This game feels so disappointing considering Genius Sonority's previous track record of making great 3D Pokémon games.
Don't get me wrong: the game is absolutely beautiful. Not only do the environments and Pokémon look great, but so do the animations. I love, for instance, that physical attacks actually involve the Pokémon going up to their opponent and attacking them! It makes the game feel so much more immersive.
Also, fun fact: this is actually the first Pokémon game to offer trainer customization, not X and Y. And the different outfits look cool, too. I especially like the costumes modeled after different Pokémon like Electivire. I loved earning different customization options as I progressed through the game.
But... the game is also deeply flawed. The most obvious weakness for me is the lack of a story mode. What's especially disappointing is that, from the looks of it, Pokétopia looks like such a cool place to explore, but you never get the chance to do so in the game. Whereas the two previous 3D Pokémon games involved you venturing across a Pokémon region never-before-seen in the handheld games, this one simply involves nonstop battles in different Colosseums. The gameplay gets very repetitive and stale quickly.
Additionally, unlike the two previous 3D games, Pokémon Battle Revolution does not work as a standalone game. Instead, it practically expects you to own a copy of one of the Gen IV DS Games. Technically, you can use a rental team to progress through the game, but you will be at a massive disadvantage. This is something that isn't explicitly stated or advertised upon the game's release but should have, as I know several people who bought this as their first Pokémon game, and immediately became disappointed and returned their game to GameStop.
Once again, it's a pretty game that had a lot of potential, but instead falls flat due to the lack of various game modes. I truly hope we eventually get another 3D Pokémon game from Genius Sonority though, as they've proven in the past that they could deliver great 3D Pokémon games.
Don't get me wrong: the game is absolutely beautiful. Not only do the environments and Pokémon look great, but so do the animations. I love, for instance, that physical attacks actually involve the Pokémon going up to their opponent and attacking them! It makes the game feel so much more immersive.
Also, fun fact: this is actually the first Pokémon game to offer trainer customization, not X and Y. And the different outfits look cool, too. I especially like the costumes modeled after different Pokémon like Electivire. I loved earning different customization options as I progressed through the game.
But... the game is also deeply flawed. The most obvious weakness for me is the lack of a story mode. What's especially disappointing is that, from the looks of it, Pokétopia looks like such a cool place to explore, but you never get the chance to do so in the game. Whereas the two previous 3D Pokémon games involved you venturing across a Pokémon region never-before-seen in the handheld games, this one simply involves nonstop battles in different Colosseums. The gameplay gets very repetitive and stale quickly.
Additionally, unlike the two previous 3D games, Pokémon Battle Revolution does not work as a standalone game. Instead, it practically expects you to own a copy of one of the Gen IV DS Games. Technically, you can use a rental team to progress through the game, but you will be at a massive disadvantage. This is something that isn't explicitly stated or advertised upon the game's release but should have, as I know several people who bought this as their first Pokémon game, and immediately became disappointed and returned their game to GameStop.
Once again, it's a pretty game that had a lot of potential, but instead falls flat due to the lack of various game modes. I truly hope we eventually get another 3D Pokémon game from Genius Sonority though, as they've proven in the past that they could deliver great 3D Pokémon games.