Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Lore & Background

The game takes place in the Almia region, which is speculated to connect to the Sinnoh and Orre regions, with Almia possibly based on Hokkaido in certain areas. The Fiore region is mentioned frequently. The player begins as a Pokémon ranger-in-training at the Ranger School, graduates to a rookie Ranger, and advances from there. Unlike the original Pokémon Ranger, the player may choose their character's gender without affecting their partner Pokémon, and can choose their starting partner from Pachirisu, Munchlax, or Starly. There are 17 possible partners, one for each Pokémon type that existed at the time, obtainable through sub-quests or in-game events.

Gameplay involves capturing wild Pokémon by circling them with the Nintendo DS stylus (the Capture Styler). A major change from the original is that the player fills a Pokémon's Friendship Gauge by drawing loops, and can lift the stylus to avoid attacks, though the gauge decreases if loops stop for too long. Shadows of Almia introduces Quests—mini-missions not essential to the plot—that reward new partner Pokémon and power-ups. The game includes four styler types: School, Capture, Fine, and Vatonage stylers, each with unique features such as the Fine Styler's charge capability and the Vatonage Styler's ability to capture Team Dim Sun's Pokémon.

Reader's Guide

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia received mostly mixed reviews, with a Metacritic score of 68. GameSpot rated it 7.5 out of 10, calling it a 'fun, solid addition to the spin-off series.' Eurogamer gave it a 6 out of 10, describing it as 'a mild distraction.' 1UP awarded a C+, noting the story could be deeper. IGN rated it 6.7 out of 10. The game was released on the European Wii U Virtual Console on June 9, 2016, and on the North American Wii U Virtual Console on August 4, 2016. Its significance lies in refining the capture mechanics of the original Pokémon Ranger, introducing quests and multiple partner choices, and expanding the Pokémon roster to include species from Diamond and Pearl. The plot involves the player uncovering Team Dim Sun's activities, using machines called Miniremos and Gigaremos to control Pokémon, and ultimately confronting the shadowy Altru Inc. The game ends with Darkrai circling the Luminous Crystal, symbolizing the restoration of peace to Almia.