I saw credits. I can't really believe that I saw credits I didn't think the game would just end on that I figured the shit everyone and their mother spoiled was gonna be it but nah. I'll count it as far as 2021 progress goes. I'm pretty disappointed overall, although I know I've still got some extra content left.
Initially when the game came out I was pretty floored just by the premise alone, and it is a really cool one if you're hooked from the start and love collecting pokemon. But for me it just felt like a waste of several upon several hours that became less enjoyable overtime. If I knew any better I would have just bee-lined the story with little attempt to grind pokedex progress. A good chunk of my time just went into wanting to see what kinda team I'd want by the end but looking back I have no idea why I bothered. There's like 15 battles total and only...2? had any kinda difficulty. I guess you have the alpha pokemon as well but like, just avoid that stuff? Come back 20 levels later and rinse them? Yeah sure whatever. Alpha pokemon don't feel too hard either, the game is just weird feeling enough (I'm trying really hard to be nice here) that it feels challenging. Even when you send out your pokemon it's just as simple as ever.
It's weird controls, focus on catching over battling, and other odd changes to the overall formula were already off-putting and maybe I could have kept interest but it really comes down to the story progression. They NEEEED voice actors man, and if they can't get that then either hire better writers or better scene direction or fucking anything. Hell just get someone to smack whoever's idea it was to have like every major chapter cap off at that fucking mochi place. Pokemon has had its flops of stories here and there, and I wouldn't call this one immediately terrible compared to like, X but it's just not engaging until the last chunk. They needed better ways to cap off chapters or engage the player in the mysteries of this place but it just feels like a repeating loop of these speckles of "man, pokemon are cool!" with absolutely zero conflict.
What conflict is present are these constant engagements with pokemon that you probably don't even need to bother with. Earthbound was so progressive for its time...Why the fuck are shinx still trying to attack me at level 10 when I'm like carrying these titans of metaphysical concepts? I get this has been the thing since ever, but like pokemon after a certain rank/level don't just become disinterested with you?
It sucks too because I was actually really positive up until the halfway point, but it just goes nowhere. I can't believe how bored I got over a game that's attempts to build up the lore about one of my most played childhood games. Some of it is certainly there, especially near the end but it made up maybe an hour or two of my 50 hour playtime. It sucks too because despite it's Sinnoh roots I didn't feel much of a nostalgia rush other than maybe the start and entering Mt.Coronet near the end and hearing that theme remixed (for like 20 seconds).
There's a lot of cool QoL here but for each positive change I question why there weren't other things like, a minimap? I played Xenoblade 2 a few weeks after starting this and despite that game's map not being the best it at least had one. Also why is the bag so obnoxious in this game? Just give me like quests that upgrade my bag or some shit I'm tired of talking to this dude for days on end only to continue to fill my bag up with worthless shit.
I'm still the least bit positive because it is a really interesting take on the franchise and there's little bits and pieces of neat ideas. It was always nice to just send out my pokemon and see how my pokemon were growing and seeing them interact in little ways. Also while I didn't do much of the quests it is neat seeing the pokemon that I've interacted with in village quests just hangin around town. I just really wished the actual cycle of each area was better organized. It's not like Zelda where after the plateau you're given your assignment and left off to your own devices to explore to your heart's content. It's not like Elden Ring where the game's immense lore and tendency to sucker punch the player with weird twists, turns and encounters leaves players with a unique story. Hell, its not even like SMTV where you've refined the mechanics after several iterations just to add it to the current trend of these massive open world (segmented or realized), even if that means sacrificing a bit of the typical character or story beats of prior games. It's just an odd, messy attempt at leap to the massive overworld stage, whose substance really didn't stick after the 50% mark. I'll probably get back to it some time but not before the end of the year at least.
Initially when the game came out I was pretty floored just by the premise alone, and it is a really cool one if you're hooked from the start and love collecting pokemon. But for me it just felt like a waste of several upon several hours that became less enjoyable overtime. If I knew any better I would have just bee-lined the story with little attempt to grind pokedex progress. A good chunk of my time just went into wanting to see what kinda team I'd want by the end but looking back I have no idea why I bothered. There's like 15 battles total and only...2? had any kinda difficulty. I guess you have the alpha pokemon as well but like, just avoid that stuff? Come back 20 levels later and rinse them? Yeah sure whatever. Alpha pokemon don't feel too hard either, the game is just weird feeling enough (I'm trying really hard to be nice here) that it feels challenging. Even when you send out your pokemon it's just as simple as ever.
It's weird controls, focus on catching over battling, and other odd changes to the overall formula were already off-putting and maybe I could have kept interest but it really comes down to the story progression. They NEEEED voice actors man, and if they can't get that then either hire better writers or better scene direction or fucking anything. Hell just get someone to smack whoever's idea it was to have like every major chapter cap off at that fucking mochi place. Pokemon has had its flops of stories here and there, and I wouldn't call this one immediately terrible compared to like, X but it's just not engaging until the last chunk. They needed better ways to cap off chapters or engage the player in the mysteries of this place but it just feels like a repeating loop of these speckles of "man, pokemon are cool!" with absolutely zero conflict.
What conflict is present are these constant engagements with pokemon that you probably don't even need to bother with. Earthbound was so progressive for its time...Why the fuck are shinx still trying to attack me at level 10 when I'm like carrying these titans of metaphysical concepts? I get this has been the thing since ever, but like pokemon after a certain rank/level don't just become disinterested with you?
It sucks too because I was actually really positive up until the halfway point, but it just goes nowhere. I can't believe how bored I got over a game that's attempts to build up the lore about one of my most played childhood games. Some of it is certainly there, especially near the end but it made up maybe an hour or two of my 50 hour playtime. It sucks too because despite it's Sinnoh roots I didn't feel much of a nostalgia rush other than maybe the start and entering Mt.Coronet near the end and hearing that theme remixed (for like 20 seconds).
There's a lot of cool QoL here but for each positive change I question why there weren't other things like, a minimap? I played Xenoblade 2 a few weeks after starting this and despite that game's map not being the best it at least had one. Also why is the bag so obnoxious in this game? Just give me like quests that upgrade my bag or some shit I'm tired of talking to this dude for days on end only to continue to fill my bag up with worthless shit.
I'm still the least bit positive because it is a really interesting take on the franchise and there's little bits and pieces of neat ideas. It was always nice to just send out my pokemon and see how my pokemon were growing and seeing them interact in little ways. Also while I didn't do much of the quests it is neat seeing the pokemon that I've interacted with in village quests just hangin around town. I just really wished the actual cycle of each area was better organized. It's not like Zelda where after the plateau you're given your assignment and left off to your own devices to explore to your heart's content. It's not like Elden Ring where the game's immense lore and tendency to sucker punch the player with weird twists, turns and encounters leaves players with a unique story. Hell, its not even like SMTV where you've refined the mechanics after several iterations just to add it to the current trend of these massive open world (segmented or realized), even if that means sacrificing a bit of the typical character or story beats of prior games. It's just an odd, messy attempt at leap to the massive overworld stage, whose substance really didn't stick after the 50% mark. I'll probably get back to it some time but not before the end of the year at least.