Let me start of by saying this: Im a huge Pokemon fan. In fact, it's my favorite franchise. I've played every main game and I truly believe that Pokemon has the potential to produce one of the greatest games of all time.
With that said however, I'm also critical of Pokemon. As a long time fan, I feel as though Pokemon hit it's peak in the 4th generation. Gen 5, in turn, was a little disappointing. Even still, much of my disappointment stems from the decision to withhold the move of Pokemon to the 3ds into the following generation. There was so much that Pokemon could have been, but it wasnt, because they did all they could have done with Pokemon Platinum and HGSS. Much of this is focused on presentation. There has always been a significant visual upgrade between generations, but that didn't happen with the 5th generation. Instead what we got was pixely animated sprites and a taller avatar. There is not one town or city in Unova that looks as good as Ecruteak in Johto or the Battle Frontier in both Sinnoh and Johto.
Even still, Unova did bring very cool things the table. We got seasons for example. Now I loved the fifth gen. But that doesn't mean it wasn't the first true step backwards for the franchise. If not, a complete plateau. Stagnation.
Now with XY, we still get that very incremental sense of progression. I'm going to just flat out say it. Why doesn't the game look like Dragon Quest 8? Why are we still using this ancient grid based overhead system? Why is the character costumization so primitive? Why are there only 80 something new Pokemon? Why do you keep taking away great features like the seasons and Pokemon following you? Why is the story so bad as opposed to the prior standard of servicable? Why isn't there finally voice acting? Why are Pokemon fans so okay with this game??
Look,I love my Pokemon X. I've logged over 90 hours into this game, but am I the only person who felt like the Looker side quest at the end was actually good? Why didn't the entire game have this good a plot. The characters were likable, developed, and progressed throughout the short story. There was a drama and deepness to the story that just wasn't there in the main story line.
And why on earth are we still required to get badges? Now I'm not saying to take them out. They are a perfect tutorial for newbies who aren't well aquainted with the types yet, but it limits Pokemon so much by being mandatory. Make the player progress through the world because of the plot, like in literally every other JRPG, and have the gym badges be a large side quest. This way, they could have a much more fleshed out plot that didn't stop because you didn't beat gym leader A.
People were exited because Pokemon XY are the first gens where you can sit. That's depressing. And even that isn't fleshed out like it could be. In XY, you a new phone app in the form of the holo caster. This in combination with sitting at boutiques could have been used to organise hang outs with in game characters. Let's say you called a gym leader to a restaurant for a dinner battle, or just a talk to progress the plot. What if you actually had to call Lysandre to dinner and it was there that he discussed with you his phylosopies and motivations.
Pokemon amie was a good use of the extra power, but even then, I fear that it will be gone next generation as a inevitable casualty that good ideas seem to get in Pokemon.
Finally, I think of the character customization. First, why are there only three skin tones. It wouldn't have bothered me as much if there weren't characters in the same game with darker skin than you can have. I'm black. The darkest skin option isn't black. It's a dark tan. To add insult to injury, non of the ethnic hair style present in the very game appear as hair styles. Even the mii creator has a deeper character customization tool. I have chin-length dreads. I have come to terms with the fact that that specific hair style will probably not appear in many character costumization menus. (Even though it's an option in the mii maker) But there's literally no hair style that matches the skin color of my race. That means that the closest thing I can look to like myself is like a middle Eastern or South American variation of myself, with pensil straight hair. This never bothered me in prior games, because I was always playing a character. In this game, I'm supposed to be playing myself, but I can't, because of limited customization options. I can even be built like I really am. I'm built like Marlon from B2W2. Why cant i choose that body type? Why can't I choose how my eyes are shaped? What if I was fat? Why isn't there an option for that? It's not like they don't have the character model. Teirno is fat. His model is right in front of us. It's not line making out player character look older would suddenly stop this game from being E rated.
This flows on to the clothes. The variety of cloth options for girls is far superior than that of guys. Again, this wouldn't be as frustratin if there weren't other character in the game who look better than I possibly can. Why can't i have the clothes that Sycamore has? Why can't I choose how slim the cloths fit? Why aren't there enough cloths to begin with? I hate DLC, but I'd gladly pay money for a massive cloths pack. And stupid hat nececity needs to go.
like I said, I love XY, but some people are trying to say they are the best games in the series, when they are clearly some of the worst.
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