GuyDuke said:
That's it! That's exactly it! I was trying to figure out why Galaxy 2 felt unfulfilling and uncharismatic, now I believe you've put the finger on it - it couldn't let you enjoy the wonders of space depths. At times, even the first one took me out of the illusion - especially that dreadful Toy Time Galaxy. And there were times I could feel the emotive depth coming back to me in Galaxy 2, namely in the Cosmic Cove section. Having actually built upon Rosalina's backstory in the first one helped a great deal. And I believe that's why she's a fan favorite in the Mario pantheon. The second one did push aside anything remnant of a story, it actually shipped you right into the platforming section without making you feel the excitement of running around spherical worlds and see the stars get lost into the Milky Way. |
Yeah Galaxy 2 definitely has moments of contemplative beauty, but far less so than the first game for me. And yeah, Rosalina's story helped, as did having a full fledged hub instead of the more generic world map of 2.
Galaxy 2 is still an amazing game, don't get me wrong, but the original just has a special magic. It didn't just inspire my brain and test my hands; it touched my heart.