New Pokémon Snap Reviews
The intrepid sense of navigating new terrain that this game could have offered is thoroughly undercut by imposing design decisions that ultimately cost the game its heart.
With New Pokémon Snap, Bandai Namco has not only made the best-looking Pokémon game in years, but also one of the most delightful.
New Pokemon Snap could very well be the next "chill" hit for Nintendo in the vein of last year's Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game itself has very low stakes, but there's still lots to explore and find, and it should be a great distraction for players over the rest of the spring and summer. New Pokemon Snap is an impressive re-debut for the Pokemon Snap franchise and should hopefully give Nintendo and The Pokemon Company motivation to make additional Pokemon Snap games. Less than a quarter of all Pokemon species is represented in New Pokemon Snap, so there is certainly room for more exploration, more discovery, and more photos in the future.
There are countless video games designed to bring simple joy to players, usually with adorable visuals and relatively easy and relaxing mechanics. Even still, mainstream video games are obligated to include objectives and a sense of challenge, often to a point where you have to work and jump through hoops for some solace and a pleasant shot of dopamine. Enter New Pokémon Snap, the long-awaited sequel, and a game that has you grind to earn that wholesomeness.
New Pokémon Snap is a beautiful exploration of the world of Pokémon with thoughtful mechanics and puzzle solving, though its tendency towards forced grinding and replays makes some of the charm wear off near the end.
Pokémon Snap left me in a worried state for the franchise.
It is significantly bigger than the original, and photo editing options in combination with Twitter and Facebook integration make it a somewhat more social experience. While it is easy to say this is the definitive Pokemon Snap experience, I can't help but find myself wanting something that truly feels new rather than simply more. New Pokemon Snap is a loyal-to-a-fault sequel, that hopefully harkens to something a bit more adventurous down the line.
All in all, New Pokémon Snap delivers exactly what the title promises: a Pokémon Snap that is bigger and more modern, but with a core that's very similar to the original N64 game. Whether this is a plus or a minus depends on how much you enjoy seeing cute cartoony monsters being adorable. There are few more relaxing and chill games on the Switch, and if you're looking for something to de-stress after a long day, New Pokémon Snap has you covered. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to figure out how to get this giant turtle monster to yawn....
New Pokémon Snap is a great experience for anyone who’s either a fan of videogame photography or the Pokémon series. If you’re into both (like me) this title is a dream come true.
New Pokémon Snap takes what made the original special, but doesn't add or changes much. It is a fun experience and fans will be happy with this new entry, but they shouldn't expect more than a simple and arcade experience with tedious progression.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
New Pokémon Snap is a delight to play. It's bright, colourful, and overflowing with personality and while it does become a little too "grindy" for its own good, the core gameplay hasn't evolved much from the N64 original, and that's a very good thing indeed. Nintendo may have launched this in and around a lot of big blockbuster stuff (Returnal AND Resident Evil Village has been a big win for Sony over the last week), but then those games are so darned hardcore that New Pokémon Snap is exactly the antidote to them that I have needed.
New Pokemon Snap delights at every turn, offsetting a grindy mid-game with a parade of charming Pokemon in this cozy on-rails photo adventure.
It's the absolute perfect time for this game. Not only because Pokémon is just settling into a new renaissance and resurgence of interest not seen since the 90s, but also because of the state of the world. Games that encapsulate escapism and the ability to just chill are desperately needed. It's part of the reason Animal Crossing exploded like it did. New Pokémon Snap is enjoyable in the exact same way. A game to lose yourself in. A game to play on rainy Sundays. To play late at night. To unwind and to decompress. Best of all, it's the perfect way to reconnect with the franchise in honour of the 25th anniversary. So, settle in, sleeve those new Shining Fates, throw on season two of Pokémon Journeys and get snapping.
Playing New Pokémon Snap filled me with a joy and excitement that I haven’t felt from a game in a while. Though it has its minor flaws, it really is an experience worth playing that offers gameplay you won’t find elsewhere.
New Pokemon Snap is "Pokemon Snap 2.0 Plus". Here we not only get more content, but everything looks and sounds much better. This is a real continuation, which fans of the original were waiting for.
Review in Polish | Read full review
New Pokémon Snap may not reinvent the wheel, but it's just as charming as its predecessor was. It's a calming, lovingly crafted spin-off that will challenge your photography skills.
Photograph Pok'mon Pok'mon in their native environments, do not expect much more.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A middle of the road performance for New Pokémon Snap. It will certainly find its niche, and anyone who considers themselves a big Pokémon fan will come away from this game grinning about some really beautiful moments. The biggest issue with New Pokémon Snap is that there is no reason to stick around after the first couple of hours.
New Pokémon Snap may not showcase the Switch’s graphical capabilities, nor will it blow you away with its unimaginative storyline and anti-climactic conclusion, but if you’re a fan of the N64 original, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up. For non-Pokémon fans, the repetitive gameplay does unfortunately hold it back from being a must-have, however its adorable aura and slower pace will have you glowing more than an Illumina Maganium.
Overall, New Pokemnon Snap is a decent game, and a mostly worthy successor to the N64 classic. If you were a fan of the original, you'll be a fan of this one for sure. It's a little rough around the edges in some places, and the grind can be unreal sometimes, but it's still modern Pokemon Snap which is good enough for me.