Pokemon X Review

Pokemon X is definitely one of the only newer generation Pokemon games I have picked up, aside from Pokemon Diamond, but it seems there has been quite a bit of updates. First off, the camera is much more dynamic and gives you a much different look into the 3D world as opposed to a fixed camera angle in an overhead view.

You also get a minimum of 2 starters, pretty much right at the beginning of the game. You get your choice between 3 new generation starters Chespin (grass), Fennekin (fire), and Froakie (water) along with fairly soon after that the three original starters Bulbasaur (grass), Charmander (fire), and Squirtle (water). You also have the chance to get Torchic (a fire type starter from an earlier generation) if you get the game before January 2014.

As for the story, it seems much more interactive with the player. You start your adventure with not only the person who will be your rival throughout the game, but three other side characters that you will interact with throughout your story as well, though they play slightly different roles than your rival does.

While traveling you will be able to walk, run, very quickly acquire roller skates, and not long after a bike, so they added some new modes of transportation, which I thought was neat, especially since there are unique places your can only get to with your skates. You also get the chance to use a Taxi when you get to the central town, and you get to ride different Pokemon in different areas on the map.

Another update is you are able to customize your character. You can cut and dye your hair, along with get different clothing from different stores around the region. I actually had a lot of fun seeing what each store offered and what kind of styles they had.

The storyline was interesting, and actually decently long. I spent a good 40 hours + trying to get all of the way through the elite four, and of course there are still a couple things I can do after beating the main storyline and elite four, so you have quite a bit of play time on the game, which I like a lot.

The one thing I noticed is that the puzzles were usually fairly easy, and the game sort of held your hand through most of the story. There was no real way to miss an HM or something important since it was usually just handed to you, so I found the game a bit easier than some of the older generations. Some people may like this better, I kind of miss the old challenge that the older games offered. Training your Pokemon has also been simplified since very early in the game you get an XP Share that works for your whole team as opposed to just one Pokemon. I liked that I spent less time just training my Pokemon because I was able to move along with the story, but I know a few people who enjoyed having to train all of their Pokemon. To each their own.

There are also a couple new features that aren't exactly part of the story line. One is the Pokemon Amie. This is a side kind of game in which you can interact, pet, feed, and play mini games with your Pokemon. It gives you some extra elements to the game along with some in game bonus's. Pokemon you pet and play with often will gain hearts and enjoyment. The happier your Pokemon, it starts to land more critical hits, avoid more attacks, experience boosts, and sometimes even shake itself out of paralysis because of it's connection to you.

Super training is also a new thing. It is kind of similar to boosting stats like EV training, however much simpler to do. You can complete minigames that will super train your Pokemon, along with win prizes in the later stages, or you can have them train themselves using punching bags. Either way, their stats get boosted, making them even stronger.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the game. I really enjoy the Pokemon series, and this definitely makes a great edition to the series. They add a lot to it, and the new 3D world is something I've personally been waiting for a long time. There is quite a bit of play time, and quite a few things to do in game. So, if you have a 3DS or a 2DS, I definitely recommend you check it out.