a missed opportunity for the fraternal epic

Ten years. It took a decade to see Mario and Luigi again in a dedicated RPG. This excessive expectation foreshadowed a resounding return of the two most famous brothers of Nintendo and video games in general. The reality unfortunately turns out to be more nuanced. Mario & Luigi the Brotherly Epic certainly offers an adventure faithful to the spirit of the series, but which suffers from a lack of ambition and identity.

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A generic story and artistic direction

The story takes us far from the Mushroom Kingdom, into a new universe called Connexia. This world, fragmented into several islands by a mysterious event, mix of nature and electricity where one does not work without the other. A promising framework on paper, but which struggles to develop a real striking visual identity. The generic artistic direction does not help you immerse yourself in this universe which would have deserved more audacity.

L’intrigue suit an ultra-classic pattern: after being teleported into this unknown world, Mario and Luigi agree to help its inhabitants before being able to return home. A simplistic narrative that never manages to create any real stakes.

Test Mario & Luigi: the brotherly epic — © Lemon squeezer

A gameplay that remains on its achievements

The combat system builds on the foundations established by Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga. Each brother is associated with an action button, allowing you to trigger attacks or dodge enemy attacks with precise timing. The numerous animations bring a real touch of humor to the confrontations. The pace of combat remains dynamic thanks to quick transitions and limited loading times.

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The main novelty lies in Luigi’s strokes of genius system. This mechanic allows Luigi to analyze certain situations to unlock original solutions, both in exploration and in combat. When facing specific bosses, this ability opens the way for spectacular sequences, such as throwing an opponent into fans to deal bonus damage.

An unsurprising progression

The game adopts a classic island exploration structure, each home to its own challenges and inhabitants to help. Navigation between zones is done via Navisthme Island, a floating hub serving as a central base. While the fast travel system via colored pipes makes getting around easy, island content lacks variety beyond simple aesthetic changes.

The progression system has been simplified, perhaps too much. Level ups happen automatically, leaving little room for character customization.

Questionable design choices

The inability to control Mario and Luigi independently represents a clear step back from previous episodes. This incomprehensible decision limits the possibilities for exploration and puzzle solving.

The absence of a cooperative mode, which seemed natural for a game featuring two characters, also constitutes a glaring missed opportunity.. Such a mode would have made it possible to forget some questionable choices concerning this Mario & Luigi on Switch, but its absence only adds to the overall disappointment that the title gives.

A return that deserved better

This new iteration of Mario & Luigi is not completely lacking in assets. The fights retain their charm thanks to a successful mix of timing and strategy. The animations sometimes bring a little personality to this sad DA and the humor remains effective. But these qualities are not enough to mask the lack of ambition of this opus.

Buy Mario & Luigi the Brotherhood Epic at the best price here

The series would have deserved a deeper overhaul after such a long absence. Instead, Mario & Luigi the Brotherly Epic simply takes proven mechanics while adding a few accessory features. A disappointing choice that does not do justice to the legacy of the franchise, Superstar Saga being one of the best games in the history of the Game Boy Advance.