The Unova Region

[Lorde]

I'm not sure if it's just me, but one thing I hate about Unova is how linear it is. I mean, all the cities are in a straight path!

Isn't that a good thing? It means that you don't get lost as often. I remember getting lost in some of the previous games because the regions were so irregular. I liked that traveling in Unova was pretty smooth. You just have to go north until Karakusa Town, then northeast until you enter Sanyou City, then west until you get to Hiun City, then north to Raimon City, then clock-wise all the way until you reach the Pokemon League. Then after that, go east from Souryuu City and you end up back in familiar territory after a while.

 

[R_N]

I never got what was so bad about linear. It's not like the past regions have been paragons of free-choice. Generally everything was on a straight path, barring a few circles between towns, and right/left turns onto more straight lines.

 

[Aurath8]

Well it is annoying to get accross the region if it's linear. I road going down the middle of Isshu runnning from Souryuu City to Raimon would have been perfect, as well as maybe some kind of sophisticated subway that took you to different parts of the region. For-nonfly users crossing the region takes ages, while I can bike from Twinleaf to Sunyshore in less than 5 minutes assuming no wild pokemon or trainers.

 

[Endoplasmic Reticulum]

Well it is annoying to get accross the region if it's linear. I road going down the middle of Isshu runnning from Souryuu City to Raimon would have been perfect, as well as maybe some kind of sophisticated subway that took you to different parts of the region. For-nonfly users crossing the region takes ages, while I can bike from Twinleaf to Sunyshore in less than 5 minutes assuming no wild pokemon or trainers.

Isn't sarcasm fun?

But in all jokes aside, I just prefer a non-linear region. I find it is more realistic and creative. It also makes it more challenging, as I like mazes so I can relate to a non-linear region.

 

[Lorde]

Well it is annoying to get accross the region if it's linear. I road going down the middle of Isshu runnning from Souryuu City to Raimon would have been perfect, as well as maybe some kind of sophisticated subway that took you to different parts of the region. For-nonfly users crossing the region takes ages, while I can bike from Twinleaf to Sunyshore in less than 5 minutes assuming no wild pokemon or trainers.

Non-Fly users huh? I thought everyone used Fly since it's the fastest way to travel in the Pokemon games. I've tried crossing entire regions by foot before in previous games and it would take quite a while. I don't think Unova is all that hard to traverse. About the subway though: I also would have liked to ride around to different areas in it. We can only go to Kanawa Town via the subway in B/W. Maybe some new areas that can only be reached by subway will be added in the third game?

 

[Mario with Lasers]

Why use Fly before beating Geechisu if you have zero reason to go back to earlier cities, except for nicknaming a random pokémon and that event in the museum? Really.

What makes me cringe in B/W is that you simply CANNOT go further than the route right after the next city you have to go. We used to have this in older generations, but only in a couple cities. Now, if I want to get to the forest, I need to beat Aloe; to go to the desert, to beat Arty; to cross the bridge, to beat Kamitsure; blahblahblah... Yeah Masuda, I know you wanted to make the game a bit more linear for little kids who kinda used to get lost (lol wtf? I played Yellow when I was 8 with almost no knowledge of English and only got lost twice, am I a genius?), but I *think* you went a *bit* too far...

 

[Lorde]

Why use Fly before beating Geechisu if you have zero reason to go back to earlier cities, except for nicknaming a random pokémon and that event in the museum? Really.

Raimon City Ferris Wheel Battles, Raimon City Sports Arena Battles, Hodomoe City Heart Scales, Souryuu City Triple Battles, Yaguruma Forest Star Pieces, Hiun City Ice Cream Shop, Hiun City Massages, Hiun City Berry Clown, Sekka City Happiness Checker, Fukiyose City Move Deleter, Fukiyose City Move Releaner, etc.

As you can see, there are tons of reasons to use Fly to go back to older locations within Unova, even before you defeat N and Geechisu at the Pokemon League.

 

[Crystal_Power]

Raimon City Ferris Wheel Battles, Raimon City Sports Arena Battles, Hodomoe City Heart Scales, Souryuu City Triple Battles, Yaguruma Forest Star Pieces, Hiun City Ice Cream Shop, Hiun City Massages, Hiun City Berry Clown, Shippou City Happiness Checker, Fukiyose City Move Deleter, Fukiyose City Move Releaner, etc.

As you can see, there are tons of reasons to use Fly to go back to older locations within Unova, even before you defeat N and Geechisu at the Pokemon League.

Wow, I didn't know Unova had so many interesting places to revisit.

 

[R_N]

I'm not entirely sure Hiun City Ice Cream shop would be at the top of anyone's daily list

 

[BCVM22]

So what you're saying is that you hate ice cream.

Commie.

 

[Ophie]

The Hiun City Ice Cream is awesome. I'd like to stock up on these things, as video game ice cream never melts.

 

[R_N]

So what you're saying is that you hate ice cream.

Commie.

