Pokémon Go
Year: 2016
Rating: E
Time Played: ~170,000 minutes / ~2,862 hours
Ever since Pokémon swept the world in the mid-1990s, fans of the franchise have longed to live in a world where they could actually interact with these creatures. On its surface, Pokémon Go scratches that itch by fusing a location-based game with the successful franchise. I can literally go out in the tall grass and catch virtual Pokémon on my phone. I really enjoy this concept and play the game daily, but there are still plenty of things that it could improve upon.
I understand the need to prevent players from cheating, but the need to be connected to the internet constantly—especially when exploring less urban areas with poor cell service—makes this game entirely too frustrating to play. The only times I can consistently trust that the game will work correctly are when I’m sitting on the couch at home connected to Wi-Fi. This game has had several controversies from its developer, and it’s sad that a few easy fixes could make it much easier (and more fun) to play.
Depending on your play style, this game could be a huge time and money sink, an aggravating walk through the park, or an enjoyable thing to do while out and about. My goal is to “catch them all,” which has taken a lot of work. While there are plenty of features that require a dedicated friend group to accomplish, there’s still plenty to do as a solo player if you know what you’re doing. Taking advantage of events is key, but don’t let the fear of missing out (FOMO) distract you from the fact that it’s just a game and these opportunities will probably come around again in the future.
A great concept for Pokémon but with many frustrating quirks, I give Pokémon Go 3.0 stars out of 5.
