Did the Pokémon Direct Get Us Excited About Sword and Shield?
This article is a roundtable written by Marcos Carmona, Blake Andrea, Ben Vollmer, and Andy Webb. Here are our thoughts on the Pokémon Direct that aired on June 5th, 2019.
Andy: How are we feeling about Pokémon Sword and Shield after watching today’s Nintendo direct?
Ben: What does it say about Pokémon that one of my favorite announcements from the franchise in recent memory, the ability to move the camera around in a 3D space, is something we’ve had in video games for twenty years? Pokémon was the first franchise I bought into, and a mainline title coming to a home console is a near dream. But what are they doing to move the franchise forward, really? It is a series that cares much more about maintenance and less about innovation, and so it’s hard to be excited about anything in particular.
The dynamax mechanic, which involves Pokémon growing far beyond their normal size, somehow feels like a downgrade from the “mega” mechanic from the Sun and Moon iterations of the franchise. The champion Leon looks unimposing and silly (he’s wearing shorts OVER his pants!), the game still looks at least a generation or two older than it should, and there has been zero evidence of any kind of narrative conflict thus far. This is not just a franchise devoid of change, it’s one that keeps doubling down on its own vanilla attitude. This direct did not feel like a departure from that mindset.
Flora: To build off of Ben’s point about a lack of narrative conflict, I think that absence was one of the things that dragged this Direct down. I need to know the stakes to become excited about this title. When I think back on my childhood Pokémon experiences, I often think about the narrative tension – between my character and Team Rocket, the Elite Four, and so on – and this trailer was devoid of any of that. In fact, everyone introduced was presented as a “friend” even if they were a rival opponent. I don’t mind the fact that the Pokémon games double down on appealing to as wide an audience as possible, but there’s nothing fundamentally interesting being showcased here, at least in terms of story.
As far as the quality of the Nintendo direct itself, I thought it was generally underwhelming. It didn’t move the needle for me with regards to whether I’ll actually purchase and play it or not. I think we saw some cool new glimpses into what the overworld will look like and what the battle system will entail, building off of some Pokemon Let’s Go mechanics, but i would have liked to dive into the story and world a little bit more. For example, we saw an expansive urban city. I would like to see what’s possible to do in that city. One thing that struct me as odd was the introduction of “Legendaries” at the end. Neither Zacian and Zamazenta feel like they live up to the potential that the classics did. They’re well-designed – and they look like good doggos – but what about them sets them apart as a class of Pokémon? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Ben: Like Flora mentioned, one thing I really did like about the Direct were how many unique environments were shown off. The wilderness landscape, paired alongside the giant arenas filled with anxious fans, was a nice juxtaposition. Exploring larger areas seems like it could be a lot of fun, I’m not sure I trust Game Freak to capitalize on elements of exploration.
Marcos: After letting all the information we gained from the direct simmer, I’m left with a kind of giddyness that only Pokémon delivers. Pokémon has had a formula that grasped the interests of players for the last two decades and they’ve shown that they don’t need to steer from that norm. The Sun and Moon generation was an interesting attempt at a change, but seeing this return to form is a move that I welcome. The spanning landscapes were a lovely treat and encounters getting the Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee treatment eases an annoyance that plagued the previous generations. Leon looks like the kind of charismatic punk would be perfect for a champion if he didn’t wear shorts over his pants, but having his younger brother as your rival could be a cute dynamic for your character. The biggest smile I got was when they showed off the absolutely ridiculous and polarizing Dynamax mechanic because it looks fun. Everything shown in this direct was either fun or spectacularly goofy, and that’s all I need in a Pokémon game.
Andy: In regards to a lack of basically anything interesting, I’m inclined to agree with Flora and Ben on most fronts. However, despite what would otherwise be an agreement with their sentiments and an opposition to Marcos’, I’m all in on doubling down with Nintendo this time and I couldn’t be more excited to come back to Pokémon after 2 generations (including Pokemon Go/Lets Go) of detesting the franchise as a whole. If there’s one thing I’ve come to respect, though not wholly agree with the philosophy of, it’s accepting something for what it is and expecting nothing else from it. For similar reasons that others find themselves enjoying Kingdom Hearts and Devil May Cry, I’m jumping ship and squadding up with my fellow Pokémon trainers to tackle raid bosses, take down gigantic Pokémon, and goof off the only way Pokémon trainers know how. Anyone who expects something different from a Pokémon game at this point is barking up the wrong tree.
Ben: You’re right, Andy. I lost the unbridled optimism I had for the franchise a long time ago, and while I certainly shouldn’t expect more, I still want it. Unlike Kingdom Hearts, the Pokémon franchise hasn’t maintained its grandeur or sense of wonderment for me. I miss the experimental nature of learning the battle mechanics, exploring worlds that felt dangerous and uncharted, and the novelty of Pokémon. When those things have worn, what am I left with? This Direct didn’t answer that question for me.
