"A Fine Game That Knows Its Niche": Detective Pikachu Returns Review

screenrant.com:

is the sequel to the bizarre but beloved spin-off that also spawned a movie of the same name. While it does more than enough to justify its existence as a follow-up effort, it also struggles to capitalize on some of the good will the movie earned for the property, instead reverting to a more childish, simplistic narrative and systems.

follows Tim Goodman and a talking, coffee-obsessed Pikachu as they try to make Ryme City a better place through solving crime. They're also tracking Harry Goodman, Tim's father and Pikachu's former partner, who is still missing. While the story winds up similarly to its predecessor — eventually tackling some more emotionally interesting content — it starts painfully slowly, especially for those even a little familiar with the first game. While catching players up is important for the context of the story, it's done so agonizingly glacially that it feels like the first several hours are all tutorial and narrative exposition.

Related: Detective Pikachu Returns Setting — What Pokémon Region Is Ryme City In?

The biggest problem with is that it doesn't feel like it knows exactly what to be. The detective work is rarely satisfying, the narrative interactions are pretty mundane, and the exploration amounts to visual novel-level implementation. Everything works, ranging from okay to good — the back half of the game has some genuinely thoughtful moments and a few mysteries that require some legwork, for instance — but none of it is stellar.

The most glaring element of is its graphics, which are almost distractingly bad at times. It's not like games on Switch are industry leaders in terms of aesthetic, but the smaller scope of the game and its focus on cutscenes and conversation means it's way more