For all the charms that have helped Pokémon endure consistent gamer love for so many years now, the visual seems to take priority. Starting a new adventure in the Unova region finds me without strategy or purpose, and once again choosing which of three Pokémon to start my roadtrip with based on visual affection – there was no contest by the way, Tepig or bust.
The formula is familiar and worn enough that I always feel a bit silly writing about a new entry, and yet each one is never long for stealing attention away from other releases. The first few hours proved unpredictable, insofar as I couldn’t have guessed which Pokémon might join my party along the way.
Certainly there are only a few waiting to be discovered in the first few steps between cities and earning gym badges, but which ones were claimed in the wild, and which of those would survive battles to evolve and stick around seemed delightfully random once again.