I can’t bring myself to play Alpha Sapphire, why should I?

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Note: This is a somewhat different style of article to what I usually deliver, giving a more personal take on my experiences, or lack of.

I’m not going to lie, I was never as hyped or excited for Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire as the majority of our readers were and still are. There were several other ‘big’ games releasing around the same that I was far more excited for. Despite receiving my game on release date (November 28th here in the UK) I’ve played almost nothing of it. I picked a starter Pokémon, closed my 3DS, left it for a few days until the battery died and I’ve not gone back since; I didn’t bother saving my game either so I have lost what little progress I did make.

I can’t really say why I’ve not played it, I just don’t know. Each day since release I’ve told myself that I will make pick up the game and start my journey. It just hasn’t happened. It’s been made obvious in my past that Ruby, Sapphire and to an extent Emerald were never my favourite games; Hoenn isn’t my favourite region either, but that isn’t something that plays a part in my lack of playtime in Alpha Sapphire.

Thinking back to when X & Y released last year, it’s difficult to remember if I felt excited in the same manner as when Platinum or Black 2 arrived on my doorstep, maybe it’s a problem with Pokémon games as a whole? Who knows? It seems it could be something that isn’t just restricted to me either; discussion with another staff member revealed that they haven’t actually progressed all too far into the game. “Maybe I’m too old for Pokémon”, he said.

Regardless of what the issue is, I’d like you guys to tell me why I should (or shouldn’t?) play Alpha Sapphire? We know a lot of huge are huge ambassadors of Hoenn and the original games, but that’s not reason enough for us. Give us some deep thought provoking reasons to play, show us what we’re missing out on. Tell us why Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire are great! Maybe I’ll have the game finished up by the week’s end.

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276 thoughts on “I can’t bring myself to play Alpha Sapphire, why should I?”

  2. I’ve gotten bored with Pokemon too. I’m tired of the same “defeat the evil organization.” I wish we could get something different for Gen 7. The routes are too short, but I like the length of Kanto and Hoenn routes. Still should be longer though. I’d like more places to discover and less content to be revealed before launch. Unless Gen 7 is exciting, the next game will probably be my last. I don’t have many people to play with anymore, I’ve gotten my mind focused on things other than competitive so I’ve lost 90% of my battles. So in other words, I’ve lost my ability to battle. They haven’t even been close. It’s just the same boring stuff. Wanna battle? Translates to Wanna lose? now. School stresses me out so much I can’t enjoy anything anymore.

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    • I just hope they STOP with the remakes after ORAS. If we’re gonna revisit a region, make it a sequel or make it part of the post game. I love Sinnoh and Unova, but we don’t need to go back unless it’s something completely new and different. I’d even argue we never need to return to Unova. They made a nice little story in that region that feels complete as is.

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        • For real. Just bring the distortion world into the post game of a future game and I’ll be set. But Nintendo loves remakes so it’s honestly inevitable. That’s why when they do decide to return, it needs to be as a sequel or not at all. The original D/P/Pt aren’t obsolete yet.

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      • I would love a prequel to the originals. Like playing as young Oak or something. Idk. I just want something different

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  7. So it was in the AG region, it was actually a movie it was with Max, May, Brock and Ash and me.
    The prologue was talking about how we need the legendary pokemon, which was Rotom W to defeat the legendary pokemon Steelix.
    Then it cut to us 5 we were walking in the rainy forest and tour guy was there, and he told of the legendary pokemon steelix is being bound by nosepass, Max wanted to see it so we went to look,then the Nosepass were frightened and trembling and May said (xD no joke), “Looks like the nosepass is nose-photosynthesis” XD
    Then the steelix came and we started running away and I remembered stopping and kick this pillow In a walmart bag at Steelix , it didn’t stop it so we ran into my school. Then we saw meowth Dressed like may and was trying to trick Max, then max found a coin that said Jackie.
    The end

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  8. I’ve started feeling that way about video games in general. Now that I’m older and have other things on my mind and other priorities, my enthusiasm for gaming has waned. I’ve pretty much gotten rid of my entire game library (granted it was pretty small anyway) and now just fool around on my 3ds, GameCube, or N64 every now and then.
    The cycle of video game hype is something like this:
    Announcement: “They’re making a new game, sweet, but it’s still a while before it comes out.”
    First few months after announcement: “I should probably finish up everything I want to do in this game before the new one comes out.”
    Last few months before release: “I CANT FREAKING WAIT FOR THIS GAME!”
    Release- game completion: “THIS IS AMAZING!!”
    A few months after finishing the game: “This game is terrible, the one before it was way better.”

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  9. I feel ya Moving. ORAS is a great game, but I didn’t get the same feel I had when I first started playing XY and BW, particularly. You may have indeed “outgrown” Pokemon — I think I’m about to reach that point soon, especially with college around the corner– and I don’t blame ya. If you want some motivation to play Alpha Sapphire, I got some for ya.

    – The immense details used (taking off shoes on mats, crouching to speak to little ones, slow-mo ball throw underwater/space). This made me enjoy the games a little more because of how closely Gamefreak paid attention in ORAS. Not to mention the colorful battle backgrounds.
    – I don’t know how much of a competitive battler you are, but I liked that they brought back tutors and legends. It makes the metagame more diverse and maybe a bit more complex now that legends are legal and there are more megas available.
    – Secret Bases. GF made secret bases really well in ORAS. The amount of customization allowed makes the bases seem entirely your own. Shame you can’t have a PC in there.

