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Mixed Feelings on the New Origami King Trailer

 Video games  9 Responses »  Tagged with: ,
Jun 122020
 

Now it’s time for a break from our Not-E3 coverage for news that isn’t from an E3 replacement… although if Nintendo had its usual Nintendo Direct this year, it very well could have been.

Today, Nintendo dropped an almost 6-minute overview trailer for Paper Mario: The Origami King.

After the initial trailer left people cautiously optimistic, we were all waiting for a better look at the game to answer the numerous questions the reveal left us with.

I figured a solid look at the game would help me make up my mind, but instead I’m more conflicted than ever.

The main questions after the reveal trailer were:

  1. Is Origami King an RPG?
  2. Are partners really back and will they fight in combat?
  3. Are attacks consumable items?
  4. Is “paper” still a major focus of the game?
  5. Will it have a good story?

So let’s take a look at the trailer and see which of these questions we can answer now.

It begins with a summary of the game’s premise, then gets into more specific details. Seeing Mario patch a hole with confetti right ahead of the narrator saying this game takes place in “the paper-crafted universe of the Paper Mario series” is a good sign that yep, they’re still obsessed with paper.

The environments look interesting, although I hope you can interact with NPCs in that oasis town.

About a minute and a half into the trailer, it gets into the question of Origami King’s partners. After Olivia, who appears to be the primary partner a la Tippi/Kersti/Huey, it introduces some others. The Bob-omb, who had everyone curious due to him appearing in multiple environments yet not having a name, is revealed to have amnesia. I suppose that’s why he introduces himself as Bob-omb. The trailer calls him Bobby.

Then there’s a Toad professor named, uh… Professor Toad. Really? They couldn’t give him a name?

And of course, Kamek, since Mario seems to be teaming up with some of Bowser’s allies.

So, will partners fight in combat? According to the trailer, “some of them” will.

The combat system itself looks like it could be okay. It’s not a traditional turn-based combat system, but instead has a puzzle component where you rotate rings to line enemies up. Unfortunately, we see the conclusion of a battle this time, and it shows Mario getting rewarded with coins, so I think there’s a very good chance Origami King does not have experience or leveling up.

Then… we have the bosses.

When I heard the words “Legion of Stationary,” I had a moment of excitement. Had they really introduced not only a new villain, but an entire cast of new villains? Then I saw that the colored pencils shown a moment ago were one of them, and my excitement plummeted into dismay.

Colored Pencils, Rubber Band, and Tape are our villains.

Yes, the bosses include a set of colored pencils and a tape dispenser.

I… I just don’t get it. They’re tripling down on the paper obsession! Remember when the paper aspect of Paper Mario was largely an aesthetic that only came into play from time to time? Now it’s like it’s the whole point! Why are we fighting tape?!

Ahem. Boss battles themselves sound interesting, since they seems to transform the battle into a mini board game puzzle where you have to get Mario close to the boss in order to fight.

Then the trailer shows how you’ll need to find lost, folded Toads and unfold them, because Toad-finding has become another obsession for some reason. Even the narrator lampshades it with the “This is a Toad” speech. Hopefully they’ll at least have funny personalities.

Some more gameplay elements are shown in a Japanese video, including Professor Toad using an ability in the environment and Olivia transforming into a giant turtle for a super attack.

The exploration, mini-games, and other gameplay elements seem like they could be fun, but there’s still so much about Origami King that has me shaking my head.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to the trailers, Nintendo UK’s website has been updated with more Origami King details.

It describes it as a “tear-able” comedic adventure, so I think we know what tone this game is going for.

Now, the story section introduces the main characters, with a paragraph devoted to Mario, Olivia, Olly, Peach, Bowser, Luigi, the Folded Soldiers, and the Toads. A second section talks about the partners, saying “they’ll join you for a time.” This probably means they aren’t permanent companions like in past Paper Mario games, although Bobby might be an exception to that since he’s been consistently shown in multiple areas.

The gameplay section introduces the confetti feature (which is basically a confetti version of painting stuff in Color Splash), mentions that Toad Town will gain new shops and features as you rescue more Toads (and that sounds cool; I like the idea of Toad Town as a hub area), the combat system and boss fights, and then… equipment.

So, are attacks consumable items or not? Judging by the website, it’s a mix.

Your basic Boots and Hammer sound like normal attacks you will always have. Special attacks such as Shiny Boots, however, are separate and must be equipped. They “break after a while,” so it doesn’t sound like they’re one-time consumable items so much as breakable weapons with durability.

You can also equip Accessories to “boost Mario’s skills both in battle and on the overworld.” Does this mean badges are back in Origami King?

That was my first thought when I saw them, but I’m not quite sure. It looks like accessories are split into multiple categories with different tiered accessories in each one, although the last group might be miscellaneous accessories. So I don’t think they’re badges, but a simpler version of that system.

Chances are good those health accessories are why Mario had different amounts of HP in different trailers, rather than any sort of leveling system.

And of course, there’s the “1000 Fold Arms” technique to interact with the paper world at special Magic Circles.

So to revisit our questions again…

  1. Origami King does not appear to be an RPG. There is no sign of experience or leveling.
  2. Partners are back, although most might be temporary, and at least some fight alongside you in battle.
  3. Basic attacks are not consumables, and special attacks are breakable weapons.
  4. The game is obsessed with paper and papercraft. The world is paper! Paper! Fight your nemesis, the mighty tape dispenser! (There’s gotta be a Scissors boss, right?)
  5. I don’t know if the story will be good, but it looks like it’ll be focused on humor and possibly character-focused stories like Bobby’s amnesia. I expect it to be closest to Color Splash when it comes to story progression.

