Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

If you're the type of player who milks a game for all it's worth, then you'll likely enjoy Explorers of Sky's new content, but more casual players might wonder what all the fuss is about. [Dec 2009, p.84]

A surprisingly tough game, but if you have the previous installment it's not different enough.

If you can’t handle Pokémon, stay away from this one. Same goes for those who have Explorers of Time and / or Explorers of Darkness, because there’s not much added value in this Explorers of Sky. Diehard fans will enjoy themselves and if you have missed the previous titles, then Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky will offer you a tasteful dungeon crawler in a Pokémon jacket.

I just can't recommend Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky to anyone that has played the previous games in the series. It looks like a GBA game, and is chock full of lazy and somewhat dated gameplay.

While Explorers of Sky would be a decent game if it were judged in a vacuum, when viewed alongside Explorers of Time / Darkness, there simply isn't enough unique, quality content to make it relevant. This is perhaps one of the worst values in gaming I've ever seen.

Explorers of Sky is a bizarre mix of child-like presentation with hardcore gameplay mechanics which have long since been abandoned by most other hardcore games. It's simultaneously simple and obtuse, easy and challenging.

Ultimately, most players are probably still better off sticking to 'purer' roguelikes such as Shiren the Wanderer or standard RPGs such the core Pokemon titles.

Nothing to write home about.

The game doesn't improve neither enlarges the original game, falling in content repetitiveness quickly, without polishing anyone of the week aspects of the previous games.

Explorers of Time is almost the same product as its two predecessors were a year ago. Its old fashioned gameplay mechanics unfortunately keep you from fully enjoying this basically decent game.

Players who have never played the series before may find this game enjoyable but other than that, only the most hardcore Pokémon fans (who enjoy even the least critically acclaimed games from the franchise) will enjoy playing this title after playing through any of the previous ones.

Only the hardcore fans of the prior Mystery Dungeon games should give this a go, and that is only if you want to get everything out of the story and put many hours into unlocking the extra Episodes.

Completely useless for those who have played one of the other 2 versions, quite futile for other players. Just for Pocket Monsters fans.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky does not add anything relevant to the series and it is not an evolution at all compared to Explorers of Darkness and Explorers of Time. This installment is clearly designed to squeeze moneys out of the franchise, aiming to kids who will eventually love to enter the world of pokémons once again.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky suffers from one-sided characters, an annoying mission structure, and the often-confusing menus.

Explorers of the Sky proves one thing: Pokemon's a fantastic classic RPG, but it still doesn't work as a dungeon crawler.

It feels like the only reason this game has a third version (or a second version for that matter), is because Nintendo knows kids expect it, and will snatch it up. It's a rip off, plain and simple.

Weak, tiresome and devoid of almost any excitement whatsoever. [Winter 2009, p.66]

The story isn't interesting enough to keep you involved, and the gameplay doesn't elevate past mashing attacks for combat. All together, it's a disappointing title, and not one that I suggest checking out.

I can't help but think that these games would make more sense and perhaps be more enjoyable if Chunsoft didn't use the Pokémon brand to make them. Of course, that would likely cut profits in half, and if I could make a lot more money while putting in a lot less effort, I'd probably do it too.

Even if you enjoy Roguelikes this must be the worst special edition ever, with almost no new features.

Explorers of Sky is just another lousy spin-off barely worth playing at all. That is, unless you have a thing for dungeon crawlers and outdated gameplay mechanics.

The marriage between Pokémon and Mystery Dungeon should end up in divorce right now if it were up to us. Nowhere have there been any improvements implanted compared to the previous games in the series. It’s also not a very clever concept: making a game that’s for the hardcore Pokémon fan simpler so anyone can play it? Who’s going to play it besides the hardcore Pokémon fan then? The little critters are still cute, but that’s the only positive thing to be said here.

While Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky makes constant attempts at humor, the efforts mostly fall flat.