Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

 3DS
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 188 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 79 out of 188
  2. Mixed: 61 out of 188
  3. Negative: 48 out of 188
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Tielur
    Mar 24, 2013
    8
    So far this games has one big disadvantage, Text speed. Aside from that I'm really enjoying this game (mostly in a nostalgic kind of way). It doesn't feel as epic yet in terms of plot as the first game and it's not secret that the target audience is children. But if you can see past that it has mostly the same mechanics (with the addition of move leveling and hunger is changed to onlySo far this games has one big disadvantage, Text speed. Aside from that I'm really enjoying this game (mostly in a nostalgic kind of way). It doesn't feel as epic yet in terms of plot as the first game and it's not secret that the target audience is children. But if you can see past that it has mostly the same mechanics (with the addition of move leveling and hunger is changed to only effect specific dungeons) and really makes an attempt to enforce positive morals like how others should be treated and not giving up. For this reason I strongly recommend this game for children, but if you enjoy the series then give it a try.… Expand
  2. HarpLeaf
    Apr 5, 2013
    6
    Overall, a pretty good game, maybe NOT the BEST Mystery Dungeon game (I preferred Explores of Sky/ Time/ Darkness) but it offered a lot of gameplay that was new and welcome to the series. Graphically, the game looks very nice, with polished Pokemon. the game is very text heavy, there is a lot of talking between gameplay, and the only other flaw is the lack of recruit-able Pokemon. The gameOverall, a pretty good game, maybe NOT the BEST Mystery Dungeon game (I preferred Explores of Sky/ Time/ Darkness) but it offered a lot of gameplay that was new and welcome to the series. Graphically, the game looks very nice, with polished Pokemon. the game is very text heavy, there is a lot of talking between gameplay, and the only other flaw is the lack of recruit-able Pokemon. The game itself is very fun and is a good addition to the series… Expand
  3. Bulbanerd
    Mar 30, 2013
    7
    This is one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played, for many reasons. Its detailed environments and complex dungeons left me in awe, and the difficulty of the game kept me playing frequently. Like most Pokemon games, it has a creative story that is expansive and surprising. The thing that is, in my opinion, the best thing about it is that you can pick your Pokemon yourself and notThis is one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played, for many reasons. Its detailed environments and complex dungeons left me in awe, and the difficulty of the game kept me playing frequently. Like most Pokemon games, it has a creative story that is expansive and surprising. The thing that is, in my opinion, the best thing about it is that you can pick your Pokemon yourself and not have to take a quiz to decide it like in the other Mystery Dungeon games. The game does have one fatal flaw, Though: its extensive dialogue. Each NPC talks for 15 minutes at a time, and there were times I would scream at my DS to just get it over with.… Expand
  4. alwaysright
    Apr 24, 2013
    6
    It was okay at best, but it was lacking in a few places. It really needed more starters and more playable pokemon, also why were bosses not playable?? Lastly, why did they not include the quiz thing to choose what kind of pokemon u r, i missed that! Not nearly as good as the other 2 mystery dungeons
  5. Archenoth
    Apr 6, 2013
    9
    Beautiful game.

    It looked great, and played very well for a roguelike RPG. The story was engaging, the music was fantastic, the characters were likable, and the environment was just purely whimsical. But that alone isn't what inclined me to rate the game like I did. But rather, because of the new things that were added to the game. Things like Paradise, a concept I wasn't entirely    Beautiful game.

    It looked great, and played very well for a roguelike RPG. The story was engaging, the music was fantastic, the characters were likable, and the environment was just purely whimsical.

    But that alone isn't what inclined me to rate the game like I did. But rather, because of the new things that were added to the game. Things like Paradise, a concept I wasn't entirely sure about at first until I learned of its full implications. You can manage it, clear it into different types of land, and build on as you see fit. You can upgrade shops, play minigames, train moves or farm berries and seeds. There are special shops that give you information in dungeons, and some that let you take part in draws with prize tickets similarly to how you can in Spinda Cafe in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. It adds incentive to go exploring for materials long after the game finishes to give you a goal beyond simply "recruiting them all" and leveling everyone to level 100.

    As for the story, while usually Mystery Dungeon games usually have their fair share of clichés (But still are pretty impactful.), this installment has a very low quantity of them in comparison. Also the story is filled with emotion, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it also becomes surprisingly involving if you let yourself sink into the viewpoint of your character. The character development was well done and made many Pokemon really quite likable. (I even found myself liking Pokemon that I had never previously cared for.) The story actually may surprise you in more than one way.

    The music is upbeat for the most part, and very well done. It definitely adds to the environment and the story as it goes on. This will become especially evident closer to the end of the game. Some remixes of some older Pokemon Mystery Dungeon tracks also made it in there. (A good example being the mission complete music, which has a whimsical twist in it.)

    There are only a few complaints I really have with this game. One of them is the length of the game. It was much shorter than previous Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, and the post-game was incredibly short compared to the post-game arcs. Two is the Pokemon count, it was pretty small compared to Explorers of Sky or even Red Rescue Team. And finally, the mechanics that were removed or added to make the game easier disappointed me. Things like how Pokemon get experience even when they aren't exploring, or the removal of hunger.

    Overall though, fantastic game. If you liked the previous games, you should totally pick this up. Also, if a Pokemon roguelike sounds appealing to you, this is a perfect place to hop on.    … Expand
  6. No3Mole
    Apr 8, 2013
    5
    PMD: Gates to Infinity is kind of a mixed bag. On one side, the graphics are actually very nice; the scenery is engaging and the pokemon themselves are charmingly handled as well. The magnegate idea to generate new dungeons is a nice touch, and there are tons and tons of items to play with.
    On the other side of things, the aforementioned magnegate is impossible to properly utilize because    PMD: Gates to Infinity is kind of a mixed bag. On one side, the graphics are actually very nice; the scenery is engaging and the pokemon themselves are charmingly handled as well. The magnegate idea to generate new dungeons is a nice touch, and there are tons and tons of items to play with.
    On the other side of things, the aforementioned magnegate is impossible to properly utilize because of how weak the actual mystery dungeon aspect is. The dungeons are randomly generated, but obviously cobbled together from pre-determined chunks, and you'll become all too familiar with them after playing each map a couple of times. The low degree of randomization means that its far too easy to prepare for every eventuality with just a few items, because there's only a few that may challenge you (and the game openly tells you how to deal with them). Though the plot is well-writen and charming enough, the dialogue is miserable even for the standard of a younger audience. I think it can be best summed up with the phrase "you can't just have characters say what they're feeling; that makes me feel angry."

    In spite of its flaws, it is wickedly addicting. Recommend to pokemaniacs, or as an introduction into dungeon crawls, but not many others.    … Expand
  7. Novembre
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    RATING: 8.5/10 I just finished the main game. GOOD: Absolutely gorgeous appearance/graphics. The dungeons are no longer little pieces of tile that all look the same. The models for the pokemon are fantastic, and the overworld is stunning. The 3D looks great here too. One of the best, if not the best, looking title on the 3DS IMO. Story and characters are as good as always! Story dragged onRATING: 8.5/10 I just finished the main game. GOOD: Absolutely gorgeous appearance/graphics. The dungeons are no longer little pieces of tile that all look the same. The models for the pokemon are fantastic, and the overworld is stunning. The 3D looks great here too. One of the best, if not the best, looking title on the 3DS IMO. Story and characters are as good as always! Story dragged on a bit here and there, and more kid-orientated than the previous, but it caters to everyone pretty well and the ending definitely made up for it. It's another tear-jerker. Music, although not the same rhythm-based, catchy tunes of the previous games, is gorgeous as well. The soundfonts blew my mind when comparing it to the old games, and there were some really, really nice tunes in there. NEUTRAL: Dungeon difficulty was lower than in past games. There wasn't really a difficulty curve, and the largest dungeon main-game is about 12 floors, a far cry from the 30+ floors of Blue/Red and Time/Darkness/Sky. The view for the screen is a bit more narrow and claustrophobic than the other games, but you'll get used to it. (Note, this does not necessarily apply to post game. I haven't played it yet). Main story is shorter than the previous two. BAD: Pokemon selection is limited. Long cutscenes (can get to be over 10 minutes long near the end), combined with slow text speed can cause the game to be a bit tedious at points (I want to dungeon, not sit here and read). Not being able to take more than one job request at once. OTHER: I haven't had time to check out the Magnagate dungeons. I haven't played any post-game. It appears as if there will be a lot, though, so I'll update it when I do. OVERALL: Very good and fun game. Although it's more kid-orientated, including less difficult dungeons, the story is as good as ever, the characters fun, beautiful music, and some of the best visuals I've seen on a 3DS to date. TOTAL UP TO NOW: 8.5/10… Expand
  8. xsilvermoonx
    Mar 27, 2013
    9
    If you keep in mind that the target audience is kids, this game is awesome. The graphics are beautiful. The story is really cute, and the characters are attaching. The gameplay is fun and addictive. I have to agree with the other reviews, the text speed is a negative point,
  9. Zorupix
    Apr 23, 2013
    5
    I have to say, I was rather looking forward to this game when it was first being talked about. However, while there are some things that this game does better than its predecessors, there are a greater number of things that make it a worse game than the Explorers series.

