14.11.2013

Pokemon X and Y are pokemon games that will capture a new generation of fans , while bringing smiles to veterans of the franchise too.The much awaited transition from pixeled sprites to polygon character models is most appreciated in this game.Fans will love to see their favourite pokemon animated in glorious cel shaded 3d models.Alot of care has been put into animating the pokemon , bringing out their personalities and charms/appeal , both during battle and mini games/ petting time.I do wish the battle animations were a bit more varied at times , but I guess with over 600 pokemon to animate and hundreds of moves/attacks to animate , I guess I can somewhat forgive,the usual place holder short cut animations they apply in this franchise to use across many characters.The environments seem a lot more exciting too , along with wonderful accompanying music which makes the exploration that more immersing. Although some sudden camera angles will have you running around in circles sometimes , thankfully this does not happen too often.There are a lot of invisible walls though in most environments , so you of course can't walk where ever you want.This is probably one of the easiest pokemon games to date however , certain decisions like the Experience share all , makes it easy for just anyone to steamroll through the whole game with their starter , while the rest of their team levels up alongside it effortlessly.Kind of takes away a lot of the grinding in the game, which I think has always been part of the franchise. Although in a way not everyone has spare hours to throw away to level up their pokemon , so this feature is good for busy people.The new feature "Pokemon Amie" is a great addition for those who love pet simulators like Nintendo dogs. I'm sure kids will love the opportunity to pet and feed their pokemon and playing mini games with them too. Treating your pokemon well will have bring extra benefits in their performance on the battle field too.You can also have the pokemon interact with your facial expressions via the one of the 3DS cameras. ( Although the facial recognition is another story )I can tell a lot of the budget went into the attention to detail of each pokemon's animations and mannerisms.Additional stats training for pokemon is also made easier and more accessible this generation , with the new " Super training " feature. If additional pokemon battles to level up your stats are too monotonous/tedious for some players, they can have their pokemon partake in punching bag and some kind of weird pseudo-soccer simulation to gain extra stat points instead.Although whether Pokemon Amie and Super training become tedious in themselves , decides on the player. But I'm sure most fans will at least find some short term amusement interacting with hundreds of pokemon via petting/feeding.Online functionality is streamlined rather nicely in this version of the game.You can connect online during any point in the adventure. So that means trading and online battles whenever you like.Everything seemed to work a lot more smoothly in comparison when I tried going online in Pokemon Black and White.Amongst the many additions to the online capabilities , Wonder Trade is by far my favourite addition. Random trading can be a lottery of fun, anticipation and disappointment.Also other players can be rather generous and reasonable on the GTS ( Global Trade service ) too , as my experience, just as long as you're not too greedy in your demands.The social aspect of pokemon through it's trading , is what separates pokemon from other RPGs and never has it been so easy immerse yourself in trading than in this title.Another aspect that makes this game even more easier than ever , is O-powers. Which could be seen as RPG spells , that grant you buffs/boosts for short periods.You can use this on yourself or on other players who are online , further encouraging more online interactions with other players.And of course another flashy aspect that will change the ways battles are played ( and how new pokemon are designed ... old ones given new life/interest )is the introduction of Mega Evolution. Yet another aspect of making this toddler level of difficulty game , even easier ... well for the single player part anyway.I'm sure mega evolution means great changes and upsets for the existing multiplayer metagame, but I don't indulge myself in that aspect much unfortunatly.All in all I having a great ammount of fun with this title every time I pop it in the 3DS.It is quite an addictive time eater , especially if you go at your own pace and interact with other players.The implementation of Pokemon Amie, Super Training and online functionality can be all available and activated at any point in your adventure , greatly streamlines the enjoyment and accessibility of the experience. As it pretty much lets you chose what you want to do whenever you want. As you can easily take a break from the story/quest whenever you want , to enjoy other aspects of the game. ( instead of having to trek to certain locations in the game just to activate these features instead )My main complaint is that it's just too easy at times .... but then again , I suppose you need to consider the core audience it aims at.But although it's a kids RPG , adults whose inner child still hasn't died , will be having plenty of fun here.Pokemon has certainly taken a very big turn in the franchise in terms of presentation and accessibility. I look forward to future games in the franchise to see if they can develope the franchise to greater heights.Although this could just be the final peak of popularity, lets get the pokedex up to 1000 before putting things to rest shall we ?This is easily my game of the year, for breathing long overdue exhilarating new life into a franchise that needed it. Although the core game is still quite samey and in some cases and simplified. Sometimes presentation goes along way.This is the pokemon game I've been waiting for , for a long time...

