A new generation of Pokemon has arrived on the Switch, and Nintendo is giving us our first look at the Galar region and its starters!
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Niantic has revitalized Pokemon Go a bit recently with an update to introduce more Hoenn region Pokemon, as well as tweaking other game aspects.
Back in October, Pokemon Go had a Halloween event that introduced some spooky Hoenn Pokemon, and the new additions have expanded this group. This update more resembles the introduction of Johto Pokemon, bringing in the starters Mudkip, Torchic, and Treecko. Like past updates, this one has had an interesting effect on which Pokemon appear easily, as I have encountered a surprising number of Treecko, Vulpix, Chikorita, and Bulbasaur. This may be in part due to another addition to the game: a weather system that changes depending on your location. Different times of the day and different conditions affect Pokemon and which show up, as well as as well as the amount of stardust earned from catches. On bright, clear days, Pokemon that flourish in the sun, like fire and ground types, get a boost to their attacks and stardust, while rainy moments boost water types. According to the Pokemon website, the weather system will alter the in-game environment depending on how it really looks outside. For a Pokemon fan who started with Gold, which started the in-game clock and in-battle rain, the weather system is a cool addition. For the traditional games, map weather was introduced in Hoenn, so it is also interesting to have the weather system be introduced with the Hoenn update. The combat system in the game has been improved as well, with the Pokemon models more size-scaled and the power attack has been centered at the bottom of the screen. The combat seems better to me, both with the power attack system working more reliably and the power attacks having a better animation system. For now, the game has also regained some bugs similar to when it first started up, with crashing occasionally or having loading issues. I personally have had the game crash while I was attacking gyms multiple times, and in one instance the game wouldn't allow Pokemon to be placed on an empty gym. Another common one players have shown is an error with the weather system, which says the weather is "extreme" and telling them to be safe, when in reality the weather is perfectly clear. Bugs should go away with time, as past ones have, like when the game was first released and the large number of players resulted in constant crashes. According to the Pokemon website article, more Pokemon are set to come, like fan-favorites Ralts and Absol, and one, Mawile, has been added as at least a raid battle. Despite this issues, however, the newest version of the game has introduced some great aspects and has become more enjoyable for me. As of October 20, Pokemon Go has been updated to have a "Trick-or-Treat" event that will last until November 2.
The event causes ghost-type Pokemon and others with spooky designs to appear more to players. According to an article on Gamespot's website, this includes Cubone and Houndour, ghosts Gastly and Misdreavus and the newly introduced Sableye, Shuppet and Duskull. Other event bonuses include doubled candy rewards, special items available in the shop, a Halloween Pikachu and a hat of the Pokemon Mimikyu. With Sableye, Shuppet and Duskull involved, Niantic is also introducing the third generation of Pokemon from the series' Hoenn region and Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald games. This update comes only months after the second generation was added back in February, which some might see as moving too quickly. In an article on the Forbes website, writer Paul Tassi said the new Pokemon suffer from lack of popular awareness that even non-Pokemon fans had of the originals. While everyone knows Pikachu and Charizard, he said, those not as familiar with later Pokemon will not be as excited to raise a Nosepass or Zigzagoon. At the same time, there are likely still other areas of the game that could be improved or aspects that could be added before a whole generation of Pokemon are needed. The game's combat system is rather simplistic and suffers from lag issues and the possibility of stronger moves not working if the player's Pokemon is attacked while using them. The Halloween event will also bring in the "shiny" forms of different Pokemon, called so because they differ in color from their usual forms. This update likely could have raised excitement for the game without adding a whole new group of Pokemon, and adding not just these Pokemon, but also alternate forms of Pokemon, might cause bugs that need to be fixed later. While games have long had buggy problems, it's common for current games with massive multiplayer is recurring glitches and bugs that get little attention before creators move on to adding new content. One such game is Dead by Daylight, where some players still come across glitches as they play that range from momentary goofiness to lobby breaking. This includes getting stuck in objects, being launched into the air and leaving the map's boundaries rather than escaping in the end, which some YouTubers and streamers compile into videos, like player OchiDO. If Niantic hopes to retain excitement for Pokemon Go, creators need to make sure they balance adding new things to the game with maintenance and improving existing content. While there might still be issues with the game, I for one am excited for the event, as it gives me the opportunity to catch Pokemon I don't see as often. The chance to catch a special witch-hat-wearing Pikachu is also enticing, and possibly getting a new silly hat like my avatar's current Magikarp one is an entertaining idea. |
AuthorI love the entertainment side of things. Video games, tv shows, superheroes and movies are my passion and I'd love to get the news out for things I enjoy. My contact page has links to my social media, so if you enjoy what I have to say, likes, shares, comments, and follows are always greatly appreciated! Archives
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