    First the Pros: ~No more quizes to determine who you play as. Now you can just pick who you want out of the    I have to say, I was rather looking forward to this game when it was first being talked about. However, while there are some things that this game does better than its predecessors, there are a greater number of things that make it a worse game than the Explorers series.

    First the Pros:
    ~No more quizes to determine who you play as. Now you can just pick who you want out of the starters.
    ~Beautiful Graphics
    ~Good storyline
    ~The ability to improve on your attacks in power, accuracy and PP based on usage and training
    ~TMs are reusable
    ~You can build your Paradise
    ~The ability to 'pause' the main story and play as a team made up of Pokemon that are not on your main team
    ~All members of your Team (not just the four that make up your party) level up so that no Pokemon is left weak

    And now for the cons:
    ~Only 144 Pokemon that can join your Team, and the vast bulk of those are Gen V
    ~Only 5 Choosable Pokemon to pick as yourself and your partner
    ~All starting Pokemon (You and your partner) are all male. You are unable to choose your own gender or that or your partner
    ~Boss AI is not all that bright (though for some that could be a good thing)
    ~Not much after story following the main storyline
    ~Main storyline is rather short (Beat it in less than 20 hours)
    ~You have to pay for new dungeons via DLC, about $2 per new dungeon
    ~So far, there seems to be a vast lack of evolution items. Also, while your other party members are able to evolve, you and your partner cannot until after the main story, and no logical reason or explanation is given.

    All in all, if you're looking for a quality PMD game, I highly recommend PMD: Explorers of Sky. This game is fun, don't get me wrong, but for long-time fans of the series, this latest game is a letdown. However, those who have never played a PMD game will find this enjoyable and a good way to get into the series.    … Expand
  10. steamcrusader
    Oct 16, 2017
    8
    Underrated! UNDERRATED!!! This Game Is bursting with sidequests, End-game content and Immersive story! Building paradise was an amazing long-term project, and while the game might be easy, the story is amazing and the bosses are great. Sure, I'm not a great fan of "discover a magnagate", but bonus levels are bonus levels. Building paradise and getting as many powerful partners as I can isUnderrated! UNDERRATED!!! This Game Is bursting with sidequests, End-game content and Immersive story! Building paradise was an amazing long-term project, and while the game might be easy, the story is amazing and the bosses are great. Sure, I'm not a great fan of "discover a magnagate", but bonus levels are bonus levels. Building paradise and getting as many powerful partners as I can is something I often come back to when bored, so consider this my choice for the mystery dungeon game with the best post-game. it gets some fun minigames too, but they do feel a bit watered down. (no pun intended for the starmie diving minigame)… Expand
  11. Luigibarqs
    Apr 14, 2013
    5
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is a Nintendo 3DS sequel to the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky on the Nintendo DS. Is this game superior to its sequel? Well, Its hard to say. The positive changes that greatly improve this sequel are just as numerous as the negative changes that make the game worse than the prequels prior to this entry in this spin-offPokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is a Nintendo 3DS sequel to the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky on the Nintendo DS. Is this game superior to its sequel? Well, Its hard to say. The positive changes that greatly improve this sequel are just as numerous as the negative changes that make the game worse than the prequels prior to this entry in this spin-off series.

    First off, lets start with the negatives. Pokemon is a series which is based around collecting as much monsters as possible, with there being well over 600 different kinds as of now, it seems like a poor choice to limit the amount of Pokemon in the game to less than 150. I understand however that making 3D models and animations for each model for all the Pokemon that exist as of now and the environments would take quite a bit of time and eat a large amount of space on the game card so I understand why the Pokemon list is as limited as it is, but it leads me to question why they strayed away from sprites which take up far less memory in comparison. Another problem is the story. No, not the writing itself, but the length of it overall. Gates to Infinity is about a quarter of the length of the prequel trio Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, further proving my point of shortness, the post-story scenario consists of only one dungeon, which is less than 15 floors in length, when compared to the lengthy post-story scenario at the end of Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky it feels extremely disappointing. I'd assume that the 3D models taking up too much space also explains the lack of length in the story and post-story. Something else that is bothersome about this game is how slow it is, for example: this game is text heavy, yet there is no options to speed text up, I assume this is to make people pay more attention to the story, but it gets irritating that the slow moving text can make some cutscenes last up to nearly 20 minutes or longer when it could have been done in 5 minutes with faster text scrolling. Another example of slowness is only being able to do one mission at a time, in prequels you could do multiple missions if they where all in the same dungeon, not in this sequel, this makes progressing in the game slower and more tedious. If you are the person who enjoys challenging games, you will be disappointed to learn that hunger, monster houses and other game mechanics that made the game harder are limited or altered greatly to make this game much easier to appeal to a more younger/casual market. Last but not least in regards to negatives, dungeon rescues are done by Streetpass only, they can no longer be done through passwords or Wifi services, so if you live in low populated areas and/or areas where Pokemon isn't very popular, don't expect to be rescued.

    With the negatives out of the way, lets take a look at the positive aspects of the game. The story is greatly written (despite being extremely short) and most of the characters you meet over the course of the plot are strongly developed making the story quite engaging, though you could make the argument that the side characters can be overdeveloped and hog the spotlight. The story barely even focuses on you (the main character) at all until near the end of the story which is an odd design choice but not a major issue. The music is beautiful like usual and is a treat to listen to. An interesting new feature is the ability to design a village around your house named "Paradise" where you can visit Pokemon you have recruited that are not in use in a party and build facilities like lottery centers, stores, gardens, dojos and mini-game booths among other things with the ability to upgrade and customize them in different ways. Another feature is that you now have two parties, one which is the "story" party that contains your starter, partner and two others, that have full access to everything but wireless multiplayer. The "Companion" party on the other hand consists of any four Pokemon that you have recruited and can be used in wireless multiplayer missions or single player missions but can't access the Town or any events or locations that effect the story. Most of the game mechanics are modified (for better or worse is for you to decide) that makes the game in certain aspects much more simplistic and easier to understand (but at the cost of much lower difficulty). Some of the game mechanic changes include: Instead of Move-Linking combos, you can now Level Up individual attacks to give higher Power, PP and Accuracy. Instead of character specific IQ Abilities, you now have Team Skills that affect the entire party. Another interesting addition is you even get a Team Attack skill that works similarly to a "Team Blast" from Sonic Heroes or "Final Smash" from Smash Bros. that can be used in a bad situation to save yourself. There is also DLC content.

    In conclusion, in my opinion its not as good as Explorers of Sky, but that isn't to say its bad game, its an average game overall.    … Expand
  12. PMG
    Feb 20, 2014
    8
    I really like this game. For one the story has a huge twist that actually surprised me, and second this is not only one of the best loking pokemon games of all time, but also one the 3DS games that make the greatest use of the 3D. And the dungeon exploring was really fun. However there are a few things i don't like about this game. For one the fact that you can't speed up the text or skipI really like this game. For one the story has a huge twist that actually surprised me, and second this is not only one of the best loking pokemon games of all time, but also one the 3DS games that make the greatest use of the 3D. And the dungeon exploring was really fun. However there are a few things i don't like about this game. For one the fact that you can't speed up the text or skip cutscenes all together, make it a bit annoying when ever there is expesition, it tends to drag on. And second... ? I guess that is it. If your are a pokemon fan and like me like the pokemon spinoffs then this is a good game.… Expand
  13. RecipesW
    Apr 18, 2014
    10
    The game's great, it's useless to say anything else. In addition, it's one of the few games which begins after you finish it and you're never bored at all. Great, great great. Very good moves, buildings, deep story, Good End and of course, perfect visuals. By far the best mystery dungeon game ever played!
  14. Noobinator
    Jun 26, 2014
    9
    This game is absolutely fantastic. Like the other installments in the series, Gates takes you on a long, emotional journey that's easy to be immersed in and ultimately leaves you with a climactic ending and even a little teary eyed at the credits. Ryoma Nakamura, Keisuke Ito and Yasuhiro Kawagoe to a truly amazing job with the soundtrack, crafting a score between them that gets everythingThis game is absolutely fantastic. Like the other installments in the series, Gates takes you on a long, emotional journey that's easy to be immersed in and ultimately leaves you with a climactic ending and even a little teary eyed at the credits. Ryoma Nakamura, Keisuke Ito and Yasuhiro Kawagoe to a truly amazing job with the soundtrack, crafting a score between them that gets everything right, from the struggle of the final boss battle to the simple, memorable menu music. The graphics are fantastic on the 3DS, there are some great unexpected plot twists, and for (perhaps?) the first time in a Pokemon game (mini spoiler alert), we see a Pokemon directly murder another, introducing the theme of death in maybe the least subtle way yet. An incredibly enjoyable and an occasionally surprisingly mature story.

