Pokémon Go
It's 2024, and reviewing a game that recently celebrated its 8th anniversary might seem outdated. However, Pokémon Go has undergone many meaningful changes over the years, and I’ve recently gained a fresh perspective. This review is about how this game surprised me.
I started playing Pokémon Go back in 2016, like probably millions of others, out of curiosity. AR was a hot topic then, with few alternatives except for a couple of quirky shooters. Pokémon Go offered a collector's game tied to a precise geographic location, wrapped in the popular Pokémon IP. However, after a few weeks, I got bored and dropped the game without making significant progress. I wandered around with my 5-year-old daughter, collecting iconic Pokémons, but the game lacked content beyond the core AR mechanic.
This year, with the opening of a JA Pokémon community and a few bounties related to the brand, I decided to give the game another try. To my surprise, the game has changed significantly, adding many layers of gameplay. Now, you can not only wander around the neighborhood but also play at home, participate in raids, engage in PvP battles, and enjoy enhanced collecting and leveling systems. Pokémon Go has evolved from an AR MVP into a polished final product.
Many tools, services, communities, and websites have arisen around the game, confirming its continued popularity and demand. I invited my son, who is now also 5 years old, to play, and over the last three weeks, we’ve walked over 100 km together, having fun. He’s the type of person who is nearly impossible to drag away from the local playground. Now, instead, he studies maps and plans routes to check for rare Pokémons. This game has turned him into an explorer, enjoying the thrill of the 'Pokémon hunt' and discovery in general. He also seems to enjoy min-maxing in video games like I do, by looking for optimal stats and skillsets.
In three weeks, we both reached level 32 as free-to-play players and started doing raids, taking on more challenging bosses. As part of our outdoor journeys, I decided to reinforce his interest by watching the Pokémon anime, starting from season 1. This gave the game an even better boost, as now he sees animated Pokémon and their evolutions that are already in his Pokedex.
If you tried Pokémon Go and then abandoned it, I urge you to check the game out again, especially if you have kids. The game offers a solid child-parent bonding experience and is absolutely worth your time and effort.
