Items with a Purpose

Any player of the Pokémon games, in particular the main series games, knows that there is a staggering variety of items in those games, and each of those items have at least one purpose. Other Pokémon games use a smaller subset of those items and/or reinterpret some of them in various guises, but the items still have their purposes. This is something I'm convinced of when I have to deal with them, regardless of the Pokémon game in question.

Admittedly, this may be hard to distinguish for certain classes of items. An example is items that restore HP. In the main series games, there is a bewildering array of these items. Though they all perform the same exact function, their differences are in the amounts of HP that they heal. Yet with such a bewildering array, some players may be tempted to keep a large number of only a few items in an attempt to keep things simple. The issue that I have with this is that it almost disregards the value and capabilities of the items. It seems a bit much to think that, for example, a Hyper Potion can assume the function of a Lemonade, given that they are priced differently and the former may be overkill in its function compared to the latter. It seems it may be better to keep both and use either when suitable or necessary.

A key issue that seems to relate into this is determining what to keep and how many to keep. In the main series games, this is hardly an issue since bag space is indefinite, at least in later games. But in a game where bag space is at a premium such as in Pokémon Go, this does become quite a relevant issue. With regard to the values and capabilities of each item, in my view, it is permissible to keep just a handful of the less capable items for when they are perfectly suited and use them up when they burgeon, instead of discarding them without regard, except in dire situations. In that way, at least they may get some use rather than being viewed as a waste of space.

Item usage is and will always be part of the Pokémon games, as items are inescapable from the games and there are many variants from them. Yet it seems that as much as it is dictated by practicality, it's also to an extent dictated by utility. No matter how an item functions, the item may still have a purpose in certain situations. The challenge perhaps lies with the player to determine when the items are best used and to use them at that point, rather than leaving the items to languish or discarding them. At the least, the purposes will be fulfilled.

One year ago: Beyond the Boundary... of Languages