Warning: While I don't outright ruin anything like "whodunit", my discussion of the story does imply some things; in other words, reader discretion advised.
The oddity of my first
Pokémon review being a spin-off is duly noted, particularly considering that aside from
Pokken Tournament DX, the last one I recall engaging with was the first
Mystery Dungeon back in 2006 on Game Boy Advance. Still, you can't deny the appeal of
Detective Pikachu: as anyone familiar with Meowth from the long-running cartoon will tell you, this is hardly the first time we have witnessed a talking Pok
émon, but it's
how this particular critter conducts human speech and mannerisms; namely, the adorable series mascot in Pikachu belting out a gravelly, world-weary vocalization and expressing fondness for women and coffee. Also, he's a detective.
A key sign of both The Pok
émon Company and its home developers in Game Freak and Creatures relaxing regulations in the face of Pikachu's enduring popularity, which is a direction we should all celebrate. While thankfully nothing reaches beyond a G rating,
Detective Pikachu's eye-grabbing concept is unlike anything the series has ever accomplished before: there's no starry-eyed youths seeking adventure, but a young adult cast on the job; no far-off dreams of being No. 1, but personal drive and soul-searching to discover oneself. All hardly adult, yes, but new territory just the same.
