So, I've said several (million) times that I'm was/ am a Sega kid so I have a negative bias against Mario, Probably unjustly, but that's what got beaten in to my brain as a kid (unaided by the fact that all games media has a massive bias towards Nintendo for reasons I don't understand). There was a while though, during the DS/ Wii era where I thought I might change my mind, and that's where I'll begin. New super Marios bros. DS was was the first Mario game I played to the entirety and it was fantastic, and even though that is a 2d platformer whereas 'A hat in time' is 3d, there is a reason for bringing this up, the reason being New super Mario Bros led me to playing the DS port of Mario 64 (that and the general good word). Now, even though this was several years old when I got to it, I have to admit it is a fantastic game, and clearly a game that 'a hat in time' takes a great deal of inspiration from. That game pushed me on to buying Mario Galaxy and that is a true all time great, a much more linear game than mario 64 but the game play was totally spot on and a real fresh take on 3D platforming. I missed its Super Mario galaxy bro (number 2) as I had traded in my Wii by its time of release, what with all the shovel wear released on Wii and the end of my university 'adventure' (y'know, constant drinking) meant that the group playing of Wii sports/ play dropped off and it became fairly pointless (also I was skint re. the whole university thing). Skipping past the underrated New super Mario bros Wii U (which was a small improvement on the DS game several years late) I picked up the once again underrated Mario 3D world (for some unbelievable reason people said the Wii U was crap, but there was that plastic tablet...), which was a very good 3d platformer, but more traditional than galaxy, and as thus somewhat of a let down for me personally, after Galaxy was so damn good. Ironically I then finally picked up Mario galaxy 2 with the Wii U's backwards compatibility (looking at you playstation and your lack of it (how am I finally supposed to play 'a crack in time' now I know how good ratchet and clank is you jerks? (I could dust off the ps3, but that seems like a very small amount of effort that I can't be bothered to put in, it's already in a box!) you jerks)). So, Mario galaxy 2, again I was let down, it had been many years since I had played Galaxy 1, and at the time it really resonated with me, but having played 3D world. the gameplay and graphics in galaxy 2 seemed a little out of date, and the game felt exactly the same as the first. And then there was Mario odyssey...
I was waiting with baited breath for this game, as I was a hat in time since I heard of it, but which would be better I asked myself. Having read the title you know my opinion already. Odyssey is an interesting game, several small worlds each filled with tiny little bits of gameplay to get moons to move on to the next stage. now these little chunks are largely very good, but this isn't really what I'm looking for, I like larger travelling levels with more of a challenge whereas just to play through the main game of Mario Odyssey was way too easy, granted there is a supposed fantastic post game, in which i dabbled, but after the mushroom kingdom flashback to 64 I found largely unrewarding and just more of the same over again. I have likely mentioned before at my general dislike of playing games over again or to death unless I find them truly special (see Sonic mania, Horizon and indeed, a hat in time). Again, I'm being negative, but I am generally a negative outlook kind of person, I did like Mario Odyssey, but it didn't live up to the hype for me, at all. were it not a Mario game and instead some new IP and less hype, I might have enjoyed it more, but high expectations are a dangerous thing. This segways in to a hat in time nicely.
A hat in time had me interested, it looked good, and I heard good things as it was released on PC a month or so before consoles, and word of mouth was good, but after Zelda and Mario I began to learn my lesson (kinda, but it was largely due to a new IP with a relatively inexperienced studio (I think, my 2 minute investigation was inconclusive) that this could be different).
This game is a spiritual successor to Mario 64, a hand full of worlds with a handful of quests in each, but unlike Odyssey these are real challenges. Large platforming sections are abound, there are interesting puzzles and a large variation on the missions that are part of the game. From straight up platforming to stealth, to murder mystery investigation to races and large scale puzzles and long boss battles, there is something for everyone, and mostly all in depth. Best of all are the secret colourless areas you can find which are the ultimate challenge of your skill.
To appear unbiased I will give some negative elements. Mostly it's the graphics, this game looks like it would be more at home on a 360/ PS3 than modern day consoles which is a shame. Secondly I was somewhat worried about the hat changing concept of the game, thinking there would be millions of pauses to change hat, and even though this doesn't happen as much as I worriedly expected it can still get annoying at times.
Those minor gripes aside this is quite probably my favourite 3D platformer of all time, better than Mario 64 as it has clearly taken inspiration from it and modernised it, better that Mario Odyssey, netter than this years nostalgia fest that was the Crash N'Sane trilogy and yes, even better than the 3D sections in Sonic Generations. (BTW, I'm not counting Ratchet and Clank as a 3D platformer, my blog, my rules). Play this game.
Clearly no need for a 'you may also like' part as I just listed them all in that last paragraph. Game of the year up nest and spoilers, A Hat in time is nominated.
