I don’t think many people saw the wild success of Pokémon Pokopia coming. It was released to critical acclaim, earning a five star rating from us here at TechRadar, there was a shortage of physical copies that left fans — including myself — without the game for days on end, and it exploded into a social media phenomenon.
But having clocked up just over 65 hours myself (rookie numbers, I know), I’d argue that this Nintendo Switch 2 game deserves every last ounce of praise that it’s received. It’s quite easily my favorite Pokémon game since the Nintendo DS era, and unlike some of the more modern entries, it’s absolutely overflowing with creativity and charm.
Pokopia’s addictive crafting and building mechanics, personality-filled world, and humorous edge make it a wonderful experience, and some are even tipping it for a Game of the Year nomination. For me personally, I’m expecting Pokopia to be up and amongst my top titles of the year — but that isn’t to say it’s perfect.
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The gripe I can’t shake
Yes, although it’s a brilliant game, I have a few issues with Pokopia — even if most of them are tiny.
For example, a lot of players have reported that you can only see about 20-30 Pokémon per area, which was likely implemented to stabilize performance. This can be frustrating when you need a certain ‘mon to help you out and they’re not around — although using some honey near a Pokémon’s home will spawn them instantly, largely making up for that limitation.
As we mentioned in our review, some of the dialogue can also err on the repetitive side of things too. Though this really is a nit-pick — the development team poured distinct, endearing personalities into just about every Pokémon, making NPC interactions feel far more engaging than they did on Animal Crossing: New Horizons, for instance.
I have one gripe with Pokopia, however, that I’d consider a bit more serious: its storage system.
Look, I understand that you can get larger storage boxes through the main story, and it’s easy to upgrade your bag’s size as you travel across the various areas. But you collect a lot — and I mean a lot — of materials throughout the game. I’m pretty sure I’ve got one storage box dedicated to Volcanic Ash alone.
But what frustrates me is that storage isn’t centralized. If there’s an item you’ve packed away, you’ll have to remember the specific storage box you placed it into, otherwise you could be left wondering where you placed those darn Rainbow Feathers.
I understand that some players have created dedicated storage warehouses, underground containers, or even used homes as bases for gathering items. But the lack of centralization means that you may still have to travel to a specific region to get a particular item.
Personally, I would’ve preferred a system that enabled me to access all of my stuff, no matter where I am. If I’m trying to build some Auspicious Armor, for example, I’d rather not have to trek half way across the world just to find the chest I’ve sealed my Armor Fragments in.
Don’t get me wrong, this hasn’t ruined the game for me or anything. I tend to keep the important materials — like ingots, bricks, and twine, on my person at all times. But it has led to a couple of annoying moments, where I’ve forgotten the location in which I stored a crucial material.
Despite this, I’m still loving Pokopia a lot, and I’ve remained glued to it more than a month after its release. I even included it in my list of the top five Pokémon games on Nintendo Switch 2 — and it placed very well indeed. But I’m curious: have you also found some frustration with Pokopia’s storage system? Have you opted to create a giant warehouse for all of your stuff? Let me know in the comments.
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
