I decided to play through all of the 3DS Pokemon games before they turn online off, try to relive a part of my childhood. Yeah this one still kinda sucks lol.
There was a guy named Marik Ishtar who specifically requested a trade with me in the middle of my playthrough. I had a lot of good 'mons transferred from the older games, so I thought I'd give him something nice.
He flashed a shiny Genesect, so I tried to give him something of equal value, but he rejected the trade. I couldn't figure out if there was anything specific he wanted, so I just quickly ran through 3 of my best pokemon and got them all rejected before realizing he was fucking with me.
I backed out and saw that his profile said "suck my d!ck", then he requested four more trades with me that I had to keep declining. He kept interrupting cutscenes.
Because of him, I give this game an extra star, because that is the closest thing to difficulty I experienced in the entire run.
He flashed a shiny Genesect, so I tried to give him something of equal value, but he rejected the trade. I couldn't figure out if there was anything specific he wanted, so I just quickly ran through 3 of my best pokemon and got them all rejected before realizing he was fucking with me.
I backed out and saw that his profile said "suck my d!ck", then he requested four more trades with me that I had to keep declining. He kept interrupting cutscenes.
Because of him, I give this game an extra star, because that is the closest thing to difficulty I experienced in the entire run.
I’ve long maintained that X and Y are my least favorite Pokémon games. This is different than thinking they’re the worst Pokémon games, which I don’t believe they are, at least not anymore. Unlike Sun and Moon which seemed terrified to ever let you experience the game without a new cutscene or tutorial every 5 steps, X and Y still more or less maintain an illusion of player-driven adventure. The ever-satisfying core gameplay loop that made these games such a sensation (exploring towns and routes, catching Pokémon, engaging in battles) still feels largely intact, especially when compared to projects like Sword and Shield or Legends: Arceus which ventured to break that formula apart without replacing it with anything interesting. X and Y still undeniably feel like Pokémon: not a glorified cutscene compilation, not a shitty MMO, not a half-baked BOTW clone, just Pokémon. As jaded as this series makes me, that’s always a feeling I’m willing to chase.
And while yes the games certainly feel a bit undercooked, it’s not from a lack of love and care. Additions like the fairy type, super training, and the PSS all strike me as the handiwork of a studio that on some level still gave a shit. For fuck’s sake, they 3D modeled all 700+ Pokémon and let you pet every last one of them! In retrospect, a lot of the stranger design decisions here seem to be motivated less by apathy or incompetence and more by a desire to show off what “the first 3D Pokémon game” was capable of. Areas like Route 1 or Glittering Cave are functionally glorified hallways, but they show off an over-the-shoulder angle the DS could never do. Rideable Pokémon are a momentum-breaking slog, but they provide a golden opportunity for the camera to whip around as you bask in the glory of the beautifully-rendered Rhyhorn model. Santalune Forest has the same exact layout as Virdian Forest, likely to inspire some feeling of “wow, look how far we’ve come since the Gameboy”, potentially explaining the rest of the Gen 1 nostalgia on some level as well. Lumiose City may be hell to navigate, but if you’re focused on just how much bigger it is than the metropolises of old, you may not even notice. Hell, even the baffling Parfum Palace side-mission makes a lot more sense when you consider all the fancy new textures it flaunts along the way. Playing X and Y, you get the sense GameFreak was really proud of what they managed to accomplish graphically, and wanted to show it off at every turn. The theme of the game IS “beauty” after all.
But, over ten years after the fact, (God I feel old…) a graphical showcase for the Nintendo 3Ds isn’t especially enticing. And I mean, the console wasn’t exactly a visual powerhouse back in the day, either. There is an appealing artstyle in here—I generally like the Pokémon models for what they are, and I think retaining a chibi aesthetic in the overworld was a smart move—but the muted colors and blandness of the locales really hurt it. Sure these environments aren’t nearly as barren as what we’d see in the games to come, but they’re certainly not as lively as anything we got on the DS or even the GBA. And it’s not like we haven’t seen areas built for spectacle before—Black 2 and White 2 were full of ‘em, but they never let it compromise their level design in the same way X and Y does. I mentioned Lumiose City’s size earlier, but what I didn’t recall is just how much less there is to actually do there than in the much smaller Castelia of old. A lot of Kalos is like that—impressive for the time, but lacking in real substance. Just about the only place where I think this show-off mentality really does hold up is in the gyms. Each one of them has a unique puzzle that could only make sense in a 3D space. They’re fun, they’re creative, they have great art direction, it’s honestly my favorite aspect of the whole game. It’s a shame the rest of the region can’t compare.
And with that new hardware sheen having long worn off, it brings into greater focus just how much of X and Y feel unfinished. Areas like the Power Plant or the Haunted House that once struck me as odd, pointless excursions feel a lot more telling as an adult who knows what “cut content” is. The gap between the first and second badges is one of the longest in the series, a pacing choice I’d actually quite like if the remaining 6 badges didn’t arrive in such a mad dash one after the other. I don’t play these games for the story or the postgame, but both are noticeably more barebones than usual. I mean come on man, why does every Team Flare member, from leader to grunt, get a fully-rendered 3D model for their battle intro, while the elite four, gym leaders and champion are stuck with PNGs? Does that seem like an intentional choice, or as a shift in priorities to better accommodate a looming deadline?
The difficulty curve is the area that feels the most neglected in my eyes. The EXP Share—a quality of life feature I actually really appreciate—seems to have been implemented without regard for an already-existing level curve. Kalos has evidently outlawed carrying a full team of 6, as the only trainer you’ll be facing with as many is the champion. Plenty of trainers carry strong Pokémon with interesting movesets, but when you’re gifted so many free Pokémon along the way, finding a method to cheese them is really a matter of “when”, not “if”. I was playing X under a particularly restrictive set of nuzlocke rules, and even still I found the majority of gameplay save for the absolute finale to be pretty close to mindless. I don’t think a harder game is necessarily a better one of course—but the seeming disinterest in creating opportunities for a player to strategize in your JRPG feels like a pretty major oversight to me.
