Pokemon Go has spread like wildfire, becoming one of the most popular apps available. As much as Pokemon has been uniting nerds in the unfamiliar light of the sun, it has also generated a pretty significant amount of criticism. Not for the gameplay as much as how people play the game. We've all heard the stories, or if not, a quick Google search will show a myriad of interesting ways people have broken the law, their wallets or their bodies all for the sake of these admittedly quite adorable, little pocket monsters. Is this game really worth all this press?

Eh, not really.

OK, that really doesn't say much, so let me go on. My points of reference and comparison are other Pokemon games, particularly those that came out on handheld consoles (GameBoy and its iterations and the DS). I'm a 90s kid. I grew up with the show and the games introducing me to the world of Pokemon. I remember the first Pokemon so well I can still identify them just by their silhouettes. Make no mistake, I'm a fan of the franchise. Pokemon Go, however, was simply underwhelming.

I've played it enough to reach level 19, so it isn't like I've only barely played. I've done my time catching more pidgeys and rattatas than I care to count just to evolve them for experience. I've done the grinding necessary to get each of the evolutions (without the naming trick) and managed to get my Pokedex up to 66 caught. I have to say, though, most of that was in the initial rush when the game was new or when going out for a walk. This isn't the kind of game that gets me to play for the sake of playing. It gets me to play when I don't have something better to play or when I'm out walking anyway.

There are some cool features, such as having to physically walk (or get creative) in order to hatch eggs. I like being able to rename Pokemon on a whim, gym battles introduce some interesting new mechanics and Pokestops are a good encouragement to get out and actually explore a little. My favorite part is easily just looking at the Pokemon. I haven't gotten most of my favorites yet, but these are the best looking Pokemon the franchise has produced, as far as I'm concerned. The top-billed feature, the "Augmented Reality," is a neat gimmick at first but quickly looses it's charm the more your phone's battery dies or the more awkward encounters you've had looking like you're taking pictures of things you have no good reason to take pictures of.

So why the unenthusiastic response? The things that I really enjoyed about Pokemon are only barely present here. I enjoyed taking a Pokemon through the world, leveling it up and actually using it in play. I enjoyed the strategy of crafting a party for any situation. I still remember the excitement of getting a Pokemon you've been using for a long time to finally evolve. Sure, the gyms allow for combat elements, but those battles just don't bring me the same joy. These Pokemon, despite how beautifully they are animated, feel less real to me than the black and white cartoon figures from my childhood GameBoy.

Ultimately, this game gives us the nostalgia of Pokemon and the novelty of seeing them in the world but without the gameplay that got us into the franchise in the first place. The core of previous games was adventure and battle with a team of Pokemon. The core of this game is the repetitive capture of whatever Pokemon you can find.

Pokemon Go is a fun way to spend time and makes going for walks more interesting, but it really isn't engaging enough to make me want to make time to play it. I play it when I don't have anything better to do, but there are other versions of Pokemon I'd rather be playing. If you're a casual gamer, Pokemon fan or want something to make walks/jogs/runs more enjoyable, I'd definitely recommend getting the app. If you want a more complete Pokemon experience, get one of the console games.