Pokémon Violet (2022)

But for every space with care there is a space without. Over 1000 Pokemon designed, but they only draw from like 12 different boring NPCs repeated with slightly different hair and skin colors.

Maybe the graphical/performance issues don't "bother" me, but the lack of attention that leads to those graphical/performance issues does seem to be the source of many of my issues. I'm not a gaming philosopher, and I've never had to manage a video game, but these obvious issues really seem to stem from lack of time. They wanted to get another generation of Pokemon out there because that is a huge marketing boon.

I think they can have smaller steps forward in games like Arceus and the remakes and Let's Go games. Release smaller games like those and Snap release annually in November. Let these mainline Pokemon games cook more. I like the steps forward. It just needed more time on the stove to perfect the other stuff.

The design of the Pokemon in this game is some of my favorite in years. There are so many lovable weirdos in this one. It just made me so happy to see all the new Pokemon. I wish Houndstone was found literally sleeping in an in game graveyard. I guess Pokemon could always do this, but an open world just begs for architectural design. I could see them including a graveyard in a game now where one could find sleeping Houndstone. It feels like we are heading in the right direction. Will we ever get to my fantasy dream of a Rockstar quality open world Pokemon game? I... don't know. But I will say I am more optimistic after this game that maybe Game Freak can make a more alive Pokemon. I see the necessary care inside many of the new Pokemon designs.

I almost see the graphical and performance issues as a concession. Like do I want this eyeless face wandering through one of the final fights in the game? No definitely not, but what can I do? I could get upset, but maybe I know how pointless that is. I don't think Game Freak will ever care about this. Best selling Nintendo game. Maybe all Nintendo games should have floating eyeless faces in them.

Worse in my eyes is not the graphical/performance decline, but the battle system decline from just earlier in the year.

I think Arceus and Scar/Vi are about equal in their visuals. Scar/Vi has more performance issues, but the world feels a bit more alive with Pokemon running around. For me, there isn't a big difference and the open world is worth some of the shortcomings. But it isn't worth the step backwards to boiler plate battles. The Strong and Agile Styles in Arceus added such a nice sense of control and questioning in Arceus that is just missing from Scar/Vi. Pictured is one of the very few times my starter Pokemon wasn't battling. It was basically always Quaxly-Quaquaval the entire game. It is a bit disappointing that the RPG elements are this thoughtless in this RPG.

And this was so sweet. The end of Pokemon X/Y* has a moment that goes for this same connection between man and Pokemon. I think X/Y does accomplish this feeling, but in a much less personal sense. We spend so much time with Arven that his care for his Mabosstiff is really compelling. I'm a recent doggy daddy**, and it just doesn't require much imagination to see me have the same emotions if something happened to my little dog.

Maybe I'm setting the bar super low being impressed with this stuff, but the last few games have lacked any sense of pathos. This was a very welcome addition.

*Another Pokemon game I enjoy that the general consensus seems to be more negative.

**And I'm a human daddy too.

These five. I loved every scene. They're so well designed and written. Like this is proper kids' writing here. I'm just as happy having my kids read these interactions as I am having them watch Arthur. In my eyes, this is just as good as Harry Potter. And it is such an appropriately sized story. The little stories in Pokemon are the ones that really sing. Kids experiencing bullying at school just really fits.

Where do these people live? How do they get home? You can stand and watch them from a distance for the entirety of a day and they will not even turn around. They won't talk to each other. They don't use the bathroom. They're so unlike real people, it is a shock to see them blink. "They made blinking robots, honey" sounds like something I would have said with mild surprise if I were 25 years older 25 years ago.

I know this has always been the case in Pokemon, but it really feels incongruous with the complex* characters from Team Star and the Academy.

*Complex is generous but they have inner worlds. They have motive.

So Tandemaus and Maushold are the reason to buy this game it would seem. They should have led with these in all the advertising and I'd have pre-ordered!