And speaking of difficulty, I guess I have to talk about Mega Evolution. I’ve already stated in my ORAS review that I’m not a fan, but I haven’t articulated why. For one, they’re barely utilized in their debut game: 25 out of 30 mega stones are locked behind the postgame, with only two trainers in the campaign actually using them in battle. I’d be more mad they hardly see use in casual play, if it wasn’t so obvious why: they completely break the game. What could have been a way to revitalize some old Pokémon and address power creep along the way only exacerbated it. Megas completely overpower a normal playthrough, which makes the fact that so many of them were given to already-strong Pokémon even more frustrating. I think just about the only Mega that isn’t insanely broken, was given to a Pokémon that actually needed one, and doesn’t completely ruin their design (because oh yeah most Megas look really, really dumb) is Mega Beedrill. And he’s not even available until ORAS.
You also can’t discuss Mega Evolution without addressing the domino effect it’s had on the series. Z-Moves, Dynamax, Gigantamax, Battle Styles— Mega Evolution and it’s consequences have been a disaster for the Pokémon franchise. These are not interesting new additions, they’re glorified win buttons that never get the space to be fleshed out since they’re gone by the next installment. I haven’t even played Scarlet and Violet because the idea of learning an entirely new gimmick I know won’t last just seemed so exhausting. Remember when a new Pokémon game brought sizable structural changes: held items, abilities, the physical/special split, reusable TMs, real, substantial mechanical shake-ups that changed the way the game is played? I wish Gamefreak did.
That’s, in so many words, my issue with X and Y. It’s the last Pokémon game that got the fundamentals, but it’s really JUST fundamentals. Kalos is a flavorless region, the battles are a total afterthought, and it’s adherence to spectacle rings hollow a decade plus after release. The games that came after may be worse, but they’re worse in more interesting ways. And in the absence of genuine innovation, I can’t help but focus on all the things X and Y introduced to the series I wish would go away: stupid generational gimmicks, a suffocating yearly release schedule, and a precedent for cut corners selling games. It’s hard not to look at Black 2 and White 2, games bursting at the seams with content and polish and smart, fully-developed design that nonetheless underperformed, and compare them to X and Y, the unfinished, nostalgic tech demos that sold like hotcakes. I can’t be surprised at the direction Gamefreak chose to move in, but man if I’m not disappointed.
And while yes the games certainly feel a bit undercooked, it’s not from a lack of love and care. Additions like the fairy type, super training, and the PSS all strike me as the handiwork of a studio that on some level still gave a shit. For fuck’s sake, they 3D modeled all 700+ Pokémon and let you pet every last one of them! In retrospect, a lot of the stranger design decisions here seem to be motivated less by apathy or incompetence and more by a desire to show off what “the first 3D Pokémon game” was capable of. Areas like Route 1 or Glittering Cave are functionally glorified hallways, but they show off an over-the-shoulder angle the DS could never do. Rideable Pokémon are a momentum-breaking slog, but they provide a golden opportunity for the camera to whip around as you bask in the glory of the beautifully-rendered Rhyhorn model. Santalune Forest has the same exact layout as Virdian Forest, likely to inspire some feeling of “wow, look how far we’ve come since the Gameboy”, potentially explaining the rest of the Gen 1 nostalgia on some level as well. Lumiose City may be hell to navigate, but if you’re focused on just how much bigger it is than the metropolises of old, you may not even notice. Hell, even the baffling Parfum Palace side-mission makes a lot more sense when you consider all the fancy new textures it flaunts along the way. Playing X and Y, you get the sense GameFreak was really proud of what they managed to accomplish graphically, and wanted to show it off at every turn. The theme of the game IS “beauty” after all.
But, over ten years after the fact, (God I feel old…) a graphical showcase for the Nintendo 3Ds isn’t especially enticing. And I mean, the console wasn’t exactly a visual powerhouse back in the day, either. There is an appealing artstyle in here—I generally like the Pokémon models for what they are, and I think retaining a chibi aesthetic in the overworld was a smart move—but the muted colors and blandness of the locales really hurt it. Sure these environments aren’t nearly as barren as what we’d see in the games to come, but they’re certainly not as lively as anything we got on the DS or even the GBA. And it’s not like we haven’t seen areas built for spectacle before—Black 2 and White 2 were full of ‘em, but they never let it compromise their level design in the same way X and Y does. I mentioned Lumiose City’s size earlier, but what I didn’t recall is just how much less there is to actually do there than in the much smaller Castelia of old. A lot of Kalos is like that—impressive for the time, but lacking in real substance. Just about the only place where I think this show-off mentality really does hold up is in the gyms. Each one of them has a unique puzzle that could only make sense in a 3D space. They’re fun, they’re creative, they have great art direction, it’s honestly my favorite aspect of the whole game. It’s a shame the rest of the region can’t compare.
And with that new hardware sheen having long worn off, it brings into greater focus just how much of X and Y feel unfinished. Areas like the Power Plant or the Haunted House that once struck me as odd, pointless excursions feel a lot more telling as an adult who knows what “cut content” is. The gap between the first and second badges is one of the longest in the series, a pacing choice I’d actually quite like if the remaining 6 badges didn’t arrive in such a mad dash one after the other. I don’t play these games for the story or the postgame, but both are noticeably more barebones than usual. I mean come on man, why does every Team Flare member, from leader to grunt, get a fully-rendered 3D model for their battle intro, while the elite four, gym leaders and champion are stuck with PNGs? Does that seem like an intentional choice, or as a shift in priorities to better accommodate a looming deadline?
The difficulty curve is the area that feels the most neglected in my eyes. The EXP Share—a quality of life feature I actually really appreciate—seems to have been implemented without regard for an already-existing level curve. Kalos has evidently outlawed carrying a full team of 6, as the only trainer you’ll be facing with as many is the champion. Plenty of trainers carry strong Pokémon with interesting movesets, but when you’re gifted so many free Pokémon along the way, finding a method to cheese them is really a matter of “when”, not “if”. I was playing X under a particularly restrictive set of nuzlocke rules, and even still I found the majority of gameplay save for the absolute finale to be pretty close to mindless. I don’t think a harder game is necessarily a better one of course—but the seeming disinterest in creating opportunities for a player to strategize in your JRPG feels like a pretty major oversight to me.
