The Official Pokemon X and Y Thread
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Every so often, evolution takes a significant leap. Pokemon X and Y is smarter, better, and faster than its predecessors, but it’s the impressive online social features and fantastic new 3D look that make the latest game in the 15-year-old RPG series amazing. As long as you’re within the range of Wi-Fi, you’re never alone in Pokemon X and Y, and we finally have the tools to express ourselves over the course of this 35-hour adventure.
Much like its predecessors, Pokemon X and Y appeals to a wide audience, from veteran fans to timid newcomers by challenging them to become knowledgeable trainers or fill the up the encyclopedic Pokedex. Thanks to an impressive amount of depth from elemental-based combat, it manages to pull off this difficult task right from the start.
A lot of smart decisions went into Pokemon X and Y. The first big change is an opening that’s considerably faster-paced than the sluggish first hours of the previous games.
In less than an hour, you’ll have access to a diverse roster of capable pokemon from current and previous generations, your first gym badge, and even roller skates! The significantly sped-up pace also means you’ll spend less time sitting in lobbies or fumbling through menus and more time in the action.
This is the first fully 3D Pokemon game, and it’s made the transition beautifully, with some great art direction in its many characters. Take Charizard, for example – this fire-type pokemon has been intimidating since he first stomped onto the scene in the original games, but his new look is absolutely stunning. He quietly hovers in place looks large and majestic, dwarfing his old 2D look. At the other end of the spectrum you’ve got the hyper-cute Pikachu, whose adorable animations effectively sell his personality. And the all-new Mega Evolved versions look similarly impressive, with intimidating features such as the additional thorns and hair that give Mega Lucario a ferocious visual edge over its normal form.
Just as importantly, developer Game Freak has finally opened the door for unique avatars and creature customization beyond simply picking our gender. We can now choose a basic skin tone and dress up with a variety of nifty accessories. These simple tools finally give me the ability to distinguish myself from the thousands of other people playing, and that makes Pokemon a much more personal experience.
It needed to do something to make it feel different, because Pokemon X and Y’s story follows a predictable arc that’s very similar to previous games, albeit with a charming cast of four NPC friends this time. Sadly, the one-note design of these characters is still pretty disappointing for a predominantly single-player RPG. I know that it’s aimed at kids, but as a Pokemon fan for the past 15 years, I couldn’t help but wish for a story that appeals to fans of all ages.
At its core, Pokemon’s gameplay core bores down to battling and trading, and both systems have been carefully refined over time. There are small improvements to note here though, like the ability to restore pokemon before they’re switched into battle. Although the tried-and-true formula is still largely the same, these small improvements are smart in that they remove unnecessary downtime between battles.
Perhaps the most significant change to combat is the role of Mega Evolutions, which will have a major impact on the way Pokemon battles are played. These special transformations can alter pokemon types, and those changes make battles much more strategic. Charizard’s and his Mega Evolution, for example, switches him from Fire/Flying to Fire/Dragon, which basically removes his weakness to Water. It adds a potential seventh option to your roster of six pokemon, and the possibilities increase dramatically.
Game Freak wisely imposed some limitations on that powerful upgrade: you can only summon a Mega Evolution once per battle, and not every pokemon can assume one of these altered forms. And there’s an unintentional limitation as well: while battles against humans feel more strategic, the trainer A.I. still doesn’t know how to react to or counter elemental weaknesses. So after a certain point in the campaign, a player with the right pokemon will steamroll through rivals in single-player.
What makes Pokemon X and Y feel dramatically new and more modern are its forward-thinking online features. Specifically, the Player Search System, a communication tool that debuted in Pokemon Black & White, receives considerable upgrades that make playing together a much more graceful experience. You can quickly battle and trade at any time, or share helpful O-powers – think of them as unique buffs that enhance a stat like attack or evasion. You can also share all of that new customization. For instance, each trainer can share a brief video that shows off acquired creatures or general traits about themselves. It's a fun form of expression.