    Not without its flaws, the major issues I have with the game are its limited scope (there are less than 150 different Pokemon in the game), the text speed, which can be frustratingly slow, and the game's oversimplification (no hunger, no item shortcut). Much smaller issues include a perhaps slow introduction to the game, being limited to one request at once, and a much too easy final boss battle (that really doesn't do the story and music justice). Despite these issues, the game still gets a convincing 9, as you never really notice too much repetition in Pokemon encounters, and you get used to the text speed pretty quickly.

    Like the other Pokemon Mystery Dungeon installments, Gates might well be targeted towards six to eight year olds, but make no mistake - it doesn't matter whether you're 6 or 26 if you're willing to be immersed in a wonderful Pokemon fantasy story, you'll enjoy this game.    … Expand
  15. Weesum
    May 23, 2015
    0
    Terrible, terrible, terrible game! This game was so bad for me, that I cry for the players that started with this! Start with any other Mystery Dungeon!

    First problem close to only pokemon from 5th gen, and you cant even get all of them! My favorite Pokemon is Victini, so when I found out that almost all Pokemon were 5th gen, I thought that Victini was a must as a recruitable character,    Terrible, terrible, terrible game! This game was so bad for me, that I cry for the players that started with this! Start with any other Mystery Dungeon!

    First problem close to only pokemon from 5th gen, and you cant even get all of them! My favorite Pokemon is Victini, so when I found out that almost all Pokemon were 5th gen, I thought that Victini was a must as a recruitable character, but it was reduced to shopkeeper only. A very big piece of advice, NEVER demote a legendary Pokemon to just a shopkeeper. It can break someones heart, like mine.

    The story is existent but seems more like it was made to say that the game had a story. It is not very well thought out, this is not saying that the previous stories were, but they at least established a connection with all of the characters. This game does not. I never felt anything for any of the characters throughout the entire story.

    Lastly my biggest complaint is the DLC. I chose Snivy as myself and Pikachu as my partner. Little did I know that after the game ended and I could evolve my Pokemon, that I would need to buy a DLC map to even have a chance to get a thunder stone. I tried for 5 days without one, using a website to find out theres a minigame that you can receive one in if you get the best prize. needless to say, my Pikachu never evolved...

    All in all, this game sucks. If you want to play Mystery Dungeon for the first time, I suggest Blue or Sky. Etrian Mystery Dungeon is also good, although not being pokemon themed. All three of those games are in my top 20 games, and are a lot better than this monstrosity. I'm praying that Super Mystery Dungeon can redeem the series.    … Expand
  16. CWL
    Jan 1, 2016
    6
    A mixed experience with a pretty good story and characters countered with gameplay mechanics that don't seem all that the game tells you (cough cough magnegate cough cough) and with a slow start as always, this is the most disappointing game in the MD series, especially coming off of EoS.
  17. TrooperC
    Mar 25, 2013
    9
    Probably my favorite game out of the entire Mystery Dungeon series so far. The only disadvantage I have about the game is how tedious the text speed can be. So far, this game seems to be the most simplistic out of the other games in the series. Sometimes, I still want a challenge out of each dungeon. Once you have played further into the game, it seems like from my experience that it isProbably my favorite game out of the entire Mystery Dungeon series so far. The only disadvantage I have about the game is how tedious the text speed can be. So far, this game seems to be the most simplistic out of the other games in the series. Sometimes, I still want a challenge out of each dungeon. Once you have played further into the game, it seems like from my experience that it is still very enjoyable and casual to play.… Expand
  18. dante_finn
    Mar 25, 2013
    10
    This game has vibrant 3D Graphics and detailed enviroments.
  19. Kyon55
    Sep 16, 2014
    1
    I hate this game. Absolutely despise it. Why? Because as a sequel, it falls on its face flat and is an embarrassment to the Mystery Dungeon series. When I played the first game, I loved it. Yes it had its flaws, and there were a few things that I wish they didn't do. The sequel Explorers of Sky/Darkness was twice the game Red/Blue was. Likable characters, Great character development, and aI hate this game. Absolutely despise it. Why? Because as a sequel, it falls on its face flat and is an embarrassment to the Mystery Dungeon series. When I played the first game, I loved it. Yes it had its flaws, and there were a few things that I wish they didn't do. The sequel Explorers of Sky/Darkness was twice the game Red/Blue was. Likable characters, Great character development, and a reason to love Grovyle for being one of the best allies you can ever get. Sky was even better, and the pinnacle of the series. They took Darkness and Sky, added a few things to it, and put in special episodes which was the cherry on top. I love Sky. I could go on and on about it, but thats not why I'm here. I'm here to give my thoughts on the abomination we know as Gates to Infinity.

    I bought it as it was one of my favorite series. I had high hopes for it, but in the end, all were gone.

    One.
    Character development was non existent. Your partner, and all of your other * ahem* "friends" had nothing to them. They never really changed or felt like you grew a bond to each other. Heck, at the times the game TRIED to make me feel sad when something happened with the main characters, i went "meh". simply because no one really developed a real character. I'll expand a bit more in point 3.

    Two.
    The game was unrealistic emotional wise. Let me give an example. Remember in Sky when you return from the future and tell everyone Dusknoir was evil? No one believed you at first. Why? Because everyone saw him as an idol and held him in high regards. Had it not been for Corphish pointing out how strange it was on how Dusknoir grabbed you, they still wouldn't have believed you. THAT is a realistic reaction. Uncertainty brews in your mind due to it sounding so farfetched; even from someone who you've come to know and trust. GTI throws that out the window and makes everyone change on the dot. Play it again. See what I mean when they don't even think about it. All it takes is one little thing, and BAM. Everyone instantly changes their mind right on the spot. I guarantee that you'll see my point.

    Three.
    The game was waaaaaayyyyy too rushed. Going back to point one, part of the problem with no character development was the fact that the game became too rushed. It forces you to progress through the game and get through it super fast. The previous 2 had done a good job of setting a good pace of game progress and character development. Why was it botched so badly in this game? There is NO excuse for this at all. You've done it correctly already, why change something that works?

    And four.
    The music sucks balls. Compared to the previous two, the OST is terrible and its terrible without even comparing it to the other two. The first two had a really good soundtrack that I still go back and listen to on occasions. I've heard every track. There is not a single one I liked, cared for, or would even bother not touch again. Not. ONE.
    Well... what a mouthful. This game fails horribly at doing something its predecessors had done well in the past. One thing that really annoys me is how much potential the game had. The story line itself was changed, and honestly had it been done right, I would say this would be the next best Mystery Dungeon game. The premise of what I saw was really good and had a real good setup. Problem is, they botched it and botched it reeeeeeal hard. I lost interest in playing this game and had gone back to two other games in the midst of this and beat them. I only beat this game for the sake of beating it. I haven't touched it since. With the potential to be a good game, it had a couple other things I DID like. The multiplayer mission thing was a fantastic idea, and I did enjoy playing it with a friend. Sadly, that's the best part of the game. The other is the ability to get a building that lets you change the music of a dungeon. The ONLY reason to get this is because they used the best tracks from the past games, which was a good bit. But that is it. It fails as a good game, sequel, and ruins all hopes for replay ability. The ONLY reason it gets a 1 is because the multiplayer, the large potential the story had, and extra music. Which loses points because you still have to buy in a DLC. I am only keeping this game to say I have every Mystery Dungeon game. Honestly though, I'd prefer it if I could forget its existence. Like Paper Mario Sticker Star.    … Expand
  20. Matt1251
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Okay, I've completed the game. And let me just say, the story is the best out of the entire series. Sure, the final battle trolls you at first (You can't do anything). But after that, it just feels so satisfying to literally punch it in the face. In the FACE! Anyway, the music. Dare I say, this game has one of the best soundtracks in video game history. Ragged Mountain wasOkay, I've completed the game. And let me just say, the story is the best out of the entire series. Sure, the final battle trolls you at first (You can't do anything). But after that, it just feels so satisfying to literally punch it in the face. In the FACE! Anyway, the music. Dare I say, this game has one of the best soundtracks in video game history. Ragged Mountain was phenomenal for the FIRST DUNGEON, End of the Road Alternate Arrangement 1 was a great remix of the original, Great Spire was epic and tells you that you're near the end, and that... that ENDING!! I'm not going to go into full detail, but let me just say this. That ending is one of, if not the most emotional moment in gaming history. All this bumps my rating up to a ten. By far, one of, if not my favorite game ever.… Expand
  21. hokieman
    Mar 24, 2013
    7
    I have not finished the game but what I have played it is definitely the best in the series and the story is very well written, even though it's targeted towards children it does well capturing your attention. Graphics-wise, it's one of the best 3ds games I've seen and looks great. The only thing unchanged is the actual combat, its pretty much what you are used to and nintendo got rid of aI have not finished the game but what I have played it is definitely the best in the series and the story is very well written, even though it's targeted towards children it does well capturing your attention. Graphics-wise, it's one of the best 3ds games I've seen and looks great. The only thing unchanged is the actual combat, its pretty much what you are used to and nintendo got rid of a couple of pointless features from the past mystery dungeon games. There isn't much of a challenge to the game and the dungeons are very alike but the pro's make up for the con's and if you're a pokemon fan yous should enjoy this game.… Expand
  22. Salamence1
    Mar 14, 2016
    0
    I know this review is 3 years late but oh well. I am a BIG BIG BIG Pokemon fan. And i love the mystery dungeon series. But i really liked explores of sky. so when Nintendo announced mystery dungeon for the 3ds i was excited. I brought the game, completed it and then realised that it fails in every single aspect of the game. It's boring, too easy, tedious, repetitive and just downrightI know this review is 3 years late but oh well. I am a BIG BIG BIG Pokemon fan. And i love the mystery dungeon series. But i really liked explores of sky. so when Nintendo announced mystery dungeon for the 3ds i was excited. I brought the game, completed it and then realised that it fails in every single aspect of the game. It's boring, too easy, tedious, repetitive and just downright disapointing. There were only 5 pokemon to choose from instead of nearly 20 and it was short, all of the dungeons felt the same and it never at one point inTrested me. But the thing that i hate the most is that the final pokemon battle you have even isn't against a real pokemon and it uses fake pokemon moves as well. Take it from me unless you want about 5 hours of the same boring thing happening over and over do not buy this game!… Expand
  23. MRTOMOWATO
    Jan 11, 2014
    3
    This game is poor .
    Pros
    Good use of 3D
    Good interaction
    Cons
    Exactly the same storyline as it's predecessors .
    Way too much talking
    Repetitive
    If Your A Pokémon Fan go back to your gameboys and play Pokémon when it was actually good .
  24. Squirtle456
    May 7, 2013
    4
    My family has been playing Pokemon games from the very start. In fact we still own just about every game and duplicates of many. I like the Mystery Dungeon series. This game should not have been classified as a Mystery Dungeon it should have been classified as a beginning READER. I like to play video games on my 3DS, DS Lite, SP, GBA, and GBC but this "game" is more story and lessMy family has been playing Pokemon games from the very start. In fact we still own just about every game and duplicates of many. I like the Mystery Dungeon series. This game should not have been classified as a Mystery Dungeon it should have been classified as a beginning READER. I like to play video games on my 3DS, DS Lite, SP, GBA, and GBC but this "game" is more story and less game. It took me 1/2 an hour to get through one text section (I wasn't even reading just pressing the A button) and it doesn't allow you to go into Dungeons if you have an objective to fulfill (which is more story that you need to get through) Hopefully I will finish the game before I run out of patience pressing my A button.… Expand
  25. DarthSidious63
    Mar 27, 2013
    5
    Being a game targeted to a young audience Nintendo should have put on the brakes on having to pay for extra content. This only proves that going digital will be a curse on gamers young and old alike cause publishers like Activision will take advantage.
  26. ikereview
    Dec 24, 2014
    0
    this is one of the worst games ever they could not wait for x/y to release and put those pokemon in its a very rushed game worst graphics and the story is cliche
  27. Falcus
    Nov 28, 2013
    5
    None of the PMD games were good, this being no exception.

