GAME REVIEW | Pokémon X Photo Diary and Review

So it's been a good two weeks since the new Pokémon X and Y games came out for the 3DS. While I really didn't like Black and White 2, I have to say that these editions to the franchise really seemed to breathe some life into the pokémon world for me! In my file as of today, I have beaten the Elite Four and Champion and so I think I can provide an educated opinion if you're still on the fence as to if you should get it or not.

First of all, I think the general consensus is that X and Y both provide an experience that is both fresh and new. That is to say, the standard pokémon formula is still there (that we know and love), but they've made significant changes that make it feel a little something more than the next standard edition of pokémon you need to keep up on. A few of these changes include: the new look to combat (not just sprites anymore!), the new EV-training system (Super Training), Pokémon Amie (which actually has some impact in battles based on a pokémon's affection towards you), customizeable main characters and of course the new edition of pokémon added to this generation.

Such cute clothes!!!

In general, the new generation doesn't bother me nearly as much as the past couple of generations. Some of them still look a bit too out there, but just the look of them seems to fit more in with Generation 2... what do you think? Also, I really enjoy the variety of pokémon you can encounter in the world right from the beginning. In past games you'd have to unlock the national dex in order to have access to any of the Kanto pokémon, or others would simply be missing unless you transferred them from past cartridges. Here, you can encounter all sorts of surprises which I thoroughly loved! They didn't just focus on rubbing your face in the new generation, but shared the love, haha!

Team Flare (the newest team of baddies) are pretty weird. That's all I can really say about them. They're not too hard to beat, they want to make the world beautiful and yet they look like a disaster and the overall storyline attributed to them isn't all that provoking. To be honest, I really liked Black and White's storylines by comparison.

There are 'photo spots' now where you can take photos of your character with the 3DS camera.

Gym fights aren't too bad either. I think I got stuck on a couple for a few minutes but could sweep the other teams with just one or two pokémon. I think the reason for this is the new EXP share. Rather than attaching it to one pokémon, EXP share can now be turned on and off from the Key Items menu and will provide all pokémon in the party with EXP during the battle. That way your team levels at the same time and you don't end up with really unbalanced numbers if you just end up preferring one teammate over all the rest.

Along with this however, are the Elite Four battles. Never have I ever had such an easy Elite Four and Champion sweep in my entire pokémon career (lol). I usually have to grind my face into them until I finally get a break! To start, you don't fight them in a straight line anymore but can choose what order you want to fight them. This allows you to front-load your team for the first time going through, rather than not knowing what to expect during the first run. The types are Fire, Water, Steel and Dragon. All these types are easy to deal with, especially dragon which now cannot affect Fairy types. With Lapras I was able to take care of both the Fire and Dragon elites. Gogoat for Water. Delphox and Mega Lucario for Steel. The Champion seemed to be a pushover as well, even with Mega Gardevoir...

I haven't delved into end-game too much, but that's when you get access to the new Safari Zones. You can't access your own, but those of your friends only who only have access to one type and 3 different pokémon. The zones are uninspiring, with just a square patch of grass that's surrounded by a wooden fence. Either way start trading those Friend Codes!!!

The Pokémon League

In all I'm very satisfied with this game so far. I've already resolved to make a "Big Fatties" team, as well as an all-dogs team! I would recommend picking it up if you have a 3DS or plan on getting one.

GAME REVIEW | Animal Crossing: New Leaf First Impressions

So last Sunday, June 9th, 2013 was the release of the new Animal Crossing game for the 3DS! I admit I've been waiting for the new game for a couple years since it was first announced. I was so excited when it finally came overseas!

I admit I'm a bit of a noob, my first game was City Folk, but it got me so hooked! It's the same kind of addicting as Harvest Moon was for me...

The premise is mostly the same though now you've got the added benefits of being the actual mayor of your town! While I miss Tortimer, being able to really customize my town with projects like fountains and extra bridges is really nice! You can also decorate the exterior of your home too which personalizes it even more. I really like these changes!

