I beat Pokémon Go’s Giovanni by a graveyard and it felt suitably heroic

Imagine walking down a long, eerie corridor leading to a cemetery, illuminated only by the foggy light of a full moon. This was the setting as I sought out Giovanni, the notorious leader of Team Rocket. After several attempts to find him, I finally encountered him at the cemetery gate, dressed sharply with a menacing aura, ready to battle. The atmosphere felt almost cinematic.

What I was actually doing was enjoying my routine evening stroll while playing Pokémon Go. However, this week had me outside more than usual, drawn in by the game’s latest questline that pits players against Team Rocket. This new content has quickly become the most engaging player-versus-environment experience in the game.

Recently, the Looming in the Shadows quest was introduced, featuring battles against Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo—three shadowy figures who serve as Team Rocket’s middle management. These characters were designed to provide a challenge, offering a rich backstory through various online sources. The difficulty of these battles has significantly increased compared to the previous encounters with Team Rocket grunts.

In the earlier days of Pokémon Go, players could easily overcome challenges by using powerful Pokémon like Tyranitar. However, the battles against Team Rocket leaders require a different approach, as they are designed for solo play, filling a crucial gap for high-end players seeking a challenge.

When facing Team Rocket grunts, players receive hints about the types of Pokémon they will encounter, allowing for strategic planning—just like in traditional Pokémon gyms. By defeating these grunts, players can collect items to construct a radar that reveals the locations of Team Rocket leaders.

The leaders boast a wider variety of Pokémon and utilize the Shield mechanic available to players. Battling them feels akin to real player-versus-player encounters. The initial waiting period at the start of the questline has turned out to be beneficial, allowing the community to identify effective counters to the leaders’ Pokémon.

On the night of my encounter, I had just completed the necessary battles to unlock a more powerful radar, which would lead me to Giovanni. However, there was a catch: sometimes, the radar could direct players to decoy grunts instead of the actual Giovanni. Previously, I had faced two such decoys, heightening the anticipation as I approached the final location.

As Pokémon Go’s Team Rocket gameplay concludes at 10 PM, it creates a daily rhythm for players. With only 30 minutes left before the cutoff, I received a tip about two more potential Giovanni locations across town. I was eager to find out if he would appear in the same spot for everyone.

The battle against Giovanni turned out to be relatively straightforward. His difficulty level was on par with the leaders, but it was easier to devise a strategy since Giovanni uses two fixed Pokémon: his loyal Persian and a Shadow Articuno, which serves as the ultimate prize for this questline. My initial attempt was met with a bit of challenge, but after switching my Pokémon strategy, I was able to defeat him.

With Giovanni defeated, he and his team retreated, leaving behind a generous stash of healing items and an in-game achievement. The ecstatic Professor Willow rewarded me as the questline concluded. On my walk home, I exchanged notes with a friend who had tipped me off about Giovanni’s location, both of us eager to take on the challenge again.

Since the launch of Looming in the Shadows, the quest has revitalized the game. It has provided a much-needed endgame challenge, encouraging players to strategize and strengthen their counters against Team Rocket leaders. Moreover, it has introduced new Shadow Pokémon to discover and delivered the most substantial storyline in the game to date.

Giovanni’s return is anticipated each month through fresh questlines, with December’s tasks already hinted at in the code. Each time, he may present a new Shadow legendary Pokémon as a reward. While the thrill of defeating him again may not be as heightened if he appears closer to home, I am looking forward to the next challenge.