1.2.2014

Having never completed any Pokémon game in the series and not having played one for quite a while I decided to give the latest version a try. Gamefreak finally decided to put more effort into updating what can only be described as the same style game since the Gameboy days I decided I too would also make the effort.Joking aside the game actually looks beautiful and for the first time it feels like a next gen Pokémon title, something that was missing from previous games. I have always enjoyed the series but could never tell you why I have never ever finished a single one. Sure it does essentially feel like you keep playing the same game with different characters and added Pokémon from the lastone but there is something about the series which makes you enjoy the experience.I don’t have a lot of bad points to bring up apart from the fact the 3D isn’t always on, something I find highly irregular for a big Nintendo based title. It’s not that I used the 3DS much anyway but I am sure some people do and I cannot understand the reasoning behind only having 3D in certain sections of the game.The game controls are pretty much the same, the battle system also hasn’t really involved much either but the main difference really is the graphics and I can’t stress how much better this looks to previous titles.The story is ok, not great but enjoyable, hell, I even made it to the end and captured the legendary Pokémon, something I have failed to reach in previous games, although having said that the Legendary Pokémon did seem a little too easy to obtain. In fact the game as a whole is pretty easy and I rarely faced any sort of challenge along my journey. I know this game is aimed at younger gamers but come on! wouldn’t a difficulty option hurt? I mean a lot of people growing up with Pokémon games would now be in their 20’s and 30’s!The moto that has always stood behind the Pokémon series “gotta catch them all” has long since departed as I felt no need to collect every Pokémon, heck half of the ones I did capture I never used anyway. I just found my favourite 6 and stood with them to the bitter end.Hmm said I wouldn’t find bad points but I seem to be finding more as I write this! Oh well I might as well continue. I felt there were too many abilities and items being thrown at you (didn’t use half of them), the abilities like Cut and Strength are back forcing you to use them to gain extra items (you probably won’t use), however this time you can’t create a utility Pokémon to dump all abilities on, you are forced to use different Pokémon if you want to use them. On top of that you are unable to delete the ability once you give it to that Pokémon. For example if I wanted to fast travel the world map I had to use the only flying Pokémon in my party which happened to be the legendary one, Um no thanks, I’ll walk!These are all little issues I had with the game. As I previously said this is the first Pokémon game I have stuck with until the end and I found myself playing for long periods at a time, on the small sized 3DS which cramps my hands when playing for long periods.So in summary, looks great, familiar gameplay and story, lack of 3D for those who use it and also something I failed to mention was the music was catchy and enjoyable.If you are a fan of the series this is a welcome familiar addition, if this is your first Pokémon game, this is an enjoyable pick up and play game, even if there is a coffee shop around every corner!