    I guess that’s it for me. Other than that, ORAS is just another standard Pokemon game. This probably will not influence you that much, but hopefully it can help you get out of that slump and play for a little bit.

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  12. i get you moving, when ORAS was announced i was not hyped but i would bought them anyways because it was a pokemon game but after time passed i decided to sell my 3ds instead because ORAS never called my attention. I will not buy a new handheld until something really NEW releases.

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  14. Hey y’all I’m back from The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies
    And in regards to the articles I too am not too involved in ORAS compared to my fellow Pokejunglians, granted i was so absorbed in playing Wow then focusing on furthering my Pokemon Career (which only blossomed due my dry spell of Wow since I’ve done everything possible)
    But yes ORAS really doesn’t do it for me, sure I loved my adventure and all the Pokemon that came along, but I feel that I’m not as that enticed with it as X&Y but that doesn’t mean I won’t stop honing my skills and devotion but in the meantime I just feel my duties in Wow are a bit more important

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  15. Well, I don’t know for sure how to convince anyone to play.
    I’ve had my times when I felt like I was done with Pokemon.
    But I dunno what happens whenever picked up a new game.
    I dunno what Sinnoh had that made me love Pokemon.
    I dunno what Kalos did to remake my love as well.
    I don’t know if I ever will know.
    Maybe it’s that spark of a new adventure, of longing to be a Trainer, a destiny that is unattainable in this world. Maybe it’s because I’m bored. Maybe it’s because I am entertained easily. Maybe it’s just starting something new.
    I hope you find a good enough reason out there to play, though 😀

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  20. Speaking as someone who played RSE and not enjoying it all that much, and is the main reason I did lot like the 3rd gen that much, ORAS does a lot to better itself
    The graphics are better, as well as the updated story and Dex Nav
    Post game wise, yes the Delta Episode was nice to play through (I got though it in about 45 minutes max), however the post game after thatn is equal to that of XY. Complete the Dex, beat the Maison, collect the Mega Stones (breed competitive Mega Pokemon to go with it), the BF would’ve made it quite different and a tad enjoyable. I find myself right now working on the contests (which Cosplay makes it so easy) and trying to reach 1000 flags, a monotonous task.
    IGN’s comment about there being too much water is understandable however having a Sharpedo really helps, it speeds up the whole process and things seems to be a lot easier to do that + Super Repels.
    Although ORAS are good games, there’s no doubt about it, I still think that more could’ve been done to make the games stand out a bit more (BF, rematches, a longer post game story, maybe about the Regis). I guess we’ll have to look forward to the third game of XY IF they do it (Volcanion still has to come into the equation somehow, I suspect a post game at the Power Plant)
    Whether it’s any better than Gen 1? I think it’s now equal, they’re both at the bottom of my list

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  21. Hi Moving!

    If you feel like Pokemon is not for you anymore… don’t force it, play the games you actually like right now. It is your time and your enjoyment.

    If you asked me, Video Games are gonna be always a thing. There’s no outgrowing video games, just getting tired of certain series or genres.

    Finally, try NOT to get hype for a video game. I wasn’t hype for ORAS but I am still into it. That said, I’m into competitive particularly VGC, so I have reason to go on after the Delta Episode is over.

    Oh by the way, if you aren’t playing the game, then just please watch a playthrough of the Delta Episode. You’re missing the best **** ever about ORAS. Just watch it.

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    • That said, what you feel about ORAS now is exactly what I felt about Diablo 3. I played a ton of Diablo 2 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Same as ORAS, there was controlled hype for D3. But when it came out I found it to be the boringest stuff ever. Being somehow clairvoyant that this might happen, D3 was in a new Battle.net account by itself, so I sold my battle.net account with Diablo 3 to an officemate.

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  23. It’s because GF is releasing incomplete and annual games,plus they are scared of changing things.

    I would rather have one good game in a gen than annual games which are more or less the same….

    ORAS are waayyyyy better than XY, but i enjoyed XY immensely while i didn’t enjoy ORAS as much…

    It’s because ORAS are almost the same…

    Sad fact: pokemon is turning into those much despised annual gaming franchises

    That ruined Assaains Creed, and it might ruin Pokemon if GF doesn’t wake up

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    • Honestly, The Zelda series handles this the best way.

      They Make games after 2-3 years, all of them are completely different,yet they still have the same style of gameplay and story.
      BUT they make big enough changes to make people come back and play the games again.

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        • What changes?

          Pokemon is comparable to games like COD where they release games annually and they are essentially almost the same…

          Then Next 6th gen gamed will also be a little…stale..

          It won’t be until 7th Gen till Pokemon feels refreshing again…..

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    • Releasing a repeated formula is ruining the series. If they don’t change it up their going to crush the series.

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    • They don’t feel incomplete to me, so whatev.
      I enjoyed both so much. Like ORAS was nostalgia and reminded me of my beginning years of Pokemon, and XY was new and fun and changed a lot.
      You can have your opinion, but don’t forget there are some who would disagree.

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      • I enjoyed both as well, but the fact is it’s the same game again and again.
        Plus they’re releasing them every year this makes them a little boring..

        Don’t get me wrong i still and will always love Pokémon, but they need to Make change…

        ORAS feels a little incomplete,

        No BF,No hidden megas,no remixed music for some legends no 3d,Major Frame rate drops

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    • This is sad to hear but true. While I will fully enjoy pokemon no matter what, I think they are just rushing things so they can make money, and not taking their time with things.

      Reply

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