Nexomon (Switch)

Nexomon is the latest RPG published by PQube. While not necessarily a new game with it being released for mobile devices back in 2017, being ported to Consoles definitely brings the game to a whole new audience. The game is a prequel to 2020’s Nexomon: Extinction and released 17^th September 2021 for Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Comparisons with other franchises in the genre like Pokémon are inevitable but can Nexomon stand out from the crowd? Read on to find out.

The story follows the player as you set out on an adventure to find out and foil the mysterious Nexolord’s evil plan. The story is engaging with entertaining characters and doesn’t outstay its welcome as its well-paced throughout. The games over the top cast is entertaining throughout and the dialogue is quite funny at times. Some of the jokes are almost self-aware like how a character points out how weird it is to randomly barge into someone’s house and talk to them or how another hopes their whole life isn’t some kind of videogame. Overall the games story and dialogue are fresh and enjoyable with good pacing.

The game follows the traditional monster collecting RPG formula. You catch Nexomon, train them and battle to progress through the game. This has always been a satisfying experience and Nexomon puts its own interesting spin on the genre. Initially you choose your starter Nexomon from a group of 7 and set out on your journey. From this point on you are free to catch any of the 300+ Nexomon in the game and assemble your team. These Nexomon are assigned a rarity that dictates how difficult they are to catch, I found the catch rate to be fairly low. All of the Nexomon fit into one of 7 types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses to the game, adding another layer of strategy to the game rather than just brute forcing your way through the game.

While the movesets for each type of Nexomon feel fairly similar, they are easy to customize through a single menus that allows you to set 4 moves from a selection that grows as they level up. This lets you find a setup that suits your playstyle. Overall the gameplay of the game is solid and has a satisfying loop to it that makes you want to play more. However the movesets of each Nexomon feel very similar which can make battles repetitive after a while.

The games visual style fits the tone of the game and helps the designs of the Nexomon stand out well. The game is presented in a 2D style like classic RPGs, with great art that establishes the different environments well. The Nexomon designs are fantastic for the most part with each one being creative designs like a bird with feathers coloured to make it look like Robin Hood or a Bug that’s made from a magnet. However some designs can seem lackluster compared to the more creative ones. Having said that, I think the designs of the Nexomon are great more often than they are mediocre and the design team have done a fantastic job filling the games world with interesting monsters. The game also allows for character customization to an extent, with multiple different character models to choose from. You can also choose to have specific Nexomon follow behind you. Overall the visuals of the game are striking and make a lasting impression with great designs for the Nexomon.

The games soundtrack fits the game perfectly and the battle themes are very catchy and get easily stuck in your head. The overworld themes also fit the locations they’re played in well and establish the tone of the game well, in conjunction with the visuals making for a world that stands out with interesting locations.

Overall, Nexomon is a solid adaptation of the monster catching genre with interesting monster designs, a great soundtrack and an entertaining story. However it is held back slightly by a lack of move variety which makes Nexomon feel the same gameplay wise. Having said that, I definitely think its worth your time if you’re a fan of series like Pokémon,