jstndstrctn
Bio
I like video games, esp rpgs / visual novels, collecting Pokemon stuff, and uh. Cosplay or whatever.
I like video games, esp rpgs / visual novels, collecting Pokemon stuff, and uh. Cosplay or whatever.
Badges
Elite Gamer
Played 500+ games
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Shreked
Found the secret ogre page
Full-Time
Journaled games once a day for a month straight
On Schedule
Journaled games once a day for a week straight
Liked
Gained 10+ total review likes
Gamer
Played 250+ games
N00b
Played 100+ games
1 Years of Service
Being part of the Backloggd community for 1 year
GOTY '22
Participated in the 2022 Game of the Year Event
Favorite Games
500
Total Games Played
011
Played in 2024
000
Games Backloggd
Recently Played See More
Recently Reviewed See More
500th game finished, woo!
I've played Pokemon since I got Yellow version when I was like, idk 7, and if I had to point at a gen and say "that's my least fave" it has always, even from when I was a child, been gen 2. While Johto boasts immaculate VIBES, we've all heard the complaints. Terrible level curve. New Pokemon not even accessible til post game, when you can't integrate them into your parties in meaningful ways. Very little variety despite an additional 100 added. The immense feat of pulling off two regions, yet having to butcher the second to make it work. A barely there narrative to get you through the Kanto revisit.
Polished Crystal is about as perfect as gen 2 could possibly get. It doesn't have the wonderful Pokemon following of HGSS, and while HGSS > the ogs, Polished Crystal surpasses both.
With added routes that tastefully sprawl the areas of Johto into one cohesive map, new areas, dozens of easter eggs, returning characters spanning new / future gens, abilities, the optional addition of natures, a MUCH better level curve, better Pokemon variety, new moves, fairy typing... the level of care & quality of life added is immense! I was constantly surprised by the things I found. Armored Mewtwo? Jessie / James? Flying, surfing Pika variants? Alolan variants. There are sooo many more things to discover.
There is a RNG based wonder trade with NPCs built into the game, which is nuts to me. The difficulty has been ramped up, in a way that is not really outright cruel, but definitely tougher than the average pokemon game.
There is ONE misstep here. And that's the final post game bit. You eventually hit a point where your Pokemon are prob 70-80, and in order to fight the top trainer (fully kitted with positive natures, comp movesets, and full EV training, which, btw, in this game, you can add 252 to every stat...) it's a brutal grind to the last challenges. Occasionally, I think some of the difficulty is a little whacky. This is largely balanced, but one ex, Falkner having Roost access early game... there is so little you can do to out damage the healing, at that point in the game, it was a little silly. And there's a few other moments where it felt if you didn't do one specific strategy you were in trouble.
Still, this is an absolute masterpiece. It felt like re-experiencing this game for the first time, and it made me like it more than I ever have.
I've played Pokemon since I got Yellow version when I was like, idk 7, and if I had to point at a gen and say "that's my least fave" it has always, even from when I was a child, been gen 2. While Johto boasts immaculate VIBES, we've all heard the complaints. Terrible level curve. New Pokemon not even accessible til post game, when you can't integrate them into your parties in meaningful ways. Very little variety despite an additional 100 added. The immense feat of pulling off two regions, yet having to butcher the second to make it work. A barely there narrative to get you through the Kanto revisit.
Polished Crystal is about as perfect as gen 2 could possibly get. It doesn't have the wonderful Pokemon following of HGSS, and while HGSS > the ogs, Polished Crystal surpasses both.
With added routes that tastefully sprawl the areas of Johto into one cohesive map, new areas, dozens of easter eggs, returning characters spanning new / future gens, abilities, the optional addition of natures, a MUCH better level curve, better Pokemon variety, new moves, fairy typing... the level of care & quality of life added is immense! I was constantly surprised by the things I found. Armored Mewtwo? Jessie / James? Flying, surfing Pika variants? Alolan variants. There are sooo many more things to discover.
There is a RNG based wonder trade with NPCs built into the game, which is nuts to me. The difficulty has been ramped up, in a way that is not really outright cruel, but definitely tougher than the average pokemon game.
There is ONE misstep here. And that's the final post game bit. You eventually hit a point where your Pokemon are prob 70-80, and in order to fight the top trainer (fully kitted with positive natures, comp movesets, and full EV training, which, btw, in this game, you can add 252 to every stat...) it's a brutal grind to the last challenges. Occasionally, I think some of the difficulty is a little whacky. This is largely balanced, but one ex, Falkner having Roost access early game... there is so little you can do to out damage the healing, at that point in the game, it was a little silly. And there's a few other moments where it felt if you didn't do one specific strategy you were in trouble.
Still, this is an absolute masterpiece. It felt like re-experiencing this game for the first time, and it made me like it more than I ever have.
Full of style & great ideas, it was fun to finally play this. There's a lot of fun companions and interesting locales, chapter 7 was def my favorite. Overall, I felt that the game is a bit tedious, though its parts are solid on their own.
Fun, neat, cute. Princess Peach is a badass. I thought it was interesting how they devised different play styles of levels / puzzles, even though it's a very simple game.
It's Princess Peach so auto 5/5 from me, chief.
It's Princess Peach so auto 5/5 from me, chief.