Detective Pikachu Returns Review

I think one of the things about getting old these days is we lose our sense of childlike wonder and amazement. While Nintendo certainly knows how to pull at the heartstrings, most noticeably with the recent Tears of the Kingdom advertising campaign, for me, Pokemon in recent years has lost its luster. Having never played the previous entry, I thought I would get my magnifying glass, don my Sherlock Holmes hat, and investigate to see if Detective Pikachu’s return could reignite some magic in this old Pokemon Trainer.

Detective Pikachu Returns continues on from the original 3DS game that  follows Tim, a budding private investigator who is able to talk with his Pikachu (also a detective.) Pikachu is a far cry from the cartoon series as he is a gruff, caffeine-addicted, and somewhat cynical detective as you team up to solve mysteries in Ryme City. along the way, you will meet all manner of people and Pokemon who inhabit Ryme City, and perform mini-side investigations, as well as enlist other Pokemon’s abilities to assist with your case. In the interest of remaining as Spoiler Free as possible, the video review will only include footage of the first case.

The story is told via investigations, that start seemingly small, but unravel to reveal something much larger at play. Investigations are played out by talking to both human and Pokemon witnesses which adds more leads to chase down. Pokemon statements can’t be used as evidence but can be used to open new avenues of investigation. While none of it is brain surgery, it’s fun to see how it plays out and rewarding to get new leads, allowing you to deduce new theories in your notepad. Deducing is a fun mechanic that allows you to examine the evidence you have gathered to formulate what happened. There’s no punishment if you get it wrong, as Tim and Pikachu debate that the option you selected might not be the best way to approach things, and sometimes, a little more investigation is required.

To assist, you can now ask for help from other Pokemon you encounter to assist with investigations. These sections of the game leave Tim behind for a Pokemon investigative duo to take charge like Pikachu riding on a Growlithe, sniffing out the scent of a lead. These sections are usually fun and snappy and also have minor side investigations that focus on helping other Pokemon.

Once you have all the information you need, you can close the investigation by revealing the suspects and selecting the correct sequence of events to finish the case. These are often amusing and entertaining as suspects squirm and try to deflect blame as you lay out your theories. It’s all quite enjoyable despite the lack of difficulty, and I found myself spurred on by the unraveling story, great voice acting (despite lip-synching being off, most likely due to localization), and the general excitement of what happens next. Detective Pikachu Returns managed to engage my attention much more effectively than the most recent mainline entries, and I found myself smiling while playing.

I do have to take a moment to address the Mamoswine in the room however, as the graphics (while technically competent) seem to have a complete lack of lighting and shading, no matter what environment Tim and Pikachu are in. The fixed camera can lead to some frustrating moments looking for doors or where to go next, which is surprising since in cutscenes, the surrounding environment is rendered despite being out of view. I think the game may have benefitted from being able to even slightly adjust the camera left or right, but it’s by no means a deal breaker, and once you settle into the game, navigating the world becomes second nature.

What I did love about the art style and graphics is the sense of scale and the wonder of the Pokemon that live in Ryme City. From tiny bee-like Pokemon to intimidating fighting-type Pokemon that tower over Tim and Pikachu, the world of Ryme City feels vibrant and alive… there’s an almost magic quality to it that we lost in the process of growing older. This magic is sometimes jarringly interrupted when the voice acting simply stops to reduce interactions to walls of text. All of this immersion is backed by a big brass band soundtrack with some classic sleuth noir beats that never agitate or annoy.

For my vision-impaired Pokemon Detectives, the text is fairly large and has a dark opaque background helping the text pop out, and actions in deducing are also accompanied by a picture prompt and voice-over to help piece together the events of the case.

All in all, Detective Pikachu Returns helps capture some of that wonder we lost as we got older, showing us a different insight into a world filled with Pokemon. It’s by no means perfect, but it’s certainly a great game for Pokemon players who may be a bit jaded about the world of Pokemon in recent years, much like our Detective Pikachu friend.

So What’s it Like?

Detective Pikachu is a family-friendly LA Noire, crossed with Ace Attorney.

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