Pokemon is forced to an HD console and now - the developers are out of excuses

[Exellus]

I know that there's a lot of people out there super excited about Sword and Shield, but as someone who plays other RPGs on the Switch and someone who has played a shit ton of Pokemon in the past, I can't help but feel that these games look like Sun and Moon, upscaled and nothing more.

I was execting a leap in graphical fidelity and detail, but instead we get this as the huge "reveal":

The idea of a large open area with a 3-d camera the player can rotate around and you can see Pokemon in the wild.

Ok I get it. This is a big moment for people used to 3DS games. But listen, this shit isn't impressive ok. Flat ground with poor texturing over a large, mostly empty space isn't exactly impressive. This would have been impressive on the 3DS I suppose, but this very generation we've seen open RPGs done BETTER on the switch already.

WAY better.

I know that they are also massively cutting back the number of Pokemon in the game due to adding extra animations etc. to each monster.


Um......EXCUSE ME??

Forgive my French, but the Pokemon models look hardly any different than the 3DS games. Again, just upscaled.

Overall I can't help but think that GameFreak is overwhelmed by new hardware and REALLY REALLY wish they could stick to 480 output display and lowered expectations. Because I'm not seeing any risk taking. I'm not seeing any jumps in narrative or presentation.

I'm seeing a game that you could have released 6 years ago and I would have thought it looked a lot like Pokemon X and Y.

I'm sure I'll buy one of these games eventually, but forgive me for not jumping out of my seat about it.

 

[Hucast]

If I would assume the worst i'd say this is it but i'm not gonna assume the worst and wait till release.

 

[sleepnaught]

If I can get the above in native resolution, not super blurry and pixelated like XC2, I'll take it. I'd much rather simpler visuals at native resolution than 360p with fancier visuals.

 

[Sandfox]

Why do people keep saying these games look like the 3DS games upressed? Even if you don't like how these games look it obviously looks better than that.

Also, Xenoblade 2 had a ton of issues with it's resolution and framerate.

 

[Deleted member 9714]

GameFreak is poorly managed and needs to expand or at least be willing to contract grunt work like preparing models (which are the sames from Gen 6). They're a decade behind other developers and those at the top of the company who are holding them back need to swallow their pride.

 

[Couscous]

It doesn't look good, but the game itself might be really good with the new wild area. I also find Botw ugly and that game is in my top 5 of all time.

 

[Deleted member 1413]

My expectations were so low that the open world segment being in made me pretty happy. Was honestly expecting fixed camera and for it to look like the 3DS games in HD.

A bit disappointed in the models, after so much "it runs poorly on 3DS because it's future proofed", it got outdated pretty quickly.
Even with the cell shading they added and having to cut out Pokémon due to adding animations, they don't look great.

 

[Atheerios]

This is their first big HD game and they still have a small staff. You can't expect them to make a Xenoblade with their first HD game.

Just like many Japanese developers last Gen, they struggle with the transition.

 

[RockmanBN]

Someone posted a good video from a 3D modeler in another thread.

A indept analysis of the models used in S&S from a 3d modeler

It's a little bit long but quite interesting

Click to shrink...

 

[BassForever]

Gamefreak can't even get all of the titular pokemon in the half ass graphics they're using for sword and shield, you expect them to make the graphics even better too? They're completely unprepared and are being exposed hard.

 

[Dr. Benton Quest]

It doesn't look good, but the game itself might be really good with the new wild area. I also find Botw ugly and that game is in my top 5 of all time.

Click to shrink...

Tbf, it's really gorgeous on PC at 1440p 60fps

 

[Lant_War]

And you can freely move the camera now? The game has an open world? The extra power has been used. This wouldn't be possible on the 3Ds

 

[ScoobsJoestar]

All I want is a new Pokemon Colosseum, but that one feels like a rad game that sort of sneaked past the cracks and would never get made today lol

 

[Deleted member 278]

Xenoblade 2 is not an impressive game at all lmao. And in handheld mode it is a fucking atrocity.

I like the look of Sword/Shield a lot. And it'll look great on the handheld screen.

Also saying it looks like XY? Fuck outta here dude.

