God I love Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.
I'm worried about the Biology final, I still have one more essay for English, and my sleep is out of whack again. What to do? Play "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity" nonstop! Well, almost nonstop, but you get the point. Which means it's time for a review!
Pros
- Thank you, whoever suggested that you can make gifts for Pokemon so recruitment will be easier. You saved me from beating up a million Joltiks just to get a single one on my team. (And with the right ability, too)
- I like the idea of setting up whatever facilities you want, so you can have certain types of dojos and gardens, and shops where certain things like orbs and seeds can be sold for a higher price. Hellooooooo Reviver Seed garden. I like that you can customize a little too, like painting the facilities and changing the clerks (even though you don't get many clerk choices. Blegh)
- Damask's fist-pump when he levels up! Awww.
- I'm really impressed with the post-game ending, namely how it executed Breaking the Fourth Wall. Think about it. Your partner's wish is for you to be able to go back and forth between the Pokemon and human world, right? When you're playing the game, you're playing as yourself in Paradise. But once you shut off the DS, you're "back to the human world" again. I tip my hat to you, writers!
- Speaking of which, dude. The option to say "No" and have a bad ending? Goddamn Mystery Dungeon, even when this is Lighter and Softer compared to Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, you're still pulling the punches.
- NO MORE HUNGER. WHOOOOO! Apparently, you can still get hungry in a few dungeons, but I think they're optional anyway. Buwahahaha.
Cons
- Only five available starters? Really? The fact that you don't even have a full Pokedex stinks monkey balls. The Unova Pokemon aren't even all available! We're experiencing a drought from the distinct lack of Water types aside from Oshawott, Wooper, Panpour and Tympole, neither of which I'm much interested in using. Bleeeegh. I suppose there's Vaporeon...
- Like I said, the plot isn't as deep as Explorers, but I was expecting that. Plus, it didn't leave me as disappointed and confused as X/Y's storyline did, so that's good.
- I'm not really feeling it for the characters this time around, neither do I ship anyone aside from the usual Player/Partner. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since you don't always need to ship anyone in order to enjoy something. I'm neutral on the cast themselves; while I'm not fangirling anyone or having a FEELZ EXPLOSION!!1!1 like Grovyle, Celebi and Dusknoir, I don't really dislike anyone either, like Team Skull and Pre-Brine Cave!Chatot. I did like Dunsparce though! He was cute. I think he and Bidoof would be good friends. I wasn't invested enough in the villagers to hear all their dialogue throughout the storyline, so I ended up missing out on all their silly dreams while they were passed out drunk after the return home party. Drat! This is why I constantly talk to NPCs, dammit!
Wait, I remember. I DO ship something: Rampardos/Cinccino. Awww.
- I can't multitask requests anymore. Technically, you can save notes for later, but now you gotta do requests one at a time. :(
- The message text speed is slow and you can't change it. Auuuuuuuugh.
- What happened to Munna and her gang? I wanted to find them post-game to be sure they were all right, and possibly recruit Munna into my team. But then, it would mean leaving her friends behind, so I guess that would be giving the player too many new members. But still! I want to see her gain hope again, and I don't want the last time I ever see her to be her lying injured at the Glacial Palace while her gang is worried about her. :( Villains deserve sympathy too! I thought you, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, of all series, knew that. :(
Neutral
- Genders are gone for some reason? Huh. Time to Attract everything on sight again.*
*Edit: It's a con now, considering the Japanese version allowed you to choose the gender of the main character. RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE.
Considering Gates to Infinity came out a year after "The Dark Knight Rises," and cynical superheroes wondering if the world is even worth saving have become an "official" thing in our current pop culture, it sure brings to light the themes in the game, doesn't it? The whole game is about fighting against nihilism and apathy, and rooting for values that nowadays we take for granted or have even become "dismissive" of, like kindness, hope and trust. The game emphasizes that you're not an idiot for being compassionate, even if you've been kicked down and betrayed time and time again. You're not a wimp for believing in doing the right thing, and it takes strength to keep hoping even when fate is against you.
In other Pokemon news, I'm not surprised about the Hoenn remakes. I knew it would happen sooner or later, but it's nice to have it confirmed. :o Coincidentally, I started a game on a Ruby romhack called "Pokemon Snakewood." I haven't gotten past Petalburg Woods yet though, since I got occupied with Mystery Dungeon. Whoops.
My friend Aspen got a 2DS! Now I can send him goodies for both Animal Crossing and Pokemon! :3
This post has been crossposted with Dreamwidth at http://shamanicshaymin.dreamwidth.org/87039.html. Pick your poison. Mwoiiiiiiiing~!
