How would you feel if Pokemon could talk in-game

[Desdar300]

After seeing the preview of next week's Pokémon XYZ it got me thinking.
What if Pokémon in the main-series games could talk ?
I personally think that allowing the Pokémon to communicate via some in-game mechanic is a good idea because it'll flush out the Pokémon a lot more if we could understand them plus it would make for some entertaining interactions . So what do you'll think, would you like to see talking Pokémon in the next games?

 

[Pandora]

I would love it.
But just if it were a feature, a technology that allows the Pokemon interact with humans, mostly translate their roar. Or maybe a new Pokemon with an ability that allows the trainer and the team to communicate telepathically

Otherwise, would be weird a Pokemon chatting and acting like a human, and the cry idea would make no sense more.
I think it would be mostly like Crystal, but instead of of observe their mood, the pokemons themselves say what they are feeling and thinking?
Also it would be nice to create their personality through the species and type, as well as nature and friendship level.
For example, the dark types would be more melancholic than the Fairy ones. But a dark with jolly nature would be more bright than a serious one.

 

[skyradiant]

It would be really weird, especially with something like Groudon or Arceus. I could definitely get behind a philosophical Stunfisk though lol.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

It would be neat. In XY and ORAS, when Pikachu appears it says it's name instead of the usual pokemon cry. I think that would be the closest thing we have to a pokemon talking.

 

[Pandora]

It would be neat. In XY and ORAS, when Pikachu appears it says it's name instead of the usual pokemon cry. I think that would be the closest thing we have to a pokemon talking.

But's a very different feature.
You ar talking about the cry.

In this case, it's somehow like Pokémon could communicate with humans. They don´t necessarily have human voice.
Furthermore, in all media already been made a Pokemon talk mode.
If I remember correctly, the Mukrow in Johto repeated the words of the rocket team.
There's a manga that Pokemon speak's human language - but I particularly hate it because remember too much Digimon.
And in the anime, at least Mewtwo and Lugia speaks human language.

I think in the games would be different, but this is nothing alien in the Pokemon universe.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

That Murkrow talking was just parrot mimicry. They didn't have Chatot back then and went with what they had.

Aside from that, I could see them doing something maybe plot-specific, like when N understands your Pokemon at some points and finds out you're not a horrible human being. Some kind of device could potentially do that, like that dog's collar in the movie Up. Different scientists' ideas from previous games are always realized at some point, like the viewing of dreams and such, and I know there's a scientist that talks about talking to Pokemon. However, I don't think it would work as an all-the-time feature, it would get too weird and your individualized-ish Pokemon would suddenly become carbon copies of each other, spewing the same nonsense when they're hungry or bored like in Animal Crossing when you talk to neighbors of the same personality.

Also, I can really only see basic speech coming from a Pokemon. Like "food" or "friend" or "battle!" The thought of a muk in a monocle and top hat speaking proper, intelligible English just seems wrong to me. Especially when some Pokemon have speech in their Dax entries as a unique skill, like Chatot and Jynx, and then there are others like Rhyhorn whose des literally says it's a stupid brute and so I would imagine couldn't put together any sort of thought process into logical words.

Sorry for the long post, but... Yeah. Leave talking Pokemon to spinoffs and such.

 

[Boss1708]

What I love about Pokemon is that they can be related to animals/ pets, and them talking would kinda ruin that, so I am against
such a feature.

However, I would like if Pokemon talked like in the anime, like Pikachu saying Pika instead of a growl.

Also, Masuda already thought about such a featur when making XY, but said it was too hard to implement: a machine that translates the Pokemon's growls.

 

[Desdar300]

What I love about Pokemon is that they can be related to animals/ pets, and them talking would kinda ruin that, so I am against
such a feature.

However, I would like if Pokemon talked like in the anime, like Pikachu saying Pika instead of a growl.

Also, Masuda already thought about such a featur when making XY, but said it was too hard to implement: a machine that translates the Pokemon's growls.

To be fair that was cut because of time restraints but yeah I can see it ruining some realism for some.

 

[Boss1708]

To be fair that was cut because of time restraints but yeah I can see it ruining some realism for some.

But Masuda also said it was very difficult to implement, so even if they had time, I doubt they would spend it on this feature. The number of Pokémon is getting bigger, and therefore this feature (similar to Pokemon following you) will get harder and harder to implement...

 

[Desdar300]

But Masuda also said it was very difficult to implement, so even if they had time, I doubt they would spend it on this feature. The number of Pokémon is getting bigger, and therefore this feature (similar to Pokemon following you) will get harder and harder to implement...

I'd imagine it was Though I'd glee at seeing it in a game though.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

What I love about Pokemon is that they can be related to animals/ pets, and them talking would kinda ruin that, so I am against
such a feature.

However, I would like if Pokemon talked like in the anime, like Pikachu saying Pika instead of a growl.

Also, Masuda already thought about such a featur when making XY, but said it was too hard to implement: a machine that translates the Pokemon's growls.

