The rountable began with a brief history lesson in Pokémon, chronicling all of the games from Red & Green until today. Though every game beforehand had separate release dates, Game Freak has miraculously translated X & Y for 7 different markets and will be releasing them simultaneously across the world. Though this doesn’t seem like that important of a point, it’s a great triumph as other markets won’t have to wait to play the game on its release on October 12th.
They went on to mention that one of the most important underlying themes in the Pokémon franchise has always been connectivity and communication, seeing as each of the games has been progressive based on the handheld it was released on. Thus, with X & Y the goal was to make the game accessible and connected to all players at any time (the simultaneous release is a great start).
The new method of connectivity comes in the form of the P.S.S. (Player Search System), which shows up on the bottom touch screen. Pictures of available players will show up at the bottom of the screen and you can click on them at any time to interact with them (trade, battle, chat, etc.). Though it’s still a little unclear about the full details of the P.S.S. they did elaborate a little on the details of finding friends and random players (they also said it will show all available players down there so I wonder if it randomly selects players based on progress in the game). As for random players, they show up as “passers by” and if you interact with them once, they can be promoted to an “acquaintance” and finally, acquaintances can be upgraded to friends after further interaction. The P.S.S. is always on and can be switched between local and internet connectivity at any time if you choose.
The game also features massive overhauls in the graphics department as it will be the first handheld Pokémon title that features 3D models of all the Pokémon. I’m indifferent about the graphics, to be quite honest, as Pokémon has always been about the strategy and gameplay (plus, I think that a 2D sprite can be equally as beautiful as anything done in 3D). However, my only reservations would be if it slowed the game experience down in any way. Though I’ve always wished there were options to speed up the Pokémon experience in all of the previous iterations (aside from turning off graphics or speeding up text), I really hope that the 3D implementation and emphasis on flashy graphics do not in any way impede the flow of battles or adventuring.
What I will say about what I’ve seen from the game so far is that the art style is looking absolutely amazing regardless. Just like the styles from Pokémon Black & White and Pokémon Black 2 & White 2, this recent emphasis on beauty and colorful, lively environments has completely breathed a new life into the franchise. Seeing as the art style in Pokémon X & Y seems to be picking up where those games left off in that department is a very good sign. And as for the music, Black & White had some of the best music I’ve heard in a long line of great Pokémon music and they excited me even more at the round table by explaining how the 3DS has no limitations from the studio to the device; thus “the music they create from the computer can be placed directly on the 3DS and so the music will sound exactly how they intended.” In short, I can’t wait to hear the latest installment in a long line of great soundtracks.
Next they talked some about a few gameplay additions to the game. As we’ve seen in some videos, Pokémon can be ridden on for certain areas of the game. They said that different gameplay mechanics will be explored throughout exploration in this game. Also there is direct interaction with your Pokémon such as being able to pet them, play games, give them high fives, etc. Apparently building bonds in this fashion also has positive consequences on their performance in battle. They mentioned that it could cause your Pokémon to dodge more attacks or have a better chance of critical hits. Though I like the idea of making your relationships with Pokémon more tangible, I’m only ok with the battle performances if it only affects non-competitive battles (which I’m sure will be the case). I also think it would be a cool way to change your Pokémon’s happiness as introduced from previous games.
The different battle types are also a welcomed addition to the series. Horde encounters are a great mechanic for increasing EV training production as well as experience and I like the idea of making battles more difficult by having more Pokémon rather than single Pokémon on higher levels (it gives an even larger strategic emphasis on moves that target multiple opponents). Sky battles and any other limited battle are a nice way to cause diversity of team builds; if you don’t have a wide variety of types, you may have to miss out on certain battles.
Finally, I’m very excited about the new fairy type that will be introduced in this game. Pokémon Gold, Silver, & Crystal are heralded as some of the best in the series (in this reviewer’s eyes) due to a number of game changing additions and seeing as we haven’t seen a new type implemented since those games, it gives me high hopes for Pokémon X & Y. I love that previous Pokémon are being retroactively upgraded to include this type as I feel like it will not only further balance the available types but improve some of the weaker Pokémon that could use a buff (similar to the balancing that abilities or the implementation of Steel & Dark types had on previous Pokémon).
There were several things of note that they mentioned towards the end and during the Q&A portion of the interview. First of all they mentioned that they are currently working on a way to transfer Pokémon from previous titles in the series to Pokémon X & Y. The issue is that DS’s currently do not connect with 3DS’s and they mentioned needing a workaround to fix this. Though I don’t know how they’ll ultimately fix the issue, I would love to see a Pokémon Box 3DS. I think it would be a great addition to their current attempts at apps meant for being run in conjunction with Pokémon. I could see them either giving it to us for free, bundled in with the new games (a download voucher) or charging a small price for it (I’m hoping that’s not the case). After moving your Pokémon from previous games, I would think you would not be able to move them back (as with previous cross-platform trades) and I also think the interface would be much more approachable if you just want to look at your Pokémon without having to load up the game.
Next, a great person from the audience addressed EVs and IVs in the Q&A to their surprise and they actually addressed the issue by saying that they’re working on ways to make it easier for trainers to raise Pokémon better without having to resort to the EVs and IVs. This is also reassuring seeing as EVs and IVs are the one elephant in the room that is a great addition to the series but has needed to be more approachable for non-competitive battlers for a long time now. Seeing as recent games have made EV and IV training easier through items and breeding tweaks, it’s safe to say that they’ll make it even more approachable in the upcoming titles.
All in all, there’s so much to be excited about the newest iterations of Pokémon. Not only are they making a major change in the graphics and sound department on their transition to the 3DS but the new P.S.S. seems to make interaction that much more approachable. It’s safe to say that Pokémon X & Y will be two of the most anticipated games for the 3DS this holiday season so I can’t wait to get my hands on them and provide you with another detailed review. Until then, I may just have to replay Black 2 or at least spend a little more time tweaking my teams 😉
