Welcome to the first ramblings of the new year. I only have one thing to say about the new year: let’s hope it’s better than 2021 (and 2020 for that matter!). Covid, I’m looking at you when I say that it’s time for you to go away!
Swiftly moving on, for these ramblings, I thought I’d talk about Pokémon and finding my love for the series again. You see, I have played all the Pokémon games on the Gameboy, the Gameboy Advance and the DS/3DS.
Pokémon
The last Pokémon game I played was Pokémon Moon in 2016 on the 3DS. Then a dreadful thing happened, and I went completely off Pokémon. I wasn’t interested in Pokemon and didn’t play Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! the next game in the series.
I’m not sure why I went off Pokemon games, as I like a good RPG game to get stuck into. However, for a while, especially with the last few games I had played, Pokémon wasn’t giving me the challenge I was looking for in a game. I breezed through all the gyms without any problems, and fighting Pokemon Trainers wasn’t a challenge either. As for the Pokémon catchphrase of “got to catch em all”, I hadn’t any interest in catching all the Pokémon, something I had tried to do in all the other games.
Got to catch ’em all
This year just before Christmas, I treated myself to a new Nintendo Switch OLED. So with the new Switch in hand and massive sales going on in the eShop, I decided I needed a new game to play. After browsing the eShop, I realised I wanted to play Pokémon again.
Since the new Pokémon Legends: Arceus wasn’t out at that time, I couldn’t buy it. I know that Nintendo released Pokémon Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond recently, so I had a look at them. But as I had already played the games when they were first released, I didn’t want to replay them.
Pokémon Sword
Instead, I plumped for Pokémon Sword. Pokémon Sword, and Shield, which are the first instalments in the eighth generation of the Pokémon video game series.
So far, after completing four gyms, I’m really enjoying being back to playing Pokémon. I love the changes the developers have made to the game. Quality of life changes help the player out, such as the menu being easier navigated.
Having access to the Pokémon box while you are on the go in the game is a neat addition. I never liked going back to a Poké centre to check the Pokemon I had caught or swapping out a Pokémon from my team; now, I can do that on the go!
Poké Jobs
Another new addition is the new mechanic called Poké Jobs. Poké jobs are tasks that the players send their Pokémon on to complete requests, such as assisting in construction or cooking, to gain experience or rare items. The jobs are a great addition as your Pokémon earn experience while completing their tasks.They no longer lounge in my boxes doing nothing and remaining low levelled.
The game is set in the region of Galar that consists of several cities and towns connected by routes. However, there is also an open-world area in the region’s centre known as the Wild Area, a concept new to the series. Random encounters with wild Pokémon may occur in tall grass or bodies of water along routes or the Wild Area. It is this wild area that I like the most in the game; I enjoy going my own way and not sticking to a linear path.
With the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, will I be playing it too? Yes, I will and I am, as the big draw for me is the open areas included in the game. I have to say that I love all the new improvements that have been added to the game. Check out my review of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, where you will find out more details of the game. Or if you have the game and need some help, have a look at out at our Pokémon Legends: Arceus Beginners Guide. Will you be joining in the fun with Pokémon Legends: Arceus? Feel free to leave a comment below!
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