 

[sibarraz]

A friend said to me today that Game Freak is the Yuke's of Nintendo Games, and I didn't have any argument to deny that

 

[Baccus]

People hate to read this but GF has been way too complacent for decades and it finally catched up to them.

Pokemon's decline begins now. If it didn't already.

 

[AGoodODST]

I think context is pretty key here. You are comparing Pokemon, developed by a team that works on handheld systems primarily, to Xenoblade, developed by Monolith who regularly make console games.

I think saying it looks like an uprezzed Sun/Moon is pretty silly. There is a clear upgrade.

Weird take tbh.

 

[Couscous]

Tbf, it's really gorgeous on PC at 1440p 60fps

Click to shrink...

Does that solve the insanely washed out look that Botw has right now?

 

[AxeVince]

Cause Devs who have worked on Low Def for years surely will be able to tackle HD on their first try in a few years of development.
Going from one to another takes time and the artists have to adapt *a lot* to change their artstyle to what you are expecting.
And, maybe you want high def and super real graphics but, the main target, kids, don't care about that.
People need to stop thinking every game is made only for them and then complain when they don't like the direction some devs took.

 

[Ghos]

it's a good enough effort for now. just not a fan of the art direction.

 

[Deleted member 21411]

I don't buy the 3ds could run this game, those environments are large and lively with the different pokemon

 

[Deleted member 1413]

Xenoblade 2 isn't a great showcase, I feel.
It was a rushed and heavily outsourced year one switch title.
Here's what the main Monolith Soft team did as their first HD game on Wii U

 

[Deleted member 32018]

Your OP doesn't get across the point you're trying to make at all lol...

Forgive my French, but the Pokemon models look hardly any different than the 3DS games. Again, just upscaled.

Click to shrink...

You post an all new Pokemon not on the 3DS.

WAY better.

Click to shrink...

You post an awfully low resolution and blurry screenshot of XC2 that looks far worse than S/S.

 

[lvl 99 Pixel]

Developer of a largely modular and annual handheld IP make a console game and it doesn't look like BOTW or Xenoblade

Click to shrink...

Having an open area with camera control was honestly more than I expected.

 

[Splader]

And all for the low, low price of 60 dollars!

Don't you just love Nintendo and their pricing?

 

[Lotus]

Also, Xenoblade 2 had a ton of issues with it's resolution and framerate.

Click to shrink...

Yea, the game is not what I'd call pretty lol

 

[ASaiyan]

Game Freak being Game Freak I honestly wouldn't even care about the graphics if it had all 800+ Pokemon. But now we have neither, and the game costs $60...

 

[Draconian]

Are you joking with that Xenoblade 2 screenshot?

 

[Sandfox]

And all for the low, low price of 60 dollars!

Don't you just love Nintendo and their pricing?

Click to shrink...

As opposed to the pricing for retail games from other other publisher?

 

[Deleted member 32018]

Worst version of "Pokemon Sword and Shield outrage thread" I've seen so far.

 

[Holundrian]

People whine and in the end it will still sell upwards to 10 million.
Just give it up nothing but a huge dip in sales will change their course. Pretty sure they've made clear they don't give a rats ass about player feedback.

 

[Hucast]

People hate to read this but GF has been way too complacent for decades and it finally catched up to them.

Pokemon's decline begins now. If it didn't already.

Click to shrink...

The fad will finally be over huh

 

[RockmanBN]

Game Freak being Game Freak I honestly wouldn't even care about the graphics if it had all 800 Pokemon. But now we have neither, and the game costs $60...

Click to shrink...

The only reason why we're here being overly critical of the graphical and animation quality of Sword and Shield is due to their excuse to why Pokemon are getting snapped. Go back a week before the announcement and you'd see people pilled even for the slightest critique of the games visuals.

 

[Hadok]

 

[The Doctor]

I've been playing Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (lttp) and although is not an incredibly beautiful game (as it's predecessor was) there are some parts of the overworld that take my breath away. However I haven't been able to fully enjoy it because every time I see something remarkable I can't help but to think "damn it, if only Pokemon looked this good".

