Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 34 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity Game Cover
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is a good game, but only for the younger members of its audience. Everyone else would be well advised to steer clear.
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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is a Role Playing game where players become Pokémon and explore Mystery Dungeons in a 3D world. With both single-player and multi-player options, players can embark on exciting adventures and uncover an interesting plot with exceptional visuals. Up to 2 players can team up in co-op mode to discover various Pokémon and towns.

  • Nintendo 3ds
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews
story22 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features impressive 3D graphics that enhance immersion and visual appeal.
  • The storyline is engaging and emotional, with well-written characters and unexpected plot twists.
  • New gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to build and customize your own Paradise, add depth and variety to the experience.
  • The selection of Pokémon is limited, with only around 150 available, which disappoints fans of earlier games with larger rosters.
  • The text speed is annoyingly slow, making dialogue-heavy sections tedious and frustrating.
  • The game lacks online features for rescuing defeated parties, relying instead on local street pass functionality, which is impractical for many players.
  • story83 mentions

    The story in "Gates of Infinity" is generally well-written and engaging, though many players feel it is shorter and less compelling than previous entries in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. While the narrative picks up in the middle with interesting twists, some find the beginning slow and the overall themes preachy. Despite its shortcomings, the emotional depth and character relationships resonate with players, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “Explorers of Time and Darkness has a thrilling and adventurous story that will keep players hooked, with great characters and character relationships, nice settings, and a simple but effective soundtrack.”
    • “The plot is immersive, to say the least, and it is very emotional. As a gamer who rarely cries during games, I found this game brought forth tears (of both joy and despair) multiple times.”
    • “The story teaches some good morals along the way, and despite some unwelcome changes, I still would recommend it fully to everyone.”
    • “I can't say I favored the story ending, which (without spoiling) kind of feels like someone said at the last minute, 'we need a simple, quick way to do this.'”
    • “The story is unbelievably preachy and cheesy in a comics code authority/motion picture production code sort of way, but with an eastern twist; it wants to hammer into your head that looking out for one's own self-interests and assertiveness are undesirable villainous traits.”
    • “The story and characters aren't very well developed.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics in this Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game have been widely praised for their impressive 3D visuals, marking a significant improvement over previous titles in the franchise. Reviewers highlight the game's "softer" art style and immersive design, making it the best-looking entry in the series. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, alongside its engaging storyline and gameplay.

    • “3D graphics are a new horizon for the Pokémon franchise, and this game delivers.”
    • “Visuals by far, this is the best-looking Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game out there.”
    • “This game's graphics are incredible; it is by far the best Mystery Dungeon game out there.”
    • “The graphics in 2D mode are only slightly better than those of Explorers of Time, Darkness, and Sky, but turn on 3D and you find yourself much more immersed than in the previous games.”
    • “The art style is also very different from previous PMD games as well as the mainstream games, as it is much 'softer' in style.”
    • “Then again, this is a game targeted for children, so I am not the main demographic here.”
  • gameplay18 mentions

    The gameplay of this title introduces new mechanics that enhance the experience, making it enjoyable and accessible, particularly for younger players and newcomers to the series. While the combat mechanics have improved and the game is designed to maintain engagement, some players feel that the simplification of gameplay may detract from depth and complexity, limiting appeal for more seasoned gamers. Additionally, the restriction of completing only one mission per day and a smaller roster of Pokémon may disappoint some fans of the franchise.

    • “It's a lovely game with new mechanics that make it fun to play, and it has a very different feel than the previous PMD games because of these changes.”
    • “Despite its flaws, the combat mechanics are much better than its predecessors, making for quick and engaging dungeon crawls.”
    • “If you like rogue-like gameplay (sans permanent death) and Pokémon, you'll enjoy this game.”
    • “But that means that one has to go through hours of gameplay just to get to the meatiest part of the story.”
    • “The only downside of this game is that during the gameplay, unlike the previous Mystery Dungeon games, you can only complete one mission a day.”
    • “Complete streamlining of mechanics that removes any and all gameplay complexity and depth from the game, meaning that it is skewed towards none but the youngest members of its audience; unlike previous Mystery Dungeon games, only 144 unique Pokémon are available.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it generic and ineffective, failing to enhance the gaming experience. In contrast, others appreciate the catchy and nostalgic elements of the soundtrack, noting that it fits the mood of various situations well, even if it isn't memorable enough to listen to outside of the game. Overall, while some players enjoy the musical score, many feel it lacks the impact seen in previous titles.

    • “Even more impressive than the graphics is something that many Pokémon games excel at: music.”
    • “The musical score for dungeons and play is incredible, fitting or defining the mood for situations perfectly.”
    • “Pros: -the music is catchy and nostalgic -the graphics are amazing!”
    • “The music in the game doesn't do very much for it.”
    • “Unlike Explorers of Time and Darkness, which had a very simple yet effective soundtrack, I got nothing from Gates to Infinity's.”
    • “In fact, the audio was so generic I didn't even realize music was playing half the time.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the limitation of undertaking only one mission at a time, which slows down the process of gathering materials for upgrades. While some may enjoy the challenge of maxing out stats, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of item farming and the potential need for real money to expedite progress.

    • “This would be considered a good thing in most games, and maybe some people enjoy maxing out stats after beating the game, but I don't really care to spend real money on power leveling or item farming.”
    • “One mission at a time: missions can now only be undertaken one at a time, making it rather tedious to grind for materials to build and upgrade your paradise.”
    • “The materials to create these shops and wonders are found by undertaking missions, but after a while the process may become tedious to those with less patience.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its immersive plot and well-developed characters, which evoke strong feelings from players as they experience the characters' struggles and triumphs. The combination of great graphics, music, and a compelling narrative enhances the emotional investment, making players genuinely care about the characters' fates.

    • “The plot is immersive, to say the least, and it is very emotional.”
    • “As with most Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, this one has a pretty emotional plot. You grow to love the characters, and when they get hurt, you feel it.”
    • “Great graphics and music, charming characters, and an emotionally invested story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

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