Pokemon UNITE Reviews

Pokemon UNITE is ranked in the 34th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
75%
Nov 27, 2021

Pokémon UNITE is a promising entry in the MOBA genre with the potential to be great given continued care from the developers.

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 13, 2021

The entry of Pok'mon into the waters of the MOBA genre is only partially satisfactory, mainly due to the chaotic monetization and lack of maps

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Polygon
Top Critic
Unscored
Sep 28, 2021

Although the game struggled with some balancing at the start - a problem common to any new competitive game - developer TiMi Studios has consistently released fixes. Pokémon Unite was released in July but got significant patches in August and September to address some glaring issues (an overpowered Gengar, for one). However, if you're looking for a game that's going to drop a new map every other week - or quirky battle modes - Pokémon Unite is not that game (so far). Even today, you'll find yourself playing in the same old stadium in every match.

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6.5 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2021

Pokémon Unite's potential is undermined by its balancing, and might not have enough to offer either of its target audiences.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 6, 2021

Pokemon Unite is a unique entry in the pool of Handheld MOBA Genre. The popular franchise brought in our favorite Pokemon characters as well as unique mechanics that provide a fast-paced experience in every match. With fun game modes such as 5v5 and 3v3, players are sure to find an endless amount of enjoyment in this wonderful game.

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Chris Wray
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2021

Pokémon Unite is a genuinely fun and charming game, with quick and accessible combat with enough tactical element to keep it interesting, while not overwhelming newcomers to the genre. However, it is predatory in all the worst ways, copying the worst tactics of pay-to-win free-to-play games, such as five currencies, loot boxes, buyable (with real-money) boosts, and items that influence battle, and more. While the game can be fun, the predatory tactics leave a nasty taste in the mouth.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2021

Pokemon Unite is genuinely fun with its layered gameplay, but we don't really like how the game is monetized.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Unscored
Aug 1, 2021

I've enjoyed my experience in Pokemon Unite, and I feel that the core 5v5 matches are definitely something that players can sink a lot of hours into. The gameplay is a bit more forgiving than League of Legends to newcomers, but you'll still have to work to figure out how to master a particular Pokemon's skills and fit them into a wider team strategy. The pay-to-win criticisms lobbied by the fans are valid and are concerning given the Pokemon franchise's younger demographic. If Tencent can tweak their revenue strategy to make it so that players don't need to pay money in a free-to-play game in order to compete, than Pokemon Unite should have a long shelflife and could be Nintendo's first successful foray into the MOBA competitive scene.

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6 / 10.0
Jul 31, 2021

Pokémon Unite is a fun and carefree MOBA, at least until you realize how much time you have to spend accumulating resources to upgrade your characters without spending money. The premises are good, despite the fact that it is a game that risks very little: it will be the long-term strategies that will determine the goodness of the project and, of course, its success.

Review in Italian | Read full review

6 / 10
Jul 31, 2021

It is difficult to recommend Pokémon Unite to 'free' players unless they're truly in it for the long haul. The gameplay is engaging, with a large roster of Pokémon that can be tried out in offline modes, but owning iconic Pokémon such as Lucario or Garchomp to play in Ranked will require an immense amount of Aoes Coins or paid-for Aeos Gems. A lot of joy is to be found in Quick Matches due to daily map rotations, but ultimately Unite is too geared toward grabbing people's purses to win games rather than providing an even playing field for everyone. Players that don't pay will likely find frustration in constantly matching with others who have spent money; it's worth keeping that in mind before committing to Pokémon Unite.

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IGN
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Jul 30, 2021

Pokemon Unite is an entertaining casual MOBA constrained by its overcommitment to simplicity (and some questionable microtransactions).

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7 / 10.0
Jul 30, 2021

In short, Pokémon Unite features simple objectives that can easily become addictive. There is a variety of playable Pokémon to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Although the core gameplay is absolutely fantastic, the character balancing, stage elements, and microtransactions need to be reworked. Nevertheless, Pokémon Unite is worth downloading for those of you who are after a fun competitive game on Nintendo Switch. The mobile version is scheduled to launch sometime in September, and Zeraora (despite being overpowered) is available for free until the end of next month.

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GameXplain
GameXplain
Top Critic
Liked-a-lot
Jul 30, 2021
Is Pokémon Unite a Good MOBA? - REVIEW (Switch) video thumbnail
8 / 10.0
Jul 30, 2021

Recognizable Pokémon, distinct move sets, stylish animations, and easy-to-understand objectives make this a good introduction to the MOBA genre

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7 / 10
Jul 30, 2021

Pok'mon Unite is an easy to play and well-designed MOBA that inventively translates mechanics of its license to adapt them to the genre. While Pok'mon fans will enjoy playing this game, MOBA enthusiasts aren't the primary target since its casual aspect prevails.

Review in French | Read full review

Tom's Guide
Top Critic
Jul 29, 2021

Pokémon Unite is a fun entry point for those new to the MOBA genre thanks to its short games, but longtime League of Legends or DotA fans will be left unsatisfied.

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7.9 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2021

Pokemon Unite is a genuinely fun and engaging game with lots of endearing features to keep players coming back. In just the time spend working on this Pokemon Unite review, I made it to expert rank without even noticing just how much I had enjoyed getting there.

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Jordan Minor
Top Critic
Jul 28, 2021

Pokemon Unite’s familiar faces and approachable mechanics let everyone enjoy the otherwise inscrutable MOBA genre.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2021

Pokémon UNITE may have its weaknesses, but it definitely offers an addicting experience. There’s definitely room to grow and evolve into something greater, and it seems like that may happen here. Combining the Pokémon franchise with the successful MOBA genre seems like a hit, and it’ll likely be here to stay a long while. Even now, I still continue to move up the ranks online, enjoying my time as I advance my player level. With future Unite licenses becoming available and likely more maps and content on the way, this will surely be a huge success.

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7 / 10
Jul 28, 2021

Pokemon Unite tries something new with the Pokemon brand and mostly succeeds, albeit with some overzealous microtransactions.

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