Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

 DS
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 79 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 79
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 79
  3. Negative: 4 out of 79
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. Churigogobashu
    Jan 20, 2012
    10
    I love the game with all the looping and greater graphics and more pokemon. Love the character mostly Rythmi who always bugs my rival. I like this game.
  2. Steeldude
    Oct 13, 2014
    8
    The best Ranger game for one simple reason: you can choose your partner Pokémon. Also, it's not as impossible to complete as the previous one. The bosses are enjoyable and the game is quite long. Gameplay may be simplistic, but it's nevertheless satisfying.
  3. Klaww25
    Mar 10, 2021
    8
    Finally a Pokemon game that respects you like an intelligent person. Technically I dislike Pokemon bw because it was handholdy and the fanbase won't shut the hell up on the story. I thought Bw where as boring as an Uncharted game. Shadows of Almia has great music, an awesome villain team named Dim Sum who use Gigaremos to control Pokemon and use them for evil. A twist that Kincaid aFinally a Pokemon game that respects you like an intelligent person. Technically I dislike Pokemon bw because it was handholdy and the fanbase won't shut the hell up on the story. I thought Bw where as boring as an Uncharted game. Shadows of Almia has great music, an awesome villain team named Dim Sum who use Gigaremos to control Pokemon and use them for evil. A twist that Kincaid a teacher is a member of Dim Sum. This game IMO is more rewarding than modern level 5 games, and Square Enix games since those companies took the path of helping the player in their most recent RPGs. This game also has better ost than Pokemon Sm.… Expand
  4. deaththekid922
    Sep 17, 2016
    10
    really good game that fixed alot problems main Pokemon games have ( NPCs only being there for giving you items) it had alot memorable characters and a good plot
  5. kiank
    Jan 17, 2018
    10
    Shadows of Almia was a great sequel to the first one. I loves this game and the story was fun to follow. Nothing will ever beat trying to capture a pokemon in ranger, it's just so fun!
  6. Magnus69420
    Jul 8, 2020
    10
    Easily one of the best pokémon spin offs.
    A fun story accompanied by amazing pixel art, good music, and a fun "combat" system that makes use of the DS touch screen to its fullest.
  7. AnonymousMC
    Feb 19, 2009
    4
    I was interested until I turned the game on and realized that the graphics and music were exactly the same, the capturing technique embarrassingly easy, the dialogue stupid, repetitive, boring, repetitive, and goes on for hours telling me things that I already know.
    I decided quickly that this was not the game for me so I gave it to my little sister who is 8 years old. She was new to the    I was interested until I turned the game on and realized that the graphics and music were exactly the same, the capturing technique embarrassingly easy, the dialogue stupid, repetitive, boring, repetitive, and goes on for hours telling me things that I already know.
    I decided quickly that this was not the game for me so I gave it to my little sister who is 8 years old. She was new to the whole thing and found the game to be much too difficult for her.

    Pokemon is great, the first pokemon ranger was great, this is not.    … Expand
  8. Merkup
    Jul 8, 2020
    10
    this game makes me pog so hard. i cannot believe how gamer and poggers this game is. imagine not playing pokemon ranger shadows of almia for the nintendo ds
  9. Uvag0NX
    Apr 8, 2023
    0
    Like many people in the Pokémon fandom, I have been fooled and utterly bamboozled by this game's charming and delightful art style, playful and comedic tone and, of course, its supposedly well-thought-out and implemented quest system. For this game is not delightful. It is not playful, nor comedic. And certainly, it is not, I repeat, not, well thought out. This is a game about murder. ThisLike many people in the Pokémon fandom, I have been fooled and utterly bamboozled by this game's charming and delightful art style, playful and comedic tone and, of course, its supposedly well-thought-out and implemented quest system. For this game is not delightful. It is not playful, nor comedic. And certainly, it is not, I repeat, not, well thought out. This is a game about murder. This is a game about betrayal. Not in its story, but in the expectations it gives to the players about the relationship and friendship that you have as ranger, and Pokemon. This game gives you the hopes and dreams of a fledgling adventurer, bonding with your allies and making friends, only to rip it away at the very end. And the villain of this game? Not the buffoonery and chicanery of the secondary Team Dim Sun, oh no. The true villain of this game. Murph. Murph, and his horrendous, insatiable, inhumane, deplorable and downright criminal love for eevelutions.

    You see, when I took on this game's wide and open world, handling missions and quests as a growing ranger, there was a pokemon who never left my side. Not the partner pokemon the game tries to force upon you, to manipulate and steer your emotions away from those who truly matter - the master of gaslighting this game aims to be. No, the pokemon by my side . . . A graveler, named Rollston Royce. A sturdy, heroic little boulder who, no matter where we went or what we did, came with us every step of the way. Be it the perilous depths of a volcanic cave, the frozen wildlands of the highlands, or even the ancient traps of a desert temple - Rollston Royce never abandoned our side. Even at the climactic battle, when all was dark; we had Rollston. He was, quite literally, our rock.

