Coromon Review – Blast from the Past

Coromon on PC

It is difficult to talk about new monster tamer entries without mentioning Pokemon. However, Coromon feels like a substantially updated version of the GBA-era games. Thanks to unique features that modernize it enough to not rely too heavily on its predecessors,

The biggest difference is that you don't play the role of a child, but instead of being a wandering child, you start out as a Battle Researcher for the Lux Solis company. You are a scientist in a way.

The Titan Taskforce will then assign you to search for mythical creatures known as Titans. These creatures are scattered all over the land of Velua. Your job is to find and battle these natural forces.

It starts out as a simple adventure, but it soon turns into something much more. There are other planes of existence, otherworldly beings and many puzzles to solve. While the storyline isn't groundbreaking, you'll find yourself moving from one zone to another. It's second only to Coromon’s other bright spots.

Visuals will likely grab your attention first. The vibrant pixel art is both retro and modern. The pixel art feels familiar, but it also looks great to have been released at the same time the games they pay homage to.

These environments range from haunted villages to sandy deserts. The in-battle area art does a great job of capturing these locations in a perfect freeze frame.

The Coromon designs stand out even more. It has been quite some time since I played a game like this. I had a hard time deciding which creatures I wanted to add to my group. Coromon was the overwhelming majority that made me want to say "oh no, I want this one too!"

It was even more intense when I saw their in battle animations. Some have very subtle facial expressions, such as Nibblegar or its evolution, Sheartooth. Both of them occasionally have mischievous grins, which add personality to places I didn't expect.

The game is full personality. Your character has lines of dialogue and there are many references and jokes. Although it's odd to be a vocal protagonist in this game, they are usually quite silent. However, it adds an extra layer of engagement when your character is able to solve difficult puzzles or frustrates with side quests.

Your character will roll their eyes when you discover that the mailman had a teleport device. This is a very realistic reaction that can happen a few times in odd requests. I love how real it is.

There are side quests that may not be worth the effort and time. Even if you don’t want to complete everything, you can keep track of it all with a quest log.

Puzzles require more than just pushing blocks aside. Most of the time. Side quests can be more time-consuming if you are really stumped by the puzzles.

Coromon offers a wide range of customization options when it comes to gameplay mechanics and battling. You can adjust difficulty levels, customize your character, and manually min/max Coromon stats, as they level up.

You have the option to choose from Normal, Normal, Hard or Insane. Or you can create your own ruleset. This includes options such as healing Coromon once they level up, limiting players' catch limits (yes, just like a Nuzlocke) and prohibiting the use of held objects.

The Potential system, which is used to adjust the main stats of the Coromon, such as HP, SP and Speed, Attack, Defense, and Sp. Attack or Sp. Defense. Each Coromon can have a potential rating that ranges between one and 21 and can be classified under one of the three potential categories: Perfect, Potent, or Standard.

Coromon can put more points into any stat they choose depending on their Potential rating or how close they are to Perfect. When a Coromon's potential meter, which is located beneath their XP bar, fills up, points can be invested in the stats you choose.

This is a great feature that gives you more control over how your squad works. Glass cannons can be created by investing only in offensive stats. You can also build tanks by going full defense, HP, and even upgrade SP to increase Stamina.

You have plenty of options and freedom, plus the possibility to swap Coromon moves out and in at will.

Despite all the customization, there will be times when the Coromon varieties might not be enough. There are 114 different creatures, but only seven types. Technically, there are only seven types of creatures, while 13 are easy to track. Six are skills. Coromon cannot actually be in these types, despite their moves being effective.

It is strange to see Coromon, which are clearly birds like Silquill's evolution, being stuck as Normal-type despite the fact that they can use Air moves. It may have been done to reduce confusion but it feels restrictive in some way, especially considering there are no dual typings.

This is especially evident when you are up against damage sponge Titans in boss battles. There are only a few types that can be used all the time. Every type is only effective against one type of damage sponge Titan, so it's important to emphasize status effects as well as buffs and debuffs.

Coromon is determined to create its own identity within the monster tamer category. It succeeds when it comes visuals, animations and the ability to personalize the experience.

It is mainly due to the lack of specific gameplay elements and battling. It is a bit too limited with seven types of Coromon, and it has limited effectiveness overall. This makes the game feel too rigid in a game that encourages customization and experimentation.

It feels like the game is meant for people who are nostalgic about the GBA's glory days. If these limitations can be ignored, it might just be what they need. It's a good step forward in a game that is largely being dominated by Pokemon.