When I first heard about Pokemon + Nobunaga’s Ambition, my initial thought was that it must be some elaborate joke. Sure, Pokemon spinoffs are practically a dime a dozen these days - but pairing one of the world’s most successful video game franchises with a far less prominent strategy RPG series that’s all about war and conquest was just too strange to believe… even for a Japan-only title.
Not only was this game the real deal, Nintendo of America further blew my mind by announcing the title would be coming stateside as Pokemon Conquest. Whoa, right? The more surprising revelation came a few weeks later when I got the chance to actually play the game. It wasn’t the jumbled, confused pairing I was fearful it would be, nor was it just a standard Nobunaga’s Ambition title with Pokemon thrown in for no reason. What I played was a fully realized and truly expert melding of these two distinct game worlds - and just exactly what I’ve always wanted from a Pokemon spinoff.
Before the comments section ignites with declarations about how amazing this or that spinoff series is, allow me to clarify that I’m by no means saying the other non-core Pokemon games are all bad. I realize the Mystery Dungeon titles have a pretty huge following, and I’m actually rather fond of the Pokemon Ranger formula. Heck, I even had a decent time playing through PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond. But none of these experiences really had the kind of depth or polish the core games have trained me to expect.
But Pokemon Conquest is different. So much so that my limited time with it has renewed by faith in the concept of Pokemon spinoffs. Again, it’s not that the other spinoffs are a heaping pile of Garbador, it’s more a testament to how much attention to detail and effort this particular game exhibits. Pokemon mainstays like special abilities and type advantages/disadvantages are seamlessly applied to monsters and warlords alike, and craftily integrated with the Nobunaga concepts of unit, time and castle management.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Other things for aspiring tyrants to keep in mind is that the bond between your warriors and the Pokemon you've paired them with influences how effective they are in battle - the stronger the bond, the better they’ll work as a team. This takes one of the overarching themes of the Pokemon franchise - the bond between trainers and their monsters - and makes it a key component of the actual gameplay, one that has a true and lasting effect on the experience. All of this, especially when paired with the plethora of other gameplay aspects and strategic elements, is a lot to keep in mind. Yet, at the same time, all these parts join to create such an organic and intuitive whole that the game is actually quite easy to learn, and enticing to master.
If it's successful, Conquest could pave the way for more and better Pokemon spinoffs.
To top it all off, the overarching story is possibly the best I’ve ever seen in a Pokemon spinoff. Sure, there’s a healthy sprinkling of the sillies (would you really want otherwise from a game centered around electric mice and singing, pink puffballs?). But overall Pokemon Conquet actually has a really clever premise handled in an impressively thoughtful manner. The basic gist involves an ancient legend that if someone is able to conquer all 17 kindoms of Ransei, the Pokemon that created the land will reveal itself. As countless rulers go to war to try to expand their kingdoms, it’s up to you to protect your castle and conquer the 17 kingdoms before the power-hungry warlord Nobunaga beats you to it. It’s a fairly heavy concept - ya know, the overthrowing of kingdoms and war and whatnot - but it’s handled with the lightest touch, as well as a brilliant balance of humor and urgency.
The remarkable thing is that these two worlds really fit together this seamlessly - but the fact that they do only further exhibits the amount of time and attention the developers invested in this experience. Pokemon Conquest is not the quick, cute romp that is PokePark. It’s not the passable but lackluster Pokemon Rumble series either. This is a more than 40 hour adventure, not counting subsequent playthroughs (each of which will unfold differently). It’s got world building, characters, backstory. It isn’t just taking advantage of the Pokemon name for a quick sale, it endeavors to stand alone as a unique homage to both franchises.
All of these factors are why this unassuming title embodies what a spinoff should truly be. It takes the things people adore about the monster catching franchise and presents them in a completely fresh and unique package for an experience that is separate from - yet couldn’t exist without - the Pokemon brand.
Pokemon Conquest will hit store shelves on June 18. Sure, it would have been cool if it was a 3DS game rather than a DS one - but in the end it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I’m more excited than ever for the future of the Pokemon name. The core entries are dependable, solid experiences, and I love how they evolve from generation to generation all while respecting their own legacy and tradition. But for a Pokemon spinoff, I crave something unexpected. Something that shows me a whole other side to the series I’ve loved for more than a decade. That’s why I was (and still am) so enthralled by Pokemon Snap - and if the final game looks as good as what I demoed, it’s why gamers with an interest in seeing more innovative Pokemon spinoffs would do well not to pass this one by.
Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/18/doing-pokemon-spinoffs-right
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