'Pokemon X and Y' Review: Bringing Back the Appeal of an Evolved Game
The latest in the Pokemon franchise is "Pokemon X and Y," which has already enjoyed a full weekend with fans.
Still unsure if "Pokemon X and Y" is worth the buy or if it's just another un-evolved Pokemon game? Here's a quick review of the game featuring the ups, downs and overall okays of the game.
New Monsters: Gotta Catch 'Em All
Obviously, there are a number of monsters that have been introduced even before "Pokemon X and Y" was released. The downside to this, according to CVG, is that the sound effects haven't evolved. Sure, they are no longer 2-D creatures, but the sounds are still very much the same as they were before.
But the up side is that there is also a new feature, the Pokemon-Amie. Imagine a Tamagochi style of interaction with your Pokemons, as this allows you to tickle your monster, feed it, pet it and play mini games.
There is an advantage to doing this other than just knowing how it feels like to have a virtual pet -- activities like these will make your pet friendlier and, in turn, avoid attacks and be more able to land killer hits.
A 'Pokemon X and Y' 3-D World: Getting There
While there have been high hopes for the 3-D aspect of "Pokemon X and Y," it seems that the features that were rendered in 3-D were not as significant as one would have hoped. In fact, this may probably be one of the biggest gripes that players would have, especially if that was the aspect that you were waiting for.
A review from Christian Post states that the 3-D in "Pokemon X and Y" was not seen all throughout the game. For the most part, the 3-D renders were either in the fight scenes or in the cut scenes, the latter of which may be ignored by players who are focused on all the action.
Landscapes in Full 3-D
Of course, those who indulge in the 3-D world will find the marvelous landscapes an eye candy when you do take the time to watch them. According to Nintendo Life, you'll be able to fully enjoy the wonders and sights in Kalos and the other areas in the "Pokemon X and Y" world with the use of polygonal 3-D environments.
This is, indeed, a big change from where Pokemon was before. Even if this is not yet the fully evolved "Pokemon X and Y" game that fans have been waiting for, it does bring a pretty revolutionary stance to the game from where it was.
In fact, one scene to not miss is the transformation of Lucario, which Nintendo Life promises to be a breathtaking sight. Aside from these, the battle scenes are where you will probably enjoy the 3-D effects best, so make sure not to miss that.
Perhaps what makes it a mid-range improvement is in the way that Nintendo branded "Pokemon X and Y" as a fully 3-D game, which can be misleading for some.
A Multi-player to Remember
Besides all of these, Polygon points out a crucial element of "Pokemon X and Y" that makes it all the more worth the time to play: the multi-player aspect. This online multi-player functionality is potentially one of the best that Nintendo has established so far, with a simple interface that lets you interact with your friends online.
There's voice chat, a number of battles, trade matchmaking activities like Wonder Trade, and trainer videos.
The Verdict: A Pokemon Game that Fans and Even Non-fans Will Love to Play
The improvement of 3-D aside, a lot of what makes Pokemon a lasting franchise can be seen in "Pokemon X and Y." You get to encounter a numerous pocket monsters in an even brilliant environment, interact online with friends in an easier fashion and just enjoy the battles in the way that Pokemon was designed to be.
