This game needs a lot of work. The bugs are too numerous to
list, including several that can be game breaking or at least require you to
load your last save.
Let me preface this review by saying I only made it about half way or 2/3rds
through the game, at least by the normal games time line which they don't
deviate from much.
So what does this game offer? It has unique starters, but with absolutely no
balance among them. Machop, Drowzee, and Skarmory. Like with all Pokémon games
your first battle is with your rival, which is impossible to win with anything
other than Skarmory. Its peck attack destroys Machop and Drowzee can only use
pound against it. The variety is kind of lost considering the normal starters
can be caught on the first route, or at least Charmander and Squirtle can be. I
never saw a wild Bulbasaur, though you can catch a fully evolved Blastoise
around where Cerulean normally is, oddly.
Supposedly Machop evolves at level 40 into Machamp, and this is the same with
other trade evolutions. I say supposedly because my Kadabra certainly didn't
evolve at 40, so take this at face value.
The biggest distinction from other Pokémon games is the “humor”
in the dialogue. Your character insults everyone and every conversation has
some snarky quip from him/her added to the end. In my opinion the comedy is
rather juvenile, calling everyone “gay” and mocking people who enjoy World of
Warcraft for some reason.
The game advertises that you battle “Barons” rather than gym
leaders, but honestly there is no difference between the two other than title.
Now the biggest problem is the glitches, which as I said
earlier are many. The game will randomly freeze and break in certain areas due
to different reasons, such as opening the menu or engaging in a battle. A lot
of these areas are indoors so you can escape this by using an escape rope or
dig to warp to the exit. If you don’t have either your only option is to
restart the game at a previous save point. Obnoxious, but can be avoided or
worked around if your careful.
Using moves like teleport to return to the nearest city drop
you randomly in the middle of the town. Normally not an issue, but Vermilion puts
you in the middle of an island with no way to leave if you can’t surf. Again
you have no option but to restart at a later save.
My greatest issue was that openings to places would stop
working. Basically is becomes impossible to backtrack to previous areas. I made
the mistake of exploring too much and left a city before gaining the badge and
the HM cut. Then I get to the next city and that gym can only be accessed if
you, of course, have cut! So I can’t go back and I can’t go progress without
these items. I was able to make some advancement, but honestly I just got sick
of putting up with all the problems.
The game had potential, but it is far from a finished
product.
This game needs a lot of work. The bugs are too numerous to
list, including several that can be game breaking or at least require you to
load your last save.
Let me preface this review by saying I only made it about half way or 2/3rds
through the game, at least by the normal games time line which they don't
deviate from much.
So what does this game offer? It has unique starters, but with absolutely no
balance among them. Machop, Drowzee, and Skarmory. Like with all Pokémon games
your first battle is with your rival, which is impossible to win with anything
other than Skarmory. Its peck attack destroys Machop and Drowzee can only use
pound against it. The variety is kind of lost considering the normal starters
can be caught on the first route, or at least Charmander and Squirtle can be. I
never saw a wild Bulbasaur, though you can catch a fully evolved Blastoise
around where Cerulean normally is, oddly.
Supposedly Machop evolves at level 40 into Machamp, and this is the same with
other trade evolutions. I say supposedly because my Kadabra certainly didn't
evolve at 40, so take this at face value.
The biggest distinction from other Pokémon games is the “humor”
in the dialogue. Your character insults everyone and every conversation has
some snarky quip from him/her added to the end. In my opinion the comedy is
rather juvenile, calling everyone “gay” and mocking people who enjoy World of
Warcraft for some reason.
The game advertises that you battle “Barons” rather than gym
leaders, but honestly there is no difference between the two other than title.
Now the biggest problem is the glitches, which as I said
earlier are many. The game will randomly freeze and break in certain areas due
to different reasons, such as opening the menu or engaging in a battle. A lot
of these areas are indoors so you can escape this by using an escape rope or
dig to warp to the exit. If you don’t have either your only option is to
restart the game at a previous save point. Obnoxious, but can be avoided or
worked around if your careful.
Using moves like teleport to return to the nearest city drop
you randomly in the middle of the town. Normally not an issue, but Vermilion puts
you in the middle of an island with no way to leave if you can’t surf. Again
you have no option but to restart at a later save.
My greatest issue was that openings to places would stop
working. Basically is becomes impossible to backtrack to previous areas. I made
the mistake of exploring too much and left a city before gaining the badge and
the HM cut. Then I get to the next city and that gym can only be accessed if
you, of course, have cut! So I can’t go back and I can’t go progress without
these items. I was able to make some advancement, but honestly I just got sick
of putting up with all the problems.
The game had potential, but it is far from a finished
product.