Super Paper Mario

I think it best that I come out swinging for this review. Super Paper Mario has a lot of interesting ideas but fails to properly execute any of them. Unlike its predecessor, it is woefully dated graphically. Combine that with boring level design, a penchant for padding and a tonally inconsistent plot and you have one of the most middling games in the entire Mario series. Perhaps the most disappointing game in Intelligent Systems’ entire catalog, there is no reason to play Super Paper Mario when there are hundreds of better platformers out there.

Devil May Cry 2

Something I don’t say too loud at parties is that I’m not a huge fan of the original Devil May Cry. I certainly think it’s a unique game and I enjoyed my time with it but I’d never call it one of the best games on the Playstation 2 and I don’t think it’s a pillar of the genre like people insisted it was. However, I did appreciate that it was something unique. It knew what it was and I have some modicum for respect for it. It was unique and interesting, if nothing else. Its sequel, Devil May Cry 2 on the other hand is a focus-tested, soulless product that directly flies in the face of everything neat about its predecessor.

Castlevania 64

Castlevania is one of those series that could never quite make the jump to 3D. Castlevania, much like Mega Man, had nearly mastered the 2D side of things but always struggled to find its footing when the Z axis was introduced to the equation. Konami has tried to bring the series into 3D several times since their first attempt in 1999 to varying degrees of success but most of their ventures failed to impress critics or longtime Castlevania fans. Castlevania has always been a series that worked best in 2D and there’s no shame in that. However, it is unfair to disregard the 3D installments as if they never happened. Even the oft-maligned Castlevania, colloquially known as Castlevania 64, has some neat tricks up its sleeves that make it worth paying attention to.