As of writing, I have only played through platinum on PokeMMO, so I can imagine different games will have different mechanics which will effect the legitimacy of some of the points I make. If I ever decide to go back to this review then I’ll add that.

PokeMMO feels like a enhanced port of the Pokemon games which many people consider the “best ones”, with MMO features added to make the experience slightly more interesting. A lot of it is streamlined, and there is some good QOL I appreciate (though I disagree with the micro-transactions required to purchase the HM flutes, they have to make their money somehow but I feel like cosmetics cover that). Also, I noticed some changes to battling that I appreciated (such as the overhauled giratina fight which actually makes it feel intimidating). However, it lacks some some side content from the games which previously provided a nice break from the experience. Additionally, I dislike how PokeMMO places a focus on competitive systems (like EVs, IVs and natures) without streamlining the process (from what I’ve seen, anyway). Making a competitively-viable Pokémon is an absolute nightmare in most games and PokeMMO does not take any strides to reduce the issues, which I personally find to be disappointing. For the time being, I can recommend PokeMMO as a fun way to re-experience some of the games, but it doesn’t become the definitive way to play these games because of the issues stated. Still, if the team is able to rectify the lack of content in some areas, I can see this becoming my favourite way to play these games.

I have not placed much time into PokeMMO and sadly I do not believe I will continue playing, at least at this time. I am curious about how this game functions. I would love to see and participate in community events and build a collection of Pokemon with comrades, but the day to day game play and design choices are truly baffling.

This attempts to craft the single-player Pokemon games into one complete package (or as complete as the hardware allows) but this time with friends! What a marvelous idea, but in truth it comes off more as a novelty after playing for a bit. The game has several changes to accommodate the change in style. Some changes are fine; the games have increased difficulty to captivate an older, more experienced audience and quality of life features like IV/EV stats enhance the game. However, other changes seem to make the game worse. The low speed of the game (low exp gain, slow animations, etc.) makes the grinding truly miserable especially when compared to other rom hacks (which this essentially is) that benefit from faster settings and the glorious speed up button even the most basic emulators provides. Speaking of which, playing this game makes me ask "why am I playing this and not another rom hack?" The answer, of course, is its multiplayer component, but what does this mechanic really add to the game? Besides a market place and standard Pokemon multiplayer features (trading, battling, etc.) there is little interaction between players other than a chat box. To most this is fine, as they play the game as normal with the joy of seeing someone playing along next to them, but I wish there was more. I know there are limits to the engine and the skill sets of the developers, but I long for a true co-op experience. One where it feels like you are traveling the region with someone, not just by someone. I have not played while there was an event going on, so those may have elements I would fine desirable, but the average play session just feels worse than playing a rom hack or even the default games on an emulator. Other things which bother me are the changes to breeding (now you somehow lose Pokemon when you breed them) and the tremendously decreased shiny odds. I understand these features exist to highlight Pokemon rarity and incentive trading, but I believe these are lazy ways to manage the system. I want new ideas, not already existing ideas made harder. The plethora of rom hacks showcase how many innovative ideas the fan community has, and PokeMMO just seems underwhelming in comparison to the single-player competition without presenting a compelling enough multiplayer component to compensate. These complaints are particularly an extension of my jaded yearn for more, and I totally see someone being able to ignore them and have an amazing time with this game. Sadly, there is another concern of the game which I believe is a bit more severe.

Rom hacks and fan games often present quality of life features which improve some of the mediocre design decisions of the base game. PokeMMO takes the unique approach of removing quality of life already in the game in the pursuit of the grind. TM are not reusable even in Unova (the game which invented reusable TMs). TMs can instead be bought, but they are expensive and rely on money grinding activities (it is no wonder a quick YouTube search for the game reveals several money making guides). MMOs are known to be grindy, but usually not at the expense of making the game worse than it was before. More sinister to me is the way real money can be used to speed up the process.

Purchasing items in the game gives players redeemable bonuses to money gain, exp earned, and shiny rate. This alone rubs me the wrong way, but most of these items are newly made cosmetics and, fine, it is acceptable to sell custom work for a game you are making. But some of the paid items influence the game itself, like an hour long shiny charm or EV training items. I have a problem with this since not only does it encourage players to become payers, it does so by altering the original games which initially rewarded players with these now purchasable prizes. As a rom hack it seems silly to lessen the quality of a game and as a fan game using copyrighted materials it seems absurd to make money off of the original developers work. I know hosting the server is not cheap, but there are ways to monetize without hurting a game. Cosmetics,. as I said, are perfectly fine and people will pay for those. Messing with the game mechanics is scummier.

I do not recommend this game unless my complaints do not phase you (which, fair, thanks for reading). However, I do believe this format can be expanded to be more worthwhile. More new ideas would greatly change my view on the game and I will happily log in to play more once these hypothetical ideas drop. Right now, it excites me more to convince my friend to use Parsec to play Pokemon Quetzal. a newer rom hack which combines innovation with a true co-operative experience.

