Pokémon Pokopia: Bubbly Basin DLC Deep Look
Few life sims choose to travel down the terrestrial-and-marine route, and in doing so, Pokémon Pokopia tests the waters of its identity and proves itself a competent swimmer.
It’s hard to believe that Pokémon Pokopia was only released in early March, as players didn’t have to wait long for updates to the popular life sim. Alongside the announcement of its free underwater update, The Pokémon Company and Omega Force simultaneously announced the paid three-part Expansion Pass, where the first DLC introduces an underwater town. Fortunately, Bubbly Basin is not a dull rinse and repeat of the Pokémon Pokopia formula. The new biome brings a refreshing depth to the existing world with new Pokémon and features, allowing players to take full advantage of everything Dive has to offer, whilst levelling up ways to design one’s Pokémon utopia.
At a minimum, Bubbly Basin effortlessly expands on the existing core crafting systems and mechanics in Pokémon Pokopia. For the budding chefs out there, players can now grow fruit, such as watermelons, to make smoothies. Meanwhile, certain Pokémon possess the Scrub ability that cleans grubby pearls for item crafting. As expected, there are also plenty of new items and collectibles to obtain, such as furniture, decorations, and toys, with styles such as imperial, marine, or submarine décor to choose from.
Thematically, Bubbly Basin’s Pokémon roster is on the mark. The new town is home to fifty or so new Pokémon that are a natural fit for a marine ecosystem, such as Corsola, Horsea, and Sharpedo. With new Pokémon to befriend, homes to build, and an environment level to max out, players will be peacefully restoring habitats to Bubbly Basin’s serene, ambient soundtrack, while shimmying along to the upbeat and tropical tune of the new Dream Island.
Nothing quite like befriending an adorable Corsola.
It’s incredible how much one mechanic can transform the game. Prior to Bubbly Basin, players could traverse bodies of water using the Surf mechanic. Not only is Bubbly Basin a sizeable map, but the world now feels larger as a whole with Dive, as players can now travel underwater and explore areas they couldn’t access before, even in previous towns. Players also have newfound freedom to build on land, sea, or a hybrid; one can opt for an underwater kingdom like Atlantis, building low on the sea bed, or partially submerge buildings for a sinking modern city aesthetic.
Being underwater can take a bit of time to get accustomed to, but once players have embraced the transition, it feels incredibly immersive. Marine landscapes in games are usually either dark, eerie, and uninviting, or stunning and vibrant, and Bubbly Basin leans into the latter, maintaining its cosy appeal. Diving is incorporated pretty seamlessly into the player’s kit, allowing players to dive into even deeper water in some locations.
Activating Dive is simple. When a player dives underwater, they automatically gain a protective bubble that allows them to stay underwater for an indefinite period of time. Surfing underwater can give players more speed; however, the mechanics of it can be a bit finicky, and players may feel a bit floaty or find it initially challenging to navigate. There is an option to swim normally (albeit a bit slower) without using the Surf ability if players prefer.
With the power of friendship, this house was built on a floating platform in the middle of the ocean.
The Pokémon series has dabbled in underwater exploration before but not to this depth. Building and crafting systems are no longer confined to land, quietly transforming the game’s bedrock. Few life sims choose to travel down the terrestrial-and-marine route, and in doing so, Pokémon Pokopia tests the waters of its identity and proves itself a competent swimmer.
Narrative-wise, Bubbly Basin is on the lighter side and is ultimately where the DLC is lacking. After unlocking Dive by talking to Professor Tangrowth in Bleak Beach, and subsequently checking out the mysterious new pop-up island, players can make their way to Bubbly Basin through an underwater gate. This time, players will help Popplio, the seventh generation water starter, and go about the familiar task of restoring the town back to a lively underwater paradise.
What a mood, Manaphy.
Along the way, players fulfil requests of other Pokémon in need, but the DLC wouldn’t have hurt with more overarching narrative. The snippets of lore discovered in Bubbly Basin through human records or relics, however, remain intriguing. Particular Pokémon befriended in previous towns will express interest in visiting Bubbly Basin, but Professor Tangrowth amusingly declines because of certain difficulties. Players will have to communicate with them remotely or by travelling back to one of the other towns.
Although many may find the price tag and upfront commitment to the other unreleased DLCs disagreeable, the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass is off to an incredibly strong start as Bubbly Basin offers plenty of novel content to keep both the dedicated and casual player engaged for hours. Players expecting a brand new and involved storyline may be slightly disappointed, but the dedicated builders and explorers will find lots to love with this update. Nonetheless, the DLC is a worthy adventure, most notably breaking free of previous design and exploration limitations, and propelling Pokémon Pokopia towards further success.
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