I've spent 20 hours in Pokemon Pokopia obsessing over its mysterious world and what it hides beneath the surface

Pokemon Pokopia's world has unexpectedly transformed me into an archaeological detective who's utterly obsessed with unearthing lore. I mean that figuratively of course, since Ditto can quite literally transform to channel the powers of other Pokemon… and I've yet to find a way to turn into Indiana Jones. But thanks to my handy-dandy Rock Smash ability, which lets me break down terrain blocks, I've been spending much of the 20 hours I've poured into life sim so far digging through the past.

That's because a major mystery suffuses the world of Pokemon Pokopia. As soon as you become Ditto and meet Professor Tangrowth, you learn that humans once inhabited the world alongside Pokemon. Now, though, you're presented with a very different picture: for reasons as yet unknown, there are no trainers or residents in sight, and only traces remain of what once was in the barren landscapes. It's those traces that completely monopolize me. My desire to understand what happened drives me to root out answers buried beneath the surface. And from what I've discovered so far, there's an undercurrent of loss and a sad edge that only makes my work to restore the world all the more meaningful.

Some light early spoilers ahead for Pokemon Pokopia

Discovering Ditto

Truth be told, I wasn't expecting to get as invested in the world of Pokemon Pokopia in the way that I have. Going into it, I thought it would be closer to Animal Crossing: New Horizons in the sense that it's more about building, customizing, and getting your favorite Pokemon (not unlike the way you'd hunt down villagers for your island getaway). While it does share some similarities, it's so much bigger in scale – with some Minecraft and Dragon Quest: Builders DNA thrown into the mix – and the overarching storyline makes all the difference for me.

Rather than focusing on progression goals like getting enough bells to pay off debts, I have objectives that feed into the lore of the world and naturally unlock new features along the way. Playing as Ditto is a stroke of genius, too, as it marries perfectly with the story and the mystery that frames it. The very fact that Ditto transforms to look like its own trainer – who you can model after yourself – because they're seemingly missing, too, is heartbreakingly effective.

Right away, I'm given a personal motivation to help Professor Tangrowth restore the world in the hopes that I can get Pokemon to come back, and in turn, draw the humans to return home (including my own trainer). And as if Ditto's own desire to see their trainer again wasn't enough of a motive, Tangrowth sadly saying he'd resigned himself to being alone forever sure made me want to bring life back to this world.

That incentive definitely helps drive me forward, but so too does my need to know more about the history of the world and what exactly happened to drive people away. I'm nothing if not a lore sicko who adores environmental storytelling. It's always been my bread and butter in RPGs, and Pokemon Pokopia has both in spades. From the remnants of rundown buildings that were once someone's home, to journals penned by people who used to walk down the rundown streets I found the pages on, each and every discovery builds up the world in a tantalizing way.

The ruins of the world immediately bring to mind the way I got similarly obsessed with the post-apocalyptic setting in Horizon Forbidden West, which is littered with rundown buildings and rusty shells of cars from the old world. But the vestiges of the past in Pokemon Pokopia aren't just on a surface level, they go much deeper than that… literally.

World of wonder

Alongside the journals, reports, newspaper clippings, and the many ruins left behind on land, nothing excites me more than what lies hidden down below. Ancient relics buried in the earth, for example, really do make me feel like I'm an archaeologist piecing together the past.

After a quick punch with the Rock Smash ability, and an appraisal from Professor Tangrowth, I have history in my hands. Sure, they serve as a way for me to get more decorative items and furniture for my house, but they're also the belongings of someone who used to be in this world; proof that this place was once so full of life.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the sense of wonder and fascination that washes over me when I actively dig down below the surface and discover structures of a bygone era. Because it's not just relics that have been buried, impressive landmark locations can be found, too.

In one of the most memorable moments I've experienced in a game in a long time, I audibly gasped when I uncovered an impressive building buried below the earth that had been lost to time. If you've been playing, you'll likely know what I'm talking about, but for those who don't, I refuse to spoil the surprise, because it's really rather magical and ties into the central mystery.

From reading the words of humans who once inhabited the world, to uncovering the many places and traces they left behind, Pokemon Pokopia brings to life a landscape that begs to not only be restored, but explored. I had a feeling the Pokemon flavored life sim would become my next big obsession, and it has, just not in the way I was expecting… and that only makes me appreciate it all the more. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to dig into the past some more.

Getting stuck into the life sim? Check out these 13 Pokemon Pokopia tips.