Please note that like most Pokémon games their are different versions of the same game, and although they are similar they may have slight variations such as avalible starting Pokémon and bosses.

Yes it’s that time again, Nintendo have released a new Pokémon game but this time they have mixed it up a bit. This could be considered the sequel to the original Pokémon dungeon game, but shares nothing in common except for the battle system and the fact that it contains Pokémon.

You play as a washed up Pokémon who has lost its memory and has visions of the past and future simply by touching objects. You don’t get to decide which pokémon you will be but instead answer questions designed to test your personality in order to decide which Pokémon you will be (in my case a Pikachu). Although you do get to pick who your companion will be (I picked Cindaquill), your companion in the game finds you on the beach washed up and asks you to help him retrieve his special treasure which has just been stolen. Once you have retrieved your companions treasure you decide to create an exploration team and join the local exploration Guild as apprentices.

The main story however follows the Time gears which are being stolen by a rogue Pokémon. Time gears control time in the local area and if removed from their places, will cause the area that they were protecting to stand still in time.

This game uses the same battle system as the original Pokémon dungeons. You walk around mystery dungeons and battle Pokémon. Mystery Dungeons are special in the fact that if you or you companion faint then you will be both mystically transported out also mystery dungeons, Mystery dungeons are also strictly one way with only one entrance and exit, to exit the player must travel through all of the floors in the dungeon to the exit. The layouts of each floor in the mystery dungeons are random so they are different every time you play.

The character can not catch new Pokémon like in most the other Pokémon games where you have to weaken Pokémon and throw pokéballs. Instead when you gain enough respect from a certain type of Pokémon through battling them, that particular Pokémon will ask to join your team.

Although it may not be obvious to the gamer at first the dungeons don’t actually operate in real time and instead movements/attacks/special attacks are all taken in turns. The battle system is integrated almost seamlessly into play and most cut scenes and towns use the same style as the battle system. The battle system is frustrating at times because you will be pressing buttons and not getting any response, this is because you have to wait until your turn before you can do anything (even go into the menu to quick save the game.).

This game has a slightly more polished look than the original Pokémon dungeon game and the battle system is quite refreshing compared to other DS rpg’s and the only 2 games that come to mind with a similar battle system are the original Pokémon Dungeon and Children of Mana. Some nice battle mechanics have been included in the game such as the ability to throw objects at enemies so you can inflict damage before they come close enough to attack. You can also give your team members Tactics , which basically tell the Pokémon what to do in a dungeon. However when I played I found that somtimes Pokémon will follow the commands other times they do what they want and end up half way the other side of the dungeon! This is very annoying.

Enemy Pokémon in the dungeon can pick up objects although their AI doesn’t allow them to use the objects which is a shame. One of my biggest grievances with the game is that fact that the dialogue is far too long and you will find your self reading through text for 5-10 minutes at a time before you can play, and to be honest the story wouldn’t have lost anything from the shortening of text. Another annoying thing about the game is that very early on you will find you have so many items which you can not use effectively and end up filling your inventory full of items like steel gummies and blast seeds. Both of these items being particularly useful however as a gamer you forget about using them and instead focus on attacking and special moves while in the dungeon.

Although this game seems to be aimed at the younger gamer, it is the more mature game that will enjoy this game as most younger gamers will find the battle system too hard/frustrating or the text too annoying.