Video Game Review: Pokemon X and Pokemon Y (Nintendo 3DS)

 
After 15 years of capturing crazy critters, Pokemon X and Y finally shows some minor evolutions in gameplay, visuals and story. Nintendo and Game Freak seem to have acquired a new weapon, possibly a stick lying around their offices, to beat an old horse with. Nintendo might have also possibly painted this horse up as a Rapidash. So on that note, we move onto what we thought about the latest iteration of this classic gaming franchise.

Gameplay:





The core gameplay of Pokemon remains the same in that you still capture (or trade) monsters called Pokemon to then battle other trainers and wild Pokemon. The difference between this game and the previous games is that their felt like there was a big focus on keeping the pace and progress up. The game definitely does not feel as challenging as it predecessors, but things like being able to use TM’s (to teach Pokemon new moves) as much as you want and poison not affecting you outside of battle did feel like welcome changes, however.

The menu system suffers from unnecessary navigation. Even the simplest tasks feel cumbersome as you have to choose from one or two sub-menus. It’s like Windows Vista, asking you unnecessary steps and commands of “are you sure” in order to do anything.

Pokemon X and Y also feels like it misses allot of opportunities. Sky Battles are just like normal battles but with flying types only, and why can’t you ever chose to have double Pokémon battles in the single player campaign. The online features are excellent. Trading and battling online has a fair few options for those who feel inclined to go online and give it a go.

Visuals


The 3D effects felt very underused. Navigating around the world maps was mostly done in 2D, while the battle animations and cut-scenes were done in 3D. It was nice to see the battles play out in 3D, especially seeing as the Pokemon are animated as opposed to the sprites they used to be. The battles are more consistent with Pokemon Colosseum for the Nintendo 64 and we finally get to see the ass-end of all our favourite Pokemon in glorious 3D. Battles still look like two lifeless hessian sacks with eyes drawn on standing around and throwing party streamers at each other until one of them falls over.

The towns felt like they lacked variety. All the towns felt, for the most part, interchangeable. All the towns had the same-looking Pokemon Centre, Cafe and Boutique shop. The exception is the large, Paris-esque type city in the middle. Here, as in several other areas, the viewpoint switches to a third-person view. These sections were very confusing to navigate and I try to avoid the main city whenever I can.

The new Pokemon are, like previous generations, a mixed bag. Some of them look cool, some of them look lame, and some of them look like they asked a toddler to draw a squiggle and then chose a random word to make a new Pokemon. After they turned a keychain into a Pokemon, I felt that they should’ve upgraded from the Toddler to Mr Squiggle.

Story:

Our hero is still a mute who issues commands via his psychic-love attachment to his indentured Pokemon slaves. With this set of unique skills he goes about saving the world from an evil environmental pyramid scheme run by some otherwise nice Canadians. Your absentee mother and father are not too concerned with you playing with these Canadians and you even manage to drag your generic friends (the fat one, the nerdy one, the love interest and the rival) along for the ride.

There is a distinct lack of variety in what you can do with your Pokemon. There aren’t any more beauty contests, not really any side missions and the map and areas to explore feel much smaller and more streamlined than previous Pokemon games. The story is only there to make sure you see the world in all of its non-3D detail.

We found that the story is allot better when you are discussing of the subtext that happens in the story, while drinking expensive rum with your friends. We understand that Pokemon has a specific demographic appeal. Maybe next time instead they can make a kids and adult Pokemon adventure, complete with a date of birth verification.

Overall:

Pokemon is a game that has finally decided to experiment with using crayons to write. It feels like it is too grown up for pencils, but Nintendo has not trusted it with using pens yet. If you liked the previous Pokemon games, this is allot more of the same. It is disappointing that things like character customisation, mega-evolutions, horde and sky battles felt like they weren’t fully thought out. Although there are new Pokemon (including the starters looking half-decent for the first time in a while) and the battle system is still solid fun, it would have been good if the world and story felt a bit fresher and larger.

3.5 mega-evolved waffles out of 5.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR POTENTIAL POKEMON X & Y TRAINERS

1. Always beat little kids and steal their lunch money (especially kindergardeners).

2. Make sure your team is balanced like a Special K breakfast.

3. The story is more enjoyable drunk. Or if you set it to a language you do not speak.

4. Moon Blast is cheap. Using a gun during a Pokemon battle is also cheap.

5. You can’t die. Only feint. But Nurse Joy has ways of making you better.

6. Some Pokemon seem to delight in looking hyper-sexualised. I’m winking at you, Jynx.

7. Choose a television show or game to name your Pokemon after. Or just call all of them Doug.

8. I wonder what would happen if you fell off the hopping rocks. They seem awfully dangerous.

9. Level 2 PIdgey’s have no fear. They will attack you even if you have the legendary Pokemon who created the world.

10. It is important that your relationship with your parents is very disfuntional. Otherwise they might send you to school or care about your future.