Coromon

Coromon is a game filled with potential but past sinking sands and perplexing puzzles it starts to fall flat. Fans of the genre will be delighted by the levels of customization thanks to the potential system and easy skill switching. Though, once you beat the roughly twenty-three or so hour campaign you'll find little to do. While some elements are stated to be getting worked on, two months after release, the game is still the same. Hopefully those who are waiting on the delayed Switch and mobile release will get them at the same time as any major updates to the game. For the PC and budget gamer, however, this is still a fine choice, and there is an accessible demo letting you play the start of the game. The shake-ups do let Coromon stand on its own and create an enjoyable experience, but it could’ve evolved to be something a little more.

Coromon is something that clearly comes from a place of great respect. Pokemon fans will likely find a game that appreciates what people love about the first five generations of Game Freak's franchise, and even when things get a little clunky there's enough for users to enjoy.

Coromon looks like a Game Boy Advance-era Pokémon title but it’s a bit more complicated than that. This is an accomplished JRPG all by itself which borrows a well-loved formula and sprinkles many of its own ideas into the mix. It’s just a shame that some of them don’t really fit.

Coromon is a game with a lot of promise that builds on the Pokemon formula. Is it perfect? Not quite yet. I’d say the balance is slightly off in many ways. But it is still a lot of fun. It also feels like a solid first step. I’d love to see a sequel that incorporates new types, dual types, and adds more creatures.

I’ve scrutinized Coromon pretty thoroughly, I’m not going to deny that. But I don’t think that my decision to do so was unfair. When you’re going to directly compare yourself to something that’s already been established, you open yourself up to the criticism, both positive and negative, that comes along with it. And, truly, there was a bit of both when it came to my outlook on Coromon. Was there a bit more negative than positive? Sure. I think that this game has a way to go (perhaps via means of a sequel) before I could truly say that I’m satisfied with it. But is the potential there? Yeah, absolutely. Between the gorgeous creature spritework and the way that the game simultaneously handles stat distribution and “shiny” hunting via the Potential system, there are some true moments of brilliance tucked away with in this game. And I’d like that brilliance to, *ahem*, shine bright. But it’s going to need some work to get to that stage. And only time will tell if it ever actually gets there.

Coromon is a vintage monster-catching game with a retro art style. It has no shame in making clear its source of inspiration, but at the cost of lacking relevant new ideas. Nevertheless, exploring this world as well as catching and training monsters is definitely worth the 30-hour journey. It’s an easy recommendation for those who are eager to play a traditional monster-taming RPG.

You might simply write off Coromon as a copy of other games. But think of it as more of a game inspired by previous works. While the inspiration is obvious, various design choices within the gameplay are clear upgrades, including difficulty modifiers and the Milestones feature. If you are a fan of monster collecting games, Coromon is differentiated enough to give it a try.