But a lingering question remains for what will happen long-term in a post-Pokemon X and Y world: what impact will Super Training – a regimen of training that you can use to easily boost base stats – have on the multiplayer community? This interesting feature could potentially upend the balance at the heart of Pokemon. On the other hand, it makes the practice of boosting stats much more approachable compared to the grind of EV training. Only time will tell.
The Verdict
Game Freak has really outdone itself this time, and Pokemon X and Y will be remembered as great transition point for the series’ transformation into an even more social, beautiful, and strategic game. Building on five generations of games, a digital menagerie of captivating creatures, and a wide range of diverse regions to explore, Pokemon X and Y proves this formulaic portable role-playing series can still deliver an innovative experience.
9.0
Amazing
Pokemon X and Y makes a successful transition to a 3D world and adds some impressive depth and online features.
Much like its predecessors, Pokemon X and Y appeals to a wide audience, from veteran fans to timid newcomers by challenging them to become knowledgeable trainers or fill the up the encyclopedic Pokedex. Thanks to an impressive amount of depth from elemental-based combat, it manages to pull off this difficult task right from the start.
A lot of smart decisions went into Pokemon X and Y. The first big change is an opening that’s considerably faster-paced than the sluggish first hours of the previous games.
In less than an hour, you’ll have access to a diverse roster of capable pokemon from current and previous generations, your first gym badge, and even roller skates! The significantly sped-up pace also means you’ll spend less time sitting in lobbies or fumbling through menus and more time in the action.
This is the first fully 3D Pokemon game, and it’s made the transition beautifully, with some great art direction in its many characters. Take Charizard, for example – this fire-type pokemon has been intimidating since he first stomped onto the scene in the original games, but his new look is absolutely stunning. He quietly hovers in place looks large and majestic, dwarfing his old 2D look. At the other end of the spectrum you’ve got the hyper-cute Pikachu, whose adorable animations effectively sell his personality. And the all-new Mega Evolved versions look similarly impressive, with intimidating features such as the additional thorns and hair that give Mega Lucario a ferocious visual edge over its normal form.
Just as importantly, developer Game Freak has finally opened the door for unique avatars and creature customization beyond simply picking our gender. We can now choose a basic skin tone and dress up with a variety of nifty accessories. These simple tools finally give me the ability to distinguish myself from the thousands of other people playing, and that makes Pokemon a much more personal experience.
It needed to do something to make it feel different, because Pokemon X and Y’s story follows a predictable arc that’s very similar to previous games, albeit with a charming cast of four NPC friends this time. Sadly, the one-note design of these characters is still pretty disappointing for a predominantly single-player RPG. I know that it’s aimed at kids, but as a Pokemon fan for the past 15 years, I couldn’t help but wish for a story that appeals to fans of all ages.
At its core, Pokemon’s gameplay core bores down to battling and trading, and both systems have been carefully refined over time. There are small improvements to note here though, like the ability to restore pokemon before they’re switched into battle. Although the tried-and-true formula is still largely the same, these small improvements are smart in that they remove unnecessary downtime between battles.
Perhaps the most significant change to combat is the role of Mega Evolutions, which will have a major impact on the way Pokemon battles are played. These special transformations can alter pokemon types, and those changes make battles much more strategic. Charizard’s and his Mega Evolution, for example, switches him from Fire/Flying to Fire/Dragon, which basically removes his weakness to Water. It adds a potential seventh option to your roster of six pokemon, and the possibilities increase dramatically.
Game Freak wisely imposed some limitations on that powerful upgrade: you can only summon a Mega Evolution once per battle, and not every pokemon can assume one of these altered forms. And there’s an unintentional limitation as well: while battles against humans feel more strategic, the trainer A.I. still doesn’t know how to react to or counter elemental weaknesses. So after a certain point in the campaign, a player with the right pokemon will steamroll through rivals in single-player.