21.10.2013

As an avid fan of this game series for a few years now, I've played Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, Heart Gold/Soul Silver, Black/White, and the imaginatively named Black 2/White 2... And I'd been looking forward to playing X and Y from the minute I heard about them. Especially due to the first worldwide release meaning not much was known about the games before the release date.So far, this game hasn't disappointed. I'm near the end of my first playthrough now, and it's just been unputdownable! All the new features, mini-games, etc that they've come up with to spice up the old formula have certainly hit the mark with me. And the transition in graphics onto the 3D system certainly look the part.Both in-battle and in the rest of the game, it looks something special. It still feels like a Pokemon game, but thanks to the new features/graphics, it feels so much fresher. I also love how they've made your progress/time spent in the mini-games count towards the main game in such a big way. Nothing I've done so far has felt wasted in any way.The battle scenes in past Pokemon games have gotten a little stale. Gen 5's games were an improvement of course, but this takes it to a whole new level. It feels much more like your Pokemon are actually battling, which makes the game feel much more involving than before. Just expect a lot of cheering when you're winning, and wincing when they're taking hits! And anyone who's in doubt of the spectacle of the new battles - wait until the first time you call the move "fly" against an opponent from your Mega Charizard.. Ouch!The game feels a lot more involving when it comes to your Pokemon, but also with fellow gamers. One post-game section I've heard gives benefits to those who have a lot of friends registered on their friend list, which has obviously made people keen to add one another. Normally that would be a negative in my opinion. I've always played Pokemon solo in the past, never even had so much as one online competitive battle.. but this new feature will be encouraging me to hand out my friend code, and link up with other Pokemon players, and I am really looking forward to sampling my first battle with one (or all) of them! So again, another huge bonus with this game, and I think this will be where most of the post-game fun will come from.Really can't recommend this game enough to fellow Pokemon fans. And I'm sure that any 3DS gamer would get a kick out of playing it. Sure, as with all Pokemon games, there's a few things missing (advanced move tutors anyone?!) but overall, the new content more than makes up for it, and I'm sure there's already a further 3rd title, or perhaps another set of sequels in the making. I personally can't wait for them, Nintendo have really shown us what they can do with both the 3DS system, and the Pokemon title. As long as they remember to keep the next game just as involving, it's going to be a stunner!

3.5.2014

For me this game has been the most enjoyable since D/P/PL. It's very engaging and is extremely easy to spend half a day playing solidly, especially once you begin trading with and battling other people online. There are minigames you can play with your Pokemon to permanently raise their stats and increase (or decrease) their affection towards you, which in turn affects their capabilities in battle (a couple of examples are them fighting through and curing themselves of status conditions and surviving attacks which would otherwise be knockouts). You can customise your appearance and the appearance of certain Pokemon with clothing and hair boutiques in some cities.

15.10.2013

Wow, what can I say. I love this game. I've played every Pokemon game that has ever come out and this one really is amazing.Lets start with why it's a surprise. After Black and White and Black and White 2 I had very little expectations for this game (I have bought both) but I can honestly say it's fantastic. The graphics are amazing, the 3D effect is very good and the story line is good as well. it's comfortable to play for hours and have already put in 12 hours myself.The Pokemon:Again after the black and white games i was dubious about these Pokemon to say the least, however i was pleased to find that the new Pokemon are actually really really good,

31.12.2013

Having been an enthusiastic Pokemon player for the past 10 years or so,I was definitely excited when I heard about this latest installmentin the Pokemon series. I was unsure at first about buying the game though,as it was only available on the 3DS, a console which I did not own at the time.However after watching the trailers and the Game-play videos, I knew I had to get this game.Eventually I bought this for my 3DS and honestly, I was not disappointed. Yeah sure, there were a few conswith the game such as the fact that not many new Pokemon had been added in the long awaited 6th generation, (although Ido believe that there may be a few updates to come out in the coming months)But the pros of this game definitely outweigh the cons,

20.10.2013

As a long time fan of the franchise, I went into this game expecting a lot from game freak.I'll tell you that I got exactly that!!I'll start with the pros of this game:-Amazing graphics, a huge leap forward for game freak.-all the Pokemon have an amazing 3D render and the game makes this more interactive by adding more camera angles and control of what you see.- A strong generation of Pokemon, unlike the last when I found some Pokemon weren't as useful to me as others, this generation makes me want to use them all.- Beautiful over world- includes many old Pokemon which is great for new players who aren't familiar with Pokemon.- new mechanics make the game even more slick,

29.10.2013

Having played Pokemon Blue on the Gameboy and subsequently numerous other Pokemon games from the main series, I wanted Pokemon Y to feel as fresh as an experience as Pokemon Blue.In short, it is the most perfected Pokemon game of all the main series. Pokemon in your team of six can ALL gain 'experience' easily, thanks to turning on the related feature. This means that your Pokemon can level up quicker, making your overall journey less time consuming in having to level up your Pokemon individually as in past games.The frequencies of encountering wild Pokemon in previous Pokemon games was high; as the player would often be forced to go into 'wild grass'. Here, in Pokemon Y,

