First things first, a whole chunk of points off for one of the most frustrating tutorials I've ever experienced.
Once you get full freedom, however, it's every single bit of Pikmin charm I hoped for. I love this series, I always have, I hopefully always will. As disappointed as I am that the later games moved away from the harsh timer of the first (as well as the loneliness), the core experience is so very satisfying, and this game is just polished as you can always expect from Nintendo.
My only other gripes are that it feels a bit overstuffed with some bits of content (though, one is my favorite thing they've thrown in in a while!), and the game is clearly designed around splitting your attention between yourself and Oatchi, which I've always found more stressful and less fun than only having Olimar to control.
But by and large, this is exactly what I wanted: more Pikmin, fun areas to explore, treasures that make me smile, and a gorgeous, charming, complete experience. The first credits scene caught me offguard with how early I hit it, but my final play time, completing all tasks, came in at 40 hours, which I was more than happy with.
Once you get full freedom, however, it's every single bit of Pikmin charm I hoped for. I love this series, I always have, I hopefully always will. As disappointed as I am that the later games moved away from the harsh timer of the first (as well as the loneliness), the core experience is so very satisfying, and this game is just polished as you can always expect from Nintendo.
My only other gripes are that it feels a bit overstuffed with some bits of content (though, one is my favorite thing they've thrown in in a while!), and the game is clearly designed around splitting your attention between yourself and Oatchi, which I've always found more stressful and less fun than only having Olimar to control.
But by and large, this is exactly what I wanted: more Pikmin, fun areas to explore, treasures that make me smile, and a gorgeous, charming, complete experience. The first credits scene caught me offguard with how early I hit it, but my final play time, completing all tasks, came in at 40 hours, which I was more than happy with.