, also some of the parts on the chapters feel like a decorated hall, you must move forward until you finish the stage or sometimes backtrack quite a lot.

The 4th chapter for example, the first time is really good because of the circumstances that you have to sort, but for a fresh run you will backtrack 4 or 5 times at the very least and lose it's charm very fast.

Almost all "unique" characters are interesting, I concede that point

The last but not least is that some of the partners are straight up redesigns of the original one and like the half of them have abilities that the original already had.

A couple of Mario special abilities were partner abilities on the original so it hit on the originality pretty hard but not kill the deal, at least the partners personality and charisma are very unique so one thing for another.

They do the same but have a whole different personality and appearence

Now after finishing reading all the bad things you can think that isn't of the high quality that I mentioned a lot before but nothing more far from reality.

The honest truth that I want to cultivate in this reviews dictate me to tell the goods and the bads and in this case the bads are quite a lot.

In a real gameplay they're there less than it seems, the collectibles can be ignored and you can choose the trouble center quests that attract your attention and avoid the boring ones.

Also the world design is of the highest quality on the series, there's a lot of themes and each chapter feels very unique.

Kinda hard to detect a lot of errors on the first run

You're on some dark creepy woods and the next thing you know is that you're fighting the championship on some arena to get on a trip on a train full of crime and strange situations.

Trust me, there's a lot of heart in this game and that's why it's so highly praised, another thing to add is that every now and then we meet Luigi and he chats with us about his personal adventures.

He almost always has a partner that says otherwise about the stories that Luigi tells but who we are to point if he's a liar, these little things that not help a lot but they're here is what makes this game so loved.

Luigi cuts to the chase

The Conclusion :

This game has it's ups and downs, the fact is that is more loved than hated and that took the Mario rpg games on a whole another level.

A more grim tone with the same charismatic cast and a lot of new faces, an adventure with a story worth of being recognized.

All as a whole makes a great package that upgrades a lot the original and also straight up takes some abilities from him but with new tweaks here and there.

This door began everything and everything will end

Thanks for reaching the end!

We sincerely hope that if anyone tries this game because of this review or another one on the net, loves this game the same I do.

I need all the help that I can get to pray to Nintendo for a new classic like Paper Mario or at least a remaster.

Much appreciated the support that the page received, thanks for everything!

-The Chronicles Team

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