For the first time in over 25 years, Pokémon has released DLC for a main game in the series. Is it worth it? And why is everybody Kung Fu fighting?
Pokémon Sword and Shield have had a rough start but the more we progressed the more polished the game became and the online issues seem to be long gone too to leave us a fun Pokémon game. But as vast as the Wild Area is it does get a bit dull after this long. So the DLC came just in time to get us excited again. Isle of Armor is the first DLC and I couldn’t shake the same feeling I had when playing Silver so many years ago.
The reason was that I did not look at any trailers except the very first one and I let myself to the full mercy of the DLC. Heading into the unknown. Just as I did with Silver so many years ago. That feeling of wonder and adventure was back! Immediately after getting off the flying taxi, you are greeted by the massive island and it’s clear that the entirety of the landmass is one large Wild Area. So I quickly turned on the internet function and yes it was crowded with all kinds of players. When scouting the beach I saw what GameFreak probably added as a statement: a giant life-sized Wailord. So before even heading to the Dojo after meeting the not so friendly rival Avery, I raced amongst other players towards the Wailord. But fate had other plans… Sharpedo lurk and are blazingly fast in these treacherous waters. The closer I got to the Wailord, the more the weather changed to a stormy downpour. It reminded me of the giant Kraken in Windwaker.
After capturing the Wailord and avoiding more Sharpedo I went towards the story element at the start of the island, the Dojo!
Mustard and Honey will greet you and welcome you to their Dojo amongst other students and your rival Avery.
Here you’ll get the first trial: capturing 3 Slowpoke that are fast like lighting! (Carl Douglas pun)
This first trial serves as an introduction to the Isle of Armor’s topography and somehow I got lost on the island quite fast, it is large and has many different areas altogether; I even found a tower somewhere higher up in the mountain where I had a view of the Island reminding me a bit of “Breath of the Wild”. Luckily the game still offers pointers as to where to go but the enticing island gets you sidetracked easily!
The second trial involved getting mushrooms that are used in a special soup that can make compatible Pokémon Gigantamax. Mainly focused towards your starter but still, it is nice to get a good IV shiny Pokémon the soup of you missed getting its Gigantamax form or you never found it.
The third trial is something I saw coming but still, it all leads towards meeting Cubfu, the shy but strong Pokémon at the center of this DLC.
What I really liked was that the Island looks more detailed and more fleshed out than the Galar region itself. Or at least its Wild Area. On the Island it all feels more beautiful and more organic somehow. It’s also nice to see more Pokémon added back into the dex and with the added Home functionality it is actually heading towards this gen’s full potential.
There is also more animation to the story and sometimes it’s just the camera angles that are more fitting to the scene instead of the very fixed camera angles in the Galar story. And while running around you have full control of the camera too! It seems like GameFreak was burnt on adding back and fixing problems reviewers and longtime fans have pointed out. Also… Pokémon following you are back! Although Blastoise is sloooooooooow! All the following Pokémon are well animated and I am so glad this feature came back!
There’s a lot to do on the Isle of Armor. Finding all Diglett, completing the Pokédex, a fun story to get Cubfu to its max potential, and a whole new full island sized Wild Area!
Without spoiling the rest of the DLC I can say that I really liked it and somehow it got me more hooked than the Galar story did in the first place. I am happy to be on the Isle of Armor and I am looking forward to the next DLC later this year. These are a great way to please fans and spending time waiting for… Let’s GO Johto??
