Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

The lesson here is that just because the license is for kids, the game doesn't have to be. There’s a reason this sort of gameplay has been around for over 25 years: it works, whether you’re a green squirrel or an @. And Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is the game to prove it.

It may confuse some and frustrate others, but its addictive nature should keep you hooked until you learn to appreciate the art of the dungeon crawl.

Anyone with an established affection for roguelikes (apparently there are a lot of you) and even the slightest liking of Pokémon will really enjoy this. And ultimately, I did too - played one mission at a time, Mystery Dungeon's old-fashionedness in the context of the adorable setting is charming, and you can't fault it for a lack of longevity.

It drags on and on without much change, which is why it's a good thing it's been structured in segments for quick-shot, handheld-friendly dungeon exploration.

Dungeon-crawling is deadly dull. [Dec 2006, p.50]

If monotonous gaming and skimpy Pokemon action aren't your thing, then this is one mystery that's best left unsolved.

Blue Rescue Team lacks most of the content that made Pokemon so popular in the first place. Instead, it features the ancient failings of Roguelike games, including dungeon restarts, level grinding and no versus play. Frankly, we’d rather catch a cold.

I just love this game so much. This is my favourite in the series, extremely charming, colorful, good humor and a great atmosphere adn music. I love this game and if you are a fan like me, you might love it to.

During the early to late 2000’s, Pokemon fans were graced with the Nintendo DS. An amazing console that would eventually house some of the greatest Pokemon games of all time. Pokemon Platinum, Pokemon HGSS, Pokemon Black and White, these were easily some of the biggest hits in the franchise. However, before the golden age of Pokemon got started, the franchise was stuck in a really awkward phase. Nintendo was teasing Diamond and Pearl for what felt like eons. Releasing odd spinoff after odd spinoff, until the production was complete. Pokemon Dash, Pokemon Channel, Pokemon Trozei, sweet Arceus stop. Are we going to get any real Pokemon games for once? And then like magic, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon was born. Admittedly, while this isn’t my favorite game in the franchise, it did the lay the groundwork for what would become one of my all time favorite games, Explorers of Time and Darkness. And to be fair, for a first time entry, this game is really well designed. Having a concept as cool as turning into a Pokemon is one thing, but having up to 16 different Pokemon to select as your avatar adds a ton of replayability. Making what is essentially a Pokemon themed dungeon crawler, into a super thrilling isekai. Well, for the most part. Mechanically, this game is fine, but the main story does not take very long to complete. So unless you have a pair of nostalgia goggles, it’s tricky to form a huge attachment with this game, because frankly, it feels more like a video game than a living, breathing environment. Almost every dungeon in the game follows a repetitive gimmick, where upon reaching the end of the stage, you’ll face a Legendary Pokemon in a glorified boss fight. Which sounds cool at first, but because they’re used so frequently, they start to come across as regular Pokemon that just happen to be in a bad mood. Even when this game shows its age with the more restrictive commands, I think its real issues stem from the lack of interesting set pieces. The Sky Tower is pretty cool, but it’s mostly due to having the most visually interesting design in the game. Everything else seems to run on the New Super Mario Brothers formula. Personally, I think this game is good. But because the sequel is great, I only really revisit this game for Generation 3 Nostalgia.

A solid game like any other in the Mystery Dungeon series. It is arguably a fun to play game if you are a fan of the genre. One issue I had to do with it was that the side quests are very similar and repetitive without giving good enough rewards, so you might want to skip them.

Having replayed this a few years back after playing the other 3 entries, I realized that this game really falls short. That is not to say the game isn't great, but this game has by far the worst story in the series. It's linear and non-sensical, but is interesting and still moving. One of the biggest qualms I have with this game is how the partner pokemon turns into some random guildmate postgame. That's so lame. This game still has great gameplay, spritework, and soundtrack to warrant a solid 7/10.

Despite a painfully repetitive, shallow dungeon-crawling structure, Mystery Dungeon offers a decently enteratining tactical experience thanks to a wide variety of Pokémon types, moves and items to strategize with, while exploration keeps the player decently engaged through its survival mechanics. The narrative, although weirdly paced and excessively juvenile at times, is a heartwarming story about unyielding kindness told with endearing whimsy but also excellently orchestrated emotional beats.