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Kairu's Review of Pokemon X
So I wound up getting Pokemon X a couple of days ago and I've spent seven hours playing it, so far. I've decided that it's very good and well worth the $40ish I've spent to get it. Keep in mind, I haven't played Generation V. What may be new features to me, may not be so new to the series. This review is being typed from my perspective and experience.
The Kalos Region and the basics
Pokemon X and Y take place in a region within the Pokemon World called Kalos. A region that seems to mirror France in culture and style. Kalos is also a region broken into three parts by the Pokedex, Coastal, Central, and Mountain respectively. At the heart of Kalos is Lumiose City, aka Paris. Here, so far, is the Pokemon Lab, PR Video Studio, a clothing store, and barber, both of the latter for character customization. Kalos, despite it's French feel, is a refreshing pace. Traveling along the routes between cities and even the settlements themselves have a lot of livelihood and buzz. Walking by people talking with prompt passing speech bubbles when you get in close proximity, various NPCs move between stores and along the towns' roads further showing activity in Kalos like none of it's predecessors have done. When you start the game, a few things are laid out for you. Besides the opening intro, you have the classic "Here's your Professor, 'Are you a boy or girl?', and then pick your default look from a selection of three templates. When you're done, you are placed in the game and you start in your bedroom, classic.
Once you're in-game, you find out a few things about you pretty quick. You just moved in and you have a neighbor, (not sure if it's gender specific), Serena, the daughter of two avid Pokemon trainers. You, yourself, are the child of a Rhyhorn racer, the Pokemon version of the Kentucky Derby. Professor Sycamore had asked for five children from around Kalos to join him in the Pokedex hunt, allowing everyone to get their first Pokemon. When offered, you have your choice of Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie [shown respectively below].
Me being the trainer I am and the fanboy I am, I naturally pick Fennekin because I'm in Club Fire Starter (sorta, not really). So I get underway on my Pokemon journey already past Route 1 and Vaniville Town where I got to pick my pokemon in the second town, Aquacorde Town. With my Fennekin in hand and the tutorials, more or less over, I can go at my own pace ahead for the rest of the journey.
Other basics I've picked up are the music, battle style, and art, along with the swap between 2D and optional 3D in certain situations. The music, as I've been typing this, I've moved to different areas and have been listening to, is fitting. With the hubba bubba and liveliness of Kalos' Lumiose City and the more quiet, tranquil towns and routes, the music fits the location. The current town I'm in, Camphrier Town, is an 'ancient town... once famous for the long-neglected manor home of a noble family.' Add in the French feel and the music makes this place feel alive without forcing it.
The art/sprite work of the game is incredible too. For me, this is a game that doesn't go full clean 3D, like Ocarina of Time 3D did, but instead maintained the level of detail I've seen from other DS games such as Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Pokemon Gen V, and among others I can't quite think of at the moment. While during the battles, the calm relaxing artwork changed to better compare to my experiences of Pokemon Stadiums 1 and 2. The battles have different camera angles on the 'standby' phase where it will show the Pokemon side-by-side in a split screen as well as switch between focus of your Pokemon and your opponent. This is also where 3D is really nice and allowed because the battle and the moves are designed to show-off and exploit the 3D mechanism, with some projectile moves like Flare Blitz that come at the screen just to have the camera pan out of the way at the last second. Overall, I'm truly impressed with the combination between 2D and 3D and the relationship between them.
Returning/Changed Features:
So this list, for me, isn't something too long because a lot of what I will list in the new may better fit under this header, rather than the New header. However, I would like to remind you, the reader, that I skipped over Gen V after having a poor taste from Pokemon Platinum.
The first feature I noticed to return in this game was the backpack/inventory. Well duh, it's a feature and always has been, however, the pocket seperation is what brought my attention. Instead of a dozen inventory slots, some which you may never really look at in the overworld, like Pokeball space, Game Freak has instead reduced the pockets to five: Items, Medicine, TMs and HMs, Berries, and Key Items. Hold items and finite number of items that don't belong in the other four slots will get dropped into the Items pocket, such as the quick claw and honey.
