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SomeNewGuy Since: Jun, 2009
01/29/2014 17:27:03 •••

Good, but rough around the edges

X and Y are great additions to the Pokemon franchise, but there's some issues that make it seem like a rush job.

-Horrible balance. Early on, you're given an EXP Share. Use it, and the game becomes laughably easy. But if you don't use it, the game quickly becomes full to the brim with Fake Difficulty.

-Haphazard pacing. Team Flare, the Villain Team for the Generation, barely has any presence until the very end, their ultimate plan makes no sense, and their motivation runs on Insane Troll Logic. Plot points are introduced as if they'll be important, only to be completely forgotten almost immediately after they're introduced. (Pokemon Village, anyone?) And then there's AZ, who honestly feels like they took what was meant to be a game long arc (ala N) and forcibly compressed it into three 5 minute scenes.

-Inconsistent design. Team Flare and your Rivals all get unique, fully animated 3D models in battle. Literally everyone else gets static, 2D images, including the Elite Four and the Champion. Apparently, a gang that barely even appears in game and your Five-Man Band are more important then the strongest Trainers in Kalos. Also, the post game is practically nonexistant. One sidequest, two bonus dungeons (one of which is a carbon copy of Cerulean Cave), and that's it. The Elite Four don't even gain any additional Pokemon or levels for rematches, something that every game since Diamond/Pearl/Platinum has done.

All that aside, there's still plenty of good in this game. As easy as it can be, the combat is fun and rewarding. The graphics are some of the best on the 3DS, and I was amazed by the level of detail given to the Pokemon models, especially in Amie. The music is also pretty great, though not as great as Black and White. Speaking of Amie, its a great, hearwarming mechanic that's cute, fun, and helps you form a genuine bond with your Pokemon.

As it is, generation 6 is pretty damn good. However, if GameFreak were to balance out the difficulty, give the Elite Four and the Champion the 3D models they deserve, give us better portrayals of Team Flare and AZ, and give us a better, more rewarding postgame, it'll be so much better.

MJTrooper Since: Apr, 2011
01/21/2014 00:00:00

I think you forgot to mention the Battle Maison for post-game content.

Personally, I'd prefer if the 'net was a little friendlier, but you know the GIFT...
MorningStar1337 Since: Nov, 2012
01/21/2014 00:00:00

I don't think pokemon has a "more rewarding" post game since Gen II (and remakes there of). But then again its hard to match gaing to another region entirely. Every other game just has Legendaries, dex completion and the online metagame, plus sidequests that are done in a day (like the Looker sidequest in X/Y's postgame)

SomeNewGuy Since: Jun, 2009
01/22/2014 00:00:00

That's just it though. While Gen II undeniably had the largest postgame, gens IV and V all had, in addition to their Legendary dungeons, several bonus routes full of new Pokemon and Trainers.

Again, I still really like this game, but it could've been so much more. Hopefully Z will be better in regards to the areas I criticized.

Shamelessly plugging my comics, Oh yes.
Midoribird Since: Sep, 2013
01/29/2014 00:00:00

I tend to view those spaces that seem to have been "forgotten" like Pokemon Village....and any number of areas....tend to get addressed in the third version or sequels. They leave enough to tease or wonder at, or even make us disregard an unimportant area in the first, and then that place takes a center staging later on.


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