    I just have to say that the story is absolutely ridiculous, overly long, and boring. During the few moments when I actually felt an interest in the plot, it's ruined within the minute by some ridiculous plot twist or extremely silly dialogue. The character dialogue stretches for painful hours, and there's no way to skip it. It    None of the PMD games were good, this being no exception.

    I just have to say that the story is absolutely ridiculous, overly long, and boring. During the few moments when I actually felt an interest in the plot, it's ruined within the minute by some ridiculous plot twist or extremely silly dialogue. The character dialogue stretches for painful hours, and there's no way to skip it. It doesn't help that the script is just pathetic, either. On the other hand, the visuals look quite nice, though the battle animations are lame and dungeon design is very much the same for all of them.

    Pretty much the only part of the story I thought was cool was the beginning--up until the end of the demo. I thought the game looked rather promising after I finished the demo, but I was very wrong...

    Sound is nothing special (the music does not appeal to me at all...), gameplay mechanics are not great, and the oh-so-painful dialogue scenes filled with ridiculous conversations and repetition and repetition and repetition. There's virtually nothing interesting to do after the main story, and I wouldn't be surprised to see people give up on the game before clearing it (due to the text speed).

    Overall, not very good; only the nice 3D Pokemon models keeps this game from falling below mediocrity.

    PRESENTATION: 5.5/10
    CORE GAME: 5/10
    VISUALS: 7/10
    AUDIO: 6/10
    GAMEPLAY: 5/10
    LASTING APPEAL: 4/10    … Expand
  28. 3DSGamGam
    Dec 21, 2013
    6
    Okay so this is my first pokemon mystery dungeon game i ever played and for the first game i played i thought it was pretty good not the best but certainty not the worst just in between.

    the good the music is amazing! and the graphics look amazing it looks like something you could watch on tv! the bad theres 2 major problems i have with this game, these two could potentially ruin    Okay so this is my first pokemon mystery dungeon game i ever played and for the first game i played i thought it was pretty good not the best but certainty not the worst just in between.

    the good
    the music is amazing! and the graphics look amazing it looks like something you could watch on tv!

    the bad
    theres 2 major problems i have with this game, these two could potentially ruin the game for anybody, 1 the dungeons. its cool that there randomly generated and all but every dungeon is the SAME!!!! every dungeon i have been in so far just consisted of corridors that lead me back to were i started or a place i have been theres nothing worth exploring these dungeons for! every corridor either leads you back were just was or they lead to empty rooms with nothing! its a complete waste of time!!!! i mean come on reward the player for exploring these dungeons! other wise all thats in these dungeons are enemies some items on the floor and a few stairs THATS IT!!!! its not fun!
    2. THE DIALOGUE!! characters talk for too long!!! SHUT UP ALREADY!!! it has tons and tons of unnecessary dialouge like if a character tells you to do something theirs a long dialogue scene and after you get the chance to move and go get the item you get stopped by another character right before you go to the dungeon!!! everybody talks too much they never shut up at one point i almost just quite the game because of this bottom line get your story across without boring the player out of his mind!

    like i said its not the worst game i ever played, at times its actually quite fun but the two problems i listed is quite possibly game ruining things if your going to buy this prepare for long annoying and pointless dungeons and long and stupid dialogue scenes. also i forgot to mention the AI is pretty dumb at times and the dungeons will spawn a wonder pad i one room only to have another right in the next room beside it. its not the worst but not the best its okay. would i recommend buying it no i would rent it at least too bad the only thing you will get to see in the game is the dialogue before you return it.    … Expand
  29. Kirisoul
    Aug 26, 2013
    6
    Graphics and presentation were nice, but I couldn't help but feel the overall experience was a bit bare bones even compared to other mystery dungeon games. The overall impression the game left on me after a few hours was decidingly childish I'm sorry to say. I haven't finished the game yet, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I was not overly impressed with the game as a whole.
  30. ZangooseSlash
    Jun 1, 2013
    8
    Pokemon gates to infinity is a decent addition to the mystery dungeon series. It has a good plot and great character development, but the game was severely lacking in content. There aren't many pokemon to befriend, 144 pokemon from what i've heard, and I only spent about 21 hours on the main story. The game is great, but the lack of content leaves you wanting a longer experience, and thePokemon gates to infinity is a decent addition to the mystery dungeon series. It has a good plot and great character development, but the game was severely lacking in content. There aren't many pokemon to befriend, 144 pokemon from what i've heard, and I only spent about 21 hours on the main story. The game is great, but the lack of content leaves you wanting a longer experience, and the DLCs fail to deliver.… Expand
  31. GoombaJMR
    Jun 22, 2013
    7
    Besides Text speed, the game is not that bad, and a decent simple battle style and nice mazes keep this for a good game. Buy it if you're a pokemon fan, soft rpg fan, or fans of cute pokemons and slow reading speeds. Don't buy this if you're looking for a hardcore deep rpg like Fire Emblem Awakening or Etrian Odyssey IV. The game has cute music and an average storyline..you know theBesides Text speed, the game is not that bad, and a decent simple battle style and nice mazes keep this for a good game. Buy it if you're a pokemon fan, soft rpg fan, or fans of cute pokemons and slow reading speeds. Don't buy this if you're looking for a hardcore deep rpg like Fire Emblem Awakening or Etrian Odyssey IV. The game has cute music and an average storyline..you know the recommendations, go for your taste!

    Gameplay: 7/10
    Story: 7/10
    Music: 8.5/10
    Presentation: 6.5/10
    Length: 8/10
    Overall: 7/10    … Expand
  32. Tomaskovic93
    Apr 25, 2013
    9
    Great story, lots of work went into making the player feel the emotions of the characters in the game, i often found myself feeling similar emotions as a certain Quagsire in game (hmmm?) and often shed many tears of manliness at the story and situation throughout the game. only problem with the game is a relatively slow text speed but please don't let that discourage you from buying thisGreat story, lots of work went into making the player feel the emotions of the characters in the game, i often found myself feeling similar emotions as a certain Quagsire in game (hmmm?) and often shed many tears of manliness at the story and situation throughout the game. only problem with the game is a relatively slow text speed but please don't let that discourage you from buying this amazing game!… Expand
  33. AlphaReshiramHD
    May 6, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity Review.
    Ok so let's get started shall we...

