Detective Pikachu Returns

Detective Pikachu Returns
Promotional artwork
Developer(s)Creatures
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Yasunori Yanagisawa
Katsuyoshi Irie
Producer(s)Masamichi Anazawa
Akira Kinashi
Shinya Saito
Designer(s)Akihito Joguchi
Yuki Yamada
Miki Obata
Programmer(s)Kenichi Kato
Artist(s)Atsushi Watanabe
Writer(s)Hiroyuki Jinnai
Composer(s)Takuto Kitsuta
SeriesDetective Pikachu
Pokémon
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
ReleaseOctober 6, 2023
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Detective Pikachu Returns[1] is an adventure game developed by Creatures and published by the Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch.[2] First announced during a press release in 2019 alongside apps such as Pokémon Home, it is a sequel to 2016's Detective Pikachu for the Nintendo 3DS.[3] It was showcased for the first time during a Nintendo Direct in June 2023 and was released on October 6, 2023.[4][5]

Gameplay

Main article: Detective Pikachu (video game) § Gameplay

Plot

Two years after Tim Goodman and Detective Pikachu solved the case behind the R incidents, and in the midst of their search for Tim's missing father, Harry, they are invited to be awarded medals for their continued detective work by Ryme City's mayor, Martin Myers, who hopes to initiate the inaugural Pokémon Friendship Week to redefine the harmony and coexistence between humans and Pokémon, following a recent rise in Pokémon-related incidents. However, a frenzied Corviknight interrupts the ceremony. After the two briefly help a wild Pidove knocked out from the chaos, they are called by Inspector Holiday to investigate theft of a priceless jewel at an estate owned by jeweler Sanjeev Denis.

At the Denis estate, the Ryme City police accuse Sanjeev's trusted friend and butler Brandon Barnes as a suspect. Believing Barnes has an alibi, Tim and Pikachu investigate, and with some help from Saujeev's Growlithe, Tim exposes the recent hire, Larry Turner, as the culprit, proven by a note written by him that reveals his plan to frame Barnes, hiding the stolen jewel in the belly of his Pokémon, a Cramorant. However, upon Pikachu noticing a strange device on Cramorant's back, it swallows the jewel and flies away, with Turner denying any further involvement.

After Tim invites his classmate Rachel for dinner with his visiting mother Irene and sister Sophia, Pikachu suddenly faints, recounting a conversation between Harry and Irene, the former deciding to file for divorce before leaving. Once Pikachu awakens, he and Tim are visited by Mewtwo, who reveals that the recent uptick of Pokémon incidents is not caused by R, but from something else, as well as preparing to disclose intel on Harry. Before explaining further, Mewtwo is attacked by a swarm of Beedrill, wearing the same mysterious devices.

The next day, Tim and Pikachu join Rachel to meet her professor, Trevor Gordon, at some mysterious ruins south from Ryme City, hoping to gain more information on the Aurora Drop. After discovering that Gordon had entered the ruins two days prior and hasn't returned since, the three investigate the temple's puzzles and solve the mysterious riddles. Along the way, they sneak past a Galarian Darmanitan protecting the area, soon finding Gordon trapped inside a mysterious room from a cave-in. Pikachu enters the room alone to help him and decides to befriend Darmanitan and use its strength to break through the debris.

With Gordon free, he decides to stay longer, resolved into his research, not before explaining to Tim the ruins' significance into strengthening the bonds of humans and Pokémon, but reveals that the Aurora Drop itself may be a Pokémon that hailed from space.

Development and release

The game was first announced during a press release in 2019 as an unnamed sequel to Detective Pikachu for the Nintendo 3DS.[3] It was officially announced in during a Nintendo Direct in June 2023, with a release date of October 6, 2023.[5] A trailer was released detailing gameplay and some plot details on August 8, 2023.[6]

A tie-in anime short, titled Detective Pikachu & the Mystery of the Missing Flan, from Polygon Pictures was released on YouTube on October 25, 2023.[7]

Reception

Detective Pikachu Returns received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Detective Pikachu Returns was the bestselling retail game throughout its first week of release in Japan, with 85,639 physical copies being sold across the country.[16]

References

  1. ^ 帰ってきた名探偵ピカチュウ, Kaettekita meitantei pikachu
  2. ^ "Detective Pikachu™ Returns for Nintendo Switch". Nintendo Official Site. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Robinson, Andy (May 29, 2019). "Detective Pikachu sequel coming to Nintendo Switch". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Gach, Ethan (June 21, 2023). "The New Detective Pikachu Game Still Exists And It's Coming This Year". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Stewart, Marcus (June 21, 2023). "Detective Pikachu Returns This October". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  6. ^ Gould-Wilson, Jasmine (June 30, 2023). "Detective Pikachu Returns: Everything we know so far". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  7. ^ Mateo, Alex (October 25, 2023). "Detective Pikachu Franchise Gets Anime Short by Polygon Pictures". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  9. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns review - a textbook mystery that owes everything to its charm". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Romano, Sal (October 25, 2023). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1821". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  11. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns Review – Cracking The Case". Game Informer. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns Review - Soft-Boiled". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Detective Pikachu Returns review: "A sometimes charming, often lackluster experience"". GamesRadar+. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Detective Pikachu Review". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Romano, Sal (October 12, 2023). "Famitsu Sales: 10/2/23 – 10/8/23 [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2023.