It’s time to investigate! Detective Pikachu is on the case. In this new adventure, we follow Tim Goodman and his partner, a wise-cracking Pikachu who can communicate with Tim, as they attempt to solve the ongoing mystery behind the disappearance of Tim’s father. The mystery unfolds in Ryme City, where humans and Pokémon coexist and support each other. Partner Pokémon and wild Pokémon alike wander the city alongside those living there. Time to crack this case!
Tim Goodman and Pikachu are the perfect team for the job when there’s a case to be solved. Tim is a university student still searching for the truth about his missing father, Harry. Harry’s former partner is joining Tim on his search—the self-proclaimed great Detective Pikachu. With his ability to talk to both Tim and Pokémon, Pikachu can gather clues from his fellow Pokémon to assist in the investigation. But before we dive into the sequel, let’s quickly recap the first title.
Detective Pikachu (original)
Detective Pikachu (known in Japan as Great Detective Pikachu) is an adventure game developed by Creatures Inc. and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo 3DS systems. The game is a spin-off of the Pokémon franchise, in which the player works with a talking Pikachu to solve various mysteries. A shorter, downloadable version of the game called Great Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo was released in Japan in February 2016, while the full version was released worldwide in March 2018.
One day, Pikachu encounters a boy named Tim Goodman, who can understand what he is saying. They are immediately put to the test by retrieving a stolen necklace from thieving Aipom. Afterward, they head to Baker Detective Agency and meet Mike Baker and secretary Amanda Blackstone, who are close to Harry Goodman, Tim’s father and Pikachu’s owner. Harry had gone missing following a mysterious car crash at the same time, Pikachu got amnesia. For the rest of the plot, I urge you to play the game yourself or read our review right here.
Detective Pikachu Returns
So fast forward to the sequel of Detective Pikachu, in which the story continues just after the R incident from the original game (and movie adaption). As stated before, we follow Tim, a university student, and Pikachu in their search for Tim’s father. What starts with a simple run-of-the-mill jewelry theft quickly evolves into a widespread search for a mysterious cube that makes Pokemon mind-controlled slaves. It takes Tim and Pikachu, with the help of both human and Pokemon friends, to the outskirts of Ryme City. This leads to visiting ruins, bamboo groves, and a once-abandoned tech lab. What makes the story interesting is the combination of present-day events and flashback episodes from Harry and Pikachu (in an old-fashioned sepia-toned photo).
Gameplay
Detective Pikachu Returns is a game that offers a series of stimulating cases to solve while you help the people and Pokemon living in the city. Pikachu’s brilliance and Tim’s maturity since the original title make them a strong team, better equipped to track Harry down and tackle a new phenomenon taking over Ryme City.
The game features Pokemon introduced throughout the franchise’s nine generations, including Xatu, Pidove, Applin, Alolan Exeggutor, and Aromatisse. Even during the tutorial phase, players are tasked with using the unique skills of these and other Pokemon to solve the case at hand. Fans of the franchise will appreciate the inclusion of lesser-known Pokemon that now have a chance to shine. Following the same formula as the series’ 3DS debut, Detective Pikachu Returns places the case file in your hands. You’ll also exercise your sleuthing skills as you become familiar with the city’s Pokemon and their abilities.
If you have played any Pokemon games before, you may already have enough knowledge to solve clues in Detective Pikachu Returns without any difficulty. However, this latest entry is designed to be more accessible to beginners. Even if you are not familiar with the franchise’s more than 1,000 types of Pokemon, you will be given enough information to understand the city and the Pokemon that reside there. Furthermore, any information you gather and deductions you make during your investigation will be recorded in your case log. You can also refer to previous conversations with characters and Pokemon to help you remember important details. This feature is helpful because not all mysteries are easily solved. Next to solving the major cases in each chapter, there are also minor problems to tackle. These range from searching for lost Pokémon, gathering berries, and looking into spooky sounds. But for the Pokémon knowledge buff, there are also the questions from the Quiz Professor.
Puzzles & Artwork
The puzzles and case-solving in Detective Pikachu aren’t exactly rocket science but do offer the right challenge for the targeted audience. People who enjoy games like Phoenix Wright (mostly the Edward spinoff) will feel right at home with most of the gameplay elements in Detective Pikachu Returns. The combination of solving clues, deducing arguments with Tim, and riding Pokemon to solve puzzles with Pikachu is great. It’s pretty doable (with a little help) for a four-year-old, although the story takes quite a dark turn – so parental discretion is advised.
What did bug me about the way Detective Pikachu presents itself is the lifelike models of both trainers and Pokémon. The Pokémon I met on the cases and in the world of Ryme city were all life-like and adjusted to the actual measurements of what the Pokédex states. It looks beautiful and makes me wonder why a smaller game studio, Creatures, can create an eye-stunning game like this – but Gamefreak & The Pokemon Company cannot. Sure, one can argue that Detective Pikachu is a walking simulator with visual novel aspects – but that is the same for Phoenix Wright – one of the genre’s most popular games. So, try to see this game from a different perspective and a positive reinforcement for the genre. Remember that you don’t get to do actual Pokémon battles (apart from cutscenes).
Conclusion
So, to conclude! Detective Pikachu Returns might not be the game for everyone, but it’s a great game in its own right. Developer Creatures created a great game with the potential for seasoned fans and newcomers to the series. It offers a different gameplay style than the mainline games but solidifies the Pokémon world in a more Ace Attorney style. A perfect fit for those who enjoy a darker storyline combined with case-solving elements.