    This game by the name is another game from the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series (Duh)
    Ok the story line...
    Yeah if you played the last PMD Games,you already know:

    You are a Human
    You transformed in a Pokemon
    You meet your partner
    Save the Pokemon world
    You Dissapear
    and you come back....

    When you start the game,you already know that you need to do a...Wait,o yeah there is no Quiz for choosing your Pokemon now,that's how i like it!,but already a problem there is only 5 Pokemon that you can choose at the start of the Game,YES 5!!,such a let down from the last title,last PMD game had more than 5,i think it had 10 or 15...

    Also you already noticed that the Text goes incredibly slow,and there is no way to make it faster...
    anyways when you start the game off,you are probably notice improvements in graphics when you start the game off,This game looks Awsome,the dungeons just blew my eyeballs off...From pixelated dungeons this game if going in full 3D,and it looks incredible.The Pokemons now have full 3D Models and each of them looks incredible.

    Also another thing is that now some dungeons have Hub Worlds,in there,some Enemy Pokemon are roaming around,if you touch the you enter a battle,talking about battles,if you played other PMD Games do you remember how painfull it was to go the menu choose your Pokemon and then the attack?,not anymore,simply press L and choose your attack,thank god.

    There is no Hunger in the game in almost all the dungeons do,finally.And also the way of evolving Pokemon is different,the way you evolve pokemon in the game is by Leveling it up to a certain level or giving it a certain Item,exactly like a Main Game.

    In this game,you are introduced to the Pokemon Paradise,where you can build up facilities in the game as more as you progress,You can also level up the paradise by obtaining Paradise Points that you get from clearing missions.

    This games added a lot of awesome thing to the Mystery Dungeon Spin-off series,there are many new stuff that people that played the last PMD Games have noticed,I wish i could tell everything,but that's up to yourself...

    But how about thing that i Didn't like about the game?
    First:The Aftergame could have been better,in the last game,the after game was really important do,but here is really short do,you can complete it a few hours after completing the main game overall.

    Second:You migth already know it,is how many Pokemon you can choose at the start of the game,seriously 5?

    Third:The Text is really slow,and yes it can be that bad.

    Aaaand that's about it.
    Oh yeah this game also have DLC you can download,but i don't quiet thing is something you will waste your money for,there are just extra dungeons with certain stuff on them.
    Anyways guys,this game is overall a good game,the Music is awesome,the graphics are great,the Storyline like all PMD Game is sweet and finally is overall really fun to play in my opinion.BUT I quiet recommend this game to a Pokemon fan (Specialy younger fans),General Audience may fall sleeping playing this game,only fans like me,will have some certain enjoyment out of this game.

    I will give this game an 8.5 out 10 stars.
    I Wish i could tell more but that's up to you when you get it.    … Expand
  34. Aquaris475
    Jul 5, 2013
    9
    I love the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. so when this title was announced, I was stoked. And when I got it, I played the best game in the Mystery Dungeon series, and even Pokémon overall. The story of the game is pretty lighthearted, and may have been aimed for kids, but I still found it enjoyable. this game's ending was also one of the few times where I cried at the ending. the gameplayI love the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. so when this title was announced, I was stoked. And when I got it, I played the best game in the Mystery Dungeon series, and even Pokémon overall. The story of the game is pretty lighthearted, and may have been aimed for kids, but I still found it enjoyable. this game's ending was also one of the few times where I cried at the ending. the gameplay is the same, but adds some new things to make gameplay faster. for example, instead of scrolling through menus to use moves, you can now just hold down the right trigger and press A,B,X,Y to use that respective move. it's tweaks to the gameplay like these that make the game much better. the graphics are really nice. they may just be my favorite graphics on any game. The music is really great. I found myself humming these tunes, and while some tracks are forgettable, I find this to be one of my favorite game soundtracks. but what I found to be the game's best part was, surprisingly, character development. I found myself caring for these characters, and was happy when they were, or sad when they were. I don't think I've cared much for characters like these since the Walking Dead: the game, and that's saying A LOT. Overall, Gates to Infinity is a worthy title to the 3DS library. the plot may be lighthearted, but the gameplay, while simple, is great, and combined with great music and character development, this makes it my personal favorite Pokémon title, and one you should definitely check out.… Expand
  35. TheHandsomeGmr
    Jun 5, 2013
    6
    This game does get repetitive and the dialog sequences can't be skipped unless you count hold the B buttton. Its the same as any other mystery dungeon game and add a few new ideas. I bought for 30$ so im pretty satisfied with my purchase. I still have not been able too finish it because I got too bored after playing all those levels over and over.
  36. Thomas988
    Aug 12, 2013
    9
    This game is beyond fantastic. I enjoyed every minute from the beginning to the end. The plot was incredibly action-packed and I kept asking myself what was going to happen next. My only complaint about this game though are the extremely difficult boss fights.
  37. SanFanCisco
    Aug 17, 2013
    7
    Although the game felt like downgrade from the previous installments. The Story-line was full of interesting plot twists, the graphics were excellent, and any fan of the series will enjoy the game.
  38. PokemonRater
    Oct 1, 2013
    7
    Very great storyline, and very interesting characters! The area looks much more real, especially when you compare it to the older versions of the Mystery Dungeon series. The art is very well done, but like many others, I have a complaint about the text speed. The text speed goes so slowly, that you don't even want to read the text, just pressing the A button just to finish it.

    The game    Very great storyline, and very interesting characters! The area looks much more real, especially when you compare it to the older versions of the Mystery Dungeon series. The art is very well done, but like many others, I have a complaint about the text speed. The text speed goes so slowly, that you don't even want to read the text, just pressing the A button just to finish it.

    The game has a very tragic "ending", which actually put me in a very sad mood for a few hours, but later it becomes happier near the end. As far as the complexity of the game goes, this is actually a very simple game, and isn't hard at all.

    After the complete plot finishes, the game is BORING. The game length is about 24 hours for the main plot, based on my gametime. But after everything ends, there's really no more goal, like pretty much every other game. All you do is just do requests, level up and expand your paradise. If you're a really dedicated person to completing things, this is the game for you, but for more mature gamers like me, this game gets boring, and without a plot and change in any part of the NPCs, this game is even more boring. Repetition of the dungeons is extremely boring, and when you face the same idea multiple times, such as defeating an opponent or something similar, you will feel bored as well. The game, like I said before, is very simple, so after the plot, when your Pokemon is strong, you don't see enemy Pokemon as a challenge, you see them as an annoying obstacle. For some reason, after the plot, you would feel inclined to play the game, hoping for something to happen, but nothing will, and you will have to repeat pretty much the same thing over and over again, with decreasing difficulty as your character grows in level.

    While on the other hand, during the time which you will play Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, it is really fun. I myself got very hooked to the game, and 4 days later with 24 hours of actual gameplay, I finished the game. The plot is very interesting, but in my opinion, is too short. Considering this game is for the younger audience, this game will be more complex and the plot will be "longer" for the younger audience. If you're a real teary person, the ending will get you bawling, yes, I mean bawling. It's the inevitability of the entire situation, and the fact you are defenseless to stop it makes you feel weird, anxious in some sort of way, although it is a game, and not true reality, but the fantasy that I, and many other people do is that Pokemon are real, and you are sad that your "time" in the Pokemon world has now ended.    … Expand
  39. Zebuala
    Nov 17, 2013
    10
    I have fallen out of love with the Pokémon series in recent years but then I downloaded the demo of this game from the eShop. The story was great, and for me the game play was fantastic with much improvement from the GBA Pokémon Red Rescue Team. The demo was so good I bought the game the day after completing the demo. I do not want to give too much away but I would definitely recommendI have fallen out of love with the Pokémon series in recent years but then I downloaded the demo of this game from the eShop. The story was great, and for me the game play was fantastic with much improvement from the GBA Pokémon Red Rescue Team. The demo was so good I bought the game the day after completing the demo. I do not want to give too much away but I would definitely recommend anyone to at least try the demo from the eShop as I would not want someone to buy the game if they do not like the game play. I have 67 hrs played on this game with the story complete but with much left to do. If you like this type of game play I could not recommend this game enough, however if you do not like the game play, no matter how good the story is you will not like the game and then you should not get it. In my opinion this is a great game that did not get great reviews but has a great story that has made me once again a fan of the Pokémon series.… Expand
  40. srx
    May 2, 2021
    8
    I'll say it first, this is a good game. The characters are some of the best in the series, and the story was predictable but fun. My favorite partner/protag dynamic of the whole series and I actually teared up at the end. 8/10, knocking off points for what others have already criticized it for: lack of playable characters, lackluster gameplay mechanics, etc. Soundtrack absolutely bangsI'll say it first, this is a good game. The characters are some of the best in the series, and the story was predictable but fun. My favorite partner/protag dynamic of the whole series and I actually teared up at the end. 8/10, knocking off points for what others have already criticized it for: lack of playable characters, lackluster gameplay mechanics, etc. Soundtrack absolutely bangs like the rest of the series tho.… Expand
  41. KittenKins
    Jul 16, 2014
    7
    This instalment to the series is a lot like the predecessors, You're sent into the Pokémon world to save it from disaster alongside a partner Pokémon.

