5 tips for new players in Detective Pikachu Returns

Detective Pikachu Returns is the latest Pokemon spin-off to arrive on the Nintendo Switch and is a direct sequel to 2016's Detective Pikachu for the 3DS. In a departure from traditional gameplay in the Pocket Monsters series, players will take on the role of the mystery-solving duo of its titular protagonist and Tim Goodman as they conduct investigations, find clues, and make deductions.

Newcomers to Detective Pikachu Returns who haven't played the first entry may be a bit confused by the drastic change in gameplay elements. However, with the right knowledge, they should be able to tackle just about any mystery Ryme City throws at them.

For new players diving into this Detective Pikachu sequel, there are a few tips to keep in mind before beginning the story and cracking cases.

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Important tips for new players to remember in Detective Pikachu Returns

1) Investigate thoroughly

Check for clues and question witnesses as much as possible in Detective Pikachu Returns. (Image via Nintendo)

Investigations are the bread and butter of Detective Pikachu Returns' gameplay. Without them, our heroes won't have the clues necessary to make deductions and solve cases. Due to this, each time a player makes their way to the scene of an investigation, they'll want to exhaust every possible option.

Scan each scene thoroughly and check all around the screen as the investigation is underway. Any time the cursor turns into a magnifying glass, be sure to press the A button to see if a clue is worthy of being included in the journal. The same goes for questioning witnesses. Talk to every NPC and Pokemon as much as possible.

Once Tim and Detective Pikachu have gathered all the clues they need to proceed with the case, one of the two heroes should say so via the in-game dialogue. Once this occurs, players can move along in Detective Pikachu Returns and begin the process of deduction. However, if players don't see this dialogue, there are still clues to collect out there somewhere.

Getting every clue on the first pass of an investigation will prevent the need to backtrack later on, so it's best to get things right the first time.

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2) Make note of the Pokemon you see in Ryme City

Remembering the locations of some Pokemon can come in handy later on. (Image via Nintendo)

Although they aren't exactly part of Detective Pikachu Returns' main story, players will occasionally cross paths with the Quiz Professor in Chapters 2 to 4. During this time, she'll quiz players with trivia questions surrounding Pokemon and how they look and behave. Fans will have to find the correct Pocket Monster in Ryme City, to answer her questions.

Since this is the case, players may want to note the Pokemon in Ryme City and where they're located. This way, when fans do encounter the Quiz Professor, they'll be able to quickly answer her questions without roaming Ryme City for an extended period of time.

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3) Lean on your journal descriptions

The journal is invaluable in Detective Pikachu Returns. (Image via Nintendo)

Although the initial cases in Detective Pikachu Returns are pretty straightforward and simple to figure out, they grow in complexity throughout the story. If players take a break from the game or get a bit confused, hitting the X button and opening the journal can be an incredibly helpful way to get back on track.

By hovering over the clue icons within the journal, players can read descriptions of physical clues and interviews they've conducted that provide helpful facts. Moreover, fans can press the left button on their D-pad to review previous sets of clues and deductions that will recap the progress made in the case so far.

Even better, there is a note-based flowchart in the top right of the journal to show how far players have come in a certain case to help steer them where to go next. If fans have taken a break from the game and are coming back, or they've simply forgotten where they were headed, the journal should be the first resource that comes to mind.

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4) Be prepared for QTEs

Quick-time events happen on occasion in Detective Pikachu Returns. (Image via Nintendo)

When players are busy scanning for clues and flipping through dialogue in Detective Pikachu Returns, it's easy to fall into a comfortable rhythm. However, this Pokemon spin-off title still has a few moments where players will have to provide button inputs quickly to progress through a part of the story.

Fortunately, Detective Pikachu Returns tends to warn fans before a quick-time event (QTE) begins, but players should prepare for them regardless. The results of failing a QTE aren't exactly bad, but if players want to progress without hangups, they may want to mentally prepare and keep their hands on their controllers during cutscenes.

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5) Don't sweat the Local Concerns much

Detective Pikachu Returns' Local Concerns are more for flavor than a mandatory gameplay element. (Image via Nintendo)

All things considered, Detective Pikachu Returns is pretty forgiving when it comes to story progression. As long as players are thorough, they should be able to complete the game at a pretty steady pace. Be that as it may, fans will also encounter people and Pokemon that assign Local Concerns, otherwise known as this title's side quests.

Although side quests in many other games can be helpful for completing the story, the Local Concerns of Detective Pikachu Returns don't provide any real benefits for getting to the endgame. They merely exist as a means of broadening the game world and taking a break from the main narrative from time to time.

This isn't to say that players shouldn't do any Local Concerns, but if one is inconvenient for them, there's no real downside to just carrying on with other tasks. Completionists will surely want to seek out all the Local Concerns, but players more concerned with finishing the narrative can focus on it without straying from the path.