The second feature I've noticed has changed is the EXP Share. Fortunately you get this charm early in the game. It's behavior is different than what I'm used to, where now, instead of being held by a Pokemon you want to raise, such as that Level 1 Egg Pokemon who may have to spend half the game benched, the item is placed into your Key Items pocket and it shares EXP with ALL pokemon in your party, so other than your lead, your pokemon will level at the same time. My current party levels up with a three battle difference. After a bulk of the party hits the next level, I check to see who is lagging behind and switch them to my lead since your lead gets more EXP than the rest.
The third feature I've noticed is that TMs are reuseable. I can't quite figure out what the difference between HMs and TMs are now, since HMs main difference was the reuseability. Although the change is different, I can see where it makes sense and I welcome it. Many times, I've wanted to reuse Misty's TM Bubblebeam on water Pokemon or Morty's Shadow Ball. Now that I can, I'm going to have a team with an inexpensive, diverse moveset for battling.
The final feature I noticed that has been changed is that the Pokemart and Pokemon Center are now combined with a fitting center. The fitting center is where you can change your look between the different items you can buy to customize your character.
New Features
This list is long and lengthy, so if you need to go and get a drink, feel free to take a pause, I won't mind.
Back? Okay, let's get to it. The features that I consider new to both Pokemon Gen VI and the series are incredible. I'll work down the list with what I have the most experience with and what I enjoy most and work down from there.
My favorite new feature is Wonder Trade. Wondering what that is? Essentially, it's a great way for you to get rid of old Pokemon you may never use/want and you caught them just to fill your Pokedex. Getting rid of them in Wonder Trade makes me feel less guilty and I can never bring myself to release a Pokemon back because I am, in my very nature, a hoader. I like seeing collections and Pokemon is no difference. But I guess you want to know what WT is, eh?
Wonder Trade is where a trainer can offer to put a Pokemon of their choice up for trade with a randomly matched person who also wants to WT from anywhere in the world. When a match is found, the PSS, or Player Search System, will show you a brief summary of the partner's profile (a combination of info from your StreetPass/3DS account and in-game provided info), and the trade will start. From there, the game will treat the WT like a regular linked trade, you first saying good-bye to your Pokemon, the trade, and the receive. That player will then be added to your acquaintances tab of the PSS and you can interact with them more there.
The PSS isn't just for WTing either. The PSS is the complete overhaul of the multiplayer aspect of the Pokemon series. There is no longer the upstairs area of the Pokemon Center. The PSS, when first activated will ask to connect to the Internet as well as activate StreetPass in-game. When enabled, you can play your game and meet a lot of people who are playing as well, and you can view their profile. Other features of the PSS include the custom battling and trading, BattleSpot, shouting out, holo caster, the GTS, Game Sync, O-Power, PSS settings, your profile, and your favorites list.
Here's a general summary of each of the other features, as said in the game:
Battle - You have three options: Battle with Infrared Connection [someone nearby], Local Wireless/WLAN [someone in the area], and the Internet [someone far away]. After choosing location search, you then get to edit the battle rules such as the number of players 2 or 4, battle format [singles, doubles, triples, or rotation], rules and handicaps.
Trade - Same location options as battling and then you can choose out of all the people you've met through the game and on your 3DS friends list.
BattleSpot - Internet linked battles where you can be randomly matched up and compete in battles online.
WT - Was previously covered in the last section.
Shout-out - You say a shout-out to everyone's PSS that you're listed in.
Holo-Caster - HC is a feature that serves as your phone from Gen II. It also gives you in-game news as well as serves as a bulletin from Nintendo about game competitions and gifts.
GTS - Returns as the flea market of trading.
O-Power - A unique feature that allows you to temporarily boost trainer/Pokemon abilities for yourself or someone else. You can improve stats, heal, or have overworld effects such as shopping discounts.
Profile - This allows you to edit your PSS profile.
Game Sync - Game Sync is a feature that allows you to save your device on a cloud storage as well as receive items and transfer them to the game.
The next new feature is the Pokemon Amie. This allows you to love and pet your Pokemon and interact with them in a recreational way, such as mini-games and feeding and what have you. It's pretty nice and you can even talk to the Pokemon like calling out their name. In essence, if Nintendogs was added to Pokemon, this is it. Super Training is the third newest feature. This allows to further boost your Pokemon's EV stats through mini-games that require more attention and skill to have better bonuses.
The last of the newest features is character customization. This is what also gets me really happy and excited. You can change the look of your player with various shops found all over Kalos where you can go from the default look to looking like a snazzy person. As far as I know, it's only aesthetics that you get to see, but I can't honestly say for certain. This new feature helps me bring Pokemon into the RPG sense that I think it should be.