    Although the visuals were great, and the story pulls you in to feel a part of it, there is a limited amount of choices you get throughout. You're only able to pick from five Pokémon to play as, and your partner will be one of the    This instalment to the series is a lot like the predecessors, You're sent into the Pokémon world to save it from disaster alongside a partner Pokémon.

    Although the visuals were great, and the story pulls you in to feel a part of it, there is a limited amount of choices you get throughout. You're only able to pick from five Pokémon to play as, and your partner will be one of the remaining four. (You also cannot pick the gender.) There is also only 144 Pokémon you can recruit to join your rescue team. The story was quite quick to play through and comes to a very abrupt ending where the only things you can do after completion is edit your 'Paradise,' (Your rescue team's base.) and complete missions from the bulletin boards.

    Despite all the points mentioned above, I did thoroughly enjoy it and found it hard to put down. The story and skill level does seem a bit more watered down for a younger audience but it still provides some boss battles that were difficult. There is a new 'Companion mode' where you can play as a member of your rescue team on the side of the main story. This is a nice feature but also means if you're ever stuck on a boss or in a dungeon check point you can easily resolve it by using this feature as all retrieved items are sent to the deposit box for your main team to use.

    It is great if you enjoy the previous Mystery Dungeon games, but if you are expecting a massive change or differences then you will be disappointed.    … Expand
  42. TheTopPalmTiger
    Oct 5, 2014
    5
    Standing alone, this is a wonderful game. Viewing it by itself I would have to give it a wonderful review, 8-10 range. But it is not its own game. This is a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game, one of the greatest sub-series to be. With reasonably high expectations I went out and bought this game on release date. From the start I felt a little uneasy with some of the changes, such as basicStanding alone, this is a wonderful game. Viewing it by itself I would have to give it a wonderful review, 8-10 range. But it is not its own game. This is a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game, one of the greatest sub-series to be. With reasonably high expectations I went out and bought this game on release date. From the start I felt a little uneasy with some of the changes, such as basic attacks only dealing one damage rather than scaling with level, but I assumed that I would get over this. After playing for a while I did, but there were still a few things throwing me off. The plot of the game hadn't twisted or upset me, in any way, which is one of the most memorable things about the series. Then it hit me. The end. After this is when the other games got even more exciting, after the official end you could go out and recruit legendaries, find hidden things, Pokemon you didn't even expect! But not with this one. There is practically no reason to play after you have beaten the game. There are a few legendary fights, but even with those you cannot recruit them. It feels like Nintendo wasn't even trying when they made this game. The only reason this is getting anything higher than a one is because it would actually be a decent game if not for its predecessors and lack of content.… Expand
  43. StormCloud
    Dec 24, 2014
    3
    This game darn near ruined Mystery Dungeon for me. Yeah the graphics were great and the music was nice but the flaws were near endless. For starters, postgame. Red/Blue rescue team: Game finish. List of more things to do. Time Darkness and Sky: Game finish: FRIGGIN OCEAN OF POSTGAME. Gates to Infinity: Game Finish. Build Shops. Yaaaaaay.... And what's with the pokemon evolving mid dungeon?This game darn near ruined Mystery Dungeon for me. Yeah the graphics were great and the music was nice but the flaws were near endless. For starters, postgame. Red/Blue rescue team: Game finish. List of more things to do. Time Darkness and Sky: Game finish: FRIGGIN OCEAN OF POSTGAME. Gates to Infinity: Game Finish. Build Shops. Yaaaaaay.... And what's with the pokemon evolving mid dungeon? How the **** does that work? There not defeating anyone, they just evolve when they see you. The ****. I also thought I'd never said this but i missed the hunger aspect. Without it the game lost a lot of challenge. The lack of starters irritated me too, before you could 16 different pokemon and you got chosen from personality. Now you choose from 5. Big slap in the face there. The legendary hunt has been severely downgraded, you can find 8. There are others but you can't recruit them, though i did like multiple tile size and attacks. Adds to the scary power. Ultimately it took mystery dungeon's legacy and just spat on it. I hope nintendo will fix this.… Expand
  44. alexo774
    Jul 19, 2015
    5
    The gate literally isnt ending. I wanna STOP PLAYING THIS STUPID GAME BUT THE GATE JUST ISNT ENDING! i GUESS THATS WHAT I GET FOR BUYING A POKEGAME WGAT WAS A GATE IBTO INFINITYT I WAASNNA PLAY ADVANCED WARFARE

    BUT THE MUSE IS GOD
  45. Timelordian
    Sep 23, 2015
    3
    This game is almost middle of the road for me. While the 3d aspect is a nice step up, and creating your own shops is a novel idea for the series, its faults just pull it back down so much farther. While most complain about the text speed (which is horrendously slow), my big complaint is how childish and naive the characters act. With the exception of a select few characters, most of theThis game is almost middle of the road for me. While the 3d aspect is a nice step up, and creating your own shops is a novel idea for the series, its faults just pull it back down so much farther. While most complain about the text speed (which is horrendously slow), my big complaint is how childish and naive the characters act. With the exception of a select few characters, most of the motivations and actions taken by the characters seem so foolhardy and silly.

    While I realize some of the pokemon are meant to be children in age, so many of the adults even act downright stupid. I look back at characters like Dusknoir or Grovyle of the previous entries into the series. Heck, even the most childish adult in the previous games was Wigglytuff, and he/she at least had sense hiding behind the child-like behaviors.

    Technically speaking, the features that Gates to Infinity adds give me hope for the next entry into the series. I look at this as being a rushed out demo of what the next game (Super Mystery Dungeon) should be, but instead it became a full game. If you haven't bought this game, don't, wait for the next one and play Explorers of Sky in the mean time.    … Expand
  46. rpindar
    Sep 25, 2015
    2
    I am a massive fan of the Pokémon Games, particularly the Mystery Dungeon games, but this one disappointed me.
    The Mystery Dungeon games had become known for their fantastic stories as well as the Gameplay, but this just rehashes the dynamics of the first games with a couple of insignificant changes - hardly worthy of topping The Guild from the last set of games.
    The graphic update is    I am a massive fan of the Pokémon Games, particularly the Mystery Dungeon games, but this one disappointed me.
    The Mystery Dungeon games had become known for their fantastic stories as well as the Gameplay, but this just rehashes the dynamics of the first games with a couple of insignificant changes - hardly worthy of topping The Guild from the last set of games.

    The graphic update is good, but it seems like that was all that was really on the game makers' minds. The story is predictable, your partner has very little character development, I ended up finding it a lot harder to connect with these characters as the other NPCs than I have done in previous games.

    It's much easier than previous games as well - I completed the whole thing in about 2 days with very little trouble.    … Expand
  47. Rikoyasha
    May 4, 2016
    1
    easily the worst Pokemon MD game of the series it added a few good thing things BUT it got rid of more that the games before it had. 3d models does not suit the game well the story is bad and doesn't feel like a MD the the previous games and the game after it being Super. As far as i'm concern this game doesn't exist.

    Helpful: -all team exp -move upgrades Inconvenience: -default    easily the worst Pokemon MD game of the series it added a few good thing things BUT it got rid of more that the games before it had. 3d models does not suit the game well the story is bad and doesn't feel like a MD the the previous games and the game after it being Super. As far as i'm concern this game doesn't exist.

    Helpful:
    -all team exp
    -move upgrades

    Inconvenience:
    -default hit does only 5 damage
    -can't do more than 1 quest
    -every is smaller(can only see like 3 squares ahead while previous games you can see twice as far)
    -can't go into town when accepted a quest
    (and im sure im missing more haven't played that awful game in a few years)    … Expand
  48. BRVR6653
    Nov 21, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has really dove off the deep end as far as the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon franchise goes. They were too concerned with the aesthetics of the game that Gamefreak failed to acknowledge the features that once made the games good such as the dynamic characters that the previous games had. I enjoyed the secrets to unlock after the main story but this game lacked anything after the main story and doesn't attract my attention after the story. I do wish that I took the game back after the rather shortened story line. What were they thinking when they made this

    Really what were they thinking making a teammate a legendary at the very beginning of the game! Not only does it make the game so easy, it also takes away the uniqueness of befriending a legendary later on.

    The only positive thing about this game is being able to customize paradise, but other than that the characters are so static and not branched out like they could be!

    And for those that played this game before: download an emulator and play the previous Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games! They are so much better than this

    This was so rushed it isnt even funny and I hope that the games become better than this    … Expand
  49. alataya
    Nov 21, 2015
    4
    How this managed to get a better score than Explorers of Sky is beyond me, the critics are all either payed or plain idiots for something like what we have here to get a better score. Always look at the user reviews, as it seems they knew what really is going on.