And speaking of difficulty, I guess I have to talk about Mega Evolution. I’ve already stated in my ORAS review that I’m not a fan, but I haven’t articulated why. For one, they’re barely utilized in their debut game: 25 out of 30 mega stones are locked behind the postgame, with only two trainers in the campaign actually using them in battle. I’d be more mad they hardly see use in casual play, if it wasn’t so obvious why: they completely break the game. What could have been a way to revitalize some old Pokémon and address power creep along the way only exacerbated it. Megas completely overpower a normal playthrough, which makes the fact that so many of them were given to already-strong Pokémon even more frustrating. I think just about the only Mega that isn’t insanely broken, was given to a Pokémon that actually needed one, and doesn’t completely ruin their design (because oh yeah most Megas look really, really dumb) is Mega Beedrill. And he’s not even available until ORAS.
You also can’t discuss Mega Evolution without addressing the domino effect it’s had on the series. Z-Moves, Dynamax, Gigantamax, Battle Styles— Mega Evolution and it’s consequences have been a disaster for the Pokémon franchise. These are not interesting new additions, they’re glorified win buttons that never get the space to be fleshed out since they’re gone by the next installment. I haven’t even played Scarlet and Violet because the idea of learning an entirely new gimmick I know won’t last just seemed so exhausting. Remember when a new Pokémon game brought sizable structural changes: held items, abilities, the physical/special split, reusable TMs, real, substantial mechanical shake-ups that changed the way the game is played? I wish Gamefreak did.
That’s, in so many words, my issue with X and Y. It’s the last Pokémon game that got the fundamentals, but it’s really JUST fundamentals. Kalos is a flavorless region, the battles are a total afterthought, and it’s adherence to spectacle rings hollow a decade plus after release. The games that came after may be worse, but they’re worse in more interesting ways. And in the absence of genuine innovation, I can’t help but focus on all the things X and Y introduced to the series I wish would go away: stupid generational gimmicks, a suffocating yearly release schedule, and a precedent for cut corners selling games. It’s hard not to look at Black 2 and White 2, games bursting at the seams with content and polish and smart, fully-developed design that nonetheless underperformed, and compare them to X and Y, the unfinished, nostalgic tech demos that sold like hotcakes. I can’t be surprised at the direction Gamefreak chose to move in, but man if I’m not disappointed.
Um jogo bom, divertido e com muito potencial, única coisa que me deixou com o pé atrás é que ele acaba não sendo muito desafiador, boa parte dos personagens até mesmo lideres de ginásio só usarem apenas 3 Pokémon's e a mecânica de Mega evolução quase nunca é usada pelos adversários, único que eu lembro é campeão da elite 4
Much more of a fun nostalgia trip right before the servers go down rather than me really enjoying the game. I remember loving this game as a kid, a big reason was just because of all the random ass mysteries and secrets here, I think the ghost girl alone was the source of me watching about 50 pokemon xy secrets videos in a row back then. I never get excited for new pokemon games nowadays, but I hope Legends Z-A is a good game purely because of how much 12 year old me would be freaking out that pokemon Z is a real video game.
This fucking sucks. Fuck nintendo fuck gamefreak and fuck pokemon for thinking this was good enough to release. Easiest fucking game ever I mean you get EXP share 2 gyms in? Fuck off this sucks
After Pokemon Legends ZA was announced, I rushed home after work to replay Pokemon X. The last time I had opened up this game was before ORAS, so at least 10 years. I tried to like this game but the entire thing feels undercooked. The novelty of every Pokemon now in 3D has worn off, and unfortunately, I see this game as one of the most bare-bones titles in the series. The game just comes and goes without much happening. Most of the budget very clearly went to making the 3D models, which at the very least they have gotten great mileage out of, leading to some bangers on the 3DS in the future. Hopefully, Legends ZA will make up for Kalos getting the short end of the stick.
Kalos é legal, escolhi o X pq tem o mega Charizard foda e o mega mewtwo lutador. Tem 2 iniciais q acho bons e as mega evoluções tbm mas joguei só até o ginásio da Valerie, vou jogar novamente no futuro.
>> Prós
• JOGABILIDADE.
• GRÁFICOS : São bons para a plataforma e época.
• KALOS : Possui cenários bonitos.
• PERSONALIZAÇÃO : Primeiro Pokémon que permite personalizar o protagonista, até comprar novas roupas e modificar o cabelo.
• MEGA EVOLUÇÕES : É a melhor coisa do game.
>> Contras
• Nenhum.
>> Perso Favorito = Serena, Korrina e Valerie.
>> Prós
• JOGABILIDADE.
• GRÁFICOS : São bons para a plataforma e época.
• KALOS : Possui cenários bonitos.
• PERSONALIZAÇÃO : Primeiro Pokémon que permite personalizar o protagonista, até comprar novas roupas e modificar o cabelo.
• MEGA EVOLUÇÕES : É a melhor coisa do game.
>> Contras
• Nenhum.
>> Perso Favorito = Serena, Korrina e Valerie.
Este jogo proporciona uma excelente introdução ao universo dos jogos Pokémon, já que não exige que o jogador passe por longas sessões de "grind" para acessar alguns lendários. As facilidades oferecidas neste jogo o tornam acessível para pessoas com pouco tempo disponível para jogar.
the beginning of the straight line simulator that would become most modern pokemon games, first game in full 3D was interesting for a second, until you realize the models have so much less life than the sprites. megas are an alright gimmick but charizard and mewtwo get two, where i wanted more underused pokemon to get megas, not the insanely popular ones.
"I wish we had a pokemon game in 3D finally!"
