Incidents involving pokemon are on the rise. A detective goes missing after a car accident. A pikachu puts on a detective hat. These are the events preceding Tim Goodman’s arrival in Ryme City. Upon discovering that he is the only person capable of understanding the titular Detecive Pikachu, Tim finds himself drawn into the mysterious circumstances regarding his father’s disappearance.
Detective Pikachu plays like a Phoenix Wright-esque visual novel, limiting its gameplay to gathering testimony from witnesses and occasional light puzzle solving. Action sequences, such as chasing a suspect, are handled via one-button QTEs. Pikachu takes his self-given mentor role seriously, not allowing the player to leave an area until Tim has gathered every bit of testimony and evidence possible. Pikachu doesn’t let Tim reach incorrect conclusions either, which combined with the lack of consequences for incorrect deductions makes for an extremely basic, hand-holding gameplay experience.
Fortunately, visual novels are best graded on their narratives rather than their gameplay. Unfortunately, Detective Pikachu disappoints in the story aspect as well. Tim Goodman came to Ryme City to search for his father, who has been missing after being involved in a car accident. After discovering his father’s interest in the increasing incidents of violent pokemon, Tim and Pikachu take the case. I won’t spoil any story specifics, but the game ends with Tim and Pikachu not terribly better off than where they started with regard to finding Tim’s father. As a result, Detective Pikachu felt more like an elaborate side quest, seemingly content to leave the fate of Tim’s father to a sequel.
It took me around 12 hours to finish Detective Pikachu, and I don’t know that I would call any one of those hours “fun”. Too simple to be a good mystery game, a story too weak to function as a good visual novel, Detective Pikachu lands squarely in the below-average range. The best part of this game was the peek it provided into the bizarre hell of a society built around pokemon. Seeing pokemon, large, living creatures, do the jobs of small, simple instruments like compasses or drink trays was amusing (though I’m sure it was unintentional).
Score: 2/5
Detective Pikachu is best left to younger players or the most die-hard of Pokemon fanatics. Others will likely find the game to be a rather tiresome affair.
