I don't usually post game reviews; honestly, I've enjoyed nearly every Pokémon game I've played, but after having read about a game that happens to be my favorite described in one review after another as nothing more than drawing circles, I decided it was important to offer the point of view of someone who enjoyed every minute of Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, and never wanted to see it end.

Admittedly, Shadows of Almia is a short game; it's easy to play, like the original Pokémon Ranger, which only took me about 38 hours to complete. Compared to other recent Pokémon games concluding Emerald and Diamond which I've played over 200 hours each (and I know most people play them for a lot longer), the 57+ hours I spent playing Shadows of Almia from start to finish may not seem like much, but whereas time is spent in most Pokémon games practice battling and leveling up, every minute of Shadows of Almia was all story...good people committed to protecting Pokémon has always been a quality of all Pokémon RPGs, and something I especially began to took notice of upon playing Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

By the time I had finished a used copy of first Pokémon Ranger, just a few weeks before Shadows of Almia came out (my husband had just given my DS and Diamond for Xmas '07, so I played that first), I had fallen in love with the story and characters, and after the dialog between Murph and Spencer that followed the special Celebi mission had made me cry, I hoped that the sequel would be at least half as good as the original. By Mission 2 in Shadows of Almia, it had proven itself even better. Hanging on ever word of dialog, I followed not only the main story of Altru's alternative fuels project as a front for a secret plot to control Pokémon, but also the stories of each and every one of Almia's residents, who, as you grow as a Pokémon Ranger, truly become your colleagues and friends...from Little Tim finally overcoming his childhood fear of Pokémon, the relationship between Murph and his Pa, and of course, the surprise marriage of reformed slacker/felon Ollie to Vien Town Ranger Base mechanic Elaine (yeah, and the quest featuring Ollie's wish to restore Vien Forest made me cry too!).

Filling my Diamond Pokédex between Wi-Fi mission releases, I downloaded that final mission "For the Bride and Shaymin" the day it came out (March 1, 2009) and played it that same night; my husband I think was watching a Devils game of TV, as usual, so when the couple getting married was revealed - I mean, for a split-second, I was thinking that maybe it could be them - so I think I scared him when I practically jumped up and yelled, "OH MY GOD!!! IT'S OLLIE AND ELAINE!!!!!!!!!!!" He was like "Who? Who???" So I had to explain to him who they were and their whole story from the Vien forest fire to the Dragonair quest, etc...the perfect ending to the best story I'd ever 'read' in any Pokémon game.

The Pokémon Ranger series, in my opinion, would make an awesome, unique animé, but for now, I can only look forward to their continuing stories, and the hope that any future game sequels will be so enjoyable. Though the game has ended, I haven't been able to stop thinking about all of these characters or their story...if not for the fact that restarting the game would cause the expired (or soon to be expired) downloadable missions to be erased, I would love to have played the game a second time. Like the first Pokémon Ranger, I sprained my wrist more than a few times capturing and befriending Pokémon while playing Shadows of Almia, but I'd gladly do it all again just to be able to go through and relive the adventure from start to finish...and isn't that the mark of any good story...whether you read it, play it, or both?

4/2/2009

Other images from the Pokémon Ranger Batonnage offical website & online comic. Visit them!