Players are saying Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is for the nostalgic and too simple for newcomers

Back in 2005, a new set of Pokémon games released for DS and Game Boy Advance: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team. Today, a remake of these games released for Nintendo Switch in the form of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX. Unlike previous Pokémon games, these don't feature humans or trainers of any kind. That means you don't go around catching Pokémon.

The main premise is that you wake up to find that you've been turned into a Pokémon, and you get a philanthropic itch to form a posse that will help save fellow Pokémon from dungeons. For many people, the classic games provided a fun and even an emotional journey that held a special place in their hearts.

While many fans of the original games love the nostalgia this remake has brought, many people who are playing this version for the first time aren't very impressed. Among other things, critical players say that the game isn't challenging or interesting enough for adults. Which, you know, makes up a good chunk of Pokémon's fanbase.

In this article, I will first detail my first impressions of the game and then will dive into reviews from other players.

First Impressions

Like many other people, I pre-ordered the game and have been playing it all morning. The moment I turned on my Switch, I was overcome with excitement, eager to relive the adventure that I had experienced as a child. Since I completed the demo almost as soon as it released a few weeks back, I was able to continue this morning where the demo left off. I've got to say the personality test has been my favorite part so far.

I absolutely love the watercolor look of the world and have enjoyed revisiting familiar areas in this new art style. However, I do have to say that I've gotten a little bored already. Granted, I haven't been playing the game for a super long time. It may pick up. But considering I'd already made it a decent way through the tutorial phase by previously completing the demo, this isn't too encouraging.

The game is pretty repetitive; you take on missions and dive into dungeons to save your fellow critters. The fighting style is very different from core Pokémon games like Sword and Shield. For one thing, your teammates can attack on their own, and the lead Pokémon defaults to always attack with their first move unless you take the time to control your moveset when you come upon an enemy.

Now, if you are a casual player or are simply looking for something chill and relaxing, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon DX will fit the bill. However, I have to agree with some of the most critical players. This game feels like it is only meant for children and doesn't offer enough complexity to be more than a casual game for long-time Pokémon fans. That being said, I still need to spend more time with the game and see if it grows on me.

Our official review for the game will come out next week. Be sure to check back then and see what we think of it. Until then, see what other players are saying about the game:

Player reviews

Pokémon games have been pretty polarized in fan's eyes over the last few years. This is very apparent when looking at Metacritic's scores. At the time of writing this, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX has 32 positive reviews and 21 negative reviews, giving it an average user score of 6.0. That's pretty bad. Here's what people are saying:

What do you think?

Are you interested in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX? Are you going to be playing this weekend? Tell us about it below.