3.11.2013

The best part of this review is that I don't even have to make it long. The game is amazing and deserves a clear 5 stars with the only bad thing I could point a finger at was the absence of online multibattles, meaning 2/3 players each play on the same team with 3/2 pokémon each vs 2/3 other players under the same conditions. This can be done only vs npcs while you are PHYSICALLY within a few centimetres of each other.Now, for the game.The graphics are amazing in this new Pokémon game from Game Freak. Essentially, Pokémon X and Y takes pretty much everything from the previous generations and enhance it as close to perfection as it gets. The story is, as is the custom in these games,

11.2.2014

For someone who is a fan of Pokémon, even a bad Pokémon game becomes by default good. However, that is not the case with Pokémon Y.I will just pinpoint the good points and the bad points about the game. The obvious selling points are all the Pokémon created so far will be available in 3D and there is a new pokémon type - Fairy. However, this game gives you so much more than it advertises:Pros:- When you start, besides the Kalos starter Pokémon, you are offered Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle and a Mega stone to see how it works!- Grinding for gym challenges reduced a LOT.- Easy to understand Effort Value training - for those interested in training their pokémon.- Basically a nintendogs for Pokémon,

16.6.2016

This was my first Pokemon game in a while. Like many people I grew up playing the games but as the technology moved on faster than my interest I stopped playing as much, I found preferred reading and sewing and just watching bad movies on netflix. However, after purchasing a 3DS I felt that I should check out the newest Pokemon game, just to see what had changed. The world and Pokemon have moved on so much from where they were when the games first came out, honestly it's probably become a little over complicated for me. However, this game is fun and engrossing and I have played many happy hours on this.The game begins with you choosing whether to play as a girl or a boy and then move into your new town to start your Pokemon adventure.

24.12.2013

I have to say, This was the Pokemon game I was waiting for! Haven't we all dreamed of a 3D Pokemon game? With a more interesting take on the idea of the Crime Syndicate (Team Flare), awesome battling systems and Mega Evolution! What's not to like?The answer: Not a lot. The story is an interesting one, with Team Flare wanting to kill the world to make it nice and pretty, and the story actually is significantly more mysterious, with the addition of AZ, a wandering 'giant'. Although it's not as great as the ORIGINAL team plasma storyline, it's still an interesting one.The region is much better than the previous generation. Although they fixed the problem with Unova in B2W2,

27.1.2014

In my opinion this is the best pokemon game in the series so far. The series has finally shed its retro look in favour of a fully 3D world and battles, and it looks gorgeous. The cartoonish graphical style oozes with charm, as well as being technically very impressive and all of the pokemon both old and new look great. The music has seen a similar upgrade, with high quality tunes that excellently complement the game.In terms of structure, the game follows the same formula that pokemon always has; don't expect to find anything radically new past the graphical update, but that doesn't mean it's any less fun. All of the new pokemon are a lot of fun to use, and you're bound to find ones you like.

12.10.2013

I have played every major Pokemon game. Red and Blue, Gold and Silver, Emerald, Platinum, White/White2 and now I am onto the 6th generation of Pokemon. I got this game earlier than the release date, and I have gotten far enough that I can give my review on game mechanics, layout, game play, the new Pokemon, and so forth.The game, I was very excited to see this appear at my house a day early, and I played it non-stop for eight hours. I am now playing it while I write this and am very impressed with the new mechanics Nintendo have put in. People said the newer games felt boring, I didn't feel that, but for anyone that did, X and Y brings in a breath of fresh air that the franchise arguably needs.There are I believe 68 new Pokemon.

22.10.2013

I'll be honest with you - this wasn't even on my radar until release day.The last Pokemon game I played was the original Red back in the day. Since then I have moved on to new franchises, even new gaming platforms (predominantly PC gaming nowadays). I only picked this up when I was trading in my Xbox 360, when I didn't really know what to use my store credit on.I'm pretty much blown away. I haven't had as much fun playing a game in a while. I'm about 9 hours in, and about 7 of these hours were played non-stop on Saturday whilst the girlfriend was at work.The graphics are fantastic, the art style complimenting the bright, vivid Pokemon and environments. I also want to mention how great the world looks,

Pokémon Y (3DS) - Reviews

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