The field test for the highly anticipated augmented reality game Pokémon Go ended on June 30, with developer Niantic Labs disabling access to the title in preparation for its full release on iOS and Android.
For those who have not heard of the game, Pokémon Go brings Pokémon into the real world through the use of the camera and GPS features of smartphones. Gamers will be able to see Pokémon through their camera placed on top of real world locations, and they can be caught and then used to fight with other players.
With a handful of gameplay experience, what do the beta testers have to say about Pokémon Go?
Nick Statt of The Verge said the game mostly makes good on its promise of blending the world of Pokémon into real life. However, he said the current level of augmented reality technology is holding back Pokémon Go, as the Pokémon are simply floating and not actually placed on top or hiding behind objects, for example.
Polygon's Allegra Frank provided more criticism on the game. Compared to the original games, which required a strategy in beating Pokémon to capture them, Pokémon Go only requires players to throw Poké Balls at the Pokémon that they see by swiping across their smartphone screens. Gamers then simply hope that the Pokémon is caught with the Poké Balls they threw.
Nick Robinson, also of Polygon, understood that catching and battling Pokémon had to be scaled back in Pokémon Go, as taking too long to do these things would not be feasible for gamers who are walking along busy locations. He added that the game may be geared towards the casual Pokémon crowd as opposed to hardcore gamers, especially with the beloved turn-based combat found in the original games being replaced by a swipe-and-dodge mini-game of sorts.
IGN's Jose Otero, on the other hand, found the method of catching and collecting Pokémon in Pokémon Go as addictive as ever, adding that no other game has been able to get him to leave his house on a Saturday morning.
Andrew Goldfarb, also of IGN, enjoyed gym battles as a much needed break from catching Pokémon, with Otero comparing the gym battles to King of the Hill matches. There is also the interesting decision of choosing which Pokémon to leave behind to defend a gym, as placing a strong Pokémon would limit the player's ability to win more battles, but leaving a weak Pokémon to stand guard would allow other players to take over the gym.
Kotaku's Mike Fahey, however, detailed a different kind of experience while playing Pokémon Go. The core concept of exploration of the franchise allowed him to gain significant progress in his Pokémon collection, but it also gave him the opportunity to explore parts of his town that he has not yet visited, despite living in the area for the past decade.
Overall, Pokémon Go may seem like a letdown so far, but that may primarily be because of the insanely high expectations placed upon it by Pokémon fans from all over the world. Gameplay may still improve or change between the beta version and its final release this month, with fans looking forward to finally get Pokémon Go into their smartphones.
