Game Review: Pokemon Shield/Sword

Hello Enthusiasts,

Pokemon is one of the most recognizable brands in gaming. While the games aren't for everyone, we all know what Pokemon is on some level. Until recently though, all of the main line games in this franchise have been limited to the GameBoy systems rather than Nintendo's primary consoles (again, main line. We all loved Pokemon Stadium, but that were outside of the main games). Now, however, we can finally say that is no longer the case, because we now have Pokemon Shield/Sword. The question I intend to explore is, do these console versions hold up to the rest of these games? Keep in mind that, while these games don't have stories that are too deep, there may still be some Spoilers Below.

So, as most of these games go, you are a young new trainer that has just gotten their first Pokemon, though this time you are in the new Galar region (which is essentially this universe's version of the UK). In this region, Pokemon in certain areas can grow incredibly large and powerful, an ability called Dynamaxing. This feature is used heavily in Pokemon gyms and tournaments. As your character goes through the region's gym challenge, you begin to uncover information about some heroes of legend that saved the region - and potentially the world - from an event called "The Darkest Day". These heroes are, of course, a set of trainers and their legendary Pokemon. You end up calling upon one of these Pokemon later in the game to help fight the monster that caused that event all of those years ago and stop it.

Again, these stories aren't too deep, as this feels 75-80% like the overarching stories from the last several Pokemon games.

The gameplay itself is fun, with several improvements on the older style of Pokemon games. As has been done in the last few games, experience is shared with every Pokemon in your party, meaning that you can level up those weak Pokemon quickly by just keeping them in the 6th spot of your party and battling in stronger areas. Story-wise, I do like what was done with the gyms. Rather than your character just happening to go through the gyms in an order of increasing difficulty, this game set up the gyms as an annual challenge, where each gym is taken on in a different order. It still doesn't make sense that the first gym leader is battling with only 3 Pokemon that are on in their teens level, but at least there's some additional level of believability. As always, the gym puzzles are cleverly designed, though they are fairly easy to beat. I also liked the addition of the camping mechanic, which allows you to set up a tent and chill with your Pokemon. You can play with them, cook for them, and have a chat with them in. They'll also get a chance to play with each other, and the whole thing gives them all experience based on what you did during the campout. There's also been an update to running into Pokemon in the wild, where random encounters are less frequent. Instead, players can see the Pokemon in the grass or environment and either select which ones to fight, or avoid them completely if you're in a rush.

Honestly though, the biggest and flashiest addition to the game is also one of the best, the Dynamax feature. In gym battles, you can only use this ability once, and it will only last for three turns, plus the gym leaders follow that same rule. So while it may be tempting to use it straight away and have your Pokemon obliterate the first few opponents, there is a level of strategy is waiting until near the end to use this ability (or use on one of the leader's Pokemon that you're finding particularly difficult).

However, I can speak all day about the added strategy needed and having the ability to train Pokemon in different ways, but at the end of the day this game's biggest weakness is how mind-numbingly easy it is to beat. With minimal grinding to level up your Pokemon, you can beat this game in just a few days if you want to. I played through the whole game without losing a single battle, and I'm pretty sure I had to use a grand total of 4 revives throughout the entire game. There's no elite four gauntlet like pervious games had (you do have to fight through a few of the gym leader's again, but you get a free rest and heal between each one), and even the team rocket (Team Yell) of this game is a joke of an enemy.

Now don't get me wrong, I did enjoy playing this game and I do not think it would be a bad buy for any fans of the series, but it was also a bit of a disappointment. This is the first time we've gotten a main-stream game in this franchise with the power of an actual console, and I guess I just expected that there would be more to it. Imagine how amazing it would have been if they had started to combine a new region with the old regions like they did a bit with Pokemon Gold/Silver, and those games came out on the GameBoy Color. There are cool new features in this game and I do see the effort that must have gone into it, so maybe I was just getting my hopes up too high. But with a game franchise that has been as enjoyable as Pokemon, I just imagined that the team would have pushed this game to be more than anything we've seen before.

