Detective Pikachu Returns Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

by Jim Smale · October 13, 2023

For this Detective Pikachu Returns Review, we join the detective in question and his cohort Tim to help solve the riddle of his missing partner, along with other curious incidents occurring within Ryme City.

Detective Pikachu Returns Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
8.9GB download size.
Japanese or English voice choice.
Five save slots and a sixth autosave.
Playback speed can be set to – toggle, manual, and off.
Text settings – display speed, auto advance, and fast forward dialogue.
Miscellaneous settings – high speed movement, and correct selection indicator.
Story jump mode – allows you to go to whichever part of the story you want to, it also gives you a brief intro before selecting. This is available straight away.
Puzzle gameplay.
In game cutscenes.
You get a brief overview of the last game.
Opening tutorial case to get you used to the procedure.
At crime scenes you can interact with all the Interactive spots and get information.
The cutscenes blend in with the gameplay sections.
Some sequences require are a quick time event.
The story carries on and mentions the first game a lot.
You get an introduction and name plate for every pokemon you meet.
You can save when you want.
Recap let’s you re read through old conversations.
The ask Pikachu button gives you a clue.
3D world to explore.
Ongoing tutorial support.
The game plays like a hidden object game.
Case list option-Lists all collected evidence, Conversations with people.
Case notes option-Lists case details and acts like a case description.
You get constant nudges and tips.
In your case, you may need to show off what you have learned by doing mini games.
Decent voice work.
Features many Pokemon from different regions.
Nice chilled out the game.
Six chapters of the story.
The save file give a brief description of where you are at in the story.
You play as Tim and can speak and understand Pikachu.
The story takes place in Rhyme City.

Detective Pikachu Returns Review Cons:

Unskippable opening cutscene.
No touchscreen support.
Very slow paced.
No voice work out of the cutscenes and instead it’s just grunts and noises.
Cannot change language during a game.
No way to rebind controls.
The game loses a lot of its uniqueness with no additional screen or touchscreen.
Hardly any atmosphere.
Not particularly difficult.
The Interactive part of the game is fine but there is no real penalty meaning you can just brute force it.
Story jump mode gives you all the details and warns you about spoilers but doesn’t mention that all the chapters are locked initially.
The areas in a case are very closed off and feel like an escape room type scenario at times.

Detective Pikachu Returns:

Official website.

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Store Links –

Nintendo

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
8/10

Length - 8/10
7/10

Fun Factor - 7/10

7.4/10

Summary

Detective Pikachu is a puzzle game that immerses you in the world of Pokemon. You step into the shoes of Tim, a young man who can understand and converse with a talking Pokemon named Pikachu. Together, you navigate various mysteries in Rhyme City. The game boasts decent graphics and voice work, particularly during cutscenes. However, the absence of voice work during gameplay sections is noticeable, with characters resorting to grunts and noises.

The game offers a choice of Japanese or English voice for Pikachu, allowing players to customize their experience. It also provides various text and playback settings. The game features five save slots and a sixth autosave slot, each accompanied by a brief description of your progress.

One of the standout features is the Story Jump mode. This allows you to revisit any part of the story you’ve completed. Before each selection, you’re given a spoiler warning and a summary, ensuring you’re fully informed.

The gameplay revolves around solving puzzles. You’ll find clues, engage with witnesses, and solve mini-games to advance the story. The case list and case notes options are handy tools for reviewing your evidence and case details. If you’re stuck, you can ask Pikachu for a clue or use the recap option to re-read previous conversations.

The game presents a 3D world teeming with Pokemon from various regions. You can interact with them and receive their names and introductions. The game also offers ongoing tutorial support, providing constant nudges and tips to guide you through.

Despite these features, Detective Pikachu has its drawbacks. The pace can be slow at times, and there’s no way to change the language during gameplay or rebind controls. The game also lacks touchscreen support and an additional screen, which takes away from its uniqueness. The areas in a case can feel very closed off at times, resembling an escape room scenario.

In conclusion, Detective Pikachu is a decent game and improves in some areas other the last game but also takes back steps in others. Overall I found it to be an alright sit down and play once experience but it is an acquired taste.