When it comes to Pokemon spin-off games, it’s very rare to see one that is done right and appeals to fans. Throughout the years, gamers have been playing Pokemon games, but a lot of them outgrew the games and decided to move on. In hopes of taking the franchise in a new direction, the Pokemon Company and Tecmo KOEI joined forces to bring a one of a kind Pokemon game that will be refreshing to fans and newcomers alike.
As a Pokemon fan, one of the things that I’m hoping to see the series evolve is its story. Since almost all of the Pokemon games have a similar story and type of gameplay, will Pokemon Conquest offer something unique to make fans crave for more spin-off games in the future? Let’s take a look at what’s HOT and what’s NOT in our review of Pokemon Conquest.
HOT
A New Take to the Story
For the past several years, Pokemon fans have been bombarded with spin-off titles that have been deemed mediocre. These have included Mysterious Dungeon, Pokemon Ranger and more recently Pokemon Rumble Blast. Fans prefer Pokemon games that are somewhat similar to the main games that contain the RPG feel and, luckily, Pokemon Conquest has that and will satisfy the most hardcore Pokemon faithfuls.
Pokemon Conquest is not your typical Pokemon Black, Fire Red or Soul Silver game where your objective is to beat the gym leaders, collect as much Pokemon and be the Pokemon Master. Instead, the game will have a new type of story that is very unique for the series. Since TECMO KOEI — the team behind Dynasty Warrior games — collaborated on the title, you can expect that to have a bit of influence to the story. The game starts off with you being the newest daimyo in the land of Ransei. Along with your Pokemon Eevee, your objective this time is to conquer the 17 other daimyos, build an army of Pokemon by recruiting other people and rule Daimyo. Similar to the Gym Leaders in the main series, each of the daimyo that you’ll be fighting have a specific specialization around specific types of Pokemon.
Compared to the older Pokemon titles, Conquest has somewhat of a mature storyline. For decades, we’ve seen Pokemon used as pets and to simply battle gym leaders and one another. This time in Conquest, the Pokemon that roam Ransei are not only used as pets but also as tools of war by the leaders of the government. Throughout the game, expect a somewhat mature storyline where fans can see that TECMO KOEI had a big influence in crafting a perfect storyline that will be something new for Pokemon fans.
Strategy RPG Gameplay
The traditional turn-based battle system from the mainstream games of Pokemon titles can no longer be found in Conquest. Instead, fans will now have to get used to a strategic style of gameplay. For those who have played tactics game, Conquest will not be too hard to follow. Just like every other tactics game, you will be moving your Pokemon on a grid-based battle area where you can either choose to attack, wait for your another turn or simply use items. As always, there are conditions to winning the battle and it will vary from conquering all the flags in the battlefield to defeating all Pokemon. Once your objective is done, you will get the usual points to make your Pokemon stronger and, finally, the daimyos that you defeat will have an opportunity to join you.
In building an army, you will have to recruit people and not just the Pokemon. Instead of having a free-roam area just like other Pokemon games, you will have the classic SRPG progression where it’s point and click. To recruit an army of Pokemon, you will have to visit each kingdom and within them are areas where you can battle daimyos that you can recruit or simply fight Wild Pokemon for the sake of making your Pokemon stronger.
Get New Content Via Wi-Fi
For fans who are seeking new Pokemon or other new content for Conquest, the game has an online feature where you can connect through Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection. Once you’re connected, you can download content that will add trainers and Pokemon in the various kingdoms. Most of the time, what you’ll be downloading as DLC will be events and it will most likely be on a weekly basis.