    And then came Murph. Murph. The loathsome, treacherous and despicable mastermind behind the true maliciousness this game had to display. Murph, having been there the whole time we ventured and surely knew of the kindhearted and heroic nature of Rollston, demanded that we bring him eevelutions in exchange for a false, deceitful notion of stardom. Not 1, nor 2 or 3, not even 4 or 5. Not even 6. But 7. 7 god damn eevelutions. And for what reason?? For what cause did he see this request as just??? FOR WHAT TRIFE, ENTROPIC, RATIONALE DID MURPH FORCE OUR HAND TO RELINQUISH OUR BELOVED HERO? OUR TRUE, IRREPLACEABLE BOY SAVIOUR. For petty bloodshed. For meaningless, unfeeling bloodshed. He had nothing to give us, nothing really. Stardom? Hah! All I was left to wallow in was the emptiness of cold space. A void, ripped open into my chest and filled with grief as I watched our boy, Rollston, roll away into a world where he was not appreciated. Not cherished. All for Murph's sick, sick, need for validation. How could we have ever trusted such a heinous reprobate who requests to see all 7 eevelutions at once, knowing full well the reputation of . . . Vaporeon.

    Rollston Royce. My boy. I have not forgotten you, and I doubt I ever will. How could I? Your smug, confident smile. Your strong, sturdy arms always held me steady when I needed comfort. From when we first met, back in the cave by Vientown, I knew we would make history. And we did. For while you were not cherished as a hero by the world Rollston Royce, you will always be cherished in my heart. Your passing was needless, cruel and unsavoury. And I am sorry that we were forced to make it so. You deserved better. You. Deserved. Better.

    Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is a game that lures you in on the premise of a good time, friends and even . . . True love. And, showing its insidious nature, the venomous serviper that is is, strikes you down at the near end and makes you give all that you hold near and dear. If you want to play this game, I'm sorry. The greatest sacrifices require the strongest of wills, and the cruellest of Murphs. It twas not Guardian Signs which killed the franchise, but the gall of the creators who fashioned such a narrative. Who fashioned such a torturous experience. Who fashions Rollston Royce, the hero. Not just a hero, the hero.
    Don't play this game, don't make Rollston Royce suffer any more than he needs to. He wouldn't want the same for you; and yet, he would shoulder all the pain in the world just for you. He shouldered it for us.

    That's why, Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, I turn my back on you giving you a 0 out of 10. 0, just like the number of Rollston Royces we finished the game with. I cannot be as good as soul as Rollston Royce, who would give you a 10 for the memories you gave to us . . . But unlike him, I cannot Rollston with the punches. All I can do is live in a grave-ler world. A Rollston Royceless world.    … Expand
  10. ChrisPedersen
    Jan 1, 2009
    8
    pokemon ranger shadows of almia has an easy to follow sometimes predictable story. the gameplay can sometimes be hard but once you get good its far to easy the only dull and slow times of the game are the ranger school and going on pitrol in wich you try to help the citienzens with there problems. with some strong pokemon this game is entertaining..... untill you win the game
  11. aditya1101
    Jan 6, 2018
    7
    I definitely preferred Pokemon mystery dungeon to Pokemon ranger, but this was still a game that I put tons of hours into, and one of the few pokemon games that I've ever 100 percent-ed.
  12. ShawnEXE
    May 3, 2019
    6
    Music: 2.5/5
    Game Play: 4/5
    Graphics: 3/5
    Story: 3/5
    Time-Value: 4/5
    Overall: 3/5
  13. Starly
    Jul 8, 2020
    10
    poggers game, would recommend to anyone that likes being a cool and poggers gamer
  14. hector_bcn98
    Nov 7, 2022
    8
    Más de lo mismo, menos innovador. Recuerdo que no jugué ni la mitad del tiempo que le dediqué a la primera parte, que la acabé sobre cuatro o cinco veces.
  15. BellamySacir
    Nov 8, 2020
    6
    I do remember why there never were any more Ranger games but like didn't the Wii have just so much potential to actually make this game idea great?
  16. UnturnedAntics
    Oct 7, 2021
    7
    Shadows of Almia is a simple story and gameplay can be hard at times but this game is special it's a new look at the pokemon world and is all-around fun with some good characters. not much to be said about this one but it is fun to replay 7/10 good game.
  17. Eaglator23
    Dec 3, 2021
    10
    This is my favourite pokemon game ever. I am biased with it being one of the first pokemon games I ever owned but I've replayed it for over a decade and I still have fun. The character designs are very cute. The music isn't completely memorable but it isn't annoying at all.
  18. AlfaFire17
    Apr 20, 2022
    8
    It has a very good story and better mechanics than the first one, however the postgame happens to me the same as with the first one, it is a bit short and without content, the difficulty is quite good and it is a game of many hours.
  19. Atonnie
    Sep 5, 2023
    6
    Jeu pokemon assez excentrique par rapport au autre mais reste malgré tout un très bon concept et très bonne utilisation de la ds. Cependant le jeu si on enlève l'histoire est vide les graphisme sont sympa sans plus et le niveau est élevé surtout sur un écran aussi petit que la ds
  20. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 5, 2023
    5
    More lassoing of Pokémon using the stylus...if you can be bothered to play past the interminable introductory missions.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best DS Game of 2008
14
#14 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
45
#45 Most Shared DS Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Gameplanet
    80
    While majorly different from ‘traditional’ Pokémon fare, Shadows of Almia provides a satisfying RPG-lite adventure for players of all ages. Varied puzzles and a wide range of Diamond/Pearl era creatures to chase give the game widespread appeal and charm.
    Read full review
  2. IGN
    67
    If you never played as a Ranger the first time around, and are jonesing for a Manaphy, go for it. But for the Pokemon fans that already got their fix two years go, this isn't necessary.
    Read full review
  3. Cheat Code Central
    68
    I really wanted to enjoy Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, but it was really the repetitive nature of the game that weakened the overall package.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »