We stand by the opinion that there really isn’t anything much cuter than Pikachu wearing a detective cap. And so, we’re overjoyed he’s returned in a sequel to 2018’s Detective Pikachu. Detective Pikachu Returns picks up with Pikachu and his human companion Tim jumping back into solving mysteries in Ryme City, with plenty of main missions and side quests for players to sink their teeth into.
If you haven’t played the original, it doesn’t really matter. The key plot point of the first is referenced regularly – a mysterious drug called “R” – but the mysteries you’ll be uncovering in Detective Pikachu Returns stand on their own two feet and don’t rely on prior knowledge. All you need to know is that Tim and Pikachu are already a seasoned detective duo, and you can hit the ground running.
This is a very well presented game. Cutscenes are fully voiced, with Pikachu’s uncharacteristically gruff-sounding voice being both adorable and hilarious. It’s a shame not all dialogue is voiced, though: during the course of gameplay, conversations will be carried out via text boxes. It’s hardly a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind – particularly if you’re thinking of picking the game up for a younger player who may not be the strongest reader.
You’ll need to pay attention to everything that’s said as you play, because most of your major leads for investigations will come from conversations with other characters. Tim takes the lead when interviewing humans, while Pikachu can converse with any species of Pokémon. Of course, Tim and Pikachu have a special bond that lets them communicate with each other – much to the confusion of onlookers.
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You have a limited amount of player agency when working your way through a case in Detective Pikachu Returns, but don’t expect to have to do any truly deep detective work. The direction you need to go in is generally handed to you on a plate, and if you do happen to find yourself at a dead end – as unlikely as that will be – the press of a button will grant you a hint from Pikachu. There are opportunities when you’re free to explore as you hunt for clues, and as you do, you’ll likely come across a few smaller side missions to complete. We’ve had a great deal of fun completing these smaller cases, actually: whether it’s simply answering a trivia question or hunting down someone’s missing Lillipup, they add a nice amount of variety to the game.
If you’re a Pokémon fan in general, you’ll get a big kick out of meeting a whole host of species as you explore Ryme City and the areas within. Explore the park, and you’ll find plenty of monsters simply hanging out. They’re even in the coffee shop, enjoying a beverage of their own before going about their business. It’s a weird and wonderful world where Pokémon and people live side-by-side, and being a part of it is an absolute joy.
Perhaps our only reservation with Detective Pikachu Returns is that it’s a little slow-paced at times. We want to get stuck straight into an investigation, following our own leads and going at our own pace. But you’ll often find yourself stifled by conversation after conversation, where obvious pieces of evidence will be spelled out for you. Sure, the dialogue is very well written, and the character animations are wonderful, so they’re a joy to witness. But if you’re anything like us, you’ll simply find yourself frustrated, wishing you could take more of an active lead.
Detective Pikachu Returns is, for the most part, a delight. You’re naturally going to get the most out of this game if you’re a Pokémon fan, but even if you’re not, it provides a fun entry point to the world where monsters and humans co-exist. If you’re a seasoned mystery game player, the pace might be a little too slow for you: it’s more about enjoying the story than putting your investigation chops to the test. But if you’re willing to accept that, there’s a great deal of fun to be had here.
Detective Pikachu Returns Review – GameSpew’s Score
This review of Detective Pikachu Returns has been facilitated by a code provided by the publisher. It’s available on Nintendo Switch.
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