Another aspect of the game that I really enjoy now is the online multiplayer experience they've set up. You can connect locally and through wifi to other players on the 3DS! With the additions of Re-tail, the island and the HH Academy, there are more ways for me to interact with my fellow players. The only annoyance I experienced through wifi play is that when someone loses connection, both players are reverted back to before the multiplayer session. So for long sessions, it's really annoying when everything is reverted to before! Oh well...

There are a lot more townspeople you can meet too, which is nice. Molly (a cute brown duckie) is by far my favourite! SHE'S SO CUTE!!

I also really like the pacing of this game. It forces you to go through a couple of days before you have access to most of the features! Most shops will be unlocked over time.. I only just got an axe today (a week after release)! While I like it because it means I won't rush through the game, it's also a little frustrating because I have little patience for these things!

One thing that perhaps is nice.. but also a little exploitative... is how easy it is to get money via exotic fruits. If you have a friend with a fruit different than yours, through the online mutliplayer it's super easy to pay off loans, etc. I have yet to really decide if this takes away from the game or not, as there are WAY more things to spend your money on now than in past games. Saving up isn't as much of a pain though.. which is nice!

Overall I'm thoroughly enjoying my experience so far and I would totally recommend this game if you're a casual gamer who enjoys games like Harvest Moon. I think both kids and adults can enjoy this game too, as well as both men and women.

GAME REVIEW | Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

So it's been a week since Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate came out and I'd thought I'd share me thoughts. Sadly, there's no in-game screenshot function (that I know of), so prepare yourself for a) crappy image quality or b) ripped images from Google.

Immediately I noticed that this game had some major similarities to Tri (Wii). The home area is the exact same and the basic story line is the same. Really, the only differences that can be seen are through the addition of the streetpass features (and general online play) with the 3DS and the addition of many new monsters (which bring their own weapons and armor sets). The new online modes also included a new area called Marina Port, where you can team up with passerby at the Tavern and go hunting together. This method is nothing new to the Monster Hunter series.

Another thing that carried over from Tri is the Resource hunting area (Moga Forest). It's really handy when trying out new weapons and makes improving your farm and fishing resources more meaningful. To improve, rather than simply progressing naturally like in the old games, you work for those improvements! It can take you a while if they need rare parts, but it makes the game last longer and keeps you going.

Initially I was a little disappointed because (in my attempt to keep things as unspoiled as possible) I didn't realize that this game was different than the recently released Japanese version, in which there is a completely new area that features a gorgeous traditional setting. Oh well, that's just my fault for not reading articles before hand!

There are some new features added of course: the target lock-on (to help with the tricky touchpad controls), a semi-customizable touchscreen for a more dynamic view and a second companion named Kayamba. I'm likely forgetting things. One thing I was ecstatic about was the inclusion of all the weapons that were excluded in Tri. So now we can have our Dual Swords and Bows, as well as the Tri weapons like the Switch Axe.

Overall, I'm satisfied with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate! You can say this series is like Pokémon in that it's more of the same, but you still crave the experience. It improved on my Tri experience and I'm ecstatic about being able to play with WiiU users even though I have the 3DS! There's nothing more frustrating than cross-platform exclusion. This game will tide me over until 4 comes out (Japan's is released this Winter, so we'll likely get it a couple years after) which will apparently feature all new areas and monster to kill!

In case you're wondering which version to get, consider this:

Standard View

Dynamic View

The 3DS screen can get a bit cramped. With the companion chat boxes popping up, the health and stamina meters, the map and the item menu, there isn't much space left for your and the monster's models! It doesn't really come up during fights, but while gathering it's a little frustrating when trying to find things like mining spots (especially with tricky water controls). You'll obviously have more space when using a TV screen. Of course, there is the option to switch to the dynamic view, but some quick option that were available in one view doesn't carry over to the other. It's rather give and take.

The WiiU also let's you use wifi for online play, while the 3DS only has local (but the obvious benefit of being mobile, whereas the WiiU is not). Owners of both the 3DS and WiiU get all the goods via shared saved data, but then again you have to purchase the game twice, don't you...

Happy hunting!