Do you want Pokemon to continue emphasizing story and narrative more in games?

[Phantom Thief]

One of the things Pokemon has been putting more and more of an emphasis on of late is storytelling and prescribed narrative. This includes loads of cutscenes, expositions, characterization, and a larger overarching plot that gets more of an emphasis the further you progress into the story.

I hate it.

Even if this was done well (which Pokemon hasn't done, with the exception of Black/White), I would hate it. I don't want Pokemon to have more of an emphasis on storytelling and prescribed narrative. That's the exact opposite of what I want. Pokemon is at its best with world building- just create a world that's a sandbox for my adventure, and let me have it. Let me tell my own story of my own journey. When there are prescribed narratives, like in Sun/Moon, I feel less engaged, and the adventure feels less personal.

So no, I don't want Pokemon to have more of an emphasis on story and storytelling, even if it is done well. I want the story to be minimal, at most at Gens 3-4 level, and to stay out of the way otherwise. What about you?

 

[Glio]

*Looks at the results *

And this is why Game Freak can not win.

 

[Slamtastic]

Absolutely not.

Everything you said is true and how I feel.

 

[Etrian Darkness]

I mean X/Y had a terrible story and I had to sit through that.

B/W was interesting because it had N and the Plasma guys asking the real questions of Pokémon slavery.
S&M felt like a nice tropical adventure which I was forced to sit through. It had a unique angle with the Ultra Beasts.

I think ultimately I just like the world building of Pokémon rather than how they try and have a narrative.

 

[Kouriozan]

I liked Sun/Moon and thankfully didn't touche Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon (I heard the story was awful there), so it's a yes for me.
Also N in Black/White was the best.

 

[Dest]

Yeah, as someone who doesn't play these games for the "Catch 'Em All" aspect and usually stops after getting through story stuff, I'd like more.

 

[BasilZero]

Yes

Loved black 1/white 1’s story

 

[PhazonBlazer]

Both

 

[NSESN]

SM story was cool but there was room for improvement, XY story was bad, episode delta was stupid. BW2 story was ok
BW story is the only one with a real good story for me.

 

[10k]

One of my main draws to RPG's and games in general is story. I liked X and Y's story. I want a reason to push forward beyond training and catching pokemon and getting 8 badges.

 

[Notaskwid]

No, I much prefered when the games had almost no story.

 

[Asriel]

I know it's really a kid's game, but I want a Pokemon game that's actually challenging for once. That over anything else.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

If the production values were on the level of something like God of War....maybe? but then the writing is a huge issue too. As it is now im expecting a lot of talking heads and NPCs explaining basic mechanics half way into the game amidst a plot involving a team of eco terrorists with a predictable ethos.

I mean X/Y had a terrible story and I had to sit through that.

B/W was interesting because it had N and the Plasma guys asking the real questions of Pokémon slavery.
S&M felt like a nice tropical adventure which I was forced to sit through. It had a unique angle with the Ultra Beasts.

I think ultimately I just like the world building of Pokémon rather than how they try and have a narrative.

Click to shrink...

Its too bad the answer was just a terribly stupid handwave and N's real name is about the dumbest thing in Pokemon.

 

[Phellps]

I actually do, but here's the thing: they don't have to hold my fucking hand all the time like SuMo. Let me discover the story on my own.

 

[Lotus]

Gen 5 and Gen 7 make the answer clear for me, I'm all the more engaged when Pokemon actually tries with its stories. If they want to try and make them even better, I'm all for that.

 

[TronLight]

Yes and No. I would prefer it if instead of forcing you to scroll through tons of text as soon as you step into a new important area they gave you the option to postpone it and let you explore freely first.

 

[Xavi]

No. I just want to be a Pokémon Champion, there can be sidequests and lore of course but I don't want to be a 10 year old that saves the world again and again and again. Make it so that legendary Pokémon feel really special, not just put them there randomly to catch them.

This won't happen but I wish it was more like Dark Souls, as it employs minimalist storytelling to convey its plot and lore.

 

[The Wiz]

I'd prefer interesting/challenging gameplay (like Battle Frontier) over more story, but that's just me. However, I wouldn't mind more story in Pokemon games, and it seems like that's what was attempted with Sun/Moon

 

[V_ac]

Only if the main story is actually good. The main stories for the games have been universally awful and the focus on the story from Gen V onwards have actively harmed the games IMO.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Sun and Moon and XY just have really bad stories. The cutscenes are incredibly dull to watch, there's too many of them, and the story is very basic.

I'm not even sure why kids would enjoy these stories because there's like no animation or anything interesting happening in any Pokemon cutscene.