These are my thoughts on the latest Origami King trailers and details, but what about you? What do you think of Paper Mario: The Origami King?

Hopes and Fears for Paper Mario: The Origami King

 Video games  9 Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
May 152020
 

Yesterday, I was working out some details about my in-progress horror novel when what should pop up but a trailer… for a new Paper Mario game??

Paper Mario: The Origami King was announced yesterday, and not only that, but it isn’t far off. It will be out for the Nintendo Switch on July 17.

Despite all the Paper Mario rumors, I didn’t expect an announcement trailer to be dropped on us out of the blue, and I especially didn’t think it would be only two months away. As a huge fan of the first three Paper Mario games, I went into the trailer hopeful, yet also nervous. Would it be the return to form I was hoping for?

Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the uncertainties of the Paper Mario: The Origami King trailer.

First, the thing that stood out to me the most as a good sign about this Paper Mario game: it seems to have a strong emphasis on story again. The start of the trailer is creepy and immediately sets up the antagonistic force. Everything points toward an adventure to stop a sinister threat, this apparent origami cult following the Origami King.

Compare this to the announcement trailer for Color Splash, which mentioned the story premise, but focused on the color-based gameplay mechanics above all else. Or this early Sticker Star trailer, which shows nothing story-related at all.

The trailer does show Mario using extendable origami arms to pull off a piece of the environment, but it’s a small clip rather than the main focus.

(With that said, why did they become so obsessed with the “paper” aspect of Paper Mario? The early games had the paper aesthetic and occasionally made use of it for things beyond the art style, but for the most part they could have had different graphics and stayed the same. The recent games act like the idea that the characters are paper should be at the core of everything.)

It’s possible that this cool set-up will only be the premise that will send Mario on a soulless journey through story-free worlds, but right now I have a good feeling about it.

In addition to the origami companion character Mario meets, the trailer also shows him talking to a Bob-omb, interacting with Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Kamek, and being seemingly accompanied by some other characters. We’ll get back to this soon. For now, it at least supports character interactions and story content.

Now let’s talk about the combat system. A brief combat snippet is shown at 1:32 in the trailer. Mario is standing on a circular platform and moves the platform’s concentric rings to line up a group of enemies, which multiples his attack power by 1.5. A second snippet at 1:39 shows Mario jumping on a line of enemies.

That second part made me worry at first, because an icon at the upper part of the screen says “Shiny Boots.” Is that a sign that Origami King uses consumable items for combat again? A Japanese video showcasing the combat with a longer clip sheds more light on this.

It gives another look at the ring system, but the most important part of this video is that we get to see the combat menu. When translated, it shows that Mario’s available attacks here are “Mario’s Boots” and “Mario’s Hammer.” This suggests you’ll have normal basic attacks, rather than consumable items. The “Shiny Boots” from the main trailer might be an upgrade or equipped item.

There are also two tabs in the menu, one for weapons and one for items, as well as a button you can press for equipment.

A Toad in the audience is shouting for Mario to use an Ice Flower. Another part of the video shows an option for Mario to “cheer.” It looks like we might be interacting with the audience during combat, which brings to mind the audience in The Thousand-Year Door.

According to the official eShop page, Paper Mario: The Origami King features “ring-based battles that challenge you to strategically line up enemies.” That could be fun, but I’m still hoping to see RPG elements. For me, the combat system is the biggest uncertainty.

The description also mentions repairing the damaged landscape and using Mario’s “1,000-Fold Arms ability” to pull and peel the landscape. It’s all paper, everyone!

Okay, let’s move on to another big question fans have about Origami King – will there be partners?

As I mentioned earlier, the trailer shows Mario interacting with a variety of characters, but it’s unclear if these will be actual partners during the journey or if Mario’s only consistent partner will be Olivia, the origami princess who joins him in his quest to stop King Olly.

The eShop page mentions “Mario, Olivia, and their companions,” and the official announcement says “you’ll enlist the help of characters old and new, including King Olly’s good-natured sister, Olivia, along with a range of unlikely allies, including Bowser himself.”

So… partners? Once again, it could go either way. These characters could accompany you, but they might only interact with you at specific moments.

Additional screenshots on the official website show Mario with more characters. The most promising hint toward partners is that the Bob-omb appears with Mario in multiple locations: sitting with him in some sort of vehicle, standing with him on a boat, walking through a forest, and running from gigantic enemies.

Assuming that is the same Bob-omb, and not that the game is filled with multiple generic Bob-ombs, he at least appears to be a consistent recurring character.

Meanwhile, the Toad from one of the screenshots appears in combat with Mario in the Chinese trailer, suggesting partners might join you in battle… although the scene in question is in the English and Japanese trailers without the Toad, which is bizarre.

I’m cautiously optimistic about Paper Mario: The Origami King. I want to believe it will have a strong story, a good cast of characters, a fun world to explore, and an interesting RPG combat system. I know there’s a chance it will use its story as an excuse plot for running around different levels solving paper-themed puzzles, with shallow character interactions and few RPG elements. Right now, it’s too soon to say which it will be.

What are you expecting from Paper Mario: The Origami King?

(And yes… I will play Color Splash before Origami King comes out!)