gaming Is pokemon becoming more serious?

[Ardhacandra 133]

So, I have been away from the forums for a bit, because reasons aaaand I decided to come back, because I wanted to ask you guys this thing.

 

As most of you will prabably be aware of, pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Saphire have been out for some time now. I totally love the game... I'ts my favourite gen with all the advances and awesomeness that gen 6 brings to the table. Now, seen the fact I have played gen 6 and as I have completed ORAS today, there is a little something that I noticed...

 

The story is getting darker and more serious, or at least that is how I experience it. Without spoiling anything for anyone I will leave the details out, but as it seems... both X and Y and the ORAS delta episode seemed to bring up a lot of pretty grim topics, mainly: Mass death, sacrifice and even a form of genocide (X&Y). The characters in the story also get more and more character development (even though it still isn't that much).

 

So, are there more people who think this, or am I over analyzing the games? Anyway, I think it would make a good conversation topic.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,328]

I feel Pokemon started getting really serious with its stories starting at gen 5. Team Plasma was probably the most threatening evil team and the villain was pretty detestable. Plus, they had the most deepest goals of trying to liberate Pokemon from their trainers. Even gen 6 takes some inspiration with the after game of x and y and the delta episode for ORAS.

[Fantasma Phantasm 673]

Only the games that is. But Yes! I do feel they're getting more serious with stories. Since Black and White and Black 2 and White 2. The team leaders seem to be going after the Main Character a lot more often and have threatened to destroy basically the world or wipeout its inhabitants. If you think about it, Cyrus wasn't any better; wanting to change the universe itself not caring about his team. And then there's Ghetsis, who didn't care about his own son, calling him a freak and using him for Reshiram\Zekrom.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Christmas Ghost

[SilverStarApple 849]

1. Death. It's implied that a big war happened years ago. Also, implied that Team Rocket was fighting to capture Mewtwo and cave the world, using Team Rocket as his pawns.

2. The remnants of Team Rocket will chop off slowpoke tails to sell them for profit. They are struggling to survive, but they NEED to survive. They NEED to keep going, and they are lost without their great leader, who they are DESPERATELY looking for, to the point where they're willing to hijack a radio tower just to beg over the open airways for their boss to come back, and activate any sleeper agents hiding in the country.

3. MASS GLOBAL DESTABILIATION AND AN APOCALYPSE THAT MAKES 2012 LOOK LIKE CHILD'S PLAY, caused by two CULTS of ECOTERRORISTS. Also, Archie DOES NOT KNOW HOW RAIN WORKS.

4. A generic group of idiots who believe they're the most fabulously evil organization ever, they can do whatever they want because they don't follow the law, and that's edgy and fun and cool. This organization is ran by an evil 

5. Peta meets Every Preacher Ever meets Tax-Free Super-Evil Political Church meets an easily-manipulated sheeple combined with easily-exploited mythology. It has two leaders: A messed-up headcase born and raised to be the "Pure" guy required to win the hearts of morons AND summon the legendary Pokemon needed to take over, and an evil behind-the-scenes jerk who is the reason why N is so messed up and has a stupid name(Both N, and his true name, Natural Harmonium Gropius), and he raised the kid/Had Anthea and Concordia do it YEARS before Red even began his journey. Also, by demilitarizing his own zone like that in the name of religion/powergrabbing, he'd be begging the world's villains to take it over. Team Snagem/Team Cipher would conquer the place in under a week, and with those kinds of resources and people under the control of an organization that was doing fine in a lawless desert hellhole... The world would be in deep doodoo, to put it bluntly.

6. Commit mass genocide and kill everyone and possibly also the world just to ensure Team Flare/its leader lives on eternally forever. Not really that evil, compared to the others.

[Odyssey 5,713]

Yep, Pokémon is getting more and more serious. And I find that to be a good thing.

 

One of the main flaws with this series is that the stories are either too simple or unintruiging. With games like B1W1 and XY, it's nice to see Game Freak try out something different. Not only that, but Pokémon fans are growing up, and that means that Game Freak's audience has higher expectations.

 

Team Flare's goals were definitely the darkest. As you said, seeing somebody commit mass murder, suicide and genocide is rather disturbing for something as family-friendly as Pokémon. I also very much agree with the character development. One thing that I loved about ORAS is that compared to the originals, the remakes give many characters more personality and development. I do think that B1W1 is the games with the most character development, however.

[Radiance64 7,051]

The stories have never been overly serious, since every game is pretty much just about stopping evil weirdos who use crappy pocket monsters with your awesome ones. The original Ruby/Sapphire is where the stories started getting a bit more dire though, starting the trend of overly powerful wild legendary Pokémon being awakened by said evil teams with world-effecting powers, but still not all that serious since it's silly things that would never happen most of the time.

X/Y's story and OR/AS's adaptations of R/S's stories certainly have a bit more of a dire feeling to them though, I mean in the end the stories are still meant more for kids but I feel they've been putting in a lot more themes to read into lately. I dunno, as a lifelong fan of the series that's just my perspective onto it.

[Wyzecat 350]

My perspective about it?

 

Is Brock still there?

Then no.   

[Ardhacandra 133]

Great reply's y'all. The games are, indeed, still very kid friendly and far from Fallout 1 type of serious (to just name a game), but it is most certainly getting more and more deep. I must say that I never finished D/P and B/W and I never owned B2/W2. Still thinking of completing them, though, seen the fact I heard a lot of interesting stuff about B/W.

 

Thanks for all the input, keep em coming

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,328]

My perspective about it?

 

Is Brock still there?

Then no.

And how does a character not being in the games equal a story not being serious? Edited December 9, 2014 by Caroling Chikorita

[Larkybird~ 734]

And how does a character not being in the games equal a story not being serious?

I highly doubt they're being serious. But yes it does seem like pokemon is getting more serious as each game comes out. I can't exactly say the same for the anime. I quit watching that years ago.

[Vemillia Nightshade 2,247]

Nintendo games having darker or serious tones laced over by bombastic gameplay isn't exactly anything new. In fact there are a long list of games that have some dark story elements or situations which would be considered suggestive or controversial. One of the most well known ones is the Final Boss fight with King Koopa(Bowser). There were notable differences in his look such as scars from their previous battles, not to mention the setting and theme being much more sinister.

 

Earthbound's final boss Gygas is another excellent example. There really isn't any need of explanation as to why for this one.

 

In anycase, let's get back to the topic at hand. There have been more easily notable serious undertones lately in more recent gen games. The seriousness of battle was always there but allot of more recent gen pokemon games have been showing darker or more serious storylines. It's really nothing new that this is happening. X and Y hardly being the first have a dark or serious story, putting aside how demented and sad the story is. Though as for Pokemon getting much more serious or as the Concerned Mothers of America would put it "Not safe for children" content. That answer lays more in perspective, I say it's refreshing. A game being to kidish isn't bad but having a game that doesn't exactly hold back more mature topics does shine more with me. Maybe it's my state of mind due to age. Then again mature content is being cleverly placed into story is a Nintendo specialty. I mean take a look at the Paper Mario Series, more specifically The Thousand Year Door. Nintendo, placed a demonic entity as the final boss, let alone it used demonic oppression on Princess Peach to face Mario. If that isn't messed up, IDK what is.

[Ardhacandra 133]

 

 

Nintendo games having darker or serious tones laced over by bombastic gameplay isn't exactly anything new.

 

And this is why I love nintendo. Great input you gave there. I also think that the whole "not safe for children thing" is a bit... Motherly xD Children aren't made out of glass and chances are they won't even notice the majority of the "darkness" the games bring.