I beat Gates to Infinity a little while ago (and have already played through the main part of what happens after the ending), and, wow, I'm just...so many emotions. I really love this game. In terms of story line, it wasn't as complex as the Explorers trilogy, but it still held all of the emotions that just makes a Mystery Dungeon game. The writing for its characters is something that has been improved upon fantastically; like, the NPCs aren't Pokemon that are just there. All of them have their own individual personality that makes them unique and likable. The emotions run high in several scenes, and I have to say that I found myself tearing up several times-more than any of the prior games-and there were some genuinely tense moments. They also really develop the personalities of each character as you play along, especially your partner. Like, there are some deep emotions within your partner, beyond the cheerful Pokemon who wants the world to live in peace. They really play upon the relationship between the hero and the partner, and it's apparent how much they mean to one another. I think this game makes the Hero/Partner the most obvious through their interactions; in Explorers, it is apparent that you are your partner's emotional buffer and everything, but in this game, the emotions between them are just so clear, and they give you so many scenes that just show how deep the feelings go. It could be both touching and heart-breaking at times, and I loved it.

Though all of the Mystery Dungeon games hold a place in my heart, and I really did adore the Explorers games, Gates to Infinity is possibly right up there as my favorite. Character interactions can really make a game grow on me, and boy, did this game do so. I love it to death.

_{Also, got a little Emolga/Virizion riiight at the end. It was great.}