Now this is what I was looking for in a Pokemon game. A decent story that tries to have actual characters and themes, a cool region with interesting locations and a season system to add more visual variety, and an acceptable amount of challenge. It's not a major innovative entry, but it's a great effort in refining what the series was already working with. I also respect the game for forcing you to work with the introduced Pokemon, makes for a unique experience when you're not relying on the same staples between games, even if Unova does have one of the overall weaker Dex's.

Despite it's tiring level reuse, clunky menu and lack of tension later in the game, Eternal Darkness is pretty great. It's extremely flavourful and unique construction sets it apart from so many other horror games, even to this day. It's cosmic horror influences are captured wonderfully, both thematically and mechanically. Taking control of so many characters throughout the history of humanity, and the story managing to balance and tie them so well together was a real treat. The gameplay has also aged surprisingly well, with fluid controls and a limb dismemberment system that predates Dead Space's popularization of it. Such a shame that Eternal Darkness wasn't more successful and Silicon Knights later imploded in on itself, the game deserved so much better.