5 Reasons to Play Detective Pikachu Returns, Despite Reviews

Pokémon is a franchise close to my heart, so I try to play most of its spin-offs once they're made available locally. It’s a hit or miss most of the time. For example, I’m a huge fan of the Mystery Dungeon spin-offs, but GO, and Snap didn’t really work for me. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that Pokémon GO or Snap is bad, per se, considering the playerbase. It’s really just a matter of taste, and Detective Pikachu Returns is no different.

Why should I play Detective Pikachu Returns?

Here are five reasons to give Detective Pikachu Returns a chance despite the reviews you've probably read online.

Realistically-scaled Pokémon (most of the time)

The reason why they will never put Wailord into this game is because it will never fit the screen. Mind you, the scale isn’t perfect for some Pokémon, but one thing I truly appreciate in this game is its effort to properly size them. Just look at the height of this Alolan Exeggutor when compared to Tim! Applins all fitting in a box is a very cute sight to witness as well.

See Pokémon in their natural habitat

There's only so much Pokédex descriptions can tell you about Pokémon. In the Detective Pikachu series, you'll find yourself witnessing those Pokédex entries visually! My personal favorite is seeing these Whimsicotts float around while you explore Ryme City. In Pokémon Moon, Whimsicott is referred to as a "Pokémon [that] appears, riding upon the wind." Pretty neat, right?

It’s voiced

One of the biggest gripes most of us have had with most Pokémon games is the lack of voice acting. Some games, such as Pokémon Sword & Shield, were definitely awkward to play without it. Detective Pikachu Returns is a voiced game despite the admittedly odd direction they went with it. If you like the banters in the movie, I think you’ll enjoy the ones here, too.

Plus, the Pokémon themselves don’t make those… bit-like battle cries. They actually speak their name—like actual Pokémon!

Related: Detective Pikachu Returns – Release Window, Gameplay, Trailer, & more!

Puzzles

I’m going to preface this section by saying that I’m a puzzle game fan. So, the first Detective Pikachu was a cozy and enjoyable game to play—and will this one. I understand that people may berate the game’s difficulty, but difficult is not what it’s supposed to be anyway. Those looking for challenging Pokémon spin-offs should turn to games like Unite and Mystery Dungeon, not Detective Pikachu.

It’s a game you can enjoy with family

This part won’t apply to everyone, but if there are children in your house you want to play and show off games to, Detective Pikachu Returns is an excellent choice for that. I have younger cousins who enjoy this sort of thing, so playing it plugged into the living room TV is a fun way to bond. Hopefully, they’ll grow up to be gamers, too!

For more on Detective Pikachu Returns, check out Is Detective Pikachu Returns A Sequel? here at Pro Game Guides.