Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity (March 24th 2013)

[Rakurai]

I keep hearing from gamespot and neogaf they removed genders due to worries of getting in trouble because of the fact that you could choose to have a both male and both female pair, and since the hero and partner work together and eventually grow a bond together, that would mean if you picked a both male pair... NOA could supposedly get attacked by certain groups. I REALLY hope that's not true and it's just a overlook, as that would be the most silliest reason to axe genders if that as true.

If that seriously ends up being the case, then I don't know what the world's coming to.

[Miar]

After being buried in Fire Emblem for a month now, a simpler title like this was a really nice change of pace.

Sure it was only 47 minutes (two dungeons), but I enjoy the look and feel of the game. Oshawott (me) and Snivy made a great team. (Though I'm still not sure about it, given the lack of Pokémon...)

Also, how do I open the Magnagate? I tried five different circles, all in front of a window (sunny), but nothing happened however many times I pressed A.

[hawkmbl]

The object can not cover the whole circle. It has to be a round object shot at a distance to open a magnagate

[Bliu]

I've had a lot of trouble with that too. A door knob, fire alarm, roll of tape, bottle cap...I'd suggest you keep trying stuff until something works. Mine ended up working on a stack of DVDs.

As for the game itself, the demo's been fun. I like how your character doesn't seem to have lost his/her memory this time, they just don't have much of an idea of what's going on. One big problem right now is the text speed, it's just atrocious right now.

[Bolt the Cat]

I finished the demo last night. Like most demos it's way to short >.>

I think its length is somewhat appropriate, actually, it's the timing that bothers me more. I hate how it ends on a cliffhanger, they should've let you go to Hazy Pass and fight Scraggy or whatever.

[Iris Mist]

I think its length is somewhat appropriate, actually, it's the timing that bothers me more. I hate how it ends on a cliffhanger, they should've let you go to Hazy Pass and fight Scraggy or whatever.

It would have been nice to see a bit more of the story. The demo itself wasn't short per say, though there wasn't much to do at the beginning. One more dungeon would have been perfect, and would have given us a better idea of the story. And unless someone gets the game for me for my birthday, I won't be able to play anytime soon

[jireh the provider]

At east now I knew from the demo that your partner picked up quite a terrible place to start with. A Barren Wasteland? This is something like Cowboys and Aliens Again

[dirkac]

So, yeah. Just finished the demo with me (Snivy) and Axew at level 8. I know the save data will carry over, but, excuse possible needless isiotic wuestion, will it carry over to both the cartridge and download?


pS. The little water and flowers in the dungeons are insanely beautifull.

[Rakurai]

You get the option to carry over the save data as soon as you start up either version of the full game.

[Bolt the Cat]

At east now I knew from the demo that your partner picked up quite a terrible place to start with. A Barren Wasteland? This is something like Cowboys and Aliens Again

Well, he did say that he couldn't afford anywhere else, so it is justifiable in that sense.

[Chapter of Charizard]

Just downloaded the demo and, similar to the game Okami, there is a lot of dialogue bit it is fun. Can't wait to get it!

[EternalSword7]

I'm grinding the Magnagate dungeons for items in preparation for the game release. Lady Luck has smiled upon me so far and gave me a Calcium, Reviver Seed, TM Embargo, a Pass Scarf, and enough money to buy TM Rock Tomb and TM Aerial Ace.

[hawkmbl]

My only TM is rock smash....

Maybe I'll get lucky, and get a Leaf storm or solarbeam TM in the magnagates, like how I obtained Thoron (End of game spell) in the prologue of fire emblem awakening on my first playthrough.

[Arande]

Hmm, wanna play the demo extra dungeons to get my fix, but not sure if it'd be too easy starting with a huge stockpile.

Mixed feelings about the lack of hunger. On one hand, it wasn't too bad, since it did refill if you ended up having to use a reviver. On the other, aww, no fun like in Mount Horn (but bite, bug bite everywhere!)

[Rakurai]

While I initially wasn't too keen on having to use only the same three Pokemon for the magnagate dungeons, I've started to like it, since it forces me to strategize using seeds and orbs to survive the boss fights at the end, rather then brute force.

On a related note, all of the boss fights in this PMD, story ones included, allow orbs to be used unlike the previous games where they'd just fail. I imagine that'll make things a lot easier, considering you've got orbs that do things like provide the whole party with a massive attack or evasion increase.

