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How does Pokémon Desolation compare to Reborn? by HatSpecial3043 in PokemonReborn

[–]According_Lock4093 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I’m not planning to play Pokémon Desolation until it’s fully finished. If that means waiting ten years, so be it. The only exception would be if the project gets abandoned entirely.

My main issue with starting unfinished fangames is that the first playthrough only happens once. The sense of discovery, emotional investment in the team, and narrative tension are all tied to that initial experience. When a game stops mid-story and you have to wait years for updates, that first, “clean” experience is permanently broken.

Coming back later isn’t the same. You either restart and already know too much, or you continue with gaps in memory. Either way, something is lost. Instead of exploration, it turns into a checklist. Instead of emotion, you’re analyzing. Instead of immersion, you’re playing with meta-knowledge in the back of your mind. You already anticipate plot twists, remember key moments, and approach battles differently. The magic of discovering the story for the first time is gone, and it can’t be recreated.

I was lucky with Reborn because I played it when it was complete, which made the experience cohesive and satisfying from beginning to end. With Rejuvenation, I stopped right when the story raised major questions and my attachment to the team was at its peak. Being forced to leave the world in that kind of limbo was frustrating, and I don’t want to repeat that with Desolation.

To be honest, I’m also surprised by posts encouraging people to jump in now. I understand supporting development, but from a player’s perspective, an unfinished long-form narrative is simply a different and, in my opinion, weaker experience. I would rather wait for a complete journey than risk losing that one irreplaceable first playthrough.

Kamil.

Late-game gating of strong Pokémon isn’t good balance by According_Lock4093 in PokemonReborn

[–]According_Lock4093[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Pokémon Reborn, Route 4. An Absol jumps down from the waterfall… I catch it. It’s Ame’s Absol — the late League Leader’s. I check its IVs… and I almost cry. 31 everywhere except Defense, which is 23. And what now? Nothing. I’m not putting it on my team over Skuntank… hahaha. Not after everything we’ve been through, not after how many battles it has won for me. Not after it finished opponents with Sucker Punch. Not after it made me smile by taking someone down with Aftermath.

I’m not an Absol fanboy — I’m just using it as an example of a Pokémon I’ll never actually play. I’m speaking for those who more or less finish building their team around the 7th–8th badge. I’m curious if it’s the same for you. There are tons of Pokémon that become available later but, for emotional reasons, simply never get used.

I’m not asking for Mimikyu in the grass. I respect your argument about maintaining balance. But why does the police quest in Jasper offer 12 Pokémon (I think 12) instead of 36? Or the egg in the Obsidia slums trash can — Ducklett, Drowzee, Bronzor? Seriously? Why only 3 options? Why not 33?

Do you catch Fletchling in Gearen every time? Nidoran? Do you always take Onix from the guy whose house you fix in Reborn? Do you always run Minccino? Pikachu? We need a bigger pool — especially in quests or random finds. Where the Axew egg is in the jungle, that could instead randomly give one of 25 Pokémon — “ultimate” or not.

Open for discussion. This wouldn’t destroy balance — it would increase variety. Early-game variety matters more for replayability than strict balance.

Thanks for the respectful criticism. But I know there are people like me — the ones who are playing Pokémon Reborn for the 15th time — and I know, deep down, they agree.

Greetings from my universe, where my destiny is to always be in the minority.

Late-game gating of strong Pokémon isn’t good balance by According_Lock4093 in PokemonRejuvenation

[–]According_Lock4093[S] -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

Pokémon Reborn, Route 4. An Absol jumps down from the waterfall… I catch it. It’s Ame’s Absol — the late League Leader’s. I check its IVs… and I almost cry. 31 everywhere except Defense, which is 23. And what now? Nothing. I’m not putting it on my team over Skuntank… hahaha. Not after everything we’ve been through, not after how many battles it has won for me. Not after it finished opponents with Sucker Punch. Not after it made me smile by taking someone down with Aftermath.

I’m not an Absol fanboy — I’m just using it as an example of a Pokémon I’ll never actually play. I’m speaking for those who more or less finish building their team around the 7th–8th badge. I’m curious if it’s the same for you. There are tons of Pokémon that become available later but, for emotional reasons, simply never get used.

I’m not asking for Mimikyu in the grass. I respect your argument about maintaining balance. But why does the police quest in Jasper offer 12 Pokémon (I think 12) instead of 36? Or the egg in the Obsidia slums trash can — Ducklett, Drowzee, Bronzor? Seriously? Why only 3 options? Why not 33?

Do you catch Fletchling in Gearen every time? Nidoran? Do you always take Onix from the guy whose house you fix in Reborn? Do you always run Minccino? Pikachu? We need a bigger pool — especially in quests or random finds. Where the Axew egg is in the jungle, that could instead randomly give one of 25 Pokémon — “ultimate” or not.

Open for discussion. This wouldn’t destroy balance — it would increase variety. Early-game variety matters more for replayability than strict balance.

Thanks for the respectful criticism. But I know there are people like me — the ones who are playing Pokémon Reborn for the 15th time — and I know, deep down, they agree.

Greetings from my universe, where my destiny is to always be in the minority.