As we discussed yesterday, I’m gradually chipping away at Luigi’s Mansion 3. The game is pretty great so far, but there’s one particular section I really want to talk that can’t wait until my full review.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Contained on the 8th floor is Paranormal Productions. Themed after a movie studio, you run into a movie director ghost who is distraught at the loss of his megaphone. This wouldn’t be a problem except for the fact that he’s holding the next elevator button that you need to proceed.
In order to get the megaphone, you have complete a series of tasks that ultimately give you the things you need to retrieve it. Doing so will take you across four different movie sets, all of which have unique themes.
What makes this section special is the way in which it leverages the in-game camera. The set itself involves just a few props bordered by green screen walls. However, when you place Gooigi in front of the camera and have Luigi look from behind the camera, the actual scene comes to life. The empty city scene is now enveloped in flames. The well is now in front of a spooky castle. The giant cardboard box makes it clear that you’ve been shrunk down. Finally, the medieval tower is the backdrop for a battle featuring arrows raining down.
Across the four sets, you need to manage your interactions in front of the camera and behind the camera, almost like the “Light World” and “Dark World” in A Link to the Past. Took me a while to figure out that there was a bucket in the main room, but it all fell into place once I made the connection.
After returning the megaphone, the ghost asks Luigi to star in his latest creation: a Kaiju film! Standing taller than the buildings on this miniature set, you must defeat the ghost wearing a Godzilla-like costume. Between the core concept of this encounter and the unique way the camera pans around the scene amplifies the silliness of the scenario even further.
Still have a ways to go before we close the book on Luigi’s Mansion 3. If the rest of the game is anything like Paranormal Pictures, I can’t wait to dive even deeper. For those who have played Luigi’s Mansion 3, what was the highlight for you?
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In Third Person 
Lots of great points here about why this floor was particularly smart game design from a mechanical standpoint. They really brought their A-game with this one!