Pros
- Thank you, whoever suggested that you can make gifts for Pokemon so recruitment will be easier. You saved me from beating up a million Joltiks just to get a single one on my team. (And with the right ability, too)
- I like the idea of setting up whatever facilities you want, so you can have certain types of dojos and gardens, and shops where certain things like orbs and seeds can be sold for a higher price. Hellooooooo Reviver Seed garden. I like that you can customize a little too, like painting the facilities and changing the clerks (even though you don't get many clerk choices. Blegh)
- Damask's fist-pump when he levels up! Awww.
- I'm really impressed with the post-game ending, namely how it executed Breaking the Fourth Wall. Think about it. Your partner's wish is for you to be able to go back and forth between the Pokemon and human world, right? When you're playing the game, you're playing as yourself in Paradise. But once you shut off the DS, you're "back to the human world" again. I tip my hat to you, writers!
- Speaking of which, dude. The option to say "No" and have a bad ending? Goddamn Mystery Dungeon, even when this is Lighter and Softer compared to Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, you're still pulling the punches.
- NO MORE HUNGER. WHOOOOO! Apparently, you can still get hungry in a few dungeons, but I think they're optional anyway. Buwahahaha.
Cons
- Only five available starters? Really? The fact that you don't even have a full Pokedex stinks monkey balls. The Unova Pokemon aren't even all available! We're experiencing a drought from the distinct lack of Water types aside from Oshawott, Wooper, Panpour and Tympole, neither of which I'm much interested in using. Bleeeegh. I suppose there's Vaporeon...
- Like I said, the plot isn't as deep as Explorers, but I was expecting that. Plus, it didn't leave me as disappointed and confused as X/Y's storyline did, so that's good.
- I'm not really feeling it for the characters this time around, neither do I ship anyone aside from the usual Player/Partner. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since you don't always need to ship anyone in order to enjoy something. I'm neutral on the cast themselves; while I'm not fangirling anyone or having a FEELZ EXPLOSION!!1!1 like Grovyle, Celebi and Dusknoir, I don't really dislike anyone either, like Team Skull and Pre-Brine Cave!Chatot. I did like Dunsparce though! He was cute. I think he and Bidoof would be good friends. I wasn't invested enough in the villagers to hear all their dialogue throughout the storyline, so I ended up missing out on all their silly dreams while they were passed out drunk after the return home party. Drat! This is why I constantly talk to NPCs, dammit!
Wait, I remember. I DO ship something: Rampardos/Cinccino. Awww.
- I can't multitask requests anymore. Technically, you can save notes for later, but now you gotta do requests one at a time. :(
- The message text speed is slow and you can't change it. Auuuuuuuugh.
- What happened to Munna and her gang? I wanted to find them post-game to be sure they were all right, and possibly recruit Munna into my team. But then, it would mean leaving her friends behind, so I guess that would be giving the player too many new members. But still! I want to see her gain hope again, and I don't want the last time I ever see her to be her lying injured at the Glacial Palace while her gang is worried about her. :( Villains deserve sympathy too! I thought you, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, of all series, knew that. :(
Neutral
- Genders are gone for some reason? Huh. Time to Attract everything on sight again.*
*Edit: It's a con now, considering the Japanese version allowed you to choose the gender of the main character. RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE.
Considering Gates to Infinity came out a year after "The Dark Knight Rises," and cynical superheroes wondering if the world is even worth saving have become an "official" thing in our current pop culture, it sure brings to light the themes in the game, doesn't it? The whole game is about fighting against nihilism and apathy, and rooting for values that nowadays we take for granted or have even become "dismissive" of, like kindness, hope and trust. The game emphasizes that you're not an idiot for being compassionate, even if you've been kicked down and betrayed time and time again. You're not a wimp for believing in doing the right thing, and it takes strength to keep hoping even when fate is against you.
In other Pokemon news, I'm not surprised about the Hoenn remakes. I knew it would happen sooner or later, but it's nice to have it confirmed. :o Coincidentally, I started a game on a Ruby romhack called "Pokemon Snakewood." I haven't gotten past Petalburg Woods yet though, since I got occupied with Mystery Dungeon. Whoops.
My friend Aspen got a 2DS! Now I can send him goodies for both Animal Crossing and Pokemon! :3
This post has been crossposted with Dreamwidth at http://shamanicshaymin.dreamwidth.org/87039.html. Pick your poison. Mwoiiiiiiiing~!