A finger curls on the monkey's paw
A finger curls on the monkey's paw
Oke, Pisse war aber etwas spät zu bekommen
7/10
7/10
this will genuinely put you to sleep
yeah fuck you
i can’t reasonably play a game this much and NOT say it’s perfect. it’s easy breezy pokemon fun with the best route variety in the series and some of the most fun, quick gameplay the series has to offer
i can’t reasonably play a game this much and NOT say it’s perfect. it’s easy breezy pokemon fun with the best route variety in the series and some of the most fun, quick gameplay the series has to offer
child with deer autism seeing the cover art: 🤯🤯🤯🤯
I'm REALLY not a fan of Pokemon games. Even the ones that people say are really good, I rarely think are all that great. When I started this game I was really not expecting to enjoy it. This is easily one of the most disliked Pokemon games for being kind of the start of Pokemon's downfall so I was really worried because I'm already not super into these games, however to my surprise I thought it was pretty good.
The usual issues with these games that I find are still present. The battle system is basic and it's upsetting that it hasn't changed much in the main series besides Legends Arkoos and that's easily the biggest problem to me. These games are very boring especially at the start and they really esculate all that much until the endgame. This game just might be the worst case of it. I already knew about how easy this game would be so I decided to do a blind nuzlocke instead and the difficulty was still an issue. Most fights just boil down to swapping to whichever Pokemon had the effective move then executing it. I played the game in very small bursts over the course of a few weeks so it never got stale but if I had been any faster it easily would have been an issue.
Another common complaint is the story. Normally I don't think it's fair to call a Pokemon game's plot bad since they're all basically the exact same, however I can see where these complaints come from. The story had a lot of potential. I think Lysandre was actually a really cool villain but he's bogged down by being related to Team Flare who is easily the lamest evil Pokemon team. AZ was also a character I thought could have been really interesting if they gave him more time but they don't until the very end of the game. The main complaint I hear about the plot is the 4 rivals being too friendly. That's not the issue. The issue is that they're underdeveloped.The genderswap rival had some characterization but nothing super interesting or compelling. The other 3 each representing a different element of Pokemon games from filling out the Pokedex or just appreciating the Pokemon themselves. I think if fleshed out these could have been really cool characters but of course they aren't. Thankfully I think the future gens fix this even if they don't focus on more important aspects (such as making the games good.) To put it plainly, Gen 6 had A LOT of potential in its story that they just didn't go through with.
My favorite thing about this game besides the new Pokemon added has the be the region itself. At first I wasn't really enjoying it. Standard grass route and the first forest is copy paste Viridian forest from Gen 1. I was willing to ignore this though because at the time I assumed it was just them riding off the fact that the game was 3D so making the routes look super unique wouldn't be a priority. I was SO wrong. Kalos just might be the prettiest region in a Pokemon game. The early routes start off generic but they soon turned into sights that I was genuinely left me in awe. (My favorite is definitely the Pokemon League because its just this fucking massive castle where the camera starts to pan out as you approach it.)
The Pokemon designs are really good here. Gen 6 definitely went for a quality over quantity and it definitely shows. Greninja, Pangoro, Malamar, Tyrantrum, Sylveon, Hawlucha, Goodra, and Noivern are my favorites. I also love the Mega designs. My opinion of Sceptile who is my favorite Pokemon would be much lower if not for his Mega.
I no longer have high expectations for Pokemon and I don't see myself playing any of the future games, however Pokemon X and Y nail the aspects of Pokemon that I care about. The Pokemon, region and music are amazing and while I do agree that it has its flaws I don't think its fair to act like this game is the only Pokemon game that has them. This game is cozy. That's why I like it. Not my favorite Pokemon game but they definitely had way worse ones.
The usual issues with these games that I find are still present. The battle system is basic and it's upsetting that it hasn't changed much in the main series besides Legends Arkoos and that's easily the biggest problem to me. These games are very boring especially at the start and they really esculate all that much until the endgame. This game just might be the worst case of it. I already knew about how easy this game would be so I decided to do a blind nuzlocke instead and the difficulty was still an issue. Most fights just boil down to swapping to whichever Pokemon had the effective move then executing it. I played the game in very small bursts over the course of a few weeks so it never got stale but if I had been any faster it easily would have been an issue.
Another common complaint is the story. Normally I don't think it's fair to call a Pokemon game's plot bad since they're all basically the exact same, however I can see where these complaints come from. The story had a lot of potential. I think Lysandre was actually a really cool villain but he's bogged down by being related to Team Flare who is easily the lamest evil Pokemon team. AZ was also a character I thought could have been really interesting if they gave him more time but they don't until the very end of the game. The main complaint I hear about the plot is the 4 rivals being too friendly. That's not the issue. The issue is that they're underdeveloped.The genderswap rival had some characterization but nothing super interesting or compelling. The other 3 each representing a different element of Pokemon games from filling out the Pokedex or just appreciating the Pokemon themselves. I think if fleshed out these could have been really cool characters but of course they aren't. Thankfully I think the future gens fix this even if they don't focus on more important aspects (such as making the games good.) To put it plainly, Gen 6 had A LOT of potential in its story that they just didn't go through with.
My favorite thing about this game besides the new Pokemon added has the be the region itself. At first I wasn't really enjoying it. Standard grass route and the first forest is copy paste Viridian forest from Gen 1. I was willing to ignore this though because at the time I assumed it was just them riding off the fact that the game was 3D so making the routes look super unique wouldn't be a priority. I was SO wrong. Kalos just might be the prettiest region in a Pokemon game. The early routes start off generic but they soon turned into sights that I was genuinely left me in awe. (My favorite is definitely the Pokemon League because its just this fucking massive castle where the camera starts to pan out as you approach it.)
The Pokemon designs are really good here. Gen 6 definitely went for a quality over quantity and it definitely shows. Greninja, Pangoro, Malamar, Tyrantrum, Sylveon, Hawlucha, Goodra, and Noivern are my favorites. I also love the Mega designs. My opinion of Sceptile who is my favorite Pokemon would be much lower if not for his Mega.
