What is Pokemon Pokopia About? The Pokemon Life Sim’s Story, Explained

Previews for Pokemon Pokopia went up across multiple outlets recently, including my own thoughts after playing the game. And the overall consensus from those who got an early look is pretty positive. What could’ve been a thin attempt to cash in on the popularity of cozy games looks poised to deliver solid, robust mechanics and a satisfying core gameplay loop. With all that praise floating around, Pokopia is no doubt reaching new gamers who might not have been that interested in it previously. But what is Pokemon’s first life sim about, actually?

We’ve seen quite a few trailers for Pokemon Pokopia so far. Each one has given us a glimpse into the game’s general premise and gameplay loop. But after getting to play the intro, I can offer a little more insight into the game’s overall story and what it’ll be like to play. Don’t worry, I won’t dig into spoilers – just offer an overview of what Pokemon Pokopia is actually about, for those who still aren’t sure.

Pokemon Pokopia‘s Story, Explained

At its heart, Pokemon Pokopia is a story about rebuilding community. At the start of the game, Ditto finds itself in a world where all the people, and almost all the Pokemon, have vanished. Missing its trainer, Ditto transforms not into a Pokemon, but into what it remembers its human trainer looked like (the player gets to decide this appearance). Then, Ditto emerges into a world with just one Pokemon in it, Professor Tangrowth. In speaking with this unusual Pokemon, we learn this rundown island has been uninhabited by humans or people for quite some time. It’s up to Ditto to bring them back.

From these beginnings, the rest of the story will unfold as you play your way through Pokemon Pokopia. The gameplay of Pokopia largely centers on rebuilding the islands to bring Pokemon back to it. You create new habitats to attract Pokemon back, while building up and decorating your new home. As you meet more Pokemon and uncover more areas, you’ll slowly uncover more about what happened to leave the world so empty. In that way, Pokemon Pokopia is a bit of a mystery as well as a cozy game. Of course, I can’t say we ever get our answers… but I’m guessing we will find out at least something about how the island got into this state.

There’s Likely More Beneath the Surface in Pokemon Pokopia, And I’m Excited for It

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The basic premise and gameplay loop seem pretty straightforward. But I strongly suspect we’re going to run into even more unexpected story once the game finally arrives. After all, Pokemon has already teased the unique new Pokemon variants. Peakychu, the ghostly Pikachu, and Mosslax, a Snorlax covered in moss, will appear in the game at some point. And figuring out how these unusual variants came to be? Well, I’m certainly hoping that winds up being part of the story of Pokopia, too.

In a recent interview with IGN, the game director shared that Pokemon Pokopia‘s main story will take around 20-40 hours to finish. They also noted that there’s “more to do after the credits.” That certainly suggests there will be a fairly involved story to work our way through before hitting the endgame loop. Given that some players find cozy games without a clear story a bit difficult to stay engaged in, this sounds like a promising balance.

After playing Pokemon Pokopia for a little while, I came away eager to learn more about the game’s story. With post-apocalyptic vibes and a sense of mystery, the game might wind up having more emotional heft than its initial reveal suggested. And personally? I’m here for it.

Are you excited to play Pokemon Pokopia when it comes out in March? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!