What makes Pokemon X and Y feel dramatically new and more modern are its forward-thinking online features. Specifically, the Player Search System, a communication tool that debuted in Pokemon Black & White, receives considerable upgrades that make playing together a much more graceful experience. You can quickly battle and trade at any time, or share helpful O-powers – think of them as unique buffs that enhance a stat like attack or evasion. You can also share all of that new customization. For instance, each trainer can share a brief video that shows off acquired creatures or general traits about themselves. It's a fun form of expression.
But a lingering question remains for what will happen long-term in a post-Pokemon X and Y world: what impact will Super Training – a regimen of training that you can use to easily boost base stats – have on the multiplayer community? This interesting feature could potentially upend the balance at the heart of Pokemon. On the other hand, it makes the practice of boosting stats much more approachable compared to the grind of EV training. Only time will tell.
The Verdict
Game Freak has really outdone itself this time, and Pokemon X and Y will be remembered as great transition point for the series’ transformation into an even more social, beautiful, and strategic game. Building on five generations of games, a digital menagerie of captivating creatures, and a wide range of diverse regions to explore, Pokemon X and Y proves this formulaic portable role-playing series can still deliver an innovative experience.
9.0
Amazing
Pokemon X and Y makes a successful transition to a 3D world and adds some impressive depth and online features.
Comments
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First day cop
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So I was in my garage the other day and came across my old Game Boy Advance SP with Pokemon Yellow attached to it. Turned that ? on and it brought back a lot of memories. I'll be playing it from time to time lol.
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I ain't gonna lie, I didn't read lol, but I've been hearing good stuff, so ima try to cop, ? I NEED MONEY
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Wait I need a 3ds ?
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needs a nuzlocke mode
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Remember when I got a gameboy and Yellow version for Christmas. My moms dropped stacks that year.
Damn being a kid was the ? .
Haven't ? with Pokemom since Gold tho.
I might ? with this for nostalgia sake. -
my nephew keep tryna get me into Pokémon again. I just cant do it man. Gold version was it for me.
after my nephew showed me the first American made Pokémon was a ? scoop of ice cream, I was done. -
I dont want to hear about this franchise until they make a console or mmo version
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They will forever dodge making a proper console game
Closest thing we ever got was that GameCube game -
They will forever dodge making a proper console game
Closest thing we ever got was that GameCube game
I don't understand why
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? they need to do some ? like gta online
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no video review?
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? actually play this, huh?
The last time I had anything to do with pokemon was buying yellow for my little sister. -
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yeah 2ds is compatible
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2ds can play any 3ds game
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yall know yall can just download it on pc/smartphone and play it with a ds emulator right?
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earth two superman wrote: »? actually play this, huh?
The last time I had anything to do with pokemon was buying yellow for my little sister.
It's entertaining -
CrookedLetter wrote: »earth two superman wrote: »? actually play this, huh?
The last time I had anything to do with pokemon was buying yellow for my little sister.
It's entertaining
so is coloring. Doesn't mean I'm going to do it unless it's with kids around. -
earth two superman wrote: »CrookedLetter wrote: »earth two superman wrote: »? actually play this, huh?
The last time I had anything to do with pokemon was buying yellow for my little sister.
It's entertaining
so is coloring. Doesn't mean I'm going to do it unless it's with kids around.
Diffrent strokes for diffrent folks I guess -
Oh yeah I don't judge anyone for liking games like this. Me of all people, who will look forward to Wednesday comics probably tillthe day I die.
I guess I just missed the fad on pokemon. -
Looking at the 2ds.
$130?
nah, not cheap enough, might as well buy a used 3ds in good condition, unless you just like the design of the 2ds.(I think it's ? ) -
anyone peep that Pokemon The Origin OVA?
? on the anime by miles
Ep.1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU9K024gAow
Ep.2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y2SuGoWKFc
Ep.3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y2SuGoWKFc
Ep.4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YSmYPhG18o -
My girl getting this Saturday she been hype for it