I don't think I can ever understate just how important Pokemon Mystery Dungeon has been for my mental health and sense of identity. I'm not sure if I can ever truly find anything that comes close to making me feel the things this series has made me feel. I'm sorry, I know, I am a broken record, I just think every so often about the core message of PSMD and how much it means to me.
When I streamed it, I, and a lot of folks in chat, joked about how smarmy it is, and how many bad writing choices there were, and while it's true it's also the most genuine game I've ever played.
It's also the only game that made me unable to go on for a minute because I was crying over how hard it hit me.
It's a game that genuinely made me feel more connected to my identity as a Riolu.
It's a game that at times felt like it was speaking directly to me being otherkin.
It's a game that made me feel like I could genuinely heal from past trauma and forgive myself.
Every time I try to write something up about what this game means to me, I wish I could describe it better without spoiling it. But without any exaggeration, PSMD is the best game I have ever played. It's an experience that will never end in my heart and soul and has brought me to a world I will never have to leave.
Sure, I would love for there to be a new PMD game one day. I know we do the same joke every time an announcement happens, but while it would be nice, I also have to wonder, when will I really -need- a new PMD game.
Honestly, time will tell. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon has a way of always showing up in my life when it's most needed, to tell me the things I need to hear the most. If that time ain't now, then someday it might. For now though, how can I not celebrate the fact that PSMD is such a good swan song and capstone to a series which may or may not ever get a new entry.