>>39409426>>39411106Honestly this gimmick sounds like a fine premise for a non-linear pokemon game the fans have been memeing about recently
>Local pokemon professor invents a so-called "Link Cable">It allows "linking" a pokeball between two people>The pokemon inside would then follow their orders and treat them both as its trainers (thus justifying the shared party mechanic)>However it only works on people who trust each other a lot>This is why he needs (you) and your childhood friend to be his guinea pigs>Having chosen and successfully linked the starter pokemon, the professor is very pleased and wants you two to test his invention on as many pokemon as possible>After that you are free to explore the region>You get a checklist with various tasks the professor would like you to do (Catch X pokemon; Beat a gym leader; Find out who has stolen the two other starters from the lab and so on)>Tasks can be done in any order, with each one having its own unique rewards, as well as advancing the story and unlocking new places to explore>Game heavily rewards exploration, many pokemon can be found not only in grass, but through special quests or events (think Eevee in Goldenrod City, the Regi cave in RSE or Volcarona in Relic Castle)>The companion mechanic works similar to following pokemon. Your partner will react to things in the overworld and can also give you tips on what to do in case you missed something>To avoid micromanagement and AI-related frustration, you two share your pokemon in a 3+3 way. The player also controls both characters during battles.>Interacting with your companion builds a secret "affection" meter. At very high levels your bond will have unexpected effects on your pokemon (maybe slightly increased EV gain or a small EXP multiplier?)>You can let your pokemon out of its pokeball at any time to play a minigame similar to Amie/Refresh. Just make sure there's enough free space in the overworld around you. 