The world of Pokémon is in danger once more. This time it’s not Team Rocket or another evil organization that’s behind the trouble, it’s everyday life that gets the little creatures in sticky situations. You’re not a trainer going on a quest, this time, you’ll see the world through the eyes of a Pokémon. Team up with your buddies and prepare for one of your biggest adventures!
Not your classic Pokémon adventure
For those unaware, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon isn’t a new game, it’s a remake of the original Game Boy Advance game that released back in 2005. This Nintendo Switch version is an entirely reworked version sporting improved graphics and some gameplay changes. What didn’t change is its charming story. Before you start your new adventure, you’re asked a couple of questions to determine your personality. Based on your results, you’ll be linked to a certain Pokémon, similar to what the Sorting Hat does in the Harry Potter universe. I don’t know what it says about me, but I was linked to a Bulbasaur, which was my starting Pokémon for my big adventure. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can choose to change your Pokémon and go for a second opinion but why would you challenge your faith, right?
After you’ve linked to the Pokémon, you’ll get transferred to its body after which you’ll have to pick a partner to join you in your adventure. Everything except the same type Pokémon is possible here. Once you’re all set, you’ll enter the gorgeous world of Pokémon. It’s here where the game really shines. Since you’re a Pokémon (sort of), you’re able to speak to all other Pokémon, which results in a rather deep narrative. Unlike the main games, these Pokémon really have something to say and they all come with their own unique personalities. Some Pokémon are exactly what you would expect them to be while others might really surprise you. It’s fun to discover all Pokémon in this game, especially since you can recruit a couple of them for your Rescue Squad so you can even get to know them a bit better. It’s this connection with the other Pokémon that results in a different and unique Pokémon adventure.
Explore the dungeon
Now, the goal of the game isn’t to read all funny dialogues while connecting to the Pokémon living in your town. If you want that kind of experience, you’ll have to wait a couple of more days for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. In this Rescue Team DX, it’s your goal to form a team with your partner and others in order to save some Pokémon in need. You’ll find jobs in your mail, on the town’s bulletin board or on special occasions where you don’t really have a choice to do what you want. Once you picked the job, you’re all set to go. Most missions take you to dungeons where your client is stuck on a certain floor. Just like modern roguelike games, the interior in the dungeons is completely randomized so you never really know what to expect. Some rooms can be a walk in the park to clear while others will be more challenging.
Just like the main games, you and the enemies take turns to move or attack, which results in a fun strategy game. As a Pokémon, you can freely walk around in the grid-based dungeons while you’re able to perform one out of four attacks when you encounter an enemy. Unlike the main games, this all happens in real-time. You move, you attack, you move or attack again. By using this pattern, you’ll be able to take down your enemies if you time your moves correctly. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than just that. Your partner will also automatically attack based on the input you give it and on top of that, there are tons of items to boost your health or stats. Compared to the original, the team added in some more mechanics like Mega Evolutions and some new playable Pokémon. This definitely is the deluxe version as it plays a lot smoother than the original game. It all starts pretty easy but the more you advance, the more complex it will all get. Using type attacks to take down your opponents will be a crucial skill to master, especially when you’re facing off with a boss fight. That being said, it’s a fun and a rather deep roguelike experience with some gorgeously reworked graphics.
An interactive painting
Besides the gameplay improvements, the biggest new feature of the remake is the new visual style. Everything looks like an interactive painting which really results in a unique style. It’s a joy to walk around in this colorful version where a lot of development time went to the details. It all just fits, from the small details on the Pokémon buildings to the perfectly created Pokémon, this really is one of the better looking Pokémon games on the market. I enjoyed the new graphics mostly while freely wandering around in the village. In the dungeons, the graphics take a little dip compared to the cut scenes and free-roaming segments but it all still looked great. More important to know is that this game doesn’t suffer from any performance issues. I played it in both handheld and television mode and never noticed technical issues. It’s a fun experience from start to finish and it looks great no matter how you’re playing it. If you want to see it for yourself, you can download the free demo and transfer your progress once you decide to get the full game in stores.
Conclusion:
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a remake done right. By adding new gameplay elements and a gorgeous new visual style, the team brought back one of the most unique Pokémon adventures ever created. This isn’t your typical Pokémon RPG but if you’re looking for an adventure filled with great dialogues and roguelike elements, this is the one you need to play. It’s by far one of the better Pokémon spin-offs and it’s worth playing for sure.