    Let me start saying this: I don't hate the game. It's enjoyable, but its mind-numbingly easy. I can enter with just the    How this managed to get a better score than Explorers of Sky is beyond me, the critics are all either payed or plain idiots for something like what we have here to get a better score. Always look at the user reviews, as it seems they knew what really is going on.

    Let me start saying this: I don't hate the game. It's enjoyable, but its mind-numbingly easy. I can enter with just the partner you choose in the beginning, reject all requests to join my team, and I'd still get by with barely a scratch on me. And let say this: I was a Snivy. I had 5 weaknesses and the last place is ice based. My partner was an Axew and yet I got through the last dungeon without any problem. In Time, I had to fight Primal Dialga around 3 or 4 times my first run and I was a Riolu with my partner a Charmander!! The easiness of the game is less than a normal mainstream pokemon game, at least with those games you can nuzlocke without exp share to make it more challenging.

    I don't think the story was too bad, but it didn't stick to me like it did in past games. I liked the bit with Hydreigon a lot, I recalled, and I really liked what they did with the final boss. That was interesting, but that was it really. It was really, really disappointing. It's been awhile since I've played this game (as I sold it back months ago), but I don't remember there being any small group antagonist like with past incarnations. I think I was pretty disappointed in that too, since that always made it a bit interesting. I'm fine with changing things up, but you really need to do it right.

    I think my favorite part of the game was the music; but, music can only improve a game so much. This shoudn't be rated higher than Explorers of Sky. All of these games are underrated, but this one is most certainly overrated. It just doesn't improve on anything at all, gets all the things great about PMD messed up in a mind-numbingly easy way.I hope the next game is better than this.    … Expand
  50. EnderSonic500
    Dec 25, 2015
    7
    Its okay at best the story is okay and the characters are okay but............. The graphics are terrible the gold bars thing is plain stupid they took out destroying TMs like Vacumm cut and Earthquake. The only thing I can actually say that is 100 percent postive about this is building your own city
  51. MazinroboX2
    Aug 15, 2016
    7
    A decent entry for the series, although much worse than the first 2 Mystery Dungeon games (DS versions). There is a huge lack of Pokémon in this game, with just Gen V Pokémon and a handful from other generations appearing. Also you can only do one mission for each exploration, something very annoying. In my opinion the Pokémon Paradise feature is cool but it doesn't work very well, becauseA decent entry for the series, although much worse than the first 2 Mystery Dungeon games (DS versions). There is a huge lack of Pokémon in this game, with just Gen V Pokémon and a handful from other generations appearing. Also you can only do one mission for each exploration, something very annoying. In my opinion the Pokémon Paradise feature is cool but it doesn't work very well, because you don't get important rewards with it and it takes a lot of time to build. Another negative point is text speed, OMG, the beta testers didn't complain about that? Another negative point is the lack of freedom, after a certain point of the game (which is very early) you cannot stop doing the main quest and do some missions, you are forced to keep going all the time! And well, I dislike you have to pay for exploring certain dungeons...

    But this is still a pretty good game, don't get me wrong! The story, while not as good as in the other 2 entries of the series, is very good, with great characters! Also exploring dungeons is always fun, and post-game dungeons are quite challenging. The feature of leveling up moves is an interesting addition as well!

    All in all, the game is short and feels a little bit empty, but at the same time keeps the essence of Mystery Dungeon with cool Pokémon to get, good storyline and characters, and good dungeons to explore!    … Expand
  52. AkiMao
    Sep 14, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As much it hurts to say but this PMD is just boring and the first Pokemon game which i didn't want to play. As nice its features are the story is just to boring and the characters act just to dull, your companion instant believes you that you'r actually a human. You just have the 5th gen pokemon and Pikachu as playable character and companion which you can choose, no, in this game you don't get questions and than a pokemon what fits you as character like in PMD1 and 2 and that's pretty boring .… Expand
  53. Dracoshi
    Jun 30, 2020
    7
    Gates to Infinity is a good game, albeit it is nowhere near the best in the series. The plot is a highlight in this game, alongside improved gameplay/balancing from the previous games, and a fantastic soundtrack. However, the lack of content in the game - including Pokemon to recruit and story-length - really drag this title down from being great.

    I'd recommend playing this game, but    Gates to Infinity is a good game, albeit it is nowhere near the best in the series. The plot is a highlight in this game, alongside improved gameplay/balancing from the previous games, and a fantastic soundtrack. However, the lack of content in the game - including Pokemon to recruit and story-length - really drag this title down from being great.

    I'd recommend playing this game, but only after you've played the other titles in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series!    … Expand
  54. NemuiNeko
    May 8, 2017
    2
    Easily the weakest entry in the series. The story is shallow, and rarely feels engaging. Often you are forced to follow the pace of the game, being forced into story-elements that rarely are welcome. You are no longer able to do multiple jobs per dungeon, which makes the dungeon-crawler element even more of a grind than it already is. The addition of mini-games might seem endearing, butEasily the weakest entry in the series. The story is shallow, and rarely feels engaging. Often you are forced to follow the pace of the game, being forced into story-elements that rarely are welcome. You are no longer able to do multiple jobs per dungeon, which makes the dungeon-crawler element even more of a grind than it already is. The addition of mini-games might seem endearing, but only adds to your list of chores you have to perform, as these are neither fun or interesting. Additionally, the difficulty has been scaled down significantly and is clearly designed for a younger audience, rather than long time fans of the series or dungeon-crawlers. Giving credit where credit is due, the graphics have received an upgrade befitting the 3DS, and the colors are vivid and smooth. The game also has some much-desired features, such as being able to change leader mid-dungeon and having moves being hotkeyed for easy access. However, these features are heavily downplayed by the features that goes against the player, rather than help them. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone but first-timers to dungeon-crawlers, who neither enjoys storyline or a challenge when playing.… Expand
  55. Sressiv
    Mar 5, 2018
    7
    I really like this game very much. It feels a lot like the previous Mystery Dungeon-games, but a bit different. The story can be a bit slow at times, and yes, the game has some very minor flaws, but it's very good at the same time. The graphics and music are simply astounding, this is absolutely the best looking 3DS game along with Kid Icarus Uprising. I enjoyed this game and I highlyI really like this game very much. It feels a lot like the previous Mystery Dungeon-games, but a bit different. The story can be a bit slow at times, and yes, the game has some very minor flaws, but it's very good at the same time. The graphics and music are simply astounding, this is absolutely the best looking 3DS game along with Kid Icarus Uprising. I enjoyed this game and I highly recommend it, especially if you liked the previous Mystery Dungeon-games.… Expand
  56. kiank
    Jan 17, 2018
    6
    My least favorite pokemon game of all time is mystery dungeon: gates to infinity. The story was so boring and the text took a long time. The dungeons were okay but I got bored easily. It was a pretty game though.
  57. MrGreenBanana
    Apr 24, 2020
    5
    Gates to Infinity is mediocre at best. Sure it's story is pretty mediocre compared to the other PMD games, it's characters aren't great, and unlike all the other PMD games, it's bosses are WAY too easy (especially the final boss), but it's side goal with building Paradise is a lot of fun and the music is great (like always). The bad outweighs the good, really.
  58. RustyDiamonds
    Nov 20, 2018
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is the third entry in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. It was the first of the series to go 3D and, of course, be 3DS/2DS exclusive. Was it any good though?

    -------------------
    Difficulty:

    The difficulty in this game...was not even handled decently. You could argue and say that it is welcoming for new players, but the other games handle that just as well and way beyond. Most of the time, the AI is horrid and dumb, they must have forgotten to make it good. The dungeons aren't any better, especially with the crazy amounts of damage you can pull off. Play as Axew and you can roast the entire game without getting CLOSE to fainting. Stat boosts on levelling are way too overpowered compared to your watered down enemies.

    -----------------
    Graphics/Music:

    The graphics are fine. The models are nicely done for the Pokemon and buildings, the terrain is okay. This game really does have some great OST to it, the music might be the best part of this game. The only real graphical issue I take is the grainy sort of look it retains to itself.

    Unfortunately, the good graphics and great music are not accompanied by a stellar performance from the rest of the game.

    ---------------
    Narrative:

    The narrative on this game is actually pretty decent and enjoyable. I personally enjoy that they took a pretty dark route with this game, building a world that also follows said narrative fairly well. The ending is the classic, 'your character goes back to the human world' scene which transitions into you playing as your chosen partner. This leads you into a post-game dungeon that fails to impress with difficulty., unfortunately. Overall, the narrative is better than some other things in this game.

    Not to say the narrative is as great as the other PMD games preceding it, but it is alright.

    -----------------
    The Worst Parts:

    First of all, the Pokemon availability is just....bad. Only 144 out of over 500 are available to you, most of them being Gen V. This takes out the fun of finding hundreds of different partners to recruit for your journey, which was thankfully rectified by a later release. There were not nearly enough recruitable Pokemon, and legendaries like Victini were only there to tease you as shopkeepers.

    You have only 5 Pokemon to choose from to play as, and the personality quiz, one of the most fun things about PMD games, was absent. I was disappointed upon opening the game to find such a limited choice, as a long-time fan of PMD.