I no longer have high expectations for Pokemon and I don't see myself playing any of the future games, however Pokemon X and Y nail the aspects of Pokemon that I care about. The Pokemon, region and music are amazing and while I do agree that it has its flaws I don't think its fair to act like this game is the only Pokemon game that has them. This game is cozy. That's why I like it. Not my favorite Pokemon game but they definitely had way worse ones.
Pokemon X&Y is often considered one of the worst pokemon titles, and I honeslty can't see myself hating on it as much as other.
Yes, they are not perfect games and a potential pokemon Z would have fixed a LOT of issues.
But honestly I can justify a lot of the choices they went for: this game came out as a response to the fifth generations, that even if today is considered on of the best in the series, at the time wasn't financially successful, since most of the past fans where turned off by most of the bolder choices Black&White presented.
In a way, the decisions behind X&Y are not different to what other series did when they crumbled financially: Street fighter 4 was designed as a way to appeal to the "golden age" of SF after third strike went on its own hardcore direction; Fire emblem tried to capitalize on the nostalgia for the first game with the Shadow dragons remakes on DS and even with Awakening after the series was selling almost zero copies....
And similarly, the sixth generation focused more on the nostalgia for past titles: the new pokedex of Kalos is shorter, in favor 0f bringing back every past mons with new stunning 3D models instead of the spriteworks of past titles; you get your starters only to receive the Kanto trio after the first gym, alongside their NEW COOL MEGA FORMS; you even get plent of references to Kanto to say to older fans that "pokemon is back to its routes": the sleeping snorlax blocking the route, a cave literally called after Zubats, popular past mons like Lucario or Lapras given for free, and even a cave where Mewtwo resides.... today the appeal to Kant can feel saturated, but at the time it was apparaised adn accepted as a response to past games.
X&Y didn't just stopped to "just fanservice": the game was full of new gimmicks that while not incredibly developed, felt experiemntal and new: Horde encounters, Sky battles, the introduction of a literal new type after decades, character customization, and new ways to interact with the overworld... and this without even metioning mega evolutions, an incredible way to resurrect more underrated pokemon in the roster like Mawile, Medicham, Houndoom, Pinsir or Manectric. And the ability to find new encounters in every route was honestly pretty cool.
THe issue is that all of this new mechanics... weren't really mashed together well: Megas are cool but you can only obtain most of them in the almost non-existing post game (meaning that I made a team with Absol only to be able to try its new form after I beat Diantha), the game gives you a mega lucario and a mega charizard for free after the third gym, meaning that the game becaomes incredibly easy even if you nuzlock it, and most of the more creative mechanics are not implemented well and result more like a novelty that a fun experience.
Not to mention that the game is filled with mkre nauseating and slow pacing, due to the less interesting story that is shoved into your mouth, the least interesting rivals and villains, and the overall just inenteresting set pieces... only exception being AZ and the story of the giant Kalos war.
Overall it is still a decent time, I can respect a lot of the things X&Y does.... but really we needed a Pokemon Z. I can't get why the holy deer, the bird of death and the funny green snake are either just there to be used as battery or just chilling in a cave (seriously, Mewtwo gets a cool cutscene but not Zygarde?)
Yes, they are not perfect games and a potential pokemon Z would have fixed a LOT of issues.
But honestly I can justify a lot of the choices they went for: this game came out as a response to the fifth generations, that even if today is considered on of the best in the series, at the time wasn't financially successful, since most of the past fans where turned off by most of the bolder choices Black&White presented.
In a way, the decisions behind X&Y are not different to what other series did when they crumbled financially: Street fighter 4 was designed as a way to appeal to the "golden age" of SF after third strike went on its own hardcore direction; Fire emblem tried to capitalize on the nostalgia for the first game with the Shadow dragons remakes on DS and even with Awakening after the series was selling almost zero copies....
And similarly, the sixth generation focused more on the nostalgia for past titles: the new pokedex of Kalos is shorter, in favor 0f bringing back every past mons with new stunning 3D models instead of the spriteworks of past titles; you get your starters only to receive the Kanto trio after the first gym, alongside their NEW COOL MEGA FORMS; you even get plent of references to Kanto to say to older fans that "pokemon is back to its routes": the sleeping snorlax blocking the route, a cave literally called after Zubats, popular past mons like Lucario or Lapras given for free, and even a cave where Mewtwo resides.... today the appeal to Kant can feel saturated, but at the time it was apparaised adn accepted as a response to past games.
X&Y didn't just stopped to "just fanservice": the game was full of new gimmicks that while not incredibly developed, felt experiemntal and new: Horde encounters, Sky battles, the introduction of a literal new type after decades, character customization, and new ways to interact with the overworld... and this without even metioning mega evolutions, an incredible way to resurrect more underrated pokemon in the roster like Mawile, Medicham, Houndoom, Pinsir or Manectric. And the ability to find new encounters in every route was honestly pretty cool.
THe issue is that all of this new mechanics... weren't really mashed together well: Megas are cool but you can only obtain most of them in the almost non-existing post game (meaning that I made a team with Absol only to be able to try its new form after I beat Diantha), the game gives you a mega lucario and a mega charizard for free after the third gym, meaning that the game becaomes incredibly easy even if you nuzlock it, and most of the more creative mechanics are not implemented well and result more like a novelty that a fun experience.
Not to mention that the game is filled with mkre nauseating and slow pacing, due to the less interesting story that is shoved into your mouth, the least interesting rivals and villains, and the overall just inenteresting set pieces... only exception being AZ and the story of the giant Kalos war.
Overall it is still a decent time, I can respect a lot of the things X&Y does.... but really we needed a Pokemon Z. I can't get why the holy deer, the bird of death and the funny green snake are either just there to be used as battery or just chilling in a cave (seriously, Mewtwo gets a cool cutscene but not Zygarde?)
Well, Pokemon X sure was… a game. X was better than I remembered, because the Kalos games have always been kind of boring for me, but it really wasn’t anything special.
