Pokémon Dawn

What happens if you mix the Resident Evil and Pokemon settings with a gameplay that seems taken from Zelda? Well the result would probably be really similar to Pokemon Dawn.

This game uses the typical Pokemon graphics and setting, but offers a completely different gameplay, because Pokemon Dawn is a real time survival horror.
With zombies AND Pokezombies! So do not let the cute graphics distract you, this is a real horror complete of (pixelated) gore and dangerous undeads, but let's start from the beginning of the story.


Forget the happy world of the Pokemon games! Here you will encounter zombies and pokezombies too!

In Pokemon Dawn we play as Drake, the son of the infamous Giovanni of the team Rocket. Since his father disappeared some time ago, Drake is searching for him. On the road to Viridian City, Drake steals a Totodile named Croc from a lab, and leaves on a boat, but... suddenly zombies!!!
Oh yes, and when zombies appear it's never less than a huge horde! Drake is then forced to gather supplies and survivors to face this dangerous situation, and luckily the presence of Totodile will be helpful to fight against the undeads.

This is the premise of Pokemon Dawn, an adventure game of exploration and real time combat during a zombie apocalypse. Expect to wander the city, looking for people and items, unlocking new areas while performing various quests.
The only weapon available, as said before, is Croc (this IS a Pokemon game, for this reason the star of of the game are both the trainer and his Pokemon), so it's a good idea to learn how to use its abilities effectively and have always some healing items available. Help people, earn items and upgrade your pokemon is not a new concept but it works very well!


Duels between trainers and their pokemons won't stop even during the zombie apocalypse!

But there aren't only undeads (humans or pokemons), it's possible to meet other survivors that will give quests, and in some cases Drake will be able to answer in different ways to their questions. And no, don't think that this is only flavour, there are not one, not two, but three different endings that depends from the choice made during the game (Good, Neutral and Bad ending respectively)! Yay!

Graphically the game looks like the old pokemon games (with pokemon red/blue/gold/silver styled facesets and charsets), with pokemon gold/silver menus and the recreation of old familiar settings (for those who know the Pokemon world well), only darker and creepier! Music is and sounds are pretty good and enforce the horror atmosphere, music also changes dramatically during bossfights, and it's always appropriate.
Mapping is pretty good, basically the city and the various locations can be considered as good old (even if modern) dungeons. Exploring will have his rewards since there are hidden secrets and various sidequests available. Oh and there are also duels between trainers, of course, this is still a Pokemon game after all!


Expect dialogues, choices, and the usual (zombie movie) dilemma!

Verdict
This game, even if it can be summed as "Resident Evil in Pokemonland" plays like The Legend of Zelda. With many more feature, of course, still it's an action-oriented game with a solid (unlikely, and for this reason really original) horror setting. The difficulty is well balanced, I found it rather challenging and difficult, but not too hard to be frustrating or impossible. Clearly it needs a skilled p̶l̶a̶y̶e̶r̶ Pokemon Trainer to be completed. And if this person is fond of both Pokemons and zombie horror movies, well this game will be perfect!

But... to tell the truth you don't have to be a Pokemon expert of a horror aficionado to have fun with this little gem, this game is quite good and well made, I did not find errors or bugs in my playthrough. And yes, I had fun, while not overly original the plot is still good and fits well this unusual adventure. I fund the whole story very good and the ending left me wanting for more.

I liked this and it's a solid 4/5. A game a bit frenetic but extremely well done and organized. If you liked this game too, then Pokemon Dusk and its prequel Pokemon Dusk Chronicles will provide more Pokemon Horror adventures.