Overall, I give Pokemon X a solid 9 out of 10.
The Kalos Region and the basics
Pokemon X and Y take place in a region within the Pokemon World called Kalos. A region that seems to mirror France in culture and style. Kalos is also a region broken into three parts by the Pokedex, Coastal, Central, and Mountain respectively. At the heart of Kalos is Lumiose City, aka Paris. Here, so far, is the Pokemon Lab, PR Video Studio, a clothing store, and barber, both of the latter for character customization. Kalos, despite it's French feel, is a refreshing pace. Traveling along the routes between cities and even the settlements themselves have a lot of livelihood and buzz. Walking by people talking with prompt passing speech bubbles when you get in close proximity, various NPCs move between stores and along the towns' roads further showing activity in Kalos like none of it's predecessors have done. When you start the game, a few things are laid out for you. Besides the opening intro, you have the classic "Here's your Professor, 'Are you a boy or girl?', and then pick your default look from a selection of three templates. When you're done, you are placed in the game and you start in your bedroom, classic.
Once you're in-game, you find out a few things about you pretty quick. You just moved in and you have a neighbor, (not sure if it's gender specific), Serena, the daughter of two avid Pokemon trainers. You, yourself, are the child of a Rhyhorn racer, the Pokemon version of the Kentucky Derby. Professor Sycamore had asked for five children from around Kalos to join him in the Pokedex hunt, allowing everyone to get their first Pokemon. When offered, you have your choice of Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie [shown respectively below].
Me being the trainer I am and the fanboy I am, I naturally pick Fennekin because I'm in Club Fire Starter (sorta, not really). So I get underway on my Pokemon journey already past Route 1 and Vaniville Town where I got to pick my pokemon in the second town, Aquacorde Town. With my Fennekin in hand and the tutorials, more or less over, I can go at my own pace ahead for the rest of the journey.
Other basics I've picked up are the music, battle style, and art, along with the swap between 2D and optional 3D in certain situations. The music, as I've been typing this, I've moved to different areas and have been listening to, is fitting. With the hubba bubba and liveliness of Kalos' Lumiose City and the more quiet, tranquil towns and routes, the music fits the location. The current town I'm in, Camphrier Town, is an 'ancient town... once famous for the long-neglected manor home of a noble family.' Add in the French feel and the music makes this place feel alive without forcing it.
The art/sprite work of the game is incredible too. For me, this is a game that doesn't go full clean 3D, like Ocarina of Time 3D did, but instead maintained the level of detail I've seen from other DS games such as Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Pokemon Gen V, and among others I can't quite think of at the moment. While during the battles, the calm relaxing artwork changed to better compare to my experiences of Pokemon Stadiums 1 and 2. The battles have different camera angles on the 'standby' phase where it will show the Pokemon side-by-side in a split screen as well as switch between focus of your Pokemon and your opponent. This is also where 3D is really nice and allowed because the battle and the moves are designed to show-off and exploit the 3D mechanism, with some projectile moves like Flare Blitz that come at the screen just to have the camera pan out of the way at the last second. Overall, I'm truly impressed with the combination between 2D and 3D and the relationship between them.
Returning/Changed Features:
So this list, for me, isn't something too long because a lot of what I will list in the new may better fit under this header, rather than the New header. However, I would like to remind you, the reader, that I skipped over Gen V after having a poor taste from Pokemon Platinum.
The first feature I noticed to return in this game was the backpack/inventory. Well duh, it's a feature and always has been, however, the pocket seperation is what brought my attention. Instead of a dozen inventory slots, some which you may never really look at in the overworld, like Pokeball space, Game Freak has instead reduced the pockets to five: Items, Medicine, TMs and HMs, Berries, and Key Items. Hold items and finite number of items that don't belong in the other four slots will get dropped into the Items pocket, such as the quick claw and honey.
The second feature I've noticed has changed is the EXP Share. Fortunately you get this charm early in the game. It's behavior is different than what I'm used to, where now, instead of being held by a Pokemon you want to raise, such as that Level 1 Egg Pokemon who may have to spend half the game benched, the item is placed into your Key Items pocket and it shares EXP with ALL pokemon in your party, so other than your lead, your pokemon will level at the same time. My current party levels up with a three battle difference. After a bulk of the party hits the next level, I check to see who is lagging behind and switch them to my lead since your lead gets more EXP than the rest.