I respect X and Y for what they introduced to the games - 3D models, character customization, mega evolutions, the fairy type, and other details. But a lot of what I like about X and Y are more just the steps forward for the series that X and Y introduced. That said, XY’s soundtrack rocks, Kalos feels like it has its own culture and really touches on its French influences, and XY’s trainers are overall the most stylish with their clothing options imo, even though customization is more limited in these games.
However, details like the writing being poor (which I understand is an issue with Pokemon as a whole but still), the games being COMICALLY easy, the beginning of the problem of heavy pandering to gen 1,
hell even the roller skates and how awkward they felt to use especially in a game still practically functioning with a tile system make it hard for me to get INVESTED in most runs I start. This is the first time I’ve beaten XY in years because I’ve consistently had a hard time keeping with a playthrough. And I definitely could feel that drag in this run, where I just… wasn’t feeling the game at all at certain points, less in a burnout way and more in a “this game just doesn’t work for me” way. Hell, I dropped this run for a few months because of how XY can struggle to hook me.
Overall, not bad but not spectacular either. X and Y were important for Pokemon as a whole and I respect the games for the steps forward it took, but the game itself feels weak for me personally.
I respect X and Y for what they introduced to the games - 3D models, character customization, mega evolutions, the fairy type, and other details. But a lot of what I like about X and Y are more just the steps forward for the series that X and Y introduced. That said, XY’s soundtrack rocks, Kalos feels like it has its own culture and really touches on its French influences, and XY’s trainers are overall the most stylish with their clothing options imo, even though customization is more limited in these games.
However, details like the writing being poor (which I understand is an issue with Pokemon as a whole but still), the games being COMICALLY easy, the beginning of the problem of heavy pandering to gen 1,
hell even the roller skates and how awkward they felt to use especially in a game still practically functioning with a tile system make it hard for me to get INVESTED in most runs I start. This is the first time I’ve beaten XY in years because I’ve consistently had a hard time keeping with a playthrough. And I definitely could feel that drag in this run, where I just… wasn’t feeling the game at all at certain points, less in a burnout way and more in a “this game just doesn’t work for me” way. Hell, I dropped this run for a few months because of how XY can struggle to hook me.
Overall, not bad but not spectacular either. X and Y were important for Pokemon as a whole and I respect the games for the steps forward it took, but the game itself feels weak for me personally.
Ten and a half years ago, I got my first and only 3DS - the sleek red Xerneas and Yveltal edition - and went to a midnight release of this game. The first couple weeks of playing it in my spare time, with my social network of college students or recent grads who had grown up on Pokemon, but never grown out of it, able to connect for battles and trades with the greatest of ease, was a magical experience with this franchise that drove home its communal nature and got somewhat close to approximating the Pokemon fervor of its Gameboy/N64 heyday. (Of course, this would be outdone by Pokemon Go a few years later.)
But when the fun of seeing my friends online and literally poking them for a quick battle began to dwindle, I realized I had no interest in finishing the game itself, and abandoned it after capturing the legendary. It was the first Pokemon game I had played at that point which I put aside before reaching the credits. I became convinced the only fun I'd had with this game at all was in its social aspect. Therefore the impression this game left in my brain for the past decade was that it was boring, its story was a low point even for the lackluster standards of the Pokemon series, and that despite a few major steps forward, this was one of the worst mainline Pokemon games.
...And then they announced Legends Z-A, nostalgia for Kalos started going around again, and I wondered, was Gen 6 really that bad? It was time for me to revisit and find out.
I started from a fresh file to get the whole experience. The first few hours of the game were agonizingly slow and easy, despite me putting some challenge rules in place almost immediately, such as turning off the EXP share and vowing to never use non-held items in battle. But once it got going, the game grew on me more and more. I'm still not the biggest fan of the art style that tries to straddle the line between chibi sprites and full 3D models, but the world is quite lovely and well-realized. Poké-France has a decent amount of character and mystery to it, and some of the artistic elements have great appeal, such as the trainer designs and the cut-in illustrations of them before battles.
The writing alternates from feeling extremely childish to occasionally having trainers that floored me by saying something unexpected. The trainers in the Battle Chateau, as parodies of elite socialites (and the occasional android maid?) offer some great examples of this. There's also a "your power level is over 9000" line in this game, as well as a "my body is ready" reference, and probably some other memes I didn't pick up on, which made it feel like a time capsule indeed. Make of that what you will.
As for the story, it feels like less than the sum of its fascinating parts. An ancient war in which countless Pokemon (and humans?) lost their lives; a regal giant who mourned his beloved little flower fairy and brought her back to life, only to have the Pokemon leave in despair after seeing the destruction that had been wrought for her own sake while she was dead - there is some surprisingly serious subject matter which is undercut by the limitations of a "kid-friendly" Pokemon story and the juvenile level of the writing. While putting this story directly in front of the player, the game also doesn't dwell on it too much, as if it's almost embarrassed it commited to telling such a serious tale, imagining young kids couldn't handle it.
Of course, this more interesting history ties into the modern-day dilemma posed by Team Flare, often considered one of the most laughable evil teams in Pokemon. But I actually think Flare are more thematically interesting than they seem at first. Their focus on fashion and beauty is just a facade (and frankly, they look far more garish than stylish). The meaning behind Team Flare is simply a story of people who have declared their own superiority as a tautology; they defined what was "cool", they took that identity for themselves and they decided NO ONE ELSE DESERVES TO LIVE. And to no surprise, what's secretly behind this in-group classification is the ability to pay your way in; and it's all orchestrated by a social media/tech mogul. It's a blunt look at in-group/out-group psychology and the idea that societal misfits and have-nots are without merit. ...Or they're just a bunch of absurd people with hairdos that look like flaming poop.
