I just have to tell you all why this game is so enjoyable to me!
I even made a quick map of the first area in the game, to tribute the game!
Whimseon’s House
Aspiration Hill
I had to get all the good thoughts about the game written down. All of it! So here is my written tribute to the game!
Inspired from game design rules and guidelines I’ve found or learnt, I made 7 categories that explain why the game is so enjoyable from my perspective!
- Vast content! I like the gameplay and didn’t want it to end. And happily I realise that there really is so much I still can do! Took 50 hours for me to complete the main story while surveying and questing to my heart’s content, and there’s still post game and the dex! And I’ve never completed the dex ever, because I didn’t find it enjoyable in any Pokemon game Except for this game, woah, finally Pokemon catching has become an action game! But not only that, it also feels meaningful, there’s so many interactions and quests where you see the benefits the people gain from your survey work! And it also feels necessary, every villager needs to contribute to deserve their food and stay, that includes the protagonist! And the overworld has so many secrets I will probably keep finding new things after many more hours of gameplay. I got surprised that I could do digging and discover more mysterious lore!
- Lore I can relate to the lore! Fear of the unknown is a very relatable theme. And the lore ties so well into motivating why the dex is such a genuine mission. And fear makes villagers mistrust a stranger such as the protagonist when they just appear out of nowhere in the world. Such reminds me of Red Blue Rescue Team, which I can never forget because mistrust makes the story so good!
- The protagonist I can sense what the protagonist feels! There is reactions of concern when mistreated, even bitterness, and there are reactions of relief when successfully escaping danger. In rain, the protagonist feels cold and shivers. After sprinting for too long the protagonist needs to catch their breath. The partners of the protagonist creates smiles, when helping out in tasks like gathering materials. When an unfortunate event unfolded, I sent out the starter to talk to and cheer the protagonist up, because it feels like they are a living person I want to help!
- Genuine behaviours I really need to remember how Pokemon behave, because of how groups of species react differently to the danger of a human threat approaching! And if the protagonist trips on a rock, steps on a branch or into a puddle, the pokemon will notice it! Even the pop sound from a pokeball catching something can scare away the nearby pokemon! In battle, pokemon seek eye contact with their foe, looking upwards if the foe is tall. Partner pokemon, just like villagers, seek eye contact with the protagonist if the protagonist gets nearby. These details really do contribute to the genuine behaviour of Pokemon!
- Seam-free experience This game feels so smooth, this is exactly what Pokemon games needed! So many things can happen simultaneously. When trying to catch, the player can return to safe cover while a pokeball is still shaking. The player can send a partner out to battle from far away, then run closer to the fight while the first move is being launched. Or run away to safety while the foe executes an overwhelming move! Even time-limited items can run out during a battle. There are so many simultaneous movements that take time to discover and master, making the gameplay feel more efficient the better the player gets!
- Clear game design idea I really think the game is able to get this good simply because it makes the right priorities! There is only one town to worry about, explained by the lore. The moves, statuses, even the turn-based system itself, are remade and simplified just enough for the purposes that battle serves in this game. Even EVs are changed for the better! I like science, and one important concept is to keep it simple, but not too simple. Therefore it really feels like the design of this game is well thought-out!
- The concept The concept is truly appealing for a Pokemon game. I still remember the direct where this game just appeared out of nowhere, I just kept thinking about it that day. And even worried, will they let the game be good. And yes, they did more than I could imagine! This is a game where I decide not to quicktravel, simply because I just want to see all the things that happen during the travel. They even added stuff that “would be cool but it’s ok if they don’t have time for it”, like character customisation. And something I’ve always wanted personally finally became true: to freely send out all your partner Pokemon and hang out! I finally have a game where hanging out with your partners feels genuine enough that I can just watch and be content. Because the game has created a world where it feels like both people and Pokemon live in it!