 

[Deleted member 9714]

Worst version of "Pokemon Sword and Shield outrage thread" I've seen so far.

Click to shrink...

The OP isn't outraged though. What's with the branding of any criticism as outrage?

 

[Haze]

the texture in Xenoblade's environments look awful especially in handheld mode. It also had a load of performance issues at launch because there was often just too much going on. Sometimes less is more. The Pokemon screenshot looks fine.

 

[Bricktop]

Gamefreak has been phoning this series in for years. They lucked into a addictive hook of gameplay and they've basically pushed out half assed games surrounding that hook ever since. Don't expect anything that the bare minimum from these guys, and further, why should they bother when people lap this stuff up in droves?

 

[ThisIsBlitz21]

I agree that Sword/Shield does look underwhelming as a Switch game.

But Xenoblade 2 isnt right game to compare lol. It drops to 350p and 15 fps.

Do Mario Odyssey instead. It's visuals are better than Sword/Shield, while being 60 fps AT THE SAME TIME. They're running laps around Game Freak.

 

[Deleted member 6949]

I planned on getting it, but the screenshots just bore me. It's crazy how flat and lifeless it is for such a huge franchise.

 

[Splader]

As opposed to the pricing for retail games from other other publisher?

Click to shrink...

These days a full priced game needs to work for that full price. Either that means being on the top half side graphically, or have the game be filled with a large amount of content.

From what I've seen/heard of SwSh, it has comparable content to the latest 3DS Pokémon games, all of which are priced at 40 USD.
Hell, Let's Go had less content then most recent pokemon games but was also priced at 60 entirely because "It's a console game".

Nintendo has an issue with lowering their game prices away from the full 60. Hell, remember the Tropical Freeze fiasco with them removing it (temporarily, I think) from the WIi U store while the game was about to release on the Switch? And then also charging the full 60 for the port?

 

[Soran]

Don't forget those games are sixty bucks and they will never gonna go down.

 

[nsilvias]

gamefreak got caught with their pants down now that their is no low power hardware for them to develop for.

 

[Superking]

You'd think that this being your first ever HD console game for the most successful gaming IP in history, would make the developers want to go all out and show the world what they're made of. But I guess not.

 

[Otherist]

I genuinely do not think you're ever going to see a Pokemon game that resembles a detailed, luscious RPG with a beautifully realised 3D world. Or indeed one that actually looks like it's maxing out the technology. I can't even imagine it really. Those things take effort, and it seems obvious to me that this is not a high-effort franchise, at least not by today's standards.

 

[Gold Arsene]

Xenoblade 2 is not an impressive game at all lmao.

Click to shrink...

Really now?

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

I'm fine with poor quality textures. I have a fond memory of the N64 days. Until they start making worse color and saturation choices etc.

 

[Toumari]

Click to shrink...

Wow at the like/dislike ratio. Also from skimming through the video the world looks so barren and plain.

 

[Deleted member 32018]

These days a full priced game needs to work for that full price. Either that means being on the top half side graphically, or have the game be filled with a large amount of content.

From what I've seen/heard of SwSh, it has comparable content to the latest 3DS Pokémon games, all of which are priced at 40 USD.
Hell, Let's Go had less content then most resent pokemon games but was also priced at 60 entirely because "It's a console game".

Nintendo has an issue with lowering their game prices away from the full 60. Hell, remember the Tropical Freeze fiasco with them removing it (temporarily, I think) from the WIi U store while the game was about to release on the Switch? And then also charging the full 60 for the port?

Click to shrink...

Nintendo produce top quality games for that price. Pokemon games have a lot of content in them and can be played for hundreds of hours.

 

[oofouchugh]

Too many people want to give GameFreak excuses because of their history as a developer instead of seeing them competing against other AAA $60 console developers and seeing how many faults they have. There are too many people saying things like "well it's their first HD title" as an excuse ignoring that they're selling TWO full priced Switch games. GameFreak is positioning their games to be sold in the same space as any other AAA RPG developer on the Switch and the gulf in quality between something like Xenoblades and SwSh is honestly embarrassing and they purposefully got rid of their only real way to excuse that, lots and lots of Pokemon to manage.