I give Pokemon Sword/Shield a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

TV Review: The Mandalorian

Hello Enthusiasts,

Disney+ launched late in 2019 with an impressive library of older Disney - and some Fox - properties, but a definite lack of new content. One of the only pieces of new content on the streaming service was also the reason most people ended up signing up for it right away: a new Star Wars series called The Mandalorian (though I originally jumped in for The Simpsons). Today, I will be looking at this series that cemented this new streaming service as a contender. I will avoid any big plot points, but be warned that there will be some Spoilers Below (Including a casting Spoiler). 

This series takes place after the events of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and follows a Mandalorian bounty hunter called Mando. Mando's clever, methodical, and armed to the teeth to deal with whatever comes his way. While he isn't completely ruthless at the start of the show, he isn't too far off. That is, however, until he comes across a job that challenges his moral compass, despite how much he fights himself to just get the job done. This particular job has Mando turning over a character that he feels deserves to be free from the hands of his client, whose intentions are unclear.

You know what? You've seen the memes. It's Baby Yoda.

Spoilers I guess.

Mando elects to not hand over baby Yoda and is, therefore, on the run, as basically every other bounty hunter is hired to hunt the two of them down. This is, by the way, a very short series. There are only eight episodes, with each one coming in at under an hour. Also, despite this being a Star Wars property, it feels very much like a modern space-western.

Also, it's a great series.

The characters all feel fleshed out, even Mando, who doesn't say too much throughout the show. The show isn't afraid to pull punches despite it being on a streaming service that houses a lot of content that is meant for children. Characters die, there are mentions of slavery, and a few creepy characters show up throughout the series (mostly in just one episode). This series also has some legitimately funny moments in it as well though, especially the first five minutes of the last episode. All of these things together made me really care about what happened with the characters; I was truly invested in the outcome of the series. The effects were outstanding as well, especially for a streaming TV show, though there are moments that look worse than others. It was also great to have each episode be so short and digestible, though I was left wanting a bit more.

My only complaint with the show is an underutilization of some elements and characters. We get to see a whole squadron of Mandalorian warriors fight early on in the show, only to never see them again. The actual big antagonist for the series only shows up for one full episode (and the last 30 seconds of the episode prior), and they got Giancarlo Esposito (Gus from Breaking Bad) for that character!

Overall though, this series was enjoyable from start to finish. Yes, I was left feeling like there could have been more content, but I guess it's not a bad thing to leave your audience wanting more. Star Wars fans will likely love this series, and fans of westerns that can keep an open mind about the space aspect may enjoy it too.

I give the Disney+ series The Mandalorian a 9.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: The Outer Worlds

Hello Enthusiasts,

I remember when Fallout: New Vegas came out and got subpar reviews because it was being compared to the game it was building off of, Fallout 3. While it certainly wasn't as large of a game as the main entry into the series, I loved New Vegas and, honestly, it was the game that got me really into the series. So when its developer, Obsidian, announced that they were releasing a brand-new IP, I was excited to give it a try. Would it be another gripping experience to remember for years to come? Below is my review of Outer Worlds, though keep in mind that there will be some Spoilers Below.

The game starts with a scientist freeing your created character from a transport ship full of cryogenically frozen people from Earth, which was headed to the Halcyon colonies. There were some issues and the board in charge of these colonies decided to just leave these people frozen and drifting off into space. As you're rescued by this scientist, Phineas Wells, he tells you to find him some chemicals to wake up the rest of the ship, because the board of corporations is full of a bunch of selfish and short-sighted jerks (paraphrasing there). You're dropped onto a planet, killing your mercenary escort upon landing, whose ship you end up claiming on as your own, and thus begins your journey.

I'm leaving a lot out of my story overview because this is very much a story-driven game and I don't want to give too much away. However, I will say that my favorite story element involves the way the corporations have handled the management of these colonies, as the story writers have thought of every conceivable way that the corporations would try to get more money out of these people. These's even a point in the game where you learn that the "Spacer's Choice" company considers worker suicide as vandalism of company property, which means that they take a fee out of the rest of the worker's paychecks to cover the damages. 

