Several studios have tried to tackle the creature collection genre of games, but no one has been table to dethrone Game Freak with the ever-popular Pokemon franchise. Recently, Nexomon: Extinction launched for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, and has caught many by surprise with how it approaches this genre.
With Nexomon: Extinction gaining popularity from those looking for a Pokemon-like experience, players can’t help but wonder how this new game compares to the popular Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield titles. Nexomon actually has some changes and innovations that Game Freak could take a few notes about.
Nexomon: Extinction is a new take on the popular creature-catching genre of games. Extinction is actually the second installment in the Nexomon franchise, but is the first to make it to all major consoles. It features the same general gameplay loop of Pokemon, where tamers set out to capture and battle with over 300 different Nexomon. Unlike Pokemon, Nexomon: Extinction doesn’t feature a traditional “gym” mechanic which is an iconic series staple for Pokemon.
Instead, Nexomon: Extinction has players join a Tamers’ Guild to help the denizens of the Nexomon-inhabited world. Players will grow in reputation and become higher ranking Guild members as they explore the world, capture Nexomon with the unique capture mechanic, and train against other Tamers. Nexomon: Extinction has a heavier focus on narrative, as becoming a high ranking Tamer is the goal for most Tamers, unlike in Pokemon where becoming the League Champion is the catalyst that starts the journey and then some bigger plot begins unfurling part-way through the journey.
Overall, those already familiar with Pokemon or other creature-catching games like Temtem will feel at home with Nexomon: Extinction, but Nexomon does have a few tricks that set it apart from Pokemon and the others.
One of the biggest complaints about Pokemon in the past few generations has been that, outside of Pokemon Black/White and Black 2/White 2, the games were far too easy – and that includes Pokemon Sword and Shield. Players generally don’t have to grind to keep a competitive edge against Gym Leaders and Rivals, and with Exp Shares Pokemon don’t even have to be active in battle to stay on par with most of the team.
However, Nexomon: Extinction brings level scaling into the mix to keep Tamers and Wild Nexomon in competitive range. Players that put in effort to grind their Nexomon up will still be able to keep ahead of the difficulty curve, but players will always want to keep battle strategy in mind – no more mindlessly hitting one button to steamroll low level monsters.
Moreso, Nexomon: Extinction has a whole mechanic regarding Cores that can be given to Nexomon to give them tactical boosts like increased Defense, Attack, Gold Gain, and more. Players can even create XP Cores (in exchange for shards that are scattered throughout the world) to give bonus XP. Nexomon can have up to four Cores equipped (include four of the same core) so players have to weigh if they want to grind for more XP or have an easier time battling thanks to stat boost Cores.
The scaling for Wild Nexomon and Tamers is competitive, but not overly aggressive that players always feel under-leveled. To make up for this, all wild Tamers can be re-battled after a short time so players can grind that way to get Gold and plenty of XP. Nexomon is certainly the perfect answer for those who are looking for a creature-catching game that has more of a grind to it, and that is why it some players are really enjoying Nexomon: Extinction.
Speaking of Battling and facing off against other Tamers and Wild Nexomon, Nexomon: Extinction‘s battle system changes up some things for those coming from Pokemon. Every Nexomon has their own independent Speed stat, but each move also has a Speed stat tied to it as well. Moves fly based on a combination of those stats, but generally the move’s Speed is more indicative of when it will go off in battle. Moves with high Speed tend to be weaker, though that is not always the case.
Slower moves tend to either do more damage or have some other special effect tied to them, like a debuff or status effect. On the subject of status effects, familiar ones make an appearance, like Paralysis, Sleep, and Poison, but Nexomon: Extinction has 21 different Status that can be applied to Nexomon – most of them are negative but there are a couple positive ones.
Also new with Nexomon: Extinction is the concept of Stamina. Rather than each move having a number of uses, the Nexomon itself has a pool of stamina that is used as moves are tossed out. Stronger moves tend to have a higher cost, and when a Nexomon runs out of Stamina it must rest to regain a little or use a recovery item. Having low Stamina means that the Nexomon will likely have to attack, rest, attack in that pattern as only 15 Stamina is recovered by Resting.
This requires the smart use of recovery items or well-timed switch-outs to other Nexomon. It can be frustrating if players are just trying to grind for experience, but overall it adds a new interesting mechanic to keep track of during battle. The combat has a lot of things to consider, and it may need a bit more refining before it can have a solid competitive scene like Pokemon, but it is new, refreshing, and actually quite interesting to learn.
Pokemon is certainly not known for frequent updates outside of Wild Area events and the occasional bug fix patch. However, the developers behind Nexomon: Extinction have been hard at work with the game since its launch last month. Since launch, Extinction has already received a few new balance patches and quality-of-life updates to make the game better. Once the team has finished tweaking the game as it is now, they plan to work on bigger features to add further down the line like new game modes and free post-game content. One can’t help but be reminded of ConcernedApe and their dedication to the beloved Stardew Valley when pouring over the official Nexomon Twitter account.
Nexomon: Extinction certainly sets itself apart from Pokemon in its visual designs. It enters an atmosphere dominated by Pokemon and Digimon masterfully, having its own unique style but still manages to feel reminiscent of both iconic properties at the same time. That being said, Nexomon: Extinction has some amazing designs for Nexomon, and it has some that are a bit out-there. But then again, Pokemon has its fair share of strange designs throughout the series’ long history. Some will make players laugh, and others will make most Tamers stop what they are doing to try to find that Nexomon for their team.
It does have a good blend, and for a newer franchise that’s impressive to say the least. In terms of character designs, they feel pretty anime – but in the best way possible. The character art is clean and well polished, but is predominantly 2D with 3D overworld sprites tossed in. During key story beats there are often full screen art pieces depicting dramatic moments which give those scenes more gravitas and importance. Overall, it has a very unique style and approach to both Nexomon and Character designs that never feel old even after hours of playtime.
The writing in Nexomon: Extinction is one of the biggest areas of difference when comparing it to Pokemon. While Sword and Shield had an interesting story with Zacian, Zamazenta, and Eternatus, narrative has never been a strong suit with the Pokemon franchise. Even when they tried a more serious narrative with Black/White and Black 2/White 2, the narrative felt more forced than anything.
However, Nexomon: Extinction has a mix of great character dialogue and an interesting story that actually compels players to pay attention. The story of the Tyrants, Drakes, and the end of the world is a great story line that is further expanded by how well the characters are written. It mixes silly, fourth-wall breaking moments with more serious and intense story beats so well and fluidly that just make the game feel completely unique.
As with most games of this archetype, the main character is mute, but they have a traveling companion in the form of a bipedal cat named Coco who does all the talking. Coco is a lot like Morgana from Persona 5, but without the constant pestering to go to bed. Coco instead brings a fun, sarcastic sense of humor that is more fitting for a lot of the players who would seek out this type of game. The tone feels more “adult” than most Pokemon games do, despite being the same general format. The game is littered with NPCs who sometimes have serious dialogue, and sometimes just have dumb jokes, and it adds a whole new layer of charm that is painfully absent from Pokemon.
Overall, Nexomon: Extinction is a surprisingly solid addition to the creature-catching genre that Pokemon fans will likely find enjoyable. It features a lot of similar concepts to the iconic series, but Nexomon innovates in a few ways that really set it apart from Pokemon in a good way. It may not be for everyone who is a fan of Pokemon, but for those who are looking for a more challenging game that rewards players who like to grind for levels and items, then Nexomon: Extinction may be worth looking into.
Nexomon: Extinction is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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