I was also a huge Pokemon fan, of course! I played Pokemon Red frequently, training my Pokemon to be their very best. So, when I discovered that there was going to be a game that combined my love of detectives and investigations, and Pokemon, I was sold from the beginning. I became even more excited when I learned about Detective Pikachu, the coffee swilling, rough talking companion to the playable character, Tim Goodman.
Yep, I had to buy the game on release. And the Amiibo. Of course.
I haven't finished the game yet. I've just started Chapter Seven, and according to my 3DS, I've been playing for close to 10 hours. I thought that I would be able to write a little about what I think of it so far, and then maybe write something again when I've finished it. So let's get into it.
Firstly, I love the game, just as I thought I would. The game play is a lot of fun. You collect clues, interrogate witnesses, put the pieces together, in a variety of different ways. I feel like the different ways to interact with the world of Ryme City and its inhabitants were decently varied, and have thus far not gotten bored, or bothered by any repetitiveness (that's not to say some parts of solving the case aren't repetitive- they have to be by nature- but it hasn't been a chore). I will say here that this game is very easy. If you're looking for a challenge, you likely won't find it here. Even if you do have a hard time connecting some clues, there are no penalties for wrong guesses, so you can proceed through the process of elimination.
Visually speaking, this game is pretty, but it isn't spectacular. It is very bright and colourful, and the Pokemon are all adorable, which is to be expected. When you are talking with Detective Pikachu, going through Case Notes or Files, or working on the bottom screen to solve the problems that stand in your way, it is quite a pretty game. When you are travelling around however, it becomes a little jarring. I am not sure if this is purely because of 3DS limitations, or if it is noticeable to me because I've been playing a lot of PS4 lately, but when you first get into your session with the game, the graphics might be a little distracting. I have noticed however that the more I play, the less I notice, as I get absorbed into the mystery.
Ah yes, the mystery. The draw of the game, and any game/novel/movie like it. As I said, I haven't yet finished the game, so there is still a lot I don't know, but at this point, I would happily call the mystery solid. You are given enough clues to make some assumptions about the overall situation with Detective Pikachu (and I have no idea if my assumptions are correct, or if they've deliberately placed misleading clues to distract me), but not enough that you feel there is no point in continuing. As far as the mini mysteries strewn throughout the game go, while they are formulaic, as they would of course be, the clues are well distributed, Red Herrings are used appropriately, and you always end up with the perfect amount of information you need to proceed. Throughout the episodic mysteries you solve, you are able to gain new information and leads for your main pursuit, which is to find Tim's missing father, Harry Goodman. Detective Pikachu's loyal partner.
I know that the voice of Detective Pikachu is a contentious issue for many, but I had no problems with it. In fact, I didn't even have to grow accustomed to it. It just fit for me. If you can separate Detective Pikachu from other well loved Pikachu characters, then you likely won't have much of a problem here. The voice acting is strong in this game, and the music engaging and appropriate for the numerous settings you get to explore.
And a quick note about the Amiibo. If you didn't get the chance to snag the behemoth, or you couldn't afford to, or justify the price, then don't worry too much. His only function at this stage is to unlock any Pika Prompts that you missed during your time with the game. Pika Prompts are cute interactions with Detective Pikachu, which you can view as many times as you'd like, but they're hardly essential to the game, and if you're persistent, you can collect them all without the Amiibo. I'm not sure if it will be compatible with any other games in the future though.
Overall, so far, I would give Detective Pikachu a 7/10!
And keep an eye out for a fun cameo!
