Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Review: A Polished Revival of Portable Panic

Luigi’s Mansion 2 first launched nearly a decade ago on the Nintendo 3DS. Players assumed the role of Mario’s scaredy-cat brother Luigi, equipped with a vacuum-like weapon called the Poltergust 5000. Under the guidance of Professor E. Gadd, Luigi set out to explore five haunted mansions found in the creepy Evershade Valley. His goal was to retrieve scattered fragments of the Dark Moon, a mystical object that once kept the valley’s ghosts calm but had recently shattered.

Armed with only a flashlight and suction abilities, Luigi encountered all manner of ghoulish foes within the manor’s walls. He had to flush ghosts from hiding spots and weaken them with light before “busting” them into his vacuum. Throughout each mansion, puzzles and secrets awaited discovery. Players were rated on speed, health, and cash collected on replays. Optional bonuses are unlocked, like finding rare ghosts or diamonds.

Now available for Nintendo Switch, Luigi’s Mansion 2 has received an HD upgrade dubbed Dark Moon. The haunted houses and ghostly skirmishes feel freshly horrifying with high-definition visuals and lighting effects. Control improvements like motion-aiming enhance immersion. While the core gameplay and level structure remain unchanged, Dark Moon breathes new life into a beloved 3DS adventure. For both returning fans and new players venturing into the shadows, this remaster promises more ghostly thrills in one of Luigi’s most chilling missions yet.

Returning to Evershade Valley

The rumors of strange occurrences in Evershade Valley have reached even the timid Luigi. Ghost spotting has become more frequent as the Dark Moon’s power wanes, and Professor E. Gadd requires assistance in his studies. At the request of the eccentric professor, Luigi braces himself to return to the sprawling and supposedly haunted region.

There, five mansions have opened their creaky doors to chaos. With the Dark Moon shattered, its mystical energy no longer maintains order among the restless spirits. Each property now teems with brash boos and mischievous monsters of every variety. From dusty attics to dim cellars, ghosts have claimed every inch of real estate for mischief. Finding fragments of the Dark Moon won’t be easy amid this unruly unrest.

Luigi nervously agrees to aid the investigation, equipped only with his trusty Poltergust 5000 vacuum pack and flashlight. These tools, plus some wits, will need to suction and startle the strands of supernatural pests infesting Evershade Valley. Room by room, Luigi explores creaks, crooks, and alleged ghosts around every corner, unraveling each mansion’s mysteries.

Alongside our green hero is the one and only Professor Elvin Gadd, researcher of the unnatural. With scraggly hair and boundless curiosity, the professor acts as mission control from his bunker laboratory. Through his “Dual Scream” device, E. Gadd offers hints, upgrades, and comic relief over comics. Without his gadgets and guidance, Luigi would be lost in these haunted halls.

Though scared stiff, Luigi bravely faces fanged fiends and shadowy secrets to piece the Dark Moon back together. With a little luck, he just might restore calm and escape this ghostly ordeal in one piece. The mansions and moonhold terrors that once again await in Evershade Valley…

Maneuvering the Mansions

Within the haunted halls of Evershade Valley, Luigi navigates each rickety residence with trusty tools in hand. As players assume control, they too must deftly direct our green hero through Ghost Roundup 101. Chief among Luigi’s ghostbusting gear is the illustrious Poltergust 5000 vacuum pack.

With triggers mapped to buttons, the Poltergust handles are much like the original from Luigi’s first mansion misadventure. Zap ghosts with concentrated light beams fired from its detachable portable nozzle. Stun and bind spirits long enough for a quick capture and containment within the vacuum’s vortex. Easy in theory, but spooks spare no trick to foil extraction plans!

Stealthy boos turn literally invisible without the Arcobaleno light’s luminescence. Material-manipulating ghosts fling furniture like featherweights. Fiery entities require a cooldown blast before collection. Agile Slammers joust to knock Luigi off balance. Each unique ability demands adapting tactics, from lunging with perfect timing to strafing between puffs.

Beyond whirling spectral adversaries, mansions themselves morph with mission objectives. Clear cobwebs clogging vents, or power puzzles requiring blown balloons or transported items. Hunt for hidden collectibles tucked within each roomnook. Progress unlocks new gadgets for the Poltergust, like doubling suction strength.

Outwitting boisterous bosses caps off every property with a bang. From a colossal clockwork king to an opera ghost conducting his quartet, every antagonist entertains with innovative attacks tying directly into their surroundings. Their defeats scatter Dark Moon shards as rewards.

Optional objectives entice replays, such as speedrunning limitations or finding all elusive boos. Cooperative multiplayer modes continue fun with friends in online ScareScraper horde arenas. Compete through tower levels designed with custom rules for extra chills!

So grasp Luigi’s flashlight firmly as the intrepid plumber sucks its way through haunted housing in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. With some practice navigating the remastered mechanics, both new and veteran ghostbusters alike can feel right at Luigi’s ever-loving home.

Bringing the Scares to Life

When exploring haunted houses filled with spirited spirits, the atmosphere must absolutely send shivers down your spine. Thankfully, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD achieves just that with its striking presentation. While the visuals brought the paranormal panic before, this remaster takes things to the next eerie level.

Stunning graphics upgrades make each rickety room and creepy corner crisp and clear. Faded textures from yesteryear stand bold and brilliantly colored now. With lighting effects handled flawlessly, shadows shift and stretch just so to heighten your heart rate. Every dingy detail pops as if painted by the ghostliest of ghoul artists.