Do you know when you discover something amazing that, for some reason, completely escaped your notice? Well, this game eluded my radar for years, and it was only recently that I became aware of its existence through a friend's recommendation. I can confidently state that PokeMMO stands out as the best unofficial Pokémon version currently available. In addition to preserving the essence that made Pokémon games so beloved, the game also incorporates online features and some nuances in the campaign.

To start, I have a love-hate relationship with the Pokémon franchise, and I've only played the first four generations. Starting from the fifth generation, things began to get more complicated. I initiated the game with a well-established bias and ended up setting it aside. Thanks to PokeMMO, I gave the fifth generation a chance, and I confess that I was pleasantly surprised. As for the sixth generation and beyond, well, I prefer to think of it as a collective delusion. That said, let's get to the point.

Just like in the original Pokémon games, in PokeMMO, you have the freedom to customize your character's appearance. However, the game goes above and beyond, providing a wide range of options. The possibilities are virtually endless, as there are various ways to acquire cosmetic items for your character, allowing trainers to create truly unique and personalized avatars.

When we finish creating our character, right away, you have access to five regions, which correspond to the first five generations of Pokémon: Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova. Each of these regions has its own story mode, which follows the plot of the original games they represent. For example, when visiting Kanto you will play Fire Red's story mode; as you explore Hoenn, you will follow Esmeralda's storyline, and so on. It's basically five Pokémon games rolled into one. Initially, you can only choose one of these regions, but as the game progresses, you can travel between them freely, as long as you reach a specific point in the story that grants access to the ship's captain, responsible for taking you there. Having access to multiple regions was one of the things that caught my attention the most. The possibility of exploring five regions without having to change games is, without a doubt, an incredible experience.

Although PokeMMO has almost identical characteristics to the original games, there are some peculiarities, one of which, as the name suggests, is the MMO aspect. But what does this add to the game? Firstly, it provides real-time interaction with other players, whether during exploration or battles. The game also features a clean and intuitive interface, where everything is organized very well. However, my favorite feature was the GTL, or Global Trade Link, something that Game Freak could have easily implemented. This not only facilitates exchanges between players but also allows you to buy Pokémon and items that can be greatly useful during your journey. Another particularity that I really liked was its difficulty; the artificial intelligence (AI) of NPC trainers in PokeMMO has been improved compared to NPCs in the original games, especially gym leaders. Since your Pokémon have abilities and resources that can be greatly useful to cover their weaknesses. Finally, the battles present some challenge, something that hasn't been seen in the original games since the days of Whitney (oh, how I hate that Miltank). Additionally, the game restricts your ability to level up based on the number of badges you have. This bothered me a little at first, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

As for the graphics, there isn't much to say; they are practically identical to the originals. However, in some situations, NPCs have graphical styles that do not perfectly fit the specific region. For example, in Hoenn, the entire map uses the GBA style, but most NPCs have NDS sprites, which can be strange. However, you can adjust this in the menus. The introduction of the seasons system in PokeMMO is, in my opinion, a really cool addition. Although simple, it contributes significantly to the immersion and dynamics of the game. The battles use the visual style of Pokémon Black/White, which, by the way, has a somewhat unappealing aesthetic, but you get used to it over time.

Is it worth playing? Yes. The game brings interesting features that, perhaps (and I repeat, perhaps), we will never see in an official game in the franchise. It's not easy to bring together five regions at once, especially in a single game. After defeating the Elite Four, there is a variety of activities to explore, from seasonal events to PvP battles. Basically, you will always have something to do. Even if you don't play competitively, as I do, I would still recommend this game solely for the experience.

tal vez si esto lo hubiera jugado hace una década hubiera sido uno de los juegos a los que más horas le hubiera dedicado, junto a la saga MH, Lol o la misma saga de Pokemon, juegos a los cuales les he dedicado miles de horas a cada uno, lastimosamente a este punto ya la saga no me interesa como antes y tampoco la disfruto como cuando jugué a los juegos que abarca pokemmo en su momento.

a esta altura prefiero dedicarle mi tiempo jugar a otros juegos y dejar a Pokemon como un bonito recuerdo del pasado que sin él mi niñez hubiera sido más difícil de lo que de por sí fue y tampoco hubiera conocido a personas tanto en la vida real como por internet que influyeron en mi vida, pero solo eso, una etapa en mi vida que prefiero dejar en el pasado.

aun así considero que esta es la experiencia definitiva de la saga ya que agrega muchas cosas de calidad de vida y abarca la edad dorada de la saga (aunque por lo que veo no tiene BW2). creo que será de los únicos juegos que reseñe el cual no le dare una calificación.