 

[woopWOOP]

I like both, I don't mind either

 

[Omegamon]

Hell no. Gen 5 was okay but Pokémon stories and characters are so boring.

 

[Untzillatx]

I know it's really a kid's game, but I want a Pokemon game that's actually challenging for once. That over anything else.

Click to shrink...

They should introduce a difficulty option available from the beginning, something like "Traditional" vs "Competitive" or similar.

 

[Dyle]

I'd like to see them go in both directions. I'd like to have them ease up on some of the story elements as seen in X/Y and Sun/Moon where the way the story is told feels actively detrimental to the experience of playing the game, i.e. stopping you all the time, limiting progression, generally dull presentation, etc. but I'd also like to see the world as much more fleshed out with side quests, small anecdotal experiences, and more characters to show how the world is more diverse, interesting, and fully formed than it appears now.

So I guess what I'd like to see would be a more minimal main story with much more fleshed out side content that can be explored at one's own pace and better complement the player's actions and path through the game. If the main story is the only story then there is far less to explore and a much higher likelihood of people being frustrated by its shortcomings.

 

[WestEgg]

I kind of liked how in gen 1, taking down a massive criminal empire is a thing you just kind of bumbled into doing incidentally while trying to get to the next gym.

 

[snikdasnek]

I hope they continue, I think gen 7 had a really solid story dealing with parental abuse among other topics and Gen 5 story was solid too, though I think people tend to overrate it.

 

[Etrian Darkness]

The Mystery Dungeon games (at least Rescue Team, Explorers and from what I've heard, Super) are definitely a good Pokémon story. Feels weird the best stuff is in a spin of series.

Might be worth checking out if people haven't tried them already.

 

[Evil Monkey DTT]

RPGs without stories bore me to death and pokemon works better with a through line. You get thought a narrative and then the end game is catching em all and getting a legendary that adds a cherry on top, it's a good structure.

Also ultra sun and ultra moon had nothing that resonated with me, sun and moon were great games. I remember moments, characters, arcs, and loved the villians.

 

[doodlewhizz]

Would much prefer a focus on story, but it doesn't need to be some amazing spectacle where you end up saving the world or defeating an evil organisation all alone. Give me some well written, lower stakes stories.

Can't see this happening unfortunately.

 

[Aleh]

The world of Pokémon is too interesting not to put focus on the story, would be such a waste to not even try just to appease people that just want basic stuff.
Sun and Moon were amazing because of it. That’s not to say they cannot improve.

 

[Ryuelli]

Yes, but only if they can figure out a way to tell that story in a way that doesn't just involve bland cutscenes.

I've replayed Sun and Let's Go recently, and significantly prefer Let's Go because I'm on my journey and doing my own thing in the first 10 minutes, where sun is boring cutscene after cutscene after cutscene and handholding after handholding.

If it means a simple story similar to Gen 1 and 2, I'm more than okay with that.


I think I'd prefer a simple main story, but then have the world fleshed out through optional side quests and branching paths.

 

[yuoke]

Absolutely yes. They are rpg's, not open world games, and they can do even better with stories. Gen 5 was great. Gen 7 was good.

 

[RockmanBN]

Gen 7's story was bad and if it's more of that then I want less. Rather have more of 5.

 

[Dysun]

Only if they are like B/W, and not S/M.

 

[WizardMemories]

I want an adventure with lots of exploration.
The story should be secondary.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

Pokémon really needs to go the FromSoft route where there is nothing stopping you from getting out there and going on your own but the world itself is extremely dense and rich with lore and mythology. Let me find NPCs, don't have the camera stop and they walk up to me from nowhere. I have fond memories of the burned lab on Cinnabar for this reason. Nobody walks up to you and explains everything to you. You have to uncover it.

Pokémon, in my opinion, is in desperate need of the return of mystery. I haven't felt it really had any since Gen IV.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

If Pokemon wants to make a story to help connect with kids, they really should like... have stuff happen in the cutscenes.

Pokemon cutscenes have just been people standing in the same places talking to each other while their faces don't emote.

And the games aren't funny at all.

Really not sure how this is supposed to appeal to kids.

 

[Jahranimo]

Black/White was a good balance. Make them more like that.

Then again, they shouldn't do a N copy.

 

[Euler007]

I like stories, but deliver it more efficiently. Not five minutes of pauses and pressing A to see the next ten words in a text window with size 72 fonts.

 

[Aleh]

Would much prefer a focus on story, but it doesn't need to be some amazing spectacle where you end up saving the world or defeating an evil organisation all alone. Give me some well written, lower stakes stories.

Can't see this happening unfortunately.

Click to shrink...

