Pokémon X and Y Review (3DS)

            Ah, Pokémon. As a kid, I loved the TV show. When I discovered that there was such a thing as a Pokémon game, I was overjoyed. The thing is, I never really paid attention to video games until I saw Ruby and Sapphire at a Target one day. I still remember that day very fondly, since it was Pokémon Ruby that got me into video gaming. Fast forward to June of 2014, and we’re fresh off of E3 and expecting remakes of my favorite Pokémon generation later this year. However, let’s take a look at Pokémon X and Y in the meantime.

Story

            Pokémon typically has a barebones plot that involves defeating 8 Gym Leaders and the Pokémon League while stopping the plans of a criminal organization along the way. However, Pokémon Black and White expanded a bit on the story; the crime syndicate this time was a group dedicated to separating Pokémon from humans in an effort to stop their “slavery”, similar to PETA and other animal "rights" groups. I won’t spoil the story for Black and White, but I will say that the characters are definitely the most interesting and have the most depth of the series thus far.

            This brings me to my point here: the storyline of X and Y is a bit of a step backwards from the previous entries’ achievements. While the backstory does elaborate a little on the history of the game’s region as well as the motives of the main villain, it feels almost a little rushed. With a little more time and effort put into the plot, it could definitely have been more fleshed out. Ultimately though, it’s more of a minor complaint since Pokémon was never known for story to begin with.

Graphics/Performance

            Perhaps the most notable change this generation is the graphical style. Thanks to the capabilities of Nintendo’s 3DS, we now have full 3D models. The game as a whole now looks amazing thanks to this major upgrade. However, there ARE a few technical issues. First and foremost, the 3D function can only be used during battles. While this doesn’t bother me much, the game really should have been optimized to run in 3D at all times. Because of this limitation, Pokémon X and Y will constantly switch back and forth between 2D (on the field) and 3D (in battles), and I’m sure many gamers will find it irritating.

            Secondly, the framerate can often drop during battles, especially with 3D on. Again, while it doesn’t bother me that much, it’s something that should have been taken care of before the game’s release, especially with games like A Link Between Worlds running at a full 60 frames per second even with full 3D on.

            Overall, despite the technical shortcomings, Pokémon X and Y is still a good transition into 3D for the series. It’s still definitely better made than previous entries like Diamond and Pearl.

Gameplay

            The gameplay is still the same old series formula: catch and train Pokémon and build a team to take on the Gym Leaders and Pokémon League. However, on the competitive side, this entry makes the best additions by far. There’s a new mini-game called “Super Training”, which helps competitive players EV train their Pokémon. The bottom screen’s interface, when switched to Super Training, will now also display where your Pokémon’s EVs have been invested. You also get punching bags to use on your Pokémon to train the appropriate stats, or even reset them completely if you’ve made a mistake.

            In battle, this generation also introduces a completely new mechanic: Mega Evolution. Pokémon can Mega Evolve in during battle, boosting their stats and sometimes even gaining a new ability or type in the process. This generally makes your Pokémon much more powerful (and in the case of Charizard, actually competitively viable) while also opening up new strategic possibilities. Since you can choose to Mega Evolve whenever you want during the battle, you can exploit the ability or type changes to your advantage. To prevent the mechanic from completely destroying game balance, however, you’re limited to one Mega Evolution per battle.

            On the field, the changes are more minor, such as the addition of roller skates or the ability to walk diagonally (yes, it took them that freaking long to add diagonal movement). The biggest addition comes at the start of the game. You can customize your character’s appearance and color, and buy new clothes for them throughout the game. This allows for a bit more creativity and personalization to players.

Online

            The online’s been more streamlined to make things even easier to do. Trading can now be done simply by using the new menu on the bottom screen to connect with someone and trade, as opposed to having to go to the Pokémon Center. You can also now access the GTS from this menu, as well as a new feature called “Wonder Trade”.

            Wonder Trade allows you to pick a Pokémon and do a blind trade. Until the trade itself begins, you won’t know what you’re getting or who you’re trading with. What you get all depends on luck. I was lucky enough to get the other 2 starter Pokémon through Wonder Trade, and I’ve sent out some good Pokémon myself. Wonder Trade can definitely help you earn powerful Pokémon if you’re lucky.

            Battling online is also much easier to do. From that same menu, you can choose to follow a match with set rules and levels, or you can challenge people that appear in your Friends, Acquaintances, or Passersby lists. Again, being able to do this makes it much more convenient for the player, allowing them to find a match as soon as they’ve assembled a good team.

Sound/Music

            The soundtrack in this game… is alright, at best. None of the tracks really stuck out to me, and the few themes I DO remember are ones that I’ve been forced to hear throughout the entire game. It’s really a shame since the series has had so many memorable tracks until now.

            The Pokémon cries have also been redone. How good they sound will likely depend from person to person. The cries all seemed to have been changed or updated to fit modern sound technology.

Length and Difficulty

            The main story isn’t very long at all. In fact, I’d say it’s probably getting shorter with each generation, though it might just be me. The difficulty has drastically fallen as well. By the end of the game, my Level 70-ish team was steamrolling the Elite Four; their teams were about ten levels below me despite almost no effort to grind on my part.

            Online, however, speaks an entirely different story. Due to the predominantly competitive nature of online, you’ll most likely have to spend hours breeding and training the perfect team in order to stand a chance. Unfortunately, if you don’t play competitively, you won’t find much in postgame content.

Verdict: 8.7/10

            Pokémon X and Y’s flaws are really noticeable if you’ve played some of the previous entries in the series, but it’s still a great game. Whether you’re a newbie or hardcore veteran, you’ll definitely find a lot to enjoy in this generation of Pokémon. I recommend you pick this one up when you get the chance.