Detective Pikachu Returns: A Case Only for Fans

Detective Pikachu is one of the most interesting cases in the video game world. And how could it not be? It started as a spin-off of one of the industry’s biggest franchises, and later became the inspiration for one of the best movie and video game adaptations in history. What began as a downloadable chapter game for the 3DS, later released as a full game in Japan, ended up as an adaptation that managed to take the most important elements of the game and bring the world of Pokémon to the big screen in a live-action format without giving us nightmares with its realistic renditions of these characters. All in all, the legacy that Detective Pikachu established made it a more attractive title, something that a sequel would have to live up to.

Welcome back to Ryme City

Detective Pikachu Returns picks up 2 years after the events of the first game. If you haven’t played it, don’t worry, the game itself will give you a brief summary of what happened in the first game. The duo of Ryme City’s top detectives continues: on one side we have Tim Goodman, a young man, now a college student, who continues the search for his father, and Detective Pikachu, Tim’s father’s partner, who loves coffee. Both share the ability to understand what the other is saying, so while some hear the classic sounds of Pikachu, Tim is able to hear the comments and clues his partner has to tell him.

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In terms of gameplay, it follows the line of an extremely light adventure game established in the first game, where we will be talking to both humans and Pokémon as we search for and receive clues, make deductions, and gather as much information as possible to solve the case. Throughout the game, we will go through different locations, with Ryme City as the main center, but also going out to the surrounding areas. The gameplay is extremely simple and doesn’t offer much of a challenge, being extremely linear with its main story. This doesn’t detract from the game’s story, as it is one of its main points, but it does make progressing through it feel slower than we would like.

As in the first game for 3DS, this pushes us to get all the clues we can in order to proceed, no matter how obvious or simple the mystery to be solved may be. This will lead us to the deductions, in our notebook will be written down all the clues and details that we have found to determine the next steps to follow, what really happened, or even determine who was the culprit. There is no failure here, literally, because even if we make a mistake, the game will simply tell us that our deduction is incorrect and give us another chance to get it right. In addition to our investigations, each level will also have other, much simpler side missions that require us to help people and Pokémon alike in the area we are in, or even complete some tests of our Pokémon knowledge.

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If you want to be a (Pokémon) Detective

On the other hand, one of the most fundamental and important features of Detective Pikachu continues to be the ability to talk and interact with Pokémon thanks to our Pikachu. Since the very first title, this feature has been what has set it apart from other titles in the series, showing in a deeper way the relationship between humans and Pokémon in a more ordinary context, away from the battles we are used to. This is not just an extra part of the game, but becomes an important part of the cases and missions.

In addition to Pikachu, we will now be able to call upon other Pokémon to use their natural abilities to assist us in our mission. For example, Growlithe can use her sense of smell to track down humans and Pokémon, and Alolan Darmantan can use his brute strength to break through rocks and ice. Although these abilities are very situational, they allow us to add a different perspective to the scenarios and uncover more secrets.

Detective Pikachu Returns’ biggest flaw, however, is its graphics. Although visually it runs very smoothly, the simplicity of the title could have been used to give a good touch and depth to the various visual elements of the game. It is a detail that may not be noticed at first glance, but it is during the cutscenes that it is most noticeable that certain textures are very flat, or even behind what other games in the series have implemented. And although there are some very inspired scenarios, the lack of elements makes them feel simpler than they should. While the game manages to show an interesting side of the Pokémon world, it’s a shame that it doesn’t manage to stand out as much visually as other spin-off titles, such as New Pokémon Snap, which took advantage of the Nintendo Switch to present the most beautiful Pokémon yet.

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Detective Pikachu Returns arrives not only in one of the most competitive months of the year, but of a generation. Although the title comes with new gameplay features that expand the way we play, its extreme simplicity is still an issue that may alienate certain players. The story is something that will keep players and fans of both Pokémon and Detective Pikachu interested, but like other titles in the franchise, the graphics leave something to be desired.