Honestly? This looks pretty impressive. The randomized dungeons and loot improvements were much-needed. That being said, I'll probably wait for a sale to buy the expansion; Torchlight 2 and Path of Exile satisfy my ARPG itch enough that I don't see the reason to put down $40 on a preorder or day-1 purchase.
Seems like I'll finally have time to sit down and learn to play Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV this month. Really been looking to sink my teeth into grand strategy for a while now, but never had a large block of time to learn the ropes until now.
Tabletop games are an incredible experience when you can get them set up. Most of my favorite gaming memories come from the long evenings friends and I spent over games of D&D, Munchkin, Catan, and far more board games than I can count.
The issue, though, is getting them started in the first place. Setting time aside for an evening of face-to-face gaming has become almost impossible for me and my friends, especially since we've all taken on increasingly busier lives. Sure, an hour of gaming on the PC before bed lacks the immersion of a night of dice-rolling, but it's FAR more accessible for those whose free time is sporadic. It's a shame, too; had it not become so impractical, I would have loved to continue playing tabletop games.
You know, maybe the critics have a point. Maybe this IP is suffering through a drought of creativity. Maybe the new Pokemon aren't as objectively good as the original 151. Maybe the game's mechanics haven't evolved as much as they needed to.
But you know what? I picked up X and Y as soon as they released, and 20 hours in, i'm still hooked. I like the new Pokemon. I like the environments, the graphics, the art direction. The gameplay's still as good as it's ever been, Mega Evolutions and all. I still find myself as captivated by the franchise as I was as a 6-year-old in 1998.
So regardless of what others may think, my hat's off to Game Freak for crafting a series with this much staying power.
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