The original Nexomon has arrived on PlayStation consoles, and right off the bat, we can tell you that it's a better monster catching RPG than its strangely structured sequel, Nexomon: Extinction. The original Nexomon has you follow a linear path through its world — much like you would in a traditional Pokémon game — catching creatures, battling other Nexomon tamers, and pushing back against an evil regime along the way.

Basically, if you're familiar with Nintendo's immortal series, then you know exactly what to expect from Nexomon. We dare say that it tries a bit harder with its characters and story — offering up a lot more dialogue and subsequent drama — but the real reason to play Nexomon is to satisfy that monster-collecting itch. It can be a devilishly addictive game, where entering a new area means being able to find new 'mons, all while levelling up — and evolving — your current party.

Nexomon obviously lifts its core gameplay loop from Pokémon, but for the most part, it's a well executed clone. It's got some good looking monster designs, and there are a lot of different creatures to catch right from the start. It doesn't waste your time, either. Your companions level up very quickly, and you can blast through whole chunks of the game in just a couple of hours — assuming that you don't want to grind for fresh critters.

However, there are a handful of annoying design choices that hold Nexomon back. Menu navigation is cumbersome at best — perhaps due to the fact that Nexomon is also a mobile title — and several frustrating battle mechanics put a dampener on the turn based action. For example, when you knock out an opponent's Nexomon, the next beast to enter the arena gets a free attack. Why? It's like the game's punishing you for doing well.

Design gripes aside, Nexomon is a decent Pokémon clone. It's a bit rough around the edges, but if you're hankering for a cheap and cheerful creature-based RPG, it's not a bad pick.