Pikachu in a whole new light!
Photo Courtesy of Bos Navarit- Pexels
As one of the highest grossing media franchises of all time, according to an article on the Anime News Network, there is nobody who has not heard about Pokémon. With 40 mainline games, countless mobile and spinoff games, an anime, the trading cart game, and Pokémon GO (2016), few brands are equally recognizable. More than this, it defines the childhood of multiple generations of people. Every Pokémon is somebody’s favorite, and people of all ages are still invested in the franchise from their youth. Pokémon is special to so many people in so many different ways. From adventuring and competing with your team to taking care of your partners and friends, Pokémon has something for everyone.
On the other side of the corporate world is the fourth-highest grossing indie game of all time according to a ranking from DualShockers, Stardew Valley(2016). The game’s cute pixel art style has become the standard for cozy games, and the formula of coming to a new town, starting your farm, and discovering magical secrets has been reused countless times in the farming game genre. You can farm, fish, mine, battle, make friends and so much more. Stardew Valley (2016), then, also has something for everyone.
But what if they were to mix?
Well, now they have. The newly updated Pelipper Town mod, which can be found on Nexus Mods, merges these worlds together to create beautiful results. The mod is fully immersive, with each non-player character (NPC) having their own partner Pokémon matched to their personality that cutely follows them around the map. The carpenter has a Machamp, the mayor has a Slowking. The guy who loves chickens has a little chicken Pokémon. And the player, too, can have their own partner and full team, along with Pokémon helping around the farm and town.
What’s surprising about this mod is its attention to detail. Each of the many Pokémon are perfectly rendered in the Stardew Valley (2016) art style. When I first heard of the mod, I was nervous that some of the less-cutesy Pokémon might be distorted. But after review, all of their little faces look natural and charming. Who would have known that Rayquaza, the big scary snake of space and time, could be so adorable?
In the past, I have felt Pokémon games are lacking an option to spend satisfying downtime with your team, and it is all too tempting to rush to the end of the story. And while they are great games, sometimes the character writing can be bland and simple. For Stardew Valley (2016), the gameplay can start to feel like a repetitive grind, which can yield great results, but is not very fun or satisfying.
The uniqueness of each Pokémon and each Pokémon battle with the foundation of writing brought from Stardew Valley (2016) is a match made in heaven. Players have an opportunity to connect with their Pokémon and their friends, and never have the same in-game day twice. The elements from each game make up for each other’s flaws, and come together to a nearly flawless result. And with the way the mod is continually updating and evolving, it can only get better from here.