The third feature I've noticed is that TMs are reuseable. I can't quite figure out what the difference between HMs and TMs are now, since HMs main difference was the reuseability. Although the change is different, I can see where it makes sense and I welcome it. Many times, I've wanted to reuse Misty's TM Bubblebeam on water Pokemon or Morty's Shadow Ball. Now that I can, I'm going to have a team with an inexpensive, diverse moveset for battling.
The final feature I noticed that has been changed is that the Pokemart and Pokemon Center are now combined with a fitting center. The fitting center is where you can change your look between the different items you can buy to customize your character.
New Features
This list is long and lengthy, so if you need to go and get a drink, feel free to take a pause, I won't mind.
Back? Okay, let's get to it. The features that I consider new to both Pokemon Gen VI and the series are incredible. I'll work down the list with what I have the most experience with and what I enjoy most and work down from there.
My favorite new feature is Wonder Trade. Wondering what that is? Essentially, it's a great way for you to get rid of old Pokemon you may never use/want and you caught them just to fill your Pokedex. Getting rid of them in Wonder Trade makes me feel less guilty and I can never bring myself to release a Pokemon back because I am, in my very nature, a hoader. I like seeing collections and Pokemon is no difference. But I guess you want to know what WT is, eh?
Wonder Trade is where a trainer can offer to put a Pokemon of their choice up for trade with a randomly matched person who also wants to WT from anywhere in the world. When a match is found, the PSS, or Player Search System, will show you a brief summary of the partner's profile (a combination of info from your StreetPass/3DS account and in-game provided info), and the trade will start. From there, the game will treat the WT like a regular linked trade, you first saying good-bye to your Pokemon, the trade, and the receive. That player will then be added to your acquaintances tab of the PSS and you can interact with them more there.
The PSS isn't just for WTing either. The PSS is the complete overhaul of the multiplayer aspect of the Pokemon series. There is no longer the upstairs area of the Pokemon Center. The PSS, when first activated will ask to connect to the Internet as well as activate StreetPass in-game. When enabled, you can play your game and meet a lot of people who are playing as well, and you can view their profile. Other features of the PSS include the custom battling and trading, BattleSpot, shouting out, holo caster, the GTS, Game Sync, O-Power, PSS settings, your profile, and your favorites list.
Here's a general summary of each of the other features, as said in the game:
Battle - You have three options: Battle with Infrared Connection [someone nearby], Local Wireless/WLAN [someone in the area], and the Internet [someone far away]. After choosing location search, you then get to edit the battle rules such as the number of players 2 or 4, battle format [singles, doubles, triples, or rotation], rules and handicaps.
Trade - Same location options as battling and then you can choose out of all the people you've met through the game and on your 3DS friends list.
BattleSpot - Internet linked battles where you can be randomly matched up and compete in battles online.
WT - Was previously covered in the last section.
Shout-out - You say a shout-out to everyone's PSS that you're listed in.
Holo-Caster - HC is a feature that serves as your phone from Gen II. It also gives you in-game news as well as serves as a bulletin from Nintendo about game competitions and gifts.
GTS - Returns as the flea market of trading.
O-Power - A unique feature that allows you to temporarily boost trainer/Pokemon abilities for yourself or someone else. You can improve stats, heal, or have overworld effects such as shopping discounts.
Profile - This allows you to edit your PSS profile.
Game Sync - Game Sync is a feature that allows you to save your device on a cloud storage as well as receive items and transfer them to the game.
The next new feature is the Pokemon Amie. This allows you to love and pet your Pokemon and interact with them in a recreational way, such as mini-games and feeding and what have you. It's pretty nice and you can even talk to the Pokemon like calling out their name. In essence, if Nintendogs was added to Pokemon, this is it. Super Training is the third newest feature. This allows to further boost your Pokemon's EV stats through mini-games that require more attention and skill to have better bonuses.
The last of the newest features is character customization. This is what also gets me really happy and excited. You can change the look of your player with various shops found all over Kalos where you can go from the default look to looking like a snazzy person. As far as I know, it's only aesthetics that you get to see, but I can't honestly say for certain. This new feature helps me bring Pokemon into the RPG sense that I think it should be.
Overall, I give Pokemon X a solid 9 out of 10.