TheCapybaraParty
1 review liked by TheCapybaraParty
Man, early Pokemon was so full of life. You can see in games like Pokemon Emerald just how clearly full of passion the design team was for these games once upon a time. Gen 3 of Pokemon's greatest strength is just how enduring it is, these games are collectively over 20 years old now and they still look absolutely amazing, the pristine pixel art has allowed them to hold up for longer than any 3D models ever could. You can see your own reflection in puddles as you run over them in this game, for the GBA that still kinda blows my mind! Not a thing about these games look dated even today, and the UI and menus are still sleek and gorgeous too.
Pokemon Emerald (and Gen 3 by extension) has so many cool, unsung little setpiece moments that help it stick in the mind. The route before Fallarbor Town being covered in volcanic ash from the nearby Mt. Chimney and having brown grass that only turns green when you run through it, the series of long-winded forest routes leading up to and past Fortree City (one of the coolest locations in any Pokemon game) and the vast and open-ended oceans you can begin exploring to your heart's content as soon as you get Surf.
Pokemon Gen 3's world design, both literally and figuratively are brilliant. Hoenn is a lush, tropical region so beautifully realised by all those little moments of artistry I touched on, but in terms of progression it's also incredible. So open-ended, so rewarding to the player for paying attention and thinking about the world. Once you beat Norman and get Surf, the game never tells you that you're supposed to go east of Mauville City to progress to Fortree, but you as the player are rewarded for caring and paying attention and thinking to yourself; "hmm, I should come back here when I can Surf." There's so many little moments like that peppered throughout the game like coming back to Meteor Falls to get Bagon when you have Waterfall or using Surf to go back yourself to the places near Dewford Town and Slateport City that Mr. Briney used to have to ferry you across. (And perhaps discovering the Abandoned Ship in the process!)
HMs do feel antiquated and needlessly restrictive, especially given the modernization of more recent games - and the physical/special split not yet existing hurts the game mechanically, but almost everything else is so well done. The new Pokemon designs are charming and do a great job at reflecting Hoenn's tropical nature, the soundtrack is lively and optimistic - enhancing the game's adventurous aesthetic and hell, the story might not be too much to write home about but it too has some interesting setpiece moments here and there and better yet - it doesn't insult your intelligence and insist upon itself at every given opportunity! Wow! What a novel idea! Next you'll tell me that this game had meaningful post-game content or something!
These games still looking so good today serves as a great microcosm of how well they still hold up in general. It's Pokemon Emerald, but it might just be evergreen. If you ever want to remember why Pokemon was so beloved, go back and play a game like this.
Pokemon Emerald (and Gen 3 by extension) has so many cool, unsung little setpiece moments that help it stick in the mind. The route before Fallarbor Town being covered in volcanic ash from the nearby Mt. Chimney and having brown grass that only turns green when you run through it, the series of long-winded forest routes leading up to and past Fortree City (one of the coolest locations in any Pokemon game) and the vast and open-ended oceans you can begin exploring to your heart's content as soon as you get Surf.
Pokemon Gen 3's world design, both literally and figuratively are brilliant. Hoenn is a lush, tropical region so beautifully realised by all those little moments of artistry I touched on, but in terms of progression it's also incredible. So open-ended, so rewarding to the player for paying attention and thinking about the world. Once you beat Norman and get Surf, the game never tells you that you're supposed to go east of Mauville City to progress to Fortree, but you as the player are rewarded for caring and paying attention and thinking to yourself; "hmm, I should come back here when I can Surf." There's so many little moments like that peppered throughout the game like coming back to Meteor Falls to get Bagon when you have Waterfall or using Surf to go back yourself to the places near Dewford Town and Slateport City that Mr. Briney used to have to ferry you across. (And perhaps discovering the Abandoned Ship in the process!)
HMs do feel antiquated and needlessly restrictive, especially given the modernization of more recent games - and the physical/special split not yet existing hurts the game mechanically, but almost everything else is so well done. The new Pokemon designs are charming and do a great job at reflecting Hoenn's tropical nature, the soundtrack is lively and optimistic - enhancing the game's adventurous aesthetic and hell, the story might not be too much to write home about but it too has some interesting setpiece moments here and there and better yet - it doesn't insult your intelligence and insist upon itself at every given opportunity! Wow! What a novel idea! Next you'll tell me that this game had meaningful post-game content or something!
These games still looking so good today serves as a great microcosm of how well they still hold up in general. It's Pokemon Emerald, but it might just be evergreen. If you ever want to remember why Pokemon was so beloved, go back and play a game like this.