Sun and Moon had low stakes. You’re saving the mother of your friend which doesn’t even wanna be saved and just wants to live with space Jellyfish since she went crazy after her husband disappeared researching said jellyfish.

 

[Rosebud]

I love Pokemon lore of creation, dimensions and stuff.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Nope.
I don't mind there being a story, but Sun/Moon was almost verging on Persona in terms of story to gameplay balance.

If I want story, I'd sooner experience it at my leisure.

 

[asagami_]

Gen 5 and Gen 7 make the answer clear for me, I'm all the more engaged when Pokemon actually tries with its stories. If they want to try and make them even better, I'm all for that.

Click to shrink...

I feel the same. The only time I never get to the league were in Pearl and Y. HGSS have luck being soooo good despite have a shitty engine.

 

[Dr Pears]

A Pokemon game with a Dark Souls style of story telling/lore is what I want. Tell the story through Pokedex entries, item descriptions, NPCs with short and sweet dialogue, bosses with lore.

 

[Thera]

No. I just want to be a Pokémon Champion, there can be sidequests and lore of course but I don't want to be a 10 year old that saves the world again and again and again. Make it so that legendary Pokémon feel really special, not just put them there randomly to catch them.

This won't happen but I wish it was more like Dark Souls, as it employs minimalist storytelling to convey its plot and lore.

Click to shrink...

I am 100% with you with 10 years old kid that save the world while adult champion just waiting, because ?
But you can still have narrative without being the savior. I think, in more than 20 years (and I don't know how many games), the lore of Pokemon is really weak.

 

[RadiantDan]

I prefer a minimalist approach to the story. I have no interest in ever revisiting Sun and Moon just because of how much dialogue they have.

 

[BennyWhatever]

Pokémon really needs to go the FromSoft route where there is nothing stopping you from getting out there and going on your own but the world itself is extremely dense and rich with lore and mythology. Let me find NPCs, don't have the camera stop and they walk up to me from nowhere. I have fond memories of the burned lab on Cinnabar for this reason. Nobody walks up to you and explains everything to you. You have to uncover it.

Pokémon, in my opinion, is in desperate need of the return of mystery. I haven't felt it really had any since Gen IV.

Click to shrink...

I really really like this idea. The story is there if you want it, but you have to dig. They already have pokedex entries that they could do for lore-building.

I don't really play Pokemon for stories. I play for the team building and post-game.

 

[Undeniablybiased]

I’d just like more side quests and npc stories over the bigger cataclysms they’ve been doing lately. And it’s not that I want there to be less story. It’s just that I want the focus to shift from its current grand scale to a more subdued story focusing on character interactions and being a Pokémon master. The concept of being a trainer and taking on the league has been de-emphasized to the point where bringing it back as the focal point would actually feel fresh. The world of Pokémon is fun and interesting enough on its own that it doesn’t need galaxy level threats to engage us.

 

[MrBadger]

Pokemon is meant to be my journey, as I work my way to the top while discovering and catching monsters.

It’s not meant to be Leslie Lillipad’s journey, as she tries to defeat her evil jellyfish mum, while I hang around on the sidelines listening to her argue about friendship and teamwork with her edgelord brother, wishing I was somewhere else catching monsters

 

[KillstealWolf]

It's an RPG, I expect there to be some form of narrative involved with it. Narrative also helps flesh out the world and it's characters as well. Black and White have some of the more memorable characters in the series. Sun and Moon has great characters but over-explains and has maybe too much dialogue, X and Y flounders on it's characters and lore and makes the region feel weaker because of it.

Do I want them to mix things up more? Sure, maybe we can have a generation without the Get 8 Badges, Defeat Evil Team and Become the Champion. Sun and Moon wanted to stray away from it but still felt a little too tied to the formula.

Any game that has a "Make your own narrative" element has always fallen flat on it's face for me so no thanks to that.

Expand the side-story stuff as well, this was Sun and Moons stronger stuff where you have all these side quest with quirky plotlines designed like the Haunted School, The Ditto Impersonators, or that bizarre Pikachu Wedding and the Tapu Bulu interview. Gimme more stuff like that, maybe even tie some pokemon to the end of these plotlines as well (Sorta like how Eusine has ties with Suicune), could even give some Retro Pokemon some of these side-quest plotlines and that's the only way to get them in this one, like you could have an Absol related plotline related to Disasters Occurring, you follow it to the end, that's how you get Absol in the game, a pokemon that wouldn't normally be native to the region (So to give the new pokemon a chance to stand out and be front and center, but let some of the older pokemon have their moments to shine as well. There is always the breeder if you want more Absols anyway.)