After a break of several years, Detective Pikachu is back on the job, this time to restore order to Ryme City. Unfortunately, while his new investigations will appeal to early fans, others risk finding them simplistic, talky and unnecessary.
We all know Pikachu, an iconic character from the Pokémon saga with his adorable yellow face and tail in the shape of an electric lightning bolt. But many people don’t know that he has a very special quality: he puts on his hat, grabs his magnifying glass and he becomes a gruff and temperamental detective, fueled by long sips of coffee.
Fans of the saga discovered this a few years ago with the very first part of the adventures of Detective Pikachu on the Nintendo 3DS. Others got to know him in 2019 through the film of the same name. And for many, it’s this new game they’re discovering this weekend.
For this big return, Pikachu must solve a series of new puzzles and investigations with the help of his partner Tim Goodman. Because in Ryme City, a land where people and Pokémon live together in harmony, strange things happen. First case: theft of a valuable – and particularly expensive – jewel. Various mysteries and disappearances then follow, which our detective must solve through interrogations, deductions and brainstorming sessions.
Photo provided by Nintendo
Lots of reading
Because Detective Pikachu Returns is a particularly chatty game; We quickly notice that it requires long reading sessions of the dialogue displayed on the screen. As for the dialogue in the animated scenes, French speakers will be disappointed to learn that it is only offered in English or Japanese. You’ll have to make do with subtitles, thank God! – offered in the language of Molière.
Once this obstacle is overcome, we discover a cute and amusing adventure that, however, does not enliven the genre or the saga to which it belongs. It’s colorful, it’s fun, of course, but our brains – and our thumbs – aren’t put to much of a test. We take comfort in the fact that the youngest can use it as a gateway to discover this universe that has fascinated us for over 25 years.
You will actually come across various well-known species from the world of Pokémon, from Caninos to Clefable, including Elecsprint, Farfaduvet and other Verpom. This should be enough to pique the curiosity of newcomers and lead them to deeper – and more successful – challenges like Pokémon Legends: Arceus or even Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.
Detective Pikachu returns ★★★☆☆
- Available on Nintendo Switch from October 6th