More of the Different
The original Pokemon Ranger brought something new to the Pokemon franchise. Though previous games had brought new game mechanics to the Pokemon universe, none had changed it quite as much as Ranger. Circling Pokemon until they were befriended, you could still use them once to do a task.
The sequel to Pokemon Ranger delivers more of the same, yet different mechanics of the previous game. Circle them, use them, let them go, very simple. Throw in a crazy gang of criminals and you got yourself another Pokemon game. Though this game delivers a lot, there are still some improvements. The capture system has been vastly improved, as even if you have to stop circling to avoid an attack, you still will build up experience and are able to pick up where you left off within a few seconds.
New additions brought to the table, though not many, are still helpful. Quests, though not really important to the story, provide you with a little more content for your buck. With about sixty, you are pretty much set, but the one of the downsides is the fact that you can't go back and play a quest you missed. They only happen at certain parts of your adventure, so you're either checking every few seconds to make sure you are getting all of your quests, or you're not. The reward, though small, will build up to make your stylus a very powerful device against all types.
Improvements and additions are great, but the biggest disappointment is the dialogue yet again. In the previous one, it was almost laughably bad and very Japanese. In this one, it is getting worse, with redundancy everywhere and from everyone. The script appears to be for six-year-olds at most times during the game, but it'll sometimes mature to that of a ten-year-old. That's the only really big knock you can give this game, but the fact that their is dialogue almost every few seconds makes it a huge deal.
Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is a great package for someone who loved the original Ranger or those who are interested. Definitely go and play it through at least once, or at least to see the new spin it puts on the Pokemon world. If you weren't so hot on the first one, well this one doesn't change that much for you. A definite four stars from the Panda.