Pikmin 4 is an extremely charming collect-a-thon, that requires a mix of quick and forward thinking to master its form of "dandori" time management. Much of the game is built around navigation puzzles that have you choose how to allocate your resources, including time (an expedition timer) and labour (your delightful pikmin friends and doggy comrade). There are many thoughtful challenges to overcome that are stitched together via a rescue story, featuring many encounters with cute and funny characters.
Major challenges largely come in the form of frequently chaotic combat sequences, that require specific use of pikmin. I feel too much of the game hinges around your success and failure during these encounters, and I'd have liked more surprise and danger throughout the general exploration and management experience. The game largely places emphasis on filling progress meters, and once you find a predictable beat forwards the experience can feel like busy work.
This critique is a largely a matter of taste as Pikmin 4's structure allows players a degree of pace-setting, so that they may more leisurely chip away at the game.
Major challenges largely come in the form of frequently chaotic combat sequences, that require specific use of pikmin. I feel too much of the game hinges around your success and failure during these encounters, and I'd have liked more surprise and danger throughout the general exploration and management experience. The game largely places emphasis on filling progress meters, and once you find a predictable beat forwards the experience can feel like busy work.
This critique is a largely a matter of taste as Pikmin 4's structure allows players a degree of pace-setting, so that they may more leisurely chip away at the game.