This game quickly differentiates itself from the other two installments. GtI fleshes out numerous characters, including NPCs, which makes the setting feel more alive. The levels are more labyrinthine and difficult, and for the most part, takes out the Belly stat, the series' Scrappy Mechanic. This game is also considered to be quite harder than its predecessors.
But sometimes change isn't a good thing.
One of the most complained about aspect of the game is that you're limited to 5 starter choices, as opposed to the first game's 16 and the second game's 21, and to rub salt into the wound, you're not allowed to play as a female character(That is, if you're not Japanese).
The Randomly Generated Levels, one of the series' main gimmicks, have less of a variety, and it's very likely you'll come across the same layout more than once in the same dungeon. You're also not allowed normally regenerate your HP if the weather isn't Clear, either.
Another not-so-welcome change is that there's very few Pokemon in the game: there's only 144, and not all of them are recruitable. The majority of them are Unova Pokemon, as well. This limited arsenal leads to stupid stuff like Volcarona in an ice level.
There's also DLC, which has exclusive Pokemon and items, and for $2-3 dollars a pop. This is a stark contrast to the other games, which allowed you to get all the Pokemon from their respective generation in the game for free.
And to top it off, the end-game is almost non-existent, only adding a few dungeons post-final boss, yet again another stark contrast to the other games.
However, there are a few things GtI got right.
Many consider the graphics, plot twists and music to be the best of the series. Again, it's harder than the ones before it, but it isn't sadistic.
The bosses are also fun to fight, especially the final boss(Even moreso if you're playing as Axew), and you can get lost within the Magnagate dungeons for hours, provided you find enough round objects. And even if you do get the DLC, it comes with quite a few tracks from the older games, which provides a bit of nostalgia for PMD veterans.
So while the game isn't the best, it isn't the worst, either. It provides a decent bit of fun, at least. Let's hope the next one is better.
Good, but left a lot to be desired.
This game quickly differentiates itself from the other two installments. GtI fleshes out numerous characters, including NPCs, which makes the setting feel more alive. The levels are more labyrinthine and difficult, and for the most part, takes out the Belly stat, the series' Scrappy Mechanic. This game is also considered to be quite harder than its predecessors.
But sometimes change isn't a good thing.
One of the most complained about aspect of the game is that you're limited to 5 starter choices, as opposed to the first game's 16 and the second game's 21, and to rub salt into the wound, you're not allowed to play as a female character(That is, if you're not Japanese).
The Randomly Generated Levels, one of the series' main gimmicks, have less of a variety, and it's very likely you'll come across the same layout more than once in the same dungeon. You're also not allowed normally regenerate your HP if the weather isn't Clear, either.
Another not-so-welcome change is that there's very few Pokemon in the game: there's only 144, and not all of them are recruitable. The majority of them are Unova Pokemon, as well. This limited arsenal leads to stupid stuff like Volcarona in an ice level.
There's also DLC, which has exclusive Pokemon and items, and for $2-3 dollars a pop. This is a stark contrast to the other games, which allowed you to get all the Pokemon from their respective generation in the game for free.
And to top it off, the end-game is almost non-existent, only adding a few dungeons post-final boss, yet again another stark contrast to the other games.
However, there are a few things GtI got right.
Many consider the graphics, plot twists and music to be the best of the series. Again, it's harder than the ones before it, but it isn't sadistic.
The bosses are also fun to fight, especially the final boss(Even moreso if you're playing as Axew), and you can get lost within the Magnagate dungeons for hours, provided you find enough round objects. And even if you do get the DLC, it comes with quite a few tracks from the older games, which provides a bit of nostalgia for PMD veterans.
So while the game isn't the best, it isn't the worst, either. It provides a decent bit of fun, at least. Let's hope the next one is better.