My Pokémon Game Review Template

I. Introduction

What is this game about? What does it run on?

II. Narrative

What goes on in this game? What is the story like from the player’s POV? Geography? Major characters? Challenges? Is the plot emotionally significant? Pacing of the game plot? Liveliness of the game world?

III. Explorability

Basically how interesting the game world is to explore. This segment I focus more on the physical design of the game world from a player’s POV. Is it simple and engaging? Are there a lot of pleasant surprises worth exploring for? Is the layout needlessly difficult? Is the progression too linear and straightforward?

IV. Features, activities, and side quests

Here I focus more on the game’s features, such as quality of life improvements, activities that stand out in the game, and improvements (and backward steps) from past games.

V. Pokémon Availability and Quality

This segment is about the variety of Pokémon available in the game. I will approach this while considering the design of the Pokémon (aesthetically and thematically), battling prowess, and other aspects. What I want to achieve is to communicate the extent I found the game’s offering of Pokémon worth spending time on to collect and train.

VI. Difficulty

Is the game insultingly easy? Needlessly difficult? Basically the learning curve, the handholding, and the quality of the obstacles offered.

VII. Postgame

Once you have beaten the game’s main campaign, what does the game do to keep you playing and talking about it? Battle facilities? Legendaries? Side-quests? Newer areas? More significant battles?

VIII. Player experience summary (how it treats the players)

At the end of the day, can this game make you emotionally invested? Does it respect your ability as a player? Does it offer you healthy amounts of freedom without making you too lost? Or does it suffocate you with tutorials and dialogue like a glorified visual novel?

IX: Area of improvements

What can the game do to enhance the experience it offers to players?

X: Summary

A overall rundown if this game is worth spending time on. Maybe even a verdict on a 10 point scale.