If Pokemon said their names like in the anime (which is a different topic from this thread, really) I would absolutely detest any new game. Pikachu alone is pushing it. Pokemon are animals and animals don't run around shouting "BIRD! BIRD!" Sure, some of the cries in the game are a bit... Outdated. But they did update them in gen VI which really improved a lot of the older 8-bit growls. The only anime cries that make sense are ones like Charzard (who's name isn't really recognizable) or those like starmie or victreebel, which are more animalistic than anything. Victreebel doesn't even attempt to say it's name or anything. It just screams.

Anyway, rant over. It wouldn't be so bad in a game if they had a single Pokemon that were able to speak, like meowth or the movie slowking. It could be relevant to the plot. But other than that, no to speaking Pokemon, and hell no to anime cries.

 

[ocelotlrama jaguar]

Yeah, the anime cries are a bit odd. I wouldn't mind it if they had voice-acted growls, but even then that would probably be time-consuming and expensive to impliment.

Back on-topic, I would actually like to see something like this done. With how much technology these games have in their world, you would think they would have a feature that allows Pokemon talk to be translated into human languages. Maybe only certain Pokemon could have their language translatable, like the ever-so-present Pikachu and other popular Pokemon as a novelty. I mean, I know it would be difficult to have translated languages for all 700+ Pokemon, but that would be a nice start.

 

[Boss1708]

If Pokemon said their names like in the anime (which is a different topic from this thread, really) I would absolutely detest any new game. Pikachu alone is pushing it. Pokemon are animals and animals don't run around shouting "BIRD! BIRD!" Sure, some of the cries in the game are a bit... Outdated. But they did update them in gen VI which really improved a lot of the older 8-bit growls. The only anime cries that make sense are ones like Charzard (who's name isn't really recognizable) or those like starmie or victreebel, which are more animalistic than anything. Victreebel doesn't even attempt to say it's name or anything. It just screams.

Anyway, rant over. It wouldn't be so bad in a game if they had a single Pokemon that were able to speak, like meowth or the movie slowking. It could be relevant to the plot. But other than that, no to speaking Pokemon, and hell no to anime cries.

Maybe I didn't word my opinion clearly but I would rather continue the current growl mechanism as it is. But, I'd prefer the anime growls over a Pokemon talking device. Bit I'd prefer if neither one got implemented.

 

[NoirCore]

In terms of our own Pokemon actually speaking words, I'm not for it. After all, just like how we can interpret how our character acts because he's a silent protagonist, I feel the same can be done to our Pokemon, as they are characters randomly generated with no shown personality outside of their nature status, and that's still broad. It makes our Pokemon we battle with in our game feel more like our own characters, too; that's how I see it, anyway. In my personal headcanon, one of my Pokemon DOES talk (my Sableye ), but I'd rather him not say anything in my game so I can imagine how he reacts.

However, when it comes to legendary Pokemon that are just one being of their species, I'm completely in favor of that. They are powerful beings with great knowledge, as shown in the anime with some of them talking, so I'd be fine with them talking, especially Arceus, since he's...well, the god of this world. Again, that's just my opinion.

 

[King Robert]

Eh, I'd be more comfortable with talking Pokémon being restricted to the Mystery Dungeon world.

 

[Almonds]

Don't really feel the need unless it is plot relevant. N translated them for us in Gen5 so just implement those people from time to time.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

Might I ask, what would they say? If there was a particular event in the plot when a pokemon talked to you then that'd be okay (depending on the pokemon) but otherwise, I don't see much this could contribute. Maybe there'd be a few odd pokemon NPCs to talk to, which I'd have nothing really against, again depending on which pokemon they were. In terms of your team, and other pokemon you own, though, I can't really imagine what they could really say that would add anything.

I suppose they do communicate certain feelings and that once you've bonded in Pokemon Amie, so that could be replaced with actual speech. Not sure that would really achieve much overall, though.

There are a few pokemon which are able to talk, like chatot. Personally, I think if all pokemon talked, this would probably end up detracting from those who do already. Overall, I think a better option would be to make them more expressive otherwise, like through body language and noises and that. On that note, the pokemon voices really do need improving. Last I heard, they were still the horribly electric-y sounds that got old years ago. It shouldn't be too hard to replace them with much more authentic animal noises as appropriate. Then someone gets the great job of humming a lovely little tune for altaria's voice.

Back to talking pokemon, though, one thing I feel I must bring up would be my favourite scene from BW2. That bit when you're having a perfectly pleasant conversation with a random man, and then he gives you the TM for Snarl, and reveals he's a zoroark. That was amusing.

 

[Chidamari Sketch]

There are Mons series like Youkai Watch and Shin Megami Tensei that have beings that are sapient and/or sentient and thus are negotiable and recruitable, but considering how Pokemon seem to be treated more closer to feral animals, I'd prefer that they stay speaking with cries instead of speech unless A) they are telepathic, B) they are a Legendary, or C) it makes sense with what they are based out of (ex: Chatot)

Though, if I ever see a talking Dunsparce or a talking Stunfisk with a smooth baritone, I think I'll reach out to the heavens.

 

[Osprey]

I'd prefer leaving whatever they're saying to the imagination.

 

[Almonds]

One thing though: we'd know what the Espurrs are talking about in the Day-Care.