    While the narrative itself is good, the length is not that great, even when playing casually. WIth an annoying lack of post-game content, you probably won't even play this game for 100 hours. Which is pretty sad.

    Let's talk about random stuff. As fans will know, PMD games have randomly-generated dungeons, adding the "Mystery" part. However, this game, unfortunately, is very watered down in that matter. There are pretty obviously a pre-determined set of possibilities for each dungeon, so you will quickly memorize each layout, which is quite unfortunate.

    Lastly for this section, evolution. One of the worst things about this part of the game is that to evolve Pikachu if you chose him(you CANNOT choose gender, unfortunately) you must get past a DLC PAYWALL. THat's right, you need to pay to evolve your Pokemon in a game you already spent 40$ on. Don't use Pikachu.

    -----------------

    I will not deduct points from this game for being text-heavy. I enjoy those sorts of things, and while they may not be everybody's taste, it shows WORK was put into writing the game. Even if it is not always good dialogue, it still serves a purpose.

    -------------
    Conclusion

    PMD: Gates to Infinity is lacklustre. Most of it feels lazily put together in an attempt to make something appealing for newcomers, neglecting the long-time fans and thus degrading itself horrendously. The narrative and OST are what sort of saving this release. Sort of because the narrative is not stellar, whereas the music is great. Just give us the music, Nintendo. This game is not worth $40 for PMD fans. Maybe a newbie who has never played it before, but the lack of compelling gameplay may drive them off.    … Expand
  59. Rare289
    Dec 10, 2019
    3
    God, I can't believe I'm rating a Pokemon game this low, but I have to. I've played all the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games and this is by far the most boring and terrible of them all. For one, they tried way to hard to incorporate 3d "gimics" to this game. Another thing, they got rid of the ability to do multiple requests at once, making collecting the necessary items you need a big hassleGod, I can't believe I'm rating a Pokemon game this low, but I have to. I've played all the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games and this is by far the most boring and terrible of them all. For one, they tried way to hard to incorporate 3d "gimics" to this game. Another thing, they got rid of the ability to do multiple requests at once, making collecting the necessary items you need a big hassle and annoying to the point where the story will keep reminding you its there so that you'll choose to continue rather than farm the items you really need. The story itself it alright, but is much more childish and toned down compared to the last entries in the mystery dungeon series. Not to mention, it takes too long to actually get to the interesting parts. And the map designs, dear lord, they are horrible. There are only like 3 different map designs, so it makes the game way too easy once you figure it out. If you are wanting to get a Pokemon spin off game, don't get this. Just don't. Any of the other Pokemon mystery dungeon games, Pokemon ranger games, or even Pokemon conquest will be more enjoyable than this disaster.… Expand
  60. FixR
    Jun 22, 2020
    8
    To be honest, improving or even matching the quality of the cult classic Explorers games was going to be a tall order. And while Gates to Infinity doesn't fall flat on its face, it doesn't live up to its series' legacy.

    While its gameplay is still improved from previous entries, its soundtrack incredible, and its characters believable and real, the graphics aren't the same quality,    To be honest, improving or even matching the quality of the cult classic Explorers games was going to be a tall order. And while Gates to Infinity doesn't fall flat on its face, it doesn't live up to its series' legacy.

    While its gameplay is still improved from previous entries, its soundtrack incredible, and its characters believable and real, the graphics aren't the same quality, coming with a shift to 3D and an ultimate lack of polish. In addition, the story, while not bad, doesn't hold up as well, and only around a quarter of the Pokémon around at the time are even in the game (plus a severely reduced starter selection), leading an already somewhat repetitive dungeon formula to get more repetitive by facing the same few enemies without a lot of difference throughout the entire campaign.

    Overall, the game's still got its quality, but it's easily the low point of its series.    … Expand
  61. Tri9322
    Dec 9, 2020
    9
    A really good game! The story is pretty good, and while follows the same basic structure as the other mystery dungeon games, it still feels unique and fresh. The gameplay is fun but can be pretty easy, even at the final boss. There is also a lot of unskippable dialogue, like a lot a lot. The music is phenomenal, honestly some of the best game music I've heard in a while. The graphics areA really good game! The story is pretty good, and while follows the same basic structure as the other mystery dungeon games, it still feels unique and fresh. The gameplay is fun but can be pretty easy, even at the final boss. There is also a lot of unskippable dialogue, like a lot a lot. The music is phenomenal, honestly some of the best game music I've heard in a while. The graphics are great and every Pokémon has lots of reaction sprites and just amazing 3D models. The paradise building is really fun and gives all the dungeon crawling a real sense of progression and reason to do it. The story is also really good as I mentioned before. Overall, a really fun game.… Expand
  62. ND-Bringer
    Dec 26, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Gates to Infinity is the weakest game in the series. Its biggest problem lies within its main game level design. Too many dungeons with rock terrain, character variety is extremely limited this time, and the bosses are incredibly disappointing. Golurk for instance has little to no build up, no personality, and has no impact story wise. And Munna's Gang is only formidable because their Team Skill allows them to take multiple hits and survive by sheer luck.

    The messages in the story are impactful for the time being, teaching morals about trust and hope, But they come repetitive around the final act. The ultimate catastrope is revealed to be a negative force known as the Bitter Cold. A force made up of negative emotion. And the only way to defeat it is to stay completely positive. Which is a really unhealthy idea. It's importance for one to have a balance of positive and negative emotion. It's an overall outdated message.

    Following Explorers of Time, Darkness, and Sky...it's a really weak sequel. Their's no survey at the start of the game to decide which Pokemon reflects your personality, only five Pokemon are available as starters, the story feels slow, Post Town is a bland and cramped hub area, most of the Legendary Pokemon are not recruitable, Keldeo barely does anything in the main story even though he's on the cover of the game, its not a terrible game...just an underwhelming one.

    I appreciate some of the new mechanics like the ability to customize your own hub area, Team Attacks are great for clearing out rooms of enemies, you can use to Magnate camera to activate a random dungeon challenge, you can evolve recruited Pokemon in the main game, and theirs hidden detours that lead to areas with high leveled treasure and enemies for extra challenge.

    It's hard to get motivated to complete these extra levels though because the story isn't exciting enough. The floating glacier palace is a weak followup to the darkest timeline that includes a paralyzed planet.    … Expand
  63. a2cc
    Aug 24, 2021
    9
    This game is probably my favorite game of all time, and for good reason, it's an amazing game that I would recommend for anyone looking to get into the Mystery Dungeon series, or just roguelikes in general.

    The gameplay in Gates to Infinity is almost identical in terms of user interface and controls to every other PMD (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon) game, which isn't a bad thing as it means    This game is probably my favorite game of all time, and for good reason, it's an amazing game that I would recommend for anyone looking to get into the Mystery Dungeon series, or just roguelikes in general.

    The gameplay in Gates to Infinity is almost identical in terms of user interface and controls to every other PMD (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon) game, which isn't a bad thing as it means if you've learnt the controls of one game, you've learned them all for the most part. If I could describe PMD's gameplay, it's like a combination of chess, any mainline Pokemon game, and a standard roguelike, which if you don't know is a genre that's 3 main elements are permanent death, grid based movement, and random floor generation (although PMD doesn't have true permadeath in most cases, as you can get rescued and revived even if you run out of revive items). All of those elements combined creates this very fun (for the most part) and at times very challenging but fair (FOR THE MOST PART) gameplay style that I haven't seen pulled off nearly as well in any other series. As for what in specific is good about the gameplay in Gates to Infinity in specific, the major things are that it's the easiest and therefore most accessible game in the series, and that in my opinion leads to a (AGAIN FOR THE MOST PART) very fun playing experience throughout, I rarely found myself annoyed at a part of the game.

    As for the story, this is the best part of the game, hands down. I'll try not to spoil it, but I'm just gonna say it is THE best video game story I've played so far, and just for the story alone I recommend picking this game up, but combine it with the excellent gameplay and you have an amazing game.

    Now I do have a few gripes with the game mainly that for full party stat changes, either buffs or debuffs, level ups, and just events where more than one text box related thing at once is happening, each party member or each stat in the case of level ups has a text box pop up separately for them, and they don't happen simultaneously, so it's pretty slow in that regard. Also, I wont say which boss but in the last bit of the game, one of the bossfights (not the final boss mind you) is WAY harder than anything else in the main story.

    Other than those few gripes I had with the game, it's an amazing game and a game I can highly recommend to ANYONE.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best 3DS Game of 2013
13
#13 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
16
#16 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 46
  3. Negative: 9 out of 46
  1. GamingXP
    Sep 16, 2013
    71
    Building the paradise up is so motivating, that you beat the dungeons over and over again, even though they are repetitive.
    Read full review
  2. The Digital Fix
    Jun 10, 2013
    50
    Unless you must play every Pokemon title you’re probably better off simply waiting for the release of X and Y later in the year.
    Read full review
  3. XGN
    Jun 9, 2013
    65
    If you like to read your way through a game this is something for you. If you don't this could be an agonising adventure. It is a cute game to keep you busy till Pokémon X and Y come into view.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »