This is my first Pokemon game for many a year. I still remember my rabid excitement when I picked up Pokemon Blue for the first time and the amount of hours I poured into it, in such a short space of time, would make most people blush at the thought. But it was fresh, it was exciting and every step in that world was a further step into the unknown. The world was full of mystery and intrigue – but has that held true as the series, and myself, has got older?

 

So far I would say no. I’ve put about 6 hours into this iteration of pokemon (since the newer versions don’t have the same appeal since the pokemon themselves don’t appeal to me) and there’s definitely something not quite right. The gameplay has always been slow, but there’s something that’s very difficult to put my finger on when it comes to explaining why. It doesn’t feel fresh, doesn’t feel exciting – and it’s a crying shame.