When Pokemon Pokopia revealed its Dragon Quest Builders 2 DNA, I had no doubt Game Freak and Omega Force's collaboration would yield glowing results. The basic premise of a cozy Pokemon life sim with crafting and building elements always seemed like a winning combination, but it's great when developers surprise veterans and newcomers alike.
Yet the biggest surprises come from the fact Pokopia is comfortable enough to take things a bit further, expanding upon Minecraft and Animal Crossing-like systems and mechanics that had stagnated for too long. That's what captured, after many years away from the creative grind, my imagination – and has pushed me to put an embarrassing amount of time into the game. I'll probably stick around its ruined world and restored environments for a long time. It's exquisite comfort food, and the exact type most of us need right now.
