My Most Anticipated RPG of 2023 is a 1996 Remake - Is Nostalgia to Blame? | OGR

mmorpg.com:

Setting aside MMORPGs for a moment and focusing primarily on role-playing games (RPGs), 2023 has been a year of exciting releases with powerful ARPG’s like Diablo 4 and longstanding series sequels like Final Fantasy 16. Many titles are pushing forward their respective properties nobly, and yet, despite each being fantastic games in their own right, few games have captured my heart quite like the upcoming remake of the Nintendo classic, Super Mario RPG. For the past few years, we've seen a resurgence of nostalgia gaming, with developers revisiting and revamping beloved titles, and in most cases, the result has been nothing short of spectacular.

Originally released in 1996 on Super Nintendo, Super Mario RPG was a groundbreaking title that blended the charm of the Mario universe with the depth and complexity of traditional RPGs. Developed by Square (now Square Enix), the game introduced a unique, action-command battle system and a captivating story that expanded the Mario lore in unexpected ways, and even dropped Bowser as the main baddie, so that he could battle along with his arch-nemesis Mario as the frenemy we came to love. The remake stays true to this legacy while enhancing the game with modern graphics, refined gameplay mechanics, and a remastered soundtrack that breathes new life into the Mushroom Kingdom.

With the Super Mario property finding a new surge in popularity with the Super Mario Brothers movie, and multiple recurring game series, it’s always been somewhat of point of contention with me that there have been few if any Super Mario games that acknowledge some of the beloved characters from Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars like Geno and Mallow. I’m hoping that the remake will reintroduce these