Overall, this game is nothing fantastic, and moreover it will never - it CAN never - be again what it was at launch. But it's also a pleasant, unobjectionable game with some almost-interesting concepts and its heart in the right place, and I'm glad I gave it another chance. Pokemon X and Y may have started the series down some paths that Game Freak has still never exactly learned how to handle; the animated 3D Pokemon models often manage to feel more lifeless in battle than completely static sprites ever did due to their blank expressions, stiff poses and goofy perfunctory animations; the game's character customization is so frustratingly limited that they might as well have not had it at all... but it did give us a new type which is an extremely special occasion, and advanced the idea of Pokemon as being more of virtual and interactable pets in addition to just fighters, which I have enjoyed ever since.
...Also Calem please stop whining that you can never beat me when you refuse to catch more than three Pokemon until lategame. You dingus.
Anyway I got surprisingly emotional about finally beating this. It's been 3,000 years.
But when the fun of seeing my friends online and literally poking them for a quick battle began to dwindle, I realized I had no interest in finishing the game itself, and abandoned it after capturing the legendary. It was the first Pokemon game I had played at that point which I put aside before reaching the credits. I became convinced the only fun I'd had with this game at all was in its social aspect. Therefore the impression this game left in my brain for the past decade was that it was boring, its story was a low point even for the lackluster standards of the Pokemon series, and that despite a few major steps forward, this was one of the worst mainline Pokemon games.
...And then they announced Legends Z-A, nostalgia for Kalos started going around again, and I wondered, was Gen 6 really that bad? It was time for me to revisit and find out.
I started from a fresh file to get the whole experience. The first few hours of the game were agonizingly slow and easy, despite me putting some challenge rules in place almost immediately, such as turning off the EXP share and vowing to never use non-held items in battle. But once it got going, the game grew on me more and more. I'm still not the biggest fan of the art style that tries to straddle the line between chibi sprites and full 3D models, but the world is quite lovely and well-realized. Poké-France has a decent amount of character and mystery to it, and some of the artistic elements have great appeal, such as the trainer designs and the cut-in illustrations of them before battles.
The writing alternates from feeling extremely childish to occasionally having trainers that floored me by saying something unexpected. The trainers in the Battle Chateau, as parodies of elite socialites (and the occasional android maid?) offer some great examples of this. There's also a "your power level is over 9000" line in this game, as well as a "my body is ready" reference, and probably some other memes I didn't pick up on, which made it feel like a time capsule indeed. Make of that what you will.
As for the story, it feels like less than the sum of its fascinating parts. An ancient war in which countless Pokemon (and humans?) lost their lives; a regal giant who mourned his beloved little flower fairy and brought her back to life, only to have the Pokemon leave in despair after seeing the destruction that had been wrought for her own sake while she was dead - there is some surprisingly serious subject matter which is undercut by the limitations of a "kid-friendly" Pokemon story and the juvenile level of the writing. While putting this story directly in front of the player, the game also doesn't dwell on it too much, as if it's almost embarrassed it commited to telling such a serious tale, imagining young kids couldn't handle it.
Of course, this more interesting history ties into the modern-day dilemma posed by Team Flare, often considered one of the most laughable evil teams in Pokemon. But I actually think Flare are more thematically interesting than they seem at first. Their focus on fashion and beauty is just a facade (and frankly, they look far more garish than stylish). The meaning behind Team Flare is simply a story of people who have declared their own superiority as a tautology; they defined what was "cool", they took that identity for themselves and they decided NO ONE ELSE DESERVES TO LIVE. And to no surprise, what's secretly behind this in-group classification is the ability to pay your way in; and it's all orchestrated by a social media/tech mogul. It's a blunt look at in-group/out-group psychology and the idea that societal misfits and have-nots are without merit. ...Or they're just a bunch of absurd people with hairdos that look like flaming poop.
Overall, this game is nothing fantastic, and moreover it will never - it CAN never - be again what it was at launch. But it's also a pleasant, unobjectionable game with some almost-interesting concepts and its heart in the right place, and I'm glad I gave it another chance. Pokemon X and Y may have started the series down some paths that Game Freak has still never exactly learned how to handle; the animated 3D Pokemon models often manage to feel more lifeless in battle than completely static sprites ever did due to their blank expressions, stiff poses and goofy perfunctory animations; the game's character customization is so frustratingly limited that they might as well have not had it at all... but it did give us a new type which is an extremely special occasion, and advanced the idea of Pokemon as being more of virtual and interactable pets in addition to just fighters, which I have enjoyed ever since.
...Also Calem please stop whining that you can never beat me when you refuse to catch more than three Pokemon until lategame. You dingus.
Anyway I got surprisingly emotional about finally beating this. It's been 3,000 years.
✔
This game was unfinished, so I will also be leaving this review unfinished.
French Pokémon needed a few more years to cook. After all, there are a lot of things in this game that seem unfinished. Barely anybody in Kalos has 6 Pokémon in their party, I hardly had to use any HMs (though that's probably a good thing), and the game is so easy. You have to jump through hoops to challenge yourself. There's no sauce in these games at all. None. A lot of people might point to Red and Blue when looking for the most basic Pokémon game, and you can hold that, but X and Y are the most basic Pokémon games overall. Even Mega Evolutions don't spice things up (they're a cool idea executed badly).
I have a theory as to why that is. Game Freak decided to release the game in an unfinished state because
This game was unfinished, so I will also be leaving this review unfinished.
French Pokémon needed a few more years to cook. After all, there are a lot of things in this game that seem unfinished. Barely anybody in Kalos has 6 Pokémon in their party, I hardly had to use any HMs (though that's probably a good thing), and the game is so easy. You have to jump through hoops to challenge yourself. There's no sauce in these games at all. None. A lot of people might point to Red and Blue when looking for the most basic Pokémon game, and you can hold that, but X and Y are the most basic Pokémon games overall. Even Mega Evolutions don't spice things up (they're a cool idea executed badly).
I have a theory as to why that is. Game Freak decided to release the game in an unfinished state because
I like this game more than most. Yes it is piss easy but I had a great time with it. This was the first Pokémon game I ever owned and I loved it. Kalos is a beautiful region with a lot to see. Other Pokémon games may be better but XY holds a special place on my heart. Also Xerneas is awesome.