Yet the art style retains its charmingly cartoony charm. Ghosts remain goofy rather than ghoulish, ensuring fun fears over full-fledged frights. Subtle expressions on sprites give each entity its own endearing essence. Unique character designs define foes like hiders and throwers, aiding in identifying strategies. Locations feel lovingly lived in too, from creaky furniture to flickering fixtures.

Masterfully manipulated moods move moodily between mansions. Languid libraries loom far less lively than lively laboratories. Each area’s ambiance draws you deeper thanks to lovingly crafted acoustics. Eerie electro-orchestral scores serenely seep into your soul. Hidden hints of tension tiptoe in too, to tease your terror levels.

Then there’s the uncanny unease unleashed by unexpected apparitions. Jump scares arrive via ingenious invader introductions, mischievously maximizing pulse-pounding. Creature capers craft clever cinematic moments, bringing beloved Boo encounters vibrantly to life. With such striking scenes, this series simply shines all over again on Switch.

Capturing Ghosts Together

While Luigi’s adventure alone provides plenty of frightful fun, popping in some pals truly amplifies the excitement. Beyond the classic story mode lies a terrain tailored for teamwork—the ScareScraper.

Luigi’s solo escapades see him braving each haunted location to hunt haunts and pieces of the shattered Dark Moon. With puzzles aplenty and a cast of characters as peculiar as any Mario world, replay value remains high. Secrets and challenges incentivize thoroughness to prolong the pleasurable chills.

However, the ScareScraper opens entirely new layers of thrills. Towers of terror stand as the multiplayer hub, with floors of fiendish foes rising to new heights of horror. Players pair off to conquer each level together, coordinating captures while coping with intensifying intensities. Communication and cooperation prove crucial against the escalating encounters.

Within these virtual vertiginous venues, friends fine-tune their ghost-grappling tactics to overcome obstacles and outmaneuver monsters as a team. Strategizing which spirits to stun or which hazards to avoid, teams trade tips while trading scares. Success relies on rapid-response reactions and reliable reliability under pressure.

Numerous customizable campaign options allow for tailored terror, too. Customizing creature counts, time limits, or win conditions lets pals shape the challenge to their co-op comfort level. Whether simply surviving or swiftly sealing screams, finding the exit engages everyone equally in eager energy.

Win or lose, the multiplayer modes ensure all involved feel fully involved. Even for those who’ve already experienced Luigi’s lone laps, joining journeys proves just as joyful. With such splendidly designed dangers for duos or more, the ScareScraper sends shivers down spines whether playing solo or together.

Revisiting Past Scares

Apprehending apparitions alongside Luigi never gets old, yet hunting haunts on Switch shakes things up in savvy style. While maintaining the mansion medleys that once mesmerized on 3DS, dark doings dazzle with a fresh feel.

Controls convert conveniently for compact switches. Gone are days of dual-screen distraction; maps and notes now sit but a button press away. Thumbsticks twitch and twirl the Poltergust with precision, puffing phantoms with picosecond pinpoint precision. Motion moves ghost-grappling too, sweeping specters into suction seamlessly.

Visuals vanish all vestiges of vintage video-tech. From furnishings to fiends, finer Flanders fills the fallacies of the forgotten frontier. Within weathered walls, wonders wallop eyes anew, revealing refreshed relief and realism in risible revenants. Lighting lurches from limited luster, lending locations lively, liquid liveliness.

Of course, core components continue calibrating catches cunningly, as in the classic. Puzzles perplex with player-pacing poise, peppering poltergeists with puzzles purposefully. Progression provides an appreciated pace, avoiding aggravating amounts of aimless ambling in certain areas. Above all, the atmosphere enthralls with an eerie essence that is ever enchanting.

Truly, tweakings tweak more texture than total transformation. Tales tailor-tailored for new tech yet truthful to their time-tested terror-toying. For fans of yore yearning for yesteryear’s chills, this remaster proves a perfect portal to past phasmophobia. In darkness both dated and dazzling, delight demands another dusk with our daring, doomed demolisher of dark forces, Luigi.

Returning to the Haunts

Luigi’s second ghostly excursion takes him—and players—back to its spooky source with this remaster. While years have passed, its strengths remain timelessly terrific.

Tight controls translate perfectly to Switch’s setup, restoring ease arguably lost on 3DS. Gone are clumsy annoyances; motoring the Poltergust feels fluid and fun as intended. Visual flair dazzles too. Enhanced lighting brings new life to each locale, revealing richness previously obscured.

Of course, card-carrying fans face a few surprises. But familiarity fosters comfort more than fatigue. Its formula excels because evolution feels unnecessary—solid core mechanics endure. Crafted challenges and adversaries continue to be compelling, and their creative designs are still delightful after all these years.

Naturally, docked playouts exceed the original’s portable limits. Yet portability remains, empowering players to face fears on-the-go. Whether near or far from TV, Luigi bravely battles his bounty of boos wherever needed. Versatility makes this a vacuum any Switch owner would be remiss to resist sucking up.

For newcomers, this serves as a stellarly spooky story. Though aged in application, artistic ambitions ensure timelessness. Loyalists rejoin a pal welcomingly preserved, with upgraded visual panache peeling back more paint from its haunted halls. Either way, for any valiant vanquisher of visions that go bump in the night, Luigi’s luminous new lease of life makes this a must.