I've always loved the ideas behind Pokemon. It's the pioneer of the creature-collecting subgenre, and its popularity comes with good reason. It's a jack of all trades, the perfect turn-based game for people who aren't even interested in such RPGs in the first place. When a new game in the series is about to come out, chances are, I'll be looking forward to it. However, for those who are unaware, it's pretty surprising to hear that I've never played a main series Pokemon game to completion. I'm always having a good time playing for quite a while. My starter (or in the case of Pokemon X, starters) gets somewhere slightly above the level 20 mark, then I get to a point where the type charts really matter. The rest of my Pokemon are somewhere lower, and I have to grind. That's the furthest I ever get, every single time. The reason? At that point, the game just isn't fun.
I've had similar problems with the Final Fantasy series. I was absolutely in love with Final Fantasy V when I first played it. The characters were excellent, it had a great job system, amazing aesthetics, and "turn-based" didn't entirely describe the battles, because actions were preformed after a meter filled up, not after waiting through the opposition's attacks. But when I got to the next continent, everything changed. Even random encounters were battles for dear life. I was in a position where I had to grind, and if I didn't, the game would just get too hard to reasonably play. I was in a somewhat similar situation with Final Fantasy VII. Amazing characters, superb storytelling, and some of the best music in video games period, but again, all these elements are mitigated. It doesn't make them bad games that this happens, but it could ruin it for so many people, and if I didn't appreciate so much about these games, I wouldn't consider giving them another chance.
Horrible, horrible flashbacks
Now, when it comes to Pokemon in specific, the problem is somewhat less severe. The issue is that the more interesting mechanics, such as the type chart actually making a difference, don't become relevant until a certain point. When the player gets to that point and they haven't prepared by balancing team usage and keeping levels even? Massive grind wall. And grinding in a simpler turn-based game like Pokemon is just plain boring. I'm aware that the problem comes from my own lack of preparation, but video games shouldn't work like that. If you play the game in a way that wasn't intended, maybe it'll become harder, but it shouldn't become boring. One of the ways this could be solved that I don't see talked about too much is making the combat more interesting on its own.
You see, the problems I had with these games were somewhat minor, but they really did end up ruining the experience. This problem could be avoided by making the combat more interesting in some way. I'm not asking for every turn-based game to be an action RPG, but there's a reason I'm more engaged in a game of Fire Emblem than I am in anything else I've talked about so far. Far too many games, old and new, stay restricted by norms in their genre, and this is very prevalent in classic RPGs. Too many make mechanical additions to the traditional turn-based system, but not anything that make them more inherently fun. It's great if it's more complex and fit for high-level play, but why does that matter if so many people aren't even having fun with the main gameplay?
You see, the problems I had with these games were somewhat minor, but they really did end up ruining the experience. This problem could be avoided by making the combat more interesting in some way. I'm not asking for every turn-based game to be an action RPG, but there's a reason I'm more engaged in a game of Fire Emblem than I am in anything else I've talked about so far. Far too many games, old and new, stay restricted by norms in their genre, and this is very prevalent in classic RPGs. Too many make mechanical additions to the traditional turn-based system, but not anything that make them more inherently fun. It's great if it's more complex and fit for high-level play, but why does that matter if so many people aren't even having fun with the main gameplay?
People often cite the Mario & Luigi series as a good example, and it definitely is one even though the changes made are so minor. Average combat is spruced up from timed button presses along with every turn. When you attack enemies, you have to press A or B (depending on who you're using) to maximize damage output. When enemies attack you, the buttons allow you to dodge incoming attacks, although the timing has to be precise for it to work at all. Small changes from a factual standpoint, but they make a world of difference in how engaging the combat is. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people talk positively about this series after saying that they "usually don't like RPGs". A minute change like this can draw in people who never would have been interested otherwise.
However, as great as the Mario & Luigi games handle this, one game takes their general idea and builds an entirely new system around it. This game is none other than the simultaneously famous and infamous Undertale. Even ignoring the Act menu, it's the most unique turn-based game I've ever played, and it's a ton of fun. Where Mario & Luigi has timed button presses, Tunderale has an entire minigame. Every attack starts a small bullet-dodging game, and objects relating to the enemy attack the heart, controlled by the player. The bosses even mix this formula up and give variety to the already diverse obstacles and challenges. When attacking, timing is key to doing any damage at all, and sometimes this means hitting multiple times on queue, or even strategically doing low damage. With all the talk about the characters and story (which, by the way, are also amazing), it's surprising how little I hear people mention the great mechanical design that went into Thundermail. It's a joy to play, and avoids the common trap of classic-inspired games that don't iterate on classic formulas. Maybe more games will follow in its footsteps, and we can have more turn-based games that are fun to play due to the combat itself, and not whatever is added on top of it.
However, as great as the Mario & Luigi games handle this, one game takes their general idea and builds an entirely new system around it. This game is none other than the simultaneously famous and infamous Undertale. Even ignoring the Act menu, it's the most unique turn-based game I've ever played, and it's a ton of fun. Where Mario & Luigi has timed button presses, Tunderale has an entire minigame. Every attack starts a small bullet-dodging game, and objects relating to the enemy attack the heart, controlled by the player. The bosses even mix this formula up and give variety to the already diverse obstacles and challenges. When attacking, timing is key to doing any damage at all, and sometimes this means hitting multiple times on queue, or even strategically doing low damage. With all the talk about the characters and story (which, by the way, are also amazing), it's surprising how little I hear people mention the great mechanical design that went into Thundermail. It's a joy to play, and avoids the common trap of classic-inspired games that don't iterate on classic formulas. Maybe more games will follow in its footsteps, and we can have more turn-based games that are fun to play due to the combat itself, and not whatever is added on top of it.
Well, this one was pretty expansive. Sorry for all of you who are sick of hearing about Blundersnail, but trust me, it is an excellent game, and I would definitely recommend it. Anyways, that'll be it for me this week. This is your captain, signing off.