Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Pokémon Personality
Deep Mystery and Setting
Innovative Ability Integration
Pokémon Pokopia is an addictive and masterfully crafted "cozy" spin-off that breathes new life into the franchise by trading traditional battles for a deep, creative loop of habitat restoration and community building in a surprisingly atmospheric post-apocalyptic world.
Pokémon Pokopia is an enjoyable, personality-packed building simulator set in a surprisingly deep world that is stuffed with fun things for its delightful Ditto protagonist to do and create.
Pokopia succeeds in capturing the spirit of Pokémon's past without sacrificing its uniqueness, as one of the best spin-offs the franchise has ever seen.
As ever with Pokemon, there is enough charm to see it through, and the mechanics aren't shallow, even if they're used in aid of the same few tasks over and over again. It's Pokemon's take on a bunch of other villager games it's not quite as good at, but if you persevere there is a game waiting for you here. You just have to get the actual game over with first.
There's a surprising range to the ways the Pokemon can help you interact with the environment.
Pokemon Pokopia gives you a massive amount to do and a story that propels you forward, while also letting you enjoy the simple pleasure of living among your Pokemon friends and building your perfect community. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface, and I can't wait to keep exploring. I'll get Squirtle back yet.
Pokémon Pokopia is the freshest Pokémon experience in a long time, bursting at the seams with charm and content that rewards both curiosity and creativity. It's an easy game to get swallowed up in, even with a few gameplay and progression issues that need ironing out.But as a first go at something different for the franchise, it's a big win. I don't know how Pokémon has stayed away from this kind of structure for so long, and I'd easily take a dozen more.
Pokémon Pokopia is almost exactly as cosy as we hoped. It's more active and goal-oriented than Animal Crossing, but there's still a laid-back, charming atmosphere to rebuilding the world and making it a new home for yourself and all the other Pokémon left behind.
