What if like, Pokémon was... actually good?
What if they made use of species' traits directly within the storytelling, and what if they make it so that each Pokémon really is a clearly emoted character with its own characteristics based on its species - something that the main games just don't seem to have the capacity to do?
What if they actually made strategy, moveset management and team optimization an important aspect of single-player gameplay while getting rid of the awful aspects to raising Pokémon in the main games, like EVs/IVs?
What if they actually used the idea of endurance and attrition within dungeons as a legitimately well-thought out gameplay mechanic instead of being something you could just grind around by going in and out of the Pokémon Centers?
What if they actually got you to care about all the NPCs you met by making sure you know what they have to say at all times, instead of just the main cast being shoved into your face the whole time?
This is my preferred way to engage with the Pokémon franchise these days. It may not be perfect - I don't like not being able to evolve my starter, or not really being able to pick it, for that matter; the story is ultimately a little contrived to make up for the fact that gameplay gets a little stale unless there's plot development shoved into your face at every moment to give you a reason to keep playing; there are a few quirks about the gameplay in general that I think could be ironed out...
But this has so much going for it that it's actually willing to explore within the main, single player campaign - both in terms of how it handles the actual Pokémon, and in how complex it takes its gameplay by the end of it (and I haven't even started the postgame yet in this run!)
The music's good, the story's enjoyable if you don't think too much about it, it's fun to put more thought into battles (especially when you bring in an Escape Orb and get the option to bail and try again), the music's good...
I'm looking forward to completing the postgame and one day moving onto Explorers, probably Sky. It's a shame this series hasn't quite taken off after the first two.
(I think the main Pokémon games aren't bad; I really like Gen 4 and 5 as games, but I think the general Pokémon formula just isn't for me, and I feel like they've stayed a little too stagnant in their game design in all the wrong ways.)
What if they made use of species' traits directly within the storytelling, and what if they make it so that each Pokémon really is a clearly emoted character with its own characteristics based on its species - something that the main games just don't seem to have the capacity to do?
What if they actually made strategy, moveset management and team optimization an important aspect of single-player gameplay while getting rid of the awful aspects to raising Pokémon in the main games, like EVs/IVs?
What if they actually used the idea of endurance and attrition within dungeons as a legitimately well-thought out gameplay mechanic instead of being something you could just grind around by going in and out of the Pokémon Centers?
What if they actually got you to care about all the NPCs you met by making sure you know what they have to say at all times, instead of just the main cast being shoved into your face the whole time?
This is my preferred way to engage with the Pokémon franchise these days. It may not be perfect - I don't like not being able to evolve my starter, or not really being able to pick it, for that matter; the story is ultimately a little contrived to make up for the fact that gameplay gets a little stale unless there's plot development shoved into your face at every moment to give you a reason to keep playing; there are a few quirks about the gameplay in general that I think could be ironed out...
But this has so much going for it that it's actually willing to explore within the main, single player campaign - both in terms of how it handles the actual Pokémon, and in how complex it takes its gameplay by the end of it (and I haven't even started the postgame yet in this run!)
The music's good, the story's enjoyable if you don't think too much about it, it's fun to put more thought into battles (especially when you bring in an Escape Orb and get the option to bail and try again), the music's good...
I'm looking forward to completing the postgame and one day moving onto Explorers, probably Sky. It's a shame this series hasn't quite taken off after the first two.
(I think the main Pokémon games aren't bad; I really like Gen 4 and 5 as games, but I think the general Pokémon formula just isn't for me, and I feel like they've stayed a little too stagnant in their game design in all the wrong ways.)
8 Comments
I'll have to get to them... one day! There's probably no such thing as too much Mystery Dungeon for me, since I'm thinking of looking into the Shiren and Chocobo ones eventually too - just... one day.
I should probably take the dip into Pokemon Mystery Dungeon at some point. I feel very overwhelmed by where the mainline games are at this point and the formula for those does not seem for me even tho the competitive aspects seem fascinating.
good review until u shitted on the personality quiz. your starter chooses you bro you dont get to pick whichever you want willy nilly
thanks sis, i got mudkip anyway so it's all cool 😎
honestly the only PMD game you should avoid is gates to infinity, which is bad and not good imo
why are you comparing a generic mystery dungeon game with a genre defining turn-based rpg game? ngl i like pokemon mystery dungeon, but a lot of the stuff you mention that's good about it is classic mystery dungeon shit
story's good as hell though. the end made me cry on my kitchen floor when i was young
story's good as hell though. the end made me cry on my kitchen floor when i was young
Because they're games in the same IP, and I've been re-examining my preferences in RPGs in general recently. I have no doubt that a lot of it just chalks up to me liking the gameplay principles behind the Mystery Dungeon games more than those behind the mainline Pokémon games, but something about Pokémon being this formula just feels... right to me, somehow. I haven't beaten Shiren, but the last time I played the DS game I felt like something was missing.
Either way, I love PMD, the ending made me tear up even if the rest of the story is a little meandering and ultimately just excuses to keep the player engaged
Either way, I love PMD, the ending made me tear up even if the rest of the story is a little meandering and ultimately just excuses to keep the player engaged
ranrannerson
3 years ago