Anyway, outside of the story, what are the other best parts of this game? Well, for fans of the older Fallout games, the dialogue options in this game are great and versatile. Focusing on upgrading your character's speech abilities is an easy way to avoid a whole lot of combat and uncomfortable situations in this story. However, even focusing on other elements of your character can help with dialogue, as there will sometimes be options that are based off of your characters other traits, such as knowledge in medicine, engineering, handguns, etc. The companions in this game are done well, though I found myself sticking with the same two for most of the missions. It's easy to get attached to their specific personalities (as well as enjoy the specific perks they grant your character by being in your party). Also, while it does take some getting used to, the inventory management system in this game isn't bad at all. Without raising your skills too much, you're able to break down weapons and armor for parts from your inventory rather than traveling to a workbench. Plus, there are a ton of vending machines around these colonies that allow you to sell your junk or other items for credits.

It's not all praise though, because there are some elements of this game that don't work quite as well. Unfortunately, one of my biggest knocks against the game involves one of my favorite elements, the dialogue. As varied as it is and as much as I love it, what you say often doesn't matter. There are several instances where you can tell that the NPC you're speaking to would give you the same information or response regardless. There are times when your companion will chime into the conversation as well, which is cool, but the character you're speaking with won't even acknowledge that someone else said something. I would have also appreciate some more variety in the available weapons and modifications. I ended up finding dozens upon dozens of the exact same pistol, which was great for getting additional weapon parts, but did make that part of the game a bit less exciting. Finally, last gripe here, but there should be some post-game content. The Fallout series has adjusted itself to allow players to continue their journey after they beat the main story, and it's disappointing that this game doesn't allow that. The player should be able to continue to roam the galaxy after the end of the story, but that's not the case.

Despite my grievances, this is actually a fun game. While there is room for improvement, I enjoyed my time and the worlds that the designers built into this game. If you're not into really into action RPG's, this might not be your kind of game, but I think it's worth a purchase for anyone who has a soft spot for this style.

I give The Outer Worlds a 7 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Luigi's Mansion 3

Hello Enthusiasts,

I am a huge fan of the Nintendo character, Luigi. So I was understandably excited to get the new entry in Luigi's solo series, Luigi's Mansion. Does it hold up to the previous games? Below, you will find my review to Luigi's Mansion 3. 

While this isn't a heavily story-based game, still know that there are some mild Spoilers Below.

The game starts with the Mario gang arriving to a fancy hotel that they were exclusively invited to. Everything seems fine at first, but things quickly turn south as it's revealed that the whole hotel is a trap. Luigi learns that King Boo has escaped from the painting that he was trapped in and has started to get his revenge by trapping the rest of the Mario gang in paintings. Luigi escapes and now it's up to him to use the newest version of the Poltergust and save everyone. To do this, he'll need to go through the hotel floor-by-floor, defeat the ghosts, and retrieve the stolen elevator buttons to ascend further through the hotel.

I love the diversity of this game above everything else. Each floor of the hotel is unique to one another, with some floors being set aside as a gym or a mall, while others are more outlandish, like pirate themed floor that has an entire beach inside the hotel. It keeps the game feeling fresh throughout the duration of the play time, which was an issue with the previous titles. The game also benefits from its newest key feature, Gooigi. Gooigi is a goo copy of Luigi that can be used to solve puzzles in interesting and creative ways. I found some of these puzzles to be fairly difficult, especially before I got used to utilizing Gooigi effectively. There were also some difficult bosses, through more in regard to figuring out how to defeat them instead of actually pulling it off. The game also looks great, though in a more cartoony way than some of the other big titles on the Nintendo Switch.

Also, a big "thank you" to Nintendo for continuing to include local multiplayer in their games. The multiplayer mode of this game is a fun and welcomed addition to this game, though I haven't put nearly as many hours into it as I did the single player.

While the game does have a lot going for it, there are a few areas in need of improvement. One of the biggest areas for me is the control layout. It can be difficult to use some of the features on the Poltergust effectively because of where they are placed on the controller, since both joysticks are needed to aim when a feature is being used. I also wanted more items to spend the in-game money on, as I have over $30,000 in game right now with nothing left to buy. These are small issues, but they are apparent enough to get annoying.

Overall, I think this is an outstanding game. It not only continues the great things about this series, but does well in furthering the series overall. It's a definite recommend for anyone that has a Switch, though I wouldn't call it a system seller like Breath of the Wild or Mario Odyssey. 

I give Luigi's Mansion 3 an 8.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast