Pokemon Conquest represents an amalgamation of concepts that flat-out shouldn’t work together. The core Pokémon games have been taking the world by storm for more than a decade now with their addictive, turn-based mechanics and hyper cuddly/collectible monsters. Nobunaga’s Ambition, on the other hand, is a more obscure strategy RPG series - one that draws inspiration from the Sengoku period of feudal Japan, and focuses on broad, sweeping themes like war and conquest. The two concepts couldn’t be more disparate, even contradictory - and to throw them together seemed to portend an abomination in the making.
And yet it’s not an abomination - far from it, in fact. Thanks to some brilliant execution (and teamwork) by developers Tecmo Koei and the Pokémon Company, Pokémon Conquest not only works, it’s possibly the most cohesive, fully realized spinoff in Pokémon history.
The premise is simple – in the land of Ransei, warriors and warlords share the unique ability to communicate with Pokémon. The people believe that if one warrior is able to conquer the 17 kingdoms that comprise Ransei, the legendary Pokémon that created the region will awaken. Naturally, the nature of the person who does the conquering will affect whether this awakening results in the unification or destruction of Ransei. It’s up to you and your ever-growing army of warriors and monsters to overthrow all 17 kingdoms before the ambitious and ruthless Nobunaga can beat you to it.
It’s a clever, straightforward premise that sets up a whole new, fantastical world – one that draws inspiration from both franchises while paving its own way as a separate and unique experience. It’s a world crafted to aptly house both pocket monsters and some delightful caricatures of Japanese historical figures, the basis of a new canon that remarkably manages to feel on par with the core Pokémon entries. In fact, the world of Conquest feels so fleshed out, so fully realized, it’s hard to believe it was created from the ground up for this singular, experimental experience.
The simplicity of the story acts as a brilliant backdrop for the surprisingly deep combat Conquest offers. The basic gameplay unfolds something like similar strategy JRPGS such as Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - but extra touches (which I’ll get into momentarily) make the whole experience feel fresh, despite the game sticking close to tradition. The pacing of the combat is much slower than a traditional Pokémon affair – a pace that strategy fans should be quite familiar with, one that recalls a long, satisfying game of chess. It’s all about forward thinking, creative micro-management, and apt planning. You must think about who to take into battle and exactly how to use them. You must make the board work for you while trying to surmise your opponents’ strategies (and see that they don’t interfere with your own). It further differs from the traditional Pokemon experience because you not only think about attacking and reacting, but also about positional strategies. Where your monster is on the board, if it’s within attack range of your opponents’ monsters, making sure its back isn’t turned to enemies so it doesn’t take extra damage - all are factors you must take into account to ensure success. Whether the goal of the match at hand is to defeat all enemies or claim all the banners, each is a thoughtful, slowly unfolding experience that effectively engages the mind and should give any strategy fan plenty to wrap the their brain around.
The type strengths and weaknesses that all but define the Pokemon experience are also present in Conquest, and add a whole other layer to the already strategic encounters. Try to take a Psychic type Pokémon into the Ghost kingdom of Spectra and you likely won’t like the results (you’ll probably get pwned, in other words). Whereas taking some Water monsters to a Fire-fueled battlefield is, naturally, a much better idea. To further elevate the experience, you’re also battling against the stage itself. Each of Ransei’s 17 kingdoms offers its own unique set of challenges (like falling meteors, boulders that can be rolled into opponents, trap doors to transport you elsewhere in the stage, jump pads, poison bogs, and so on). The kingdoms and the arenas housed within are quite varied and creative, affecting the battle just enough to keep you on your toes, but not enough to add an unfavorable level of randomness and prove a nuisance.
Pokémon Conquest features a turn-based strategy battle system. Up to six Pokémon on each side are positioned on the battlefield, one for each participating Warlord, and both sides take turns moving and attacking with their Pokémon. A battle is won or lost when one side achieves the victory conditions for the match, for example defeating all the opponent’s Pokémon, or capturing all the flags on the field, and so on. When a battle is won, all participating Pokémon gain points to their Link with their respective Warlords. The player can recruit more Warlords, and thus more potential Pokémon to choose from for battle, throughout the game, often through defeating them in battle. There is also a multiplayer wireless mode in which two players may battle each other.
Platform: Nintendo DS
Category: Turn-based strategy RPG
Players: 1-2
Connectivity: DS Wireless, Wi-Fi
Developer: Tecmo Koei
Publisher: Nintendo
The Pokémon Company
Part of: Generation V miscellaneous
Ratings
CERO: A
ESRB: E
OFLC: N/A
PEGI: N/A
GRB: N/A
Release dates
Japan: March 19, 2012
North America: June 18, 2012
Australia: June 21, 2012
Europe: N/A
South Korea: N/A
No comments:
Post a Comment