After the gentle ramblings of Wandersong and the contemplative care package that was Chicory: A Colorful Tale, one of the last things I expected developer Greg Lobanov to make next was a Pokémon-style sports tactics game. But here we are regardless, and cor, I think Beastieball might be what I’ve been looking for in a Poké-like ever since my love for Pokémon proper began to wane around the Black and White era. I’ve dipped my toes back into the Poké pool more recently, of course, but I don’t think my love for it now will ever be as strong again as it was back when I was a rabid 10-year-old playing Red and Yellow on my Game Boy. Partly because I’m a recovering Pokédex completionist and I just can’t put myself in that kind of position again, but mostly because the innovations Pokémon’s tried to introduce in more recent entries have all fallen a little flat for me.
