The following entry contains spoilers aplenty for Mother 3, so check yourself.
Months ago, I asserted my belief that the way forward for traditional RPGs (since word is they be broke) was away from the expensive lessons of blockbusters past which often obfuscate their strengths and toward design choices that would open up new frontiers of storytelling. As if that wasn't worded pretentiously enough, this had already happened, I just hadn't found it yet (as so often happens in the world of blogging). In Mother 3, series creator Shigesato Itoi has returned to the fundamental strength of the RPG, to impart a story, and attempts to bring that strength to a new level without putting up any obstacles in the name of progress. The game mechanics are as fundamentally sound as the best Dragon Quests, and the user experience is expertly refined to make sure the game never gets between the player and the creator. Battles are fast, involved, and often optional. In this respect, Mother 3's greatest innovation is that it doesn't innovate at all. The story is the star, and while it might have room for improvement, what makes the game remarkable is the virtuoso skill with which it's told.
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