Currently the Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia game has devoured my attention. I was late to find this game and I am a pick up/put down player but I’ve logged quite a few hours and am quite satisfied with how Nintendo has incorporated th
e touch screen of the DS, introduced in the first Pokemon Ranger game.
On the other hand, I was unhappy with the amount of time players have to spend at the Ranger School at the beginning of the game and that you are unable to collect Pokemon throughout the game in the traditional sense.
This addition to the Pokemon series is a bit of a departure from the original games in that the you are no longer on a search for Pokemon to collect and add to your PokeDex (an electronic guide that indicates which creatures you’ve encountered and caught throughout the game).
With this game you use your stylus as a capture tool. With the stylus, you draw circles around the offending Pokemon in an attempt to capture it, however the Pokemon can and will attack your circle-drawing as well as move around your screen, making it difficult.
You can have only a handful of Pokemon follow you around, as opposed to being locked in PokeBalls, to help you complete your missions. It should be noted that this game has little to no battling between Pokemon, rather it is you as the trainer that fight with the Pokemon.
Pokemon Rangers are armed with a Capture Styler (your stylus) and sent out from the Training School to help keep peace around the Almia region with their fellow rangers, and, as woutbiaz said in the comments below, much like Canadians – sorry, but I’m a proud Canadian and don’t see a problem with this.
It’s learned quickly that Team Dim Sun (I hate running into those guys, always makes me want to go for dim sum), the antagonists of the game, are attempting to capture Pokemon by some sort of brain-washing tool to do their dirty work – but to what end?
As you go through the game, you encounter a trio of Pokemon that you can choose from to become your first partner Pokemon. A partner Pokemon will follow you around constantly and you can accumulate up to 17 different, pre-selected, Pokemon to choose from. So far, and I’m about 70% finished the game, I’ve had no use for them.
The point of having partner Pokemon and acquiring transient Pokemon, ones that come and go as you capture and use their abilities, is to use their powers to charge your styler in an effort to help capture more powerful Pokemon. I haven’t needed them for that purpose yet, however I suspect that once I get the the end, it may prove necessary.
The other point of capturing transient Pokemon is to use their abilities to clear environmental obstacles such as fallen tree trunks, boulders and Gigaremos (machines used by Team Dim Sun to control Pokemon). In clearing these obstacles you can then progress throught the game. Also, electric Pokemon can be used to charge your styler when Poke Centres are scarce – a great asset.
On top of the main storyline and missions, you can also choose to complete side missions which earn you badges for your collection. I have yet to figure out what they’re for however. The missions are rarely difficult and can be completed in the area and those that you are helping give you a pretty good idea of where to go and what to do. For me, the problem is finding them again. There is a very vague mapping system that could be improved since my memory is useless at best but the missions are still fun and give you a break when the storyline gets too quick.
I think this is an excellent addition to the Pokemon franchise and if you’re a fan of the series and haven’t picked it up yet, I recommend it become a part of your collection.
Five Pikachus out of Five for Nintendo’s new direction in the Pokemon series and excellent use of the DS’s touch screen. The game is challenging but not impossible and is family friendly.
This game doesn’t seem very fun.
As a fan of the original pokemon (Charmander ftw), and from analyzing and reading your review, this seems like a bit of an overhaul from what the original game was about. While I understand that you can’t make Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow over and over again, this new Ranger game seems less about the pokemon and battling and more of a “homage” (for lack of a better word) to Canadians for one, and the environment (both which I will explain).
In regards to the former, you wrote, “…and sent out from the Training School to help keep peace around the Almia region with their fellow rangers.” Keeping the peace is right in line with the Canuck identity amirite? So how do you do this exactly if you’re not using your Pokemon? (A point I will get to later) In regards to the latter, you wrote, “The other point of capturing transient Pokemon is to use their abilities to clear environmental obstacles such as fallen tree trunks, boulders …” now, while I think this would be something David Suzuki would be very proud of, I, however, cannot honestly wrap my head around how this could be a fun [part of the] game. While, I’m only nitpicking at these two (what I am assuming) trivial points, from the overall review, I didn’t really get a sense of how the five out of five was warranted. To go back to the aforementioned point, does it involve Pokemon at all? ‘Cause at one point you wrote, “On the other hand, I was unhappy… that you are unable to collect Pokemon throughout the game.” and another, “As you go through the game, you encounter a trio of Pokemon that you can choose from to become your first partner pokemon. So far, and I’m about 70% finished the game, I’ve had no use for them. The point of having partner Pokemon and acquiring transient pokemon is to use their powers to charge your styler to help capture more powerful Pokemon. I haven’t needed them for that purpose yet however I suspect that once I get the the end, it may prove necessary.” I mean, isnt the whole mantra of Pokemon “Gotta catch’em all!”? Hell, Ash’s (who I am assuming is not in this game) last name is Ketchum! Also, what’s the point in capturing “more powerful Pokemon” if you aren’t using them to battle? Isn’t another point to battle the Pokemon, not just use their “powers”? (Or am I completely missing the point?)
Another nitpick/constructive crticism though, as I haven’t played any Pokemon in 11 years or anything past Yellow, I think you should explain a few “terms” for those who are uninitiated into the wonderful world that is Pokemon Ranger, (ie) “Capture Styler” – what kept popping in my head when I read this was the Ghostbuster vaccuum… which I am assuming is not the case, or is this just a fancy “Pokeball”?
While it was a good read, the things I took issue with, were that I didn’t really get why it was a five/five, I got (sorta) what the gameplay was about, but I didn’t get what the impeccable quality was to warrant such a rating. All in all, it didn’t really strike me as something I should run out to pick up. (If that’s the read you were aiming for)
I’m sorry I failed at this post for you. I’ve edited the content to address some of your criticisms, let me know what you think.