Detective Pikachu is a mystery-solving game with no battles or catching: you question witnesses, both humans and Pokémon, gather clues and piece the facts together. Here is how it plays, with a few tips for your first cases.
The basics
You play as Tim Goodman, a young man who has come to Ryme City to find his father, Harry, who disappeared two months earlier. He teams up with a talking Pikachu in a detective cap, whom only he can understand. Together, they investigate incidents involving Pokémon, and a mysterious substance, R, that makes Pokémon aggressive.
The actions
| Action | What it lets you do |
|---|---|
| Talk | Question humans on the available topics |
| Translate | Pikachu talks to Pokémon and tells you what they said |
| Examine | Search a place or an object for clues |
| Check the notebook | Review the testimonies and clues you have gathered |
| Deduce | Answer Pikachu’s questions by choosing the right clues |
| Action scenes | Press A at the right moment when the icon flashes |
The Pokémon of Ryme City
In Detective Pikachu, Pokémon cannot be caught: they are full-fledged characters, whether witnesses, suspects or allies. Around a hundred of them appear throughout the adventure, from Aipom, the thief of the prologue, to Ludicolo, who serves the coffee at the Hi-Hat Café. See Characters and Pokémon.
Six tips
- Exhaust the dialogue: ask every question to every character, human or Pokémon.
- Examine everything: objects, corners, sleeping Pokémon. A key clue can hide in the scenery.
- Listen to Pikachu: a call from him often signals a new objective.
- Don’t fear mistakes: a wrong deduction can be corrected without penalty.
- Stay alert during action scenes: the icon to press appears only briefly.
- Take your time: the game is best enjoyed for its dialogue, which is often funny.
To follow the adventure step by step: walkthrough overview.