In mother Russia ice cream is a rare luxury and going every day would quickly deplete what little there is for the people

 

[Lorde]

The Hiun Ice Cream may not be everyone's top priority, but I believe the item is rare and is only found in Hiun City on Tuesdays. I've gone a few times to collect those weekly, but the shop appears to be closed in the winter so I can no longer collect though. Anyway, my point is that there are many reasons to go back to older locations in Black and White. Several places like Souryuu City and Raimon City, allow for a bit of quick training, and that's always a good thing. You can never do too much training :]

 

[Mario with Lasers]

Raimon City Ferris Wheel Battles, Raimon City Sports Arena Battles, Hodomoe City Heart Scales, Souryuu City Triple Battles, Yaguruma Forest Star Pieces, Hiun City Ice Cream Shop, Hiun City Massages, Hiun City Berry Clown, Sekka City Happiness Checker, Fukiyose City Move Deleter, Fukiyose City Move Releaner, etc.

As you can see, there are tons of reasons to use Fly to go back to older locations within Unova, even before you defeat N and Geechisu at the Pokemon League.

I find it interesting that nothing you've said really compels me to always have a Fly user in my team (except for the Move Relearner, but I'd go there only once or twice and I could go walking lol). You don't need to backtrack to Raimon/Souryuu only to train your pokémon, as I said, I'd only need the move Relearner a couple times, the Ice Cream Shop sells... ice creams... and I didn't use to constantly backtrack to Route 39 in HGSS/GSC only to buy Moomoo Milk, why would I need berries if I have Dream World which is much more efficient and varied, why would I need to constantly check/increase my pokémon's happiness, why would I need to constantly delete HMs from my pokémon...


Don't get me wrong, I could have a Fly pokémon in my team and visit all those places... But only after E4. Before that, as interesting and fascinating and varied and blahblah Isshu is, I see no reason to backtrack all the time if my main objetive is always go forth, training and getting badges and foiling Plasmas and catching new pokémon. The breeding, the grinding, the item collecting, the happiness increase, the moveset building, all of this I leave to do after E4, as my team members are strong enough to solo the region alone or in a reduced number while I do whatever else I want with the other teamslots.



Also, Meraruba should evolve in an earlier level. I'd love to have one in my pre-E4 team with Fly (and Flame Body for post-E4 breeding!), but it evolves only at lv59, what the fuck. I could work around it if it evolved at lv54, but 59 is too much...

 

[Ememew]

If you're going to have to move linearly anyway (i.e. beat the gym leader before you move on), I'd rather it be because you need their badge for an HM than because someone just won't let you pass until you've dealt with something else. Having to get a move to go forward seems more realistic to me than does someone "conveniently" blocking your path until you get the next badge/deal with the next Team plot. It pulls me out of the game (ruins the suspension of disbelief).

I mean I could understand "you can't go forward because someone [Team Whatever] stole such and such, so we're not letting anyone pass until it's returned in case you're the thief" or "you can't go forward because you'll need to break these rocks first." One of my main complaints about Sinnoh was the "power outage" that kept you from going to Sunyshore until you handled Team Galactic. That power outage could go on for an unreasonably long time if you took your time getting through the game (It could last weeks if you had a lot of homework and couldn't play much, for example). (EDIT: Johto's RageCandyBar guy was even worse . . .)

Having not played B/W yet, I do not know if the excuses for having to beat the leader before moving on seem "reasonable" or not, so I can't complain about/praise any examples in that as of yet.

 

[Manchee]

On the topic of the linear layout of Unova, I like it a lot. It was super easy to follow (in a good way that was enjoyable) and it stayed entertaining. It also makes me walk more than usual; sometimes I need to go to a few cities that are near each other, so I Fly to one and just walk to the others since it doesn't take too long and it's hard to get lost ^^ I also like this because Sinnoh bothered me with how many side-paths you could end up on if you didn't know your way enough. I also think that this set-up makes it easier for new people that start with these games; if someone started the series with DP, I think it might be a little more frustrating, especially with places like Mt. Coronet.

 

[Pikacu]

On the topic of the linear layout of Unova, I like it a lot. It was super easy to follow (in a good way that was enjoyable) and it stayed entertaining. It also makes me walk more than usual; sometimes I need to go to a few cities that are near each other, so I Fly to one and just walk to the others since it doesn't take too long and it's hard to get lost ^^ I also like this because Sinnoh bothered me with how many side-paths you could end up on if you didn't know your way enough. I also think that this set-up makes it easier for new people that start with these games; if someone started the series with DP, I think it might be a little more frustrating, especially with places like Mt. Coronet.

But the rock tunnel and mt coronet mazes are one of the best parts of the pokemon games

 

[R_N]

But the rock tunnel and mt coronet mazes are one of the best parts of the pokemon games

You are the wors...
You are the second worst person.

Although I will not deny that caves are big part of Pokemon (since it's either that or buildings), and Mt Coronet probably has one of my favorite themes in the series, I would not say they are the best parts because they're obnoxious at best. Also Rock Tunnel is like two floors and even in the dark not too hard to get through.


I will also say that Mt. Coronet being a central location that you could enter through different areas to reach different paths was neat, though.

 

[Seryu]

so basicaly the hardest region to get berries You get some but to grow them for instance only unsefull one are on dream wold.

 

[Oshakpop]

I like it when the reigons are completely random and not linear. Linear kinda takes the fun out of it... if there were all these other paths around the reigon it would be great.