To avoid pages of redundancy, here is a disclaimer: Nexomon: Extinction is the definition of a Pokémon clone. If you don’t like Pokémon, you’re probably not going to like this game even a little bit.
If you do like Pokémon, this might just be the game for you. VEWO Interactive has developed an RPG monster catcher that’s actually enjoyable to play.
Nexomon: Extinction is a complete game with 381 monsters, a non-linear map to explore, a questing system, mining and crafting. However, I think the best part about the game is that its story is actually interesting with complex character motivations.
Where Pokémon peddles two versions of the same game for $60 each, lacking even a semblance of an interesting narrative or interesting characters, Nexomon: Extinction offers all of that and more for the modest price of $20. The monster catching and turn-based combat is just an aspect of the game, not the entirety.
Nexomon: Extinction is the sequel to Nexomon, with the story taking place millennia after the first, but the plots are inextricably linked to one another. If you played the first game your story continues. Somehow, though, you don’t need to know anything about the first game to play Extinction. In fact, the game can be played just as well as a standalone title.
Nexomon: Extinction is a deconstruction of the genre, to an extent, or perhaps more of a satire. While it embraces many of the traditional aspects, it makes fun of them at the same time.
You as a player are a mute. You can’t talk, so you have a talking cat companion to do it for you. Coco is the voice of reason, as if the player themselves were speaking in-world. If you as a player think something ridiculous is happening, you can bet Coco will have a snide remark about how the situation makes no sense.
This is embraced to the point that characters will openly break the fourth wall, mentioning that they’re coming along with you in hopes to make a cameo in the next game. Just as Deadpool joked about his film’s low budget, Coco does the same whenever the situation calls for it.
Yet, VEWO put its budget to good use. The world is diverse and pretty to look at. Though not in 3D, the graphics aren’t bad in the slightest. Visually, Extinction is perfectly digestible even in the modern era.
The cities and environments are expansive as well. Whereas some developers might opt to make their starting towns consist of three houses and a laboratory, every town in Extinction has multiple sectors and feels alive.
Even the gameplay is well optimized. Rarely if ever will you notice any loading or framerate issues. In all areas the game runs smoothly: fast load times, fluid menu cycling, all the bells and whistles.
The game sets itself apart with its story and character motivations. It was a refreshing experience to play a game where all the different characters and factions had their own agency, reasonable motivations for their actions and conflicts with one another.
Throughout the game the player should question who is in the right. Which group is the good guys and which is the bad? In fact, the highlight of the game is trying to figure out whose means are the best one for the same end.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t any silly aspects to the plot and characters. There certainly are, but Coco will have something to say about it.
From a gameplay perspective, there are things that could use some tweaking for future installments. Status moves are almost completely useless due to the low success rate. If you’re under leveled and think you’ll be able to win by cheesing the opponent with stats reductions and status ailments, don’t waste your time.
If that’s your situation you’ll just want to spend some time grinding for levels. Don’t bother with the big brain strategies, just mash the button to attack.
There is some nuance to be had with managing your Nexomon’s stamina bar and varying attack speeds, but running low on stamina almost never becomes an issue. The game practically throws money at you so that you can buy items, and healing locations are abundant.
Even the level grinding isn’t as exhausting as it could be, because NPCs are always looking for a rematch against you and the aforementioned healing locations create optimal grinding spots.
As you progress throughout the game, the wild encounters and NPCs scale to your level so that the game can offer a challenge everywhere you go and at any time.
This is a particularly useful element of the game as it assists in the non-linear exploration you’re allowed to do. No one will make you do the story quests. If you want to, you can spend all your time exploring the world, doing side quests and taming Nexomon.
Of course, there are certain locations only reachable by progressing through the story, but those generally just offer a few items you can grab.
If you want to visit a place the story won’t take you until close to the end, go for it. Nobody will stop you from taming all the Nexomon you want to.
There are an abundant amount of cool and cute Nexomon designs offering plenty of opportunities for marketable toys and plushies for all demographics. At the same time, there are a decent number of underwhelming monster designs that would have been better off with a re-work.
Sure, a lot of that is subjective, but some of the Nexomon could have been left out entirely and few people would raise a fuss about it.
In a sense, Nexomon: Extinction could be seen as having a story that surpasses Pokémon’s fifth generation and a difficulty not unlike Pokémon Platinum, but an execution all of its own.
While the overall combat system isn’t as polished as it has the potential to be, future installments will continue to adjust gameplay just as Extinction improved upon the original.
The game is available for download on Steam, Nintendo Switch and PS4. Not to mention, there isn’t a mainline Pokémon game coming out this November, so the time is right to pick this one up for a third of the cost.
Game reviewed on a base PlayStation 4. Review copy provided by PQube.
4/5 Torches