[Rayze Darr]

I am nervous as all heck about this game. From what I've gathered...

Pros:
-Better Attack System
-Better Graphics
-No Starter Quiz
-Story Sounds On-Par With Previous Titles
-Move Leveling

Cons:
-Disgustingly Small Pokemon Variety
-All Starters Are Standard "Anime-Favs"
-No More Hunger/IQ
-Paid DLC
-Painfully Slow Text Speed
-Can't Recruit Legendaries
-"Call Me Maybe" Joke

Explorers of Sky is one of my favorite games of all-time, and the more things I see different about this game, the more against it I feel. I'll end up trying it eventually, regardless, but until it proves me otherwise, my concerns stay where they are.

I feel like all the game is, so far, is a simplification. The less Pokemon may be a direct result of the graphics, but I don't think the choices are accidental. Every Pokemon in the game, as far as I can tell, has a Body Size of 1. The exceptions are the Legendary boss battles, the Legendaries themselves, of which, cannot be recruited. Then we have the simplified dungeon mechanics (the no hunger one really irks me), and a simplified move interface (which is a plus for me). I'm afraid this will also lead to less gameplay time, as well as less difficulty. It may end up being a great game on its own right, and I sincerely hope it is, but I can see no way it can live up to Explorers going as it is...

[Rakurai]

Aside from the low number of Pokemon, it's added more to the game then it's taken away.

Removing IQ is actually an improvement, because it makes it easier to use different Pokemon, due to the replacement of team skills applying to your entire roster.

Hunger is still in effect in the only places it actually mattered in, which are the lengthy postgame dungeons.

I don't see what the big issue about paid DLC is, since all of it is either to provide you with conveniences or a challenge.

[Rayze Darr]

My problem with DLC is only when it's being made alongside the game to be DLC. There is no reason, if they're done by the time the game is, to make us pay for it. I'm fine with, say, a company finishing a game, and maybe after a few months deciding to spend the time to make more content for the game. Day 1 DLC, or even first month DLC, is just downright greedy and unfair to the paying public. Even then, I'd be okay with the DLC existing if it was just convenience for the lazier individuals who want the easy way out (assuming the game's non-competitive, of course), but what concerns me is that you said the DLC is for challenge. Challenge is one of the top reasons I love the PMD games. I'm hopeful that this one will still be forcing me to restart story missions 10+ times and pushing me to my limit, I'm just terrified that a lot of the good challenges will, in fact, have to be paid for, and no longer part of the experience.

That ties back to my "simplification" argument. Ignoring the Pokemon roster, I agree that they added more than they cut. However, I feel the things that they cut are things that added to the challenge. I'm not sure if anyone else had this, but I've, personally, managed to die from starvation on plenty of story dungeons. I love the extra preparation that the hunger system provides the games, making me ration out my backpack and bank slots more efficiently. As for IQ, I did see its replacement, but what was once an RPG element is now an additional treasure hunt. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but it's my personal preference to have to do more grinding than exploration. Again, my preference.

That's basically what it boils down to for me. For Pokemon games, the previous PMD games have been fairly complex and unforgivingly difficult, and that's what drew me in. The DLC and horrible roster are the two things I'm legitimately mad about, but the game's difficulty being shut down is currently my biggest concern. I can deal with fewer Pokemon and not having all of the deserved content, but if the challenge is gone, then this game is a major no-sell for me, at least not until I can find it used for cheap a few years down the road.

What'll do it for me is if anyone who's imported the game, or otherwise managed to play the whole game, can confirm that it is, indeed, still a solid 20+ hour storyline, a substantial postgame, and still excruciatingly hard.

[hawkmbl]

The first DLC dungeon is free though...

[Kenshi]

According to Serebii, yes, this is a pretty long game.

From what I've seen, there's not as many Post-Game dungeons as explorers, but there's still quite a few. So yeah, the main story is at least as long as the other PMDs.

Is it as hard? Considering the difficulty of the previous PMDs was just because of the attacks being deadlier than the main series and 99-floor dungeons, yes.

And I really don't see why hunger not being as important is an issue. I personally hated it, it just forced you to waste most of your inventory space with apples so you don't die from hunger. Neither with DLC, since they don't force you to buy it or anything...