Pokopia can be too cozy for its own good

Pokemon Pokopia is a lot of fun. I had a blast with it during the preview phase, and after picking up the full game last week, I've spent much of my free time befriending wild creatures before taking on the role of trusty shapeshifting landscaper. This post-apocalyptic world needs some serious TLC, and I have all the tools to make it shine.

Koei Tecmo and Game Freak have developed a surprisingly satisfying formula that takes elements from beloved titles like Animal Crossing, Dragon Quest Builders, and Minecraft, before putting their own unique spin on the comforting genre. I agree that replacing the usual range of NPCs with familiar Pokemon is a seriously effective strategy, especially when each one is equipped with specific needs and requirements we must try to fulfill.

A whirlwind opening hour of satisfying tutorials and piecemeal exploration that draws you into an ever-expanding suite of mechanics that I can't wait to experiment with more. But it's hard to deny that the open world and its many charming occupants lack some much-needed friction. Each of them is too good for its own good.

I wish pokemon in pokopia would be bad for me

Every single Pokemon you find in Pokopia will not hesitate to become your best friend. After discovering you're not human, but pretending to be one instead of a fellow Pokémon, you're placed on a never-before-seen list of besties, whether you're talking to the humble Pichu or a mythical creature straight from the sea. They are all extremely nice and will wait till the end of time to fulfill your numerous requests. While there are gameplay advantages to making the most comfortable habitats possible or completing side missions for specific Pokemon, I have yet to encounter any obstacles to progressing to do anything else.

It's common to have several Pokemon approach you each day to tell you how awesome you are before handing over a pointless gift like a pile of rocks or a rotten stick. I appreciate the effort, but its never-ending stream of saccharine interactions makes Pocopia's world feel like it has no stakes. That everything about it is designed to constantly reward us and make us feel good for little accomplishments. I understand that this is intended as a casual game for many people, but many in the genre and those of Pocopia take clear inspiration from the brilliance of this conflict.

One of my favorite moments in Pokopia so far is Bulbasaur yelling 'let's make this place wet' I've been trying to make it rain for years. What a nice boy he is.

The player takes a selfie with many Pokemon in Pokopia.

Take Viva Pinata, one of the sweetest and most adorable games in existence. Your whole goal is to create a cute garden and fill it with fantasy creatures in the name of sweets. It's achingly cute, brought to life by great visuals, catchy music, and NPCs that lean even more into this obnoxiously sweet fantasy.

But Rare is also not afraid to give attitude to this world and its inhabitants. Players often had to deal with obstacles like sour pinatas that would kill plants in your garden and drop bunches of poisonous candies to sicken your pinatas. You had to face it or things were going to be difficult, but it never felt so overwhelming that it took away from the lovely parts of the experience.

An evil mastermind named Professor Pester and his cavalcade of ruffians will also walk into your garden and murder your most expensive piñata before bailing on its chocolatey interior. It sucked in the moment, but it also made you determined to get revenge by completing the quests necessary to eliminate you for good. After several hours with Pokopia, I have yet to encounter an obstacle of this magnitude, or any character willing to see my existence with even the slightest hint of opposition.

Pokopia is in dire need of some serious stakes

It would have been amazing if a select group of Pokemon had set up a rival settlement and wanted to restore this broken world, with a similar but different ideology driving them forward. You could give them weird names and costumes so when they spice up conversations with a faction like Team Rocket it's 'Oh my god Ditto you're the best person ever, and I love you, so here's some wood I found on the floor.'

Pocopia takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been eradicated, leaving plenty of room for more horrific events to occur. The open world notes and other discoveries are written in a nostalgic fashion, proving that this game has what it takes to make players feel uncomfortable, or at least explore different emotional tones that might challenge them emotionally.

The main quest is compelling enough for now as I keep rebuilding major structures and moving into new biomes, but the main story is missing the friction that Pokopia fails to introduce. It does not detract from its comfortable identity. If anything, it makes me love those elements even more, because I have to fight to keep them intact. Imagine that the Pokémon you created habitats for weren't instant friends, but residents of your small township despite being controversial and had the ability to create engaging interactions that felt both unique and rewarding.

Pokopia's crafting and customization systems are otherwise excellent, which makes its passive weaknesses all the more noticeable in the end.

Perhaps these qualities will surface once I get beyond the opening handful of areas, either that or Pokopia is fully committed to being the least aggressively comfortable game possible at every turn. I don't want Team Rocket operatives rushing in and kidnapping my settlers, but it would be nice to have things a little raw. I am cultivated beyond possible aesthetics, to give me cause for concern or to think strategically about the world. Other games in the genre have managed this and are much better because of it, so why not this one?