After almost two years since its release, Pokémon Unite continues to see ongoing success, with updates being pushed continuously to an active and healthy player base. This review will aim to analyze numerous aspects of the game using accurate facts and details from an objective and unbiased perspective. What makes Pokémon Unite stand out, and does the appeal of what the game offers make it worth investing time in?
About Pokémon Unite:
Pokémon Unite is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena that allows players to take control of their favourite Pokémon in an all-out battle to establish dominance through fast-paced battles and a unique scoring system. Designed by TiMi Studio Group, a video game development studio group and a subsidiary of Tencent Games, the Nintendo Switch version was officially released on July 21, 2021, followed by the mobile version on September 22, 2021. Despite a rocky release with mixed reviews criticizing the game’s microtransactions and pay-to-win nature, Pokémon Unite has been downloaded more than 70 million times across Switch and mobile platforms as of April 2022.
Pokémon Unite was first announced through the Pokémon Presents broadcast on June 24th, 2020. Since then, select groups have undergone closed beta testing of the game throughout 2021, with the eventual public release on the Switch taking about a year from start to finish. By October, the Pokémon Company announced that the game had reached 25 million downloads across all platforms, almost a week after the mobile version's release. The game has won the Best Game of Google Play’s Best of 2021 and was nominated for the Best Mobile Game for the 2021 Game Awards.
Pokémon Unite Story
Pokémon Unite doesn’t have an actual story or campaign mode, though there is some light backstory behind the setting of the game. The game takes place on Aeos Island, where researchers are looking into Aeos energy, a special kind of energy that is used to score points in opposing goal zones during matches, though not much is explained after that.
Pokémon Unite Gameplay
Pokemon Unite - 10 Minutes of Blastoise Gameplay
Pokémon Unite is an online multiplayer battle arena game where two teams compete to score more points than the opposing team. Players select and control characters or Pokémon from the available roster, where they all have unique roles and abilities. Within the game, Pokémon fall into five classes, such as the speedster, which are characters focused on damage and mobility.
Every player begins the match with a relatively weak Pokémon and becomes stronger by defeating wild Pokémon, levelling up, and learning new moves. The type system in other Pokémon games is absent, though there are "Unite Moves," which act as ultimate skills like in other MOBAs.
The game offers various game modes and limited-time maps that feature other rules, map sizes, and Pokémon species. For example, there are shorter game modes with smaller team sizes and different objectives to defeat and capture. Because of the game's depth and nuance, Pokémon Unite offers endless replayability for casual and veteran gamers alike.
Despite the game's simplicity and accessibility, Pokémon Unite is heavily cooperative, and relying on your teammates is a must. Coordination between allies is limited to quick chat bubbles and an in-game voice chat that no one uses, which can be frustrating when trying to coordinate with teammates. Furthermore, the tutorial offers basic knowledge of how to play the game, which quickly distinguishes beginners from veterans. Concepts such as rotating objectives, team fighting, or positioning are not explained in-game, and the skill gap between players can drastically vary based on prior experience.
Pokémon Unite Combat
HOW TO TEAMFIGHT PROPERLY in Pokemon Unite
Pokémon Unite offers a simple yet intuitive combat system that is easy to learn and master. Characters begin the match at level 1 and grow stronger through defeating enemies and scoring goals. By levelling up to a maximum of level 15, your controlled Pokémon character unlocks access to various power boosts, such as better moves and stats.
Each arena offers a different set of AI-controlled wild Pokémon that give the player experience or temporary combat boons upon defeat. However, the opposing team is also vying to get stronger, score goals, and achieve victory, so the match becomes a competition of wits and skill to see who can outplay their opponents. Skirmishes and team fights are smooth and fast-paced, and the polished animations and sound effects only serve to ramp up the stakes.
Before the start of a match, you can equip your chosen Pokémon with up to three held items using the weaponry system in Pokémon Unite. These held items offer stat boosts and extra effects that can bolster your character's power, such as bonus damage, extra shields, or increased healing. Item enhancers are used to upgrade and improve the effects of held items. They can be obtained through in-game events and missions. A recent update has added a new rune or emblem system, which alters character stats through bonuses or penalties based on the emblem loadout.
Pokémon Unite Quest/Mission System
Numerous ongoing events and challenges offer a variety of rewards to players skilled enough to complete them.
Pokémon Unite offers dozens of quests and missions to reward players for completing objectives. These requirements can be as easy as logging into the game or participating in a match and as challenging as defeating a boss or securing several knockouts. However, the numerous rewards make completing quests worthwhile, as players can receive anywhere from a small sum of in-game currency to featured holowear or skins and new playable characters for the roster.
Pokémon Unite Graphics
Pokemon Unite Graphics Comparison - Switch, iOS & Android
There is virtually no quality compromise when comparing graphics for the Festival Style Pikachu holowear on the mobile and Switch versions of Pokémon Unite.
The graphics of Pokémon Unite are absolutely stunning, and the detail on the character models and the arenas wonderfully complement the gameplay elements within matches. The animations are seamless, and the overall art style immerses players in the Pokémon universe.
Pokémon Unite Developer
Pokémon Unite is developed by TiMi Studio Group, a video game development studio group and a subsidiary of Tencent Games. The game is published by The Pokémon Company on the mobile versions and by Nintendo on the Switch. There are new updates, characters, and contents every month or so, and the developers make an active effort to ensure that concerns from the community are heard.
Pokémon Unite Price
The game is free-to-play but offers in-game purchases and microtransactions. The game is available on Android, iOS, and the Nintendo Switch. Although most of the microtransactions are purely cosmetic-based, such as for holowear or skins, there are some pay-to-win elements, such as purchasing item enhancers to directly give your characters a boost through their held items, though there have been efforts by the developer to make progression more fair and accessible across the board.
- FINAL VERDICT: 8/10
Pros:
- Aesthetically pleasing graphics and visuals
- Simple controls, action-packed gameplay, and F2P make the game accessible
- High replayability through in-game content
Cons:
- Microtransactions introduce pay-to-win elements
- Lack of effective communication between teammates
- Strategy & skill ceiling can drastically separate beginners from veterans
