Pokémon Go Review: Living Like a Pokémon Master in Real Life
Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Niantic Inc.
Release: July 6, 2016
Pokémon is one of the talk-of-the-town games since day one. Some gamers already experienced playing Pokémon games on their old Game Boy devices, where you go on an adventure with your preferred Pokémon monster, catch wild ones, and train these to battle gym leaders.
These Pokémon games made people wish they can encounter Pokémon monsters with today’s technology, and Niantic did an excellent job in introducing Pokémon Go. It will make us as if these monsters are existing in our world.
After the release in 2016, this game became the talk of the town. There was a boost in the number of downloads, and people suddenly became active outdoors. It’s one of the best moments because a game you typically play inside made people go out. Why? It’s because all of them are catching Pokémon monsters.
The 3D graphics of this game is exceptional, especially when the camera is turned on. A map will alert you on nearby Pokémon monsters, and to see it is through your device’s back camera. The monster will appear in your device, and there’s a Pokéball you throw towards it. Sometimes, you can catch monsters with ease, but most of the time, it’s somehow challenging.
If you want to catch more Pokémon monsters, you have to follow the map, even though it means you have to go outside. You’ll need an internet connection to play this game, so you better have ample mobile data to make sure you will not miss out on the rare ones.
Aside from catching Pokémon monsters, you can also battle gym leaders with the monsters you have. You can see your monster’s stat, such as the HP, CP, height, weight, and type. You can even rename it, depending on your preference. Battles can improve your monster’s stat, which is why players tend to go to train.
The recent update of this game will let you raid battles. If you hit level 20, raiding events to boost your chance of encountering a Boss Pokémon monster is possible.
You can switch your avatar’s gender anytime you want to, and you can also customize the appearance and style. It’s free to change the color of your avatar’s eyes, hairstyles, and skin tone. As for the items, most styles are also free, yet some need PokéCoins.
There’s nothing special about its sound effects and music, unlike other games. Most gamers don’t notice the sound because they focus on the Pokémon monster appearing in their device. Putting your device on mute will not make a huge difference.
While some gamers still prefer to play typical Pokémon games on Nintendo devices or other gaming consoles, others are happy with Pokémon Go, especially adults. The expectation is for kids to play this game inside their houses because it’s safer, yet teens and adults prefer to explore the game further by going out and walking for hours to look for Pokémon monsters.
The game is free to play! Though there are also in-game purchases available, you can enjoy playing this game without buying anything.
Concept
Live the life of a Pokémon trainer by catching as many Pokémon monsters in your hand-held device. Through your device’s camera, you can finally see them, so going outdoors will give you higher chances of catching rare ones. You use Pokéballs to catch these monsters, and you can use them to battle gym leaders, which are near landmarks to your location.
Graphics
What gamers enjoy about this game’s graphics is how every Pokémon looks realistic. The map is not much of a big deal since how the graphics of monsters are undoubtedly satisfying.
Sound
The music and sound effects will give you a nostalgic feeling, taking you back to the days when you used to play Pokémon on older gaming consoles.
Playability
You always aim to improve all your Pokémon monsters’ stats up and collect gym leader badges. You need to go outdoors for a better gaming experience, and the map will lead you to nearby Pokémon monsters.
Entertainment
If you enjoy the outdoors, this game will undoubtedly entertain you. It will leave you wanting to collect more. However, if you prefer staying indoors, it may not be the best Pokémon game to play.
