First Impressions: Pokemon X 3DS

Pokemon X

Release Date: October 12, 2013

Publisher: Nintendo

Really, this will not be a full review, but I'm really not going to do another one because there isn't much that is going to change my perspective of the game, there's a few more gym badges and the Elite Four, also some new trade things, but mostly, the same and good old Pokemon. 

And really, I could stop there and give it a rating. Those who have played the games would know what I mean and disagree or agree, but those who haven't wouldn't know anything more. So the game starts as any other, you're a child in (usually) a new town and low and behind there is a professor near by. That professor is kind enough to give you and the neighborhood children a pokemon! And just like that you are off to catch them all (in other words enslave a bunch of different species of animals and make them fight each other), beat all the gym leaders, challenge the Elite Four, and pretty much whatever else you want to do with your little slaves! Er, I mean, pokemon (I kid, but that's kinda what it's like). Along the way you also save the world against some nefarious foes and get an awesome legendary pokemon along the way.

So moving on, let me just say I LOVE the normal Pokemon games. Not all the franchise games, but Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Black, White, Platinum, and all the rest. The amount of strategy it takes to make a complete party mesh and work with one another but also keeping yourself from having any glaring weaknesses. There is also breeding to think about, the chance to get them all, the ability to restart and play with new starters and an entire different party. In my opinion, the replay value is quite high, but it takes a lot to bring yourself to delete your people and there's always the idea of raising your pokemon to level 100 and doing the Battle Tower type things till your hearts content. There are also two different titles with exclusive pokemon. And this goes for really every release pair of games since they've started. I've played probably 700+ hours on the games total, easy. So again, needless to say that I really like the series. But lets get into the version specific bit.

So far I am roughly 20 hours into the game, and four gym badges in. I like it. I really, really, really, like it. The 3DS make the game all the better with the pretty graphics, the system also allows for things such as diagonal moving now, the actual 3D of the game is... awesome. I wasn't sure when I first saw the system in the store and tried it, but now with the XL I recently just purchased I feel they did some kind of overhaul with the XL. Anyways, that is beside the point, point is, this is a great addition to the franchise in part just because of the new system. And yeah, I'm a little late to the 3DS party, but call me a skeptic turned believer. And a lot of the good things are really the same with all the pokemon games. A new region, a new set of bad guys, new pokemon, and new gyms. The mechanics are basically the same in battle as always and this game is already proven to be a time sink into my time and I am enjoying it. 

So onto the things that are merely eh for me. These are really only small little gripes that I have against an otherwise awesome game. So the new bad guy team, Team Flair(Flare?), is..... Ugh. I don't like em. I miss the makes of team Aqua/Magma because they had at least some redeeming quality to them. 

Here there is absolutely none to be found and it's a little disappointing. Not a huge deal, but something I can nitpick. The only other thing is the new pokemon, I like them, but I HATE their names, I mean haaate their names. Nintendo tried to make them all too punny. Names such as Frogadier, Doublade, Bunnelby, Honedge, and others are too.... ach for me. They are obviously alluding to other things like double blade. And Talonflame??? That one isn't even trying....These names are everywhere. I mean really, what happened to the good names, such as Charizard.... oh what... Char, hazard... Oh. Soooo.... Torchic.... Torch, chick... Emboar.... Ember, boar....Yeah, so these games have been doing that for a loooong time, but this one did it so bad that I finally realized it. That really isn't an issue either, but it's something they could have done better at...

And yeah, that's my impression of it so far. Likely not to change.

Blue, signing on for the first time in a while....

Gameplay: 10 of 10

Story: 5 of 10

Aesthetics: 10 of 10 (lovin' the 3D)

Audio: 8 of 10 (classic one still)

Overall: 9.5 Doublades out of 10

Also, this one may have given me a new favorite pokemon in Doublade. He's fucking awesome with a really unique type... Still don't like his name though.