When we think of Pokémon we’re taken back to a nostalgic role-playing game from the 90s which saw the world fall in love with Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Pikachu. However, with the franchise hitting its 25th anniversary, the Pokémon Company seems to be upping the ante with new games and remakes. One of the new games that have hit the scene is co-developed with Tenchent’s TiMi Studios.Pokémon UNITE – the franchise’s first foray into the Multiplayer Online Battle Area (MOBA) genre.

While we’re used to the turn-based battles of a regular Pokémon battle, the MOBA genre brings a totally new dimension to battles. The game is developed in partnership with Tencent’s TiMi studios.

Welcome to Aeos Island!

Anyone who follows Pokémon knows that with the launch of every game, you’ll be taken to a new region. This time, Pokémon UNITE takes players to Aeos Island. This region is rich in an energy called Aeos Energy which seems to make Pokémon more powerful. The Pokémon professor, Professor Phorus, studies this energy and its affect on Pokémon. Together with her research fellow Erbie, they created the UNITE battles.

When it comes to lore, that’s about it for the game. Once you enter the main game, you’ll hardly interact with Professor Phorus or Erbie beyond the tutorials. However, it doesn’t discount the possibility of new lore being introduced at a later date.

Gameplay Mechanics

If you’ve never played a MOBA before, this game is definitely a really good introduction to the genre. Pokémon UNITE is your typical MOBA with a few tweaks. It shares your typical 5-on-5 battle system where players will be going head to head in teams of 5. It also has quick battles where players can have 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 battles. The objective of the game is pretty straight forward – score more points than your opponent within the given time. Battles are either 5- or 10-minutes in duration.

Players can choose from a number of Pokémon from four categories: Attacker, Defender, Supporter and All-Rounder. Attackers are Pokémon who are able to do heavy damage at the expense of health; Defenders are usually bulky with less speed but more endurance; Supporters are Pokémon who buff and disable opponents for better chances at winning while All-Rounders are Pokémon who are flexible when it comes to play style. These are pretty much the archetypes you see in other MOBA’s like Mobile Legends or League of Legends.

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During the game, players will be playing in an arena with up to 10 goal points split evenly between the two teams. Like other MOBA’s players will need to go into the arena and battle, not only their opponents, but also the wild Pokémon to collect Aeos Energy. Players score points by dunking this energy into the goals. Of course, being a MOBA, you can take down your enemy to steal their Aeos Energy and interupt them from scoring goals. The team with the most points at the end of the round wins. Individual players also receive ratings based on the number of points scored, assists and KOs. These metric determine if you become the MVP.

Fun, Simple & Quick

The Pokémon UNITE gameplay makes for a really fun game which players can jump into for a break. The simplistic, family-friendly MOBA has a learning curve for first timers, however, it isn’t a steep one. That said, in our time with the game, it seems like MOBA veterans are having a harder time acclimatising themselves to the gameplay than new players. It takes time to appreciate the scoring mechanic of the game.

The gameplay also expands into the customization and personalisation of your Pokémon UNITE avatar. Like Pokémon GO, there is a limited amount of customization in the game. Players can, of course, choose between male and female with some customisation to hairstyles and clothes. These customisations are also how Pokémon UNITE intends to make money for Nintendo and Tencent and they aren’t hiding it. In addition to this, Pokémon UNITE also has held items which give buffs to Pokémon in battle. Pokémon are also equippped with Battle items that provide effects which can be activated to turn the tides of a faceoff.

The controls in Pokémon UNITE are easy to learn but can be finnicky. If you, like me, jumps into the game without customising your setup, you might find yourself dying as a result of getting pulled back into battle when you’re trying to runaway with a skill like Volt Switch. The default settings can suck the fun out of the game – if you’re not used to them. However, you can mess with the game settings in the opening screen to fit your gameplay style.

The game’s short duration for battles and quick matchmaking make it ideal for playing in between meetings, classes or even when you just need a quick break. It can be addictive but has the potential to hold gamers in for a long time given the ease of getting a quick battle 5 or 10 minute battle in.

Janky Sound Design

While Pokémon UNITE does well in game design, the sound design of the game has a lot of space for improvement. The soundtracks are lack variety, you are hearing the same music over and over – particularly in the waiting screens. Even the arena soundtracks lack variety. You hear the same sound with little to no variation throughout the battle. Of course, there is some ramp up as time closes in, but that’s about it. Even transitions are abrupt and awkwardly put together.

Sure, you can argue Pokémon isn’t really a franchise known for its sound, but entering the MOBA genre also brings a focus on sound design as it does play into long term replayability. Other games in the genre have pretty good sound design.

Microtransactions, Microtransactions, Microtransactions

The one thing that does spoil the fun of Pokémon UNITE is the microtranscations that are unapologetically shoved in your face. The game comes with five in game currencies: Aeos coins, Aeos Tickets, Aeos Gems, Holowear Tickets and Fashion Tickets. These currencies can be earned from normal gameplay except for Aeos Gems. These Aeos Gems are bought with real world money.

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While TiMi and the Pokémon Company claim that these transaction will not take away from gameplay, they allow users to purchase more powerful Pokémon and items which can buff stats. This undoubtedly will affect overall gameplay – particularly when it comes to battle items. Players can acquire these items with Aeos coins, however, they cost anywhere between 1,000 to 5,000 coins which entails a significant amount of in-game grinding. Players can eliminate the grinding and waiting by simply spending real money on gems. They can also cost anywhere between 40-100 gems. What’s more, when you unlock Item Enhancers at Level 9, you can increase the buffs of these items. These item enhancers are also availble for purchase. So, guess who’s going to have the upper hand with more damage and better recovery?

A Good Jumping off Point with the Looming Dread of Microtransactions

Overall, Pokémon UNITE is off to a good start and has potential to become a really big MOBA given that it’s on both the Nintendo Switch and mobile. It’s simple to play with game mechanics that can be addictive even in small doses. However, it risks losing a significant portion of its players as it continues to blatantly shove microtransactions into player’s faces. While the developers can claim that there are no “pay to win” purchases, it can quickly devolve given the nature or held and battle items. We are hopeful to see a new entry in the eSports arena but cautiously optimistic that the game doesn’t just become a microtransaction machine.