Pokémon Let’s Go – The Future of Pokémon?

Or a stepping stone for a new audience?

Differences in core mechanics

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s go Eevee are an accessible reimagining of the Kanto region. For returning players, the simplification of the game’s mechanics takes a small period of unlearning old and learning the new, but the game is easy to pick up.

Unlocking mechanics such as Pikachu/Eevee’s Sky dash allows the player to fast travel without the reliance of having a party pokémon who knows the HM Fly. Of course, there is still a requirement for the player to advance so far in the story. However, once unlocked, the sky dash is more rewarding and convenient in its permanence with the partner pokémon and with the player. This mechanic takes the accessibility of the ‘Charizard Glide’ Poké Ride feature from Sun and Moon and combines it with the fast travel choices via the HM in previous games. This mechanic is promising as it is more convenient and does not require the player to drag a Pokémon who knows ‘Fly’ around the map for that sole purpose and acts more like Sun and Moon.

Transferring Pokémon from Pokémon GO is straightforward and feels similar to trading from a previous version of the game. The choice not to allow players to trade the opposite way is annoying but to an extent makes sense – partly due to the more randomised hunting in Pokémon GO which is a game of chance when it comes to spawns.

It is unclear if this is a feature which will stick to this game or make its way into next years core RPG, much like the other elements taken from GO such as capturing Pokémon and viewing them before initiating a capture.

Less essential aspects of the game such as shiny hunting have arguably been vastly improved. Previously in Pokémon Yellow, encounters with wild pokémon would be entirely random with no visual clues. In Let’s Go, the player is able to see all surrounding wild Pokémon which allows for more agency in avoiding certain (or all) Pokémon if the player chooses. This allows players to speed through areas if they wish or encounter as many Pokémon as they want. Previously silhouettes of Pokémon would be shown but would not convey which specific Pokémon was hiding underneath. For most, this is a welcomed addition.

Controls

Required motion controls will continue to be a talking point for most players, but it does add an element of skill to the RNG focused capture system.

Skill is a term used lightly, as the game is far easier than arguably all other titles in the series.

Difficulty

The partner Pokémon, specifically Eevee give the player a big boost in battle. This becomes even more apparent when Eevee is taught special moves from the tutor in Celadon city Pokécenter. These moves generally deal 90 damage – with the exception of Veevee volley, as its damage relies on the amount Eevee loves its trainer. On top of this, each move has an effect such as Paralysis, burn, draining/restoring HP, healing status conditions, blocking opposing Pokémon’s special moves, and weakening the power of the opposition’s physical moves.

In battle these moves all feel overpowered, retracting some of the feeling of accomplishment the player is used to when wiping out the enemy team. There is a silver lining though, Pikachu and Eevee do not have to be assigned to the players’ party but will still travel with the trainer so no abilities are left behind. If the player is concerned about difficulty, removing their partner Pokémon from their party might be a good mediator. Even then, the difficulty still feels easier as this game aims to access all players.

When I played Pokémon Yellow today, I challenged myself to look past the charming pixel graphics and the adorable old design of chubby Pikachu without giving in to blinding nostalgia. The steps that were taken in Let’s Go to move forward in most cases do exactly that. Few elements of the game feel like a clear step backwards – looking at you, reduced difficulty and motion controls. However, these elements are not without explanation as the game stands to bridge the gap between mobile players and new console owners, so are somewhat forgivable. Yes, there are questions around if some mechanics add more to the experience than they take away, and those questions will continue to be asked.

What I ask Game Freak to take from Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee into 2019s core Pokémon RPG is its undeniable charm. Pokémon fans have forever been asking to play the game on a television, now made possible by the Switch. The new art style blends more seamlessly with the anime, and Pokémon seems to have found it’s happy medium graphics wise. The return of wandering around with selected party Pokémon is also welcomed. Identifying Pokémon in the wild is more convenient to the player and like in Sun and Moon, steps are taken to make sure easy methods of travel become even easier. Simple additions to this game are what make it so great, but inevitably still simple.