TheChrisD - Rant Central

Platinum Playthrough - Part 2

Continuing on in my play-through of Pokémon Platinum, now that the ever-so-boring “home” quest is out of the way, it’s time to go out into the big bad world and see what crap we can get up to…

This originally was much larger and more detailed, but then my comp crashed and I lost all of it (since Notepad++ has no restoring or autosaving feature).

Off to wherever…

Party so far: Empol (Lv10)

A quick skip down Routes 201 and 202, leads to Jubilife City. On first arrival, the little stalker Dawn was waiting there, dragging me over to show me a really odd man who was trying to hide behind some lamp posts - and failing miserably. Turns out he’s a detective, codename “Handsome” (although he doesn’t looks so good in the opening sequence) and he’s there to investigate Team Galactic’s goings on, or something to that nature.

Anyway, with that set-piece out of the way, parcel delivered (which as before contains two Town Maps, once of which gets cast aside and given to you), and Pokétch acquired (just kept pressing A, thus answering the top answer each time, and apparently they were all right ), it was time to continue down the linear, but set-piece free path to the first badge

Cleared out Route 204 quite quickly, and picked up a couple of HM slaves for later. Starly is very useful for the flying HMs, while Bidoof can handle the rest (Bibarel can even use the water HMs). On arriving on Oreburgh City, the kid who always drags you to the gym when you don’t have the badge, did so. WTFH was waiting outside, apparently saying that Roark wasn’t there. So I guess it was up to me to go find him and bring him back.

Oreburgh Mine is quite different this time. The old coal conveyers that were either closed, or not operational, were now moving coal out of the mine and to the processing plant. There was also a heap of scrag that had a pair of items, and a hidden Heart Scale. Who knew coal had items in it? Inside now looks a lot more like the Underground that a normal cave, which makes for much better scenery. As always there are the usual workers who are willing to slack off the job long enough to give you a quick battle.

Evolution: Empol -> Prinplup

Oreburgh Gym

After making Roark return to the gym, it was time to make quick work of it. The two trainers en route to the leader were disposed of very quickly, essentially making it a nuisance-free straight line to Roark. Since this is such an important battle, rather than describing it in writing, I recorded it

Back through to Jubilife City, and Handsome was waiting at the entrance, although this time he didn’t give you anything. Just said some crap and ran off. Up the northern end of the city were Rowan and Dawn being abmushed by a pair of Galactic grunts, which you and Dawn fight in a double battle. One quick thumping, and they scurried off like the cowards they are. Aftering watching the battle a TV guy came up and handed me a Fashion Case. OK?

Route 204 had nothing interesting except the Pachirisu double battle twins who refused to battle me with only one Pokémon in my party. Quick dash back for some vendor trash to fill the gap and asses were spanked

Current Party: Empol (Lv18)

Floaroma Town

Though the archway to Floaroma Town I went. Other than those arches, nothing else has changed. The Sprayduck is still acquired in the Flower Shop, and Galactic grunts still block off the way to the Meadow. Outside though was a little girl who was all upset because her dad hadn’t returned from the Windworks yet. Reluctantly, I was “volunteered” to be the hero and resuce him. A Galactic grunt blocking the door didn’t help, nor did him locking it after I walloped him. Back to the Meadow then…

This time, it seems the “Sweet Honey” grunts might not be as obsessed with it as before, since they don’t say too much. One, two spankings and off they run, obviously brought back to their senses. And for my good deeds, 10 pots of honey from the honey guy and the works key. There was a Move Tutor in the house inside the meadow, but I didn’t have enough shards to even see the movepool. The Tutors I’ll probably touch upon later, since I do plan on using them at some point!

Inside the Windworks, a pair of grunts brushed aside along the way - although their weakness did sort of play down the “seriousness” of the whole affair - was Galactic Commander Mars. However, joining herr on this assignment was the other new character of the game, Pluto. Although his role is very minor at this point. Anyway time to own this bitch!

Another deed done it seems

Current Party: Empol (Lv22)

Eterna Forest

Before you ask, Route 205 was so easy I blitzed through it in five minutes. There was nothing interesting apart from the gay-looking Shellos. Eterna Forest is now quite cloudy, as is shown by the shadows on the ground. It’s not as easy to see on the camera though… Cheryl will tag along with you again, meaning all battles are double battles, and you’re fully healed after every fight. The perfect place to train low-level Pokémon, that is if I had any…

Nothing much to note from here. You do get to battle a Burmy, and a Wormadam later, in both Sand and Trash Cloak (unlike in D/P where they were all Leaf Cloak, unless you caught one and mde it switch cloak). Also, the battle animation for Hidden Power is WAY cooler.

Eterna City

First place I went to straight from the forest was the Gym. Gardenia was waiting outside, and after talking to her and listening to her drivel, she went in to wait for you. No longer a game of hide-and-seek, the trainers on the way were brushed aside, and the centre watch-thingy rotated to allow me access to the Gym Leader.

Current Party: Empol (Lv29)

Now, although the trainers were relatively easy, Gardenia was not. I will admit, that on my first shot I got beat. So I tried again, and failed again. And again, again, again… In all, I wasted a whole hour failing around 9 times (I lost count). Action needed to be taken, and REALLY taken.

Skip half an hour, and throw another three levels onto Empol, and so it was time for another shot at it.

About fucking time…