Review No. 49 Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs - DS (3+)

Strong Points:

Brilliant, detailed graphics- for a Pokémon game
Guardian Signs adds more gameplay
Flying is fun if limited
Good story
Capturing is fun
Good controls
Can use Pokémon you capture in battles
Quests are good fun
Multiplayer is great
2 different times

Weak Points:
Only one partner
Not as many quests as the last one
Underwater is good but not as fun as flying
No online multiplayer
World isn't that big

In-depth Review:

Release Dates:
Japan: March 6, 2010
North America: October 4, 2010
Europe: November 5, 2010

Controls:
Touch Screen: move player toward tapped location/talk/check items
X Button: (when flying) display list of destinations
Y Button: show or hide the Pokémon accompanying you
D-Pad: move the player
A Button: choose yes/check something/talk to someone in front of the player/(hold) advance text
B Button: choose no/go back one screen/cancel field move
L Button: access sign mode
R Button: access styler menu

This is the third and final installment in the Pokémon Ranger trilogy. And it's actually not bad. With new mechanics like flying, underwater chases, and Guardian Signs this game is shaping up to be really good and with the best graphics and music the series has had to date it really was.

Guardian Signs are signs you can draw to bring in legendries like Raikou and Latios to help you in and outside of battle which you collect through the story, quests and special giveaways. There are also ones get normal Pokémon and bring your Partner Pokémon back from the past. This comes onto my next point.

There are two time zones! Even though one of them is mainly for story and multiplayer missions, it is still great to see another world even if this makes the worlds small. There are only around five villages in the game and just a few more caves. This lessens the fun of the flying sections.

Which is another point. You can fly! When you get a little way into the story, you can capture a Staraptor (or Latios/Latias later on) and fly to your next destination while capturing Pokémon you won't find anywhere else. There are also underwater sections and chases with the sections just acting like above ground but in water and the underwater chase having an entire new gameplay style. You have to turn your DS sidewards and control your character like that while dodging attacks. Sadly, though this is mainly for story.

The story is as good as the other ones and while still cheesy (the antagonists name is the Pokémon Pinchers!) it is still decent for a Pokémon game in terms of depth. Capturing has been upgraded to the pinnacle of Pokémon Ranger and is now easier, you can let the Pokémon you caught inside and you can level up your stylus. With lots of different upgrades to choose from it will take you a while to fully complete your stylus.

The ability to let the Pokémon you caught appear in battle almost makes up for the fact that there is only one Partner Pokémon (with another one in the other timezone). This is a shame as the last game had 17 partner Pokémon and it would've been nice for them to continue that trend.

Multiplayer is fun and while only local, still offers a fun twist to this now solid gameplay. You could also get a Deoxys for your Diamond/ Pearl which wasn't bad. There aren't as many quests as the last one, but these ones are more challenging and drawn out meaning it will probably take you longer to complete.

Conclusion: overall, this is the pinnacle of the Pokémon Ranger games. Let's just hope if another Ranger game comes out (hopefully) it will have a slightly darker storyline and is slightly more challenging but not frustrating.

Rating: 85%

Thanks for reading, Satamer.