Jake Cline

From a tepid, placid pool of mediocrity, the Pokémon company (our more specifically Game Freak) bursts forward to remind us exactly how the franchise became the juggernaut it is today. For years the formula has remained the same, with minor updates along the way. Recently the offerings have been a bit of a roller coaster, from the nostalgia and wonder of New Pokemon Snap to the pinnacle of bug-riddled mediocrity that is Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, it's easy to see why the creative spinoffs are better received than the languishing mainline entries, whose intrigue wears off shortly after the reveal of new starters each generation. Game Freak decided we have had enough of "more of the same" and made some risky decisions with this new quasi-spinoff title. Addressing the elephant in the room, this game does not look particularly stunning. On a console with gorgeous games like Astral Chain and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, it's a bit wild to see white pixels (anti-aliasing artifacts) surrounding all characters and pokemon in caves, for example. Once you realize the grass and things like cyndaquil's flames are flat textures that face you as you rotate, you will not be able to unsee them. The environments themselves are not much to look at, though the pokemon are as great as you would expect them to be. Another sight blemish on this title is in the minor things that affect gameplay for the more invested player- things like having to tab around the pokedex in its own isolated menu when there could have been a way to launch straight to their page from your inventory screen is an odd decision when the game tasks you with filling out unique entries for each 'mon, meaning lots of hunting around in menus that could have been automated. The story and characters are serviceable but could stand to be invested in a bit more in the future. I know that's not what everyone comes to this franchise for, but a reason to care about all these wacky-haired weirdos would be a welcome addition. That being said, PLA is a wonderful time. The creatures are fun to sneak around and capture using the new elements of manually throwing balls, fruits, et cetera, and having this option instead of NEEDING to battle in order to catch them is a refreshing and fun aspect that was just what the doctor ordered for breathing new life into this franchise. This game made great strides and carried the franchise forward to the degree that I would be sorely disappointed if these elements are not present in whatever comes next for Pokemon. Honestly, I have enjoyed my time with this game so deeply that I personally hope they adopt this format for the mainline entries moving forward. Almost everything about this experience is a joy and warmly welcome in my household again.

This documentary does not appropriately approach its subject matter without bias. It is a well-produced but poorly reasoned piece that continues to celebrate and revel in a horrifying tale of domestic abuse and mutilation, taking every opportunity to inject sociopolitical ideas. An agenda piece framed as a documentary. True crime YouTubers with no budget often produce much better work on cases like this.