Six generation is probably my favourite. Introduced fairy type, which is one of my favourites, and Megaevolutions, my favourite gimmick so far. But I play Pokémon for the adventure across the region with my pokefriends and... yeah. Kalos is a beautiful one, but also a mediocre one. And storywise is quite bad. Just okay overall.
i wish they kept this level of character customization moving forward, we peaked here. i also love lots of the pokemon introduced in this era (vivillon, furfrou, sylveon, and the goodra line) but the story as a whole never really stuck with me
Continuing my random burst of energy to play pokemon, now we have X! And I’m kinda underwhelmed honestly. It’s not bad, it’s nowhere near sword/shield or sun/moon levels, but it’s nothing like the earlier gens I’ve played. My biggest gripe is the plot. I don’t come to pokemon for deep intricate worlds or characters, but the main villian team here really blew. Team Flare is the most shallow group I have ever seen and their leader isn’t much better. They also give you 4 rivals but none of them leave any impression and one just won’t shut up about yall being neighbors even though you just moved in. It was annoying and I felt like more could’ve been done. The whole story is kinda like that and it sucks because I like a lot of aspects here. AZ’s whole thing is super cool and considering how much people talk about him I thought he’d be more important but not really. The professor is probably my favorite design and his theme goes crazy but he’s also never here. So whatever I guess. But like I said I don’t play for the lore, I play because I like pokemon. Though I think while playing X I finally realized why I don’t like the recent ones as much as the old. I have no attachment to my pokemon. My team this time was a Greninja “Raizo” (62), a Venusaur “Budba” (63), a Mawile “Yapper” (61), a Lucario “Hariyama” (61), Reuinclus “Gooey” (59), and Snorlax “Yajirobe” (55). This wasn’t even my planned team going in, the reason k named Lucario Hariyama is because I wanted a Hariyama going in because he’s one of my favs. But I’m just given a Lucario and he was higher leveled so in the box Hariyama went. That would’ve never happened in the older games because I’m more attached through grinding sessions and hard fights. Those aren’t here because the exp. Share makes nothing a challenge. And I know you can turn it off, but when I’m given the chance I’m gonna use it. It makes my pokemon seem more distant, though there still were some moments where i popped off for them, like when Snorlax took out the final gardevoir who was 20 levels above him by just body slamming. As for gameplay, yeah it’s pokemon. Mega evolution is cool, but again, I feel like is missed potential. Not as cool and it could’ve been as none of the designs really feel like big steps forward. It’s a “toothpick changes everything” situation. Also quick side note, there’s no 3D? I mean I don’t care it’s just kinda odd for an early major 3DS game. Oh well. Game is fine, I had fun well enough. But it’s not one of my favorites.
Hey guys, did you know that in terms of male human and female Pokémon breeding, Vaporeon is the most compatible Pokémon for humans.....
don't remember much but every starter smacked and fuck roller skates
ABSOLUTE POKEMON!
Que região delicinha de jogar, tudo em kalos foi tão bem feito! Eu amei e fiquei com a sensação que queria ter jogado antes!
A única crítica que tenho é que praticamente nenhum pokémon dessa geração tem mega evolução. Como eu sempre faço time com pokémon exclusivo da geração quando to jogando ela pela primeira vez acabei não aproveitando muito essa mecânica (ok que foi uma escolha minha mas ainda acho que deviam ter mais megas pra gen 6!)
Mesmo assim, concluo que é de longe uma das melhores gerações da franquia
Que região delicinha de jogar, tudo em kalos foi tão bem feito! Eu amei e fiquei com a sensação que queria ter jogado antes!
A única crítica que tenho é que praticamente nenhum pokémon dessa geração tem mega evolução. Como eu sempre faço time com pokémon exclusivo da geração quando to jogando ela pela primeira vez acabei não aproveitando muito essa mecânica (ok que foi uma escolha minha mas ainda acho que deviam ter mais megas pra gen 6!)
Mesmo assim, concluo que é de longe uma das melhores gerações da franquia
Medium, the game. It was never bad, but it never set out to be incredible either. It's a very easy and short game, although Kalos is a beautiful region. The story is really silly, especially following generation 5, but it's completely fine as it's a Pokemon game. The postgame is a barren wasteland, though. All in all, it succeeds at what it sets out to accomplish ; it's meant to be the transition between 2D and 3D for future games.
Oh and MEGA EVOLUTION IS PEAK YEAHHHH
Oh and MEGA EVOLUTION IS PEAK YEAHHHH
stupid ass deer
Positives:
+Added the Fairy type
+Mega Evolutions
+Some cool new pokémon like Sylveon, Tyrantrum, Greninja, Malamar, Pangoro, Dragalge, Zygarde, Diancie, Yveltal, Aurorus, Hawlucha, etc.
+Viola is a top-tier waifu.
Negatives:
-This game is brain-dead easy to the point of not being very enjoyable at all.
-The AI is so dumb it might also be called an "Artificial Stupidity"
-Most characters are bland and forgettable.
-Mega evolution was poorly implemented in the sense of some pokémon who received it were already strong to begin with (Garchomp, Tyranitar) or would've appreciated more a regular evolution instead (Banette, Sableye, Mawile).
Enjoyment: decent for the first 5 minutes then quickly got bored.
+Added the Fairy type
+Mega Evolutions
+Some cool new pokémon like Sylveon, Tyrantrum, Greninja, Malamar, Pangoro, Dragalge, Zygarde, Diancie, Yveltal, Aurorus, Hawlucha, etc.
+Viola is a top-tier waifu.
Negatives:
-This game is brain-dead easy to the point of not being very enjoyable at all.
-The AI is so dumb it might also be called an "Artificial Stupidity"
-Most characters are bland and forgettable.
-Mega evolution was poorly implemented in the sense of some pokémon who received it were already strong to begin with (Garchomp, Tyranitar) or would've appreciated more a regular evolution instead (Banette, Sableye, Mawile).
Enjoyment: decent for the first 5 minutes then quickly got bored.