Detective Pikachu is a game that I adore the existence of more than the act of actually playing it. Now, that isn't to say it's a terrible experience or anything, but it is a pretty bare-bones adventure game that's clearly intended for a younger audience, featuring a relatively straight-forward story and simple puzzle solving that doesn't have any fail states. If you're playing this game, it's more for the novelty of it than any notion of compelling gameplay.

That said, the aforementioned novelty of Detective Pikachu was more than enough for me to enjoy it, because it's the kind of Pokémon game I wish there were more of. The characters have voice acting. The Pokémon actually feel alive because their voices aren't still locked into digital noise from the 8-bit era. The world is one in which Pokémon coexist with humans in a more natural way and not every single thing revolves around them. Detective Pikachu (the game and the character) radiates charm and personality from every corner and you can absolutely understand at a glance why this was chosen to be made into a movie instead of the core series. It was such an easy fit.

Despite ending with a cliffhanger (that you can easily tell where it was going and the film decides to spell out entirely), I was still mostly satisfied with the time I spent in the world of Detective Pikachu. Even more than the mysterious sequel that was announced and never heard from again, I really wish there were more games in the spirit of this one; not afraid to do something truly different with the IP and respects the fact that games have come a long way since the Game Boy. You don't have to let the past hold you back when it comes to updating this franchise in exciting new ways.

A timepiece to a sense of nostalgia I have no relation or memory of having, but I can still feel through the work itself. A delightful story with twists and revolutions that constantly shifts the player's interpretation of the story as it goes on. It is rather short and simple, but the story is worth it for home much impact it made in such as short time. Puzzles can be a bit questionable, some being fun, others being tedious, as well as having a bit of a "guide dangit" when it comes to specific triggers and collection points. As well, the game could be a bit slow to work through, as you somewhat move pretty slow. All in all, the story and characters are a real hit and make the experience all worth it.