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  • The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series has long been a divisive entry in the famous franchise.

  • On the one hand, it’s the same roguelike gameplay that’s been trod by Torneko, Shiren

  • the Wanderer, and any number of Chocobos in the past. On the other hand, it’s an opportunity

  • to explore a completely fantastic Pokémon world, untainted by human trainers trying

  • to be the very best like no one ever was. These games take an entirely different viewpoint,

  • where Pokémon are left to their own motivations, as observed by a human transformed by mysterious

  • forces. AND SO, LET US JOIN THE ADVENTURES OF SMUGLEAF AND BACON, ALREADY IN PROGRESS.

  • Awright, so it’s the same old randomized dungeons, but with Generation V Pokémon!

  • This time, though, you have a side-goal of transforming this rocky, barren plot of land

  • into a haven for adventurous souls like yourself, through the use of various items and a particularly

  • energetic band of contractors. The usual mission-based gameplay returns, with treks through mysterious

  • dungeons to deliver items, rescue lost friends, and/or bludgeon evildoers for justice and

  • cash and building materials. While youre getting your SimCity on, though, there’s

  • deviousness afoot, as some strange occurrences and stranger Pokémon have been showing up

  • near Post Town and your partner’s just the kind of dope to go sticking his nose into

  • it. Unlike earlier games in the series, you get to choose which Pokémon you control from

  • the outset, and can take a team of up to four along for the ride.

  • But the new shiny feature - the ability to search for Magnagates in the real world - deserves

  • its moment in the sun. You can find dungeons all around you - pretty much any circular

  • object will do, like my coffee here - which will become a dungeon, based on its color

  • and size. These are separate from the main quest - so you can play them if you get knocked

  • out in the actual campaign and youre waiting for a friend to streetpass you back to life

  • - and any items you manage to obtain will transfer over to your party’s deposit box

  • upon completion of the mission. These one-offs are nice, especially since you don’t actually

  • have to deal with the glacially slow pacing of the story or the non-adjustable text speed.

  • Youre getting a decent tale, don’t get me wrong... but these hindrances, combined

  • with the fact that you can’t do multiple missions in a single run as in earlier entries

  • in the series, prevent Gates to Infinity from being all it couldve been. Fortunately,

  • with the abundance of Instagram users documenting everything they eat, no one will look at you

  • strangely when you make Pokémon jump into your pancakes at Denny’s and start exploring.

  • Also: no crappy photo filters.

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series has long been a divisive entry in the famous franchise.

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