Pokémon game announcements seem to attract some rather absurd articles. We have a rather absurd article today, courtesy Design & Trend, which states 5 reasons why Pokémon Sun and Moon might be “a failure like no game ever was”. The author certainly doesn’t skimp on hyperbole.
The piece’s author, Christopher Groux seems to be mainly fixated on the idea that following the same formula would somehow be detrimental to the Pokémon games, and result in their failure. He begins with the first point titled Tired Mechanics, where he talks about HM moves taking up an attack slot, as well as the PC system for swapping Pokémon in and out.
He then argues that the games’ freshness will suffer by retaining a “Mewtwo Battle” – i.e. a fight against an elusive, secret Pokémon that only unlocks after you beat the game.
Perhaps the more far-fetched prophecy of doom comes from the author’s criticism of giving players the option of Grass, Fire, and Water Starters (he also seems to think that Nintendo makes the Pokémon games and not Game Freak). Why fix something that isn’t broken?
Next up in line is that the games have typically had only one single save file, which, while a valid criticism, is really not going to make so much as a dent in Sun and Moon’s sales. It sure would be nice, though.
Finally, there’s the typical Pokémon story, featuring your eight gyms, your rival who appears at various points to challenge you and your Team Rocket equivalent, on to some dastardly plan.
I think the author had good intentions: many of these points, shifted around would indeed freshen up the franchise and make the game even more enjoyable. But would the lack cause the game to be a “failure”. Yeah, no, that’s not happening.
Pokémon Sun and Moon will release on the Nintendo 3DS in Holiday 2016.