Niantic’s new mobile game Peridot clearly reflects their most well-known title Pokemon GO. It is a pet-raising simulator, much like the classic Tamagotchi, where you care for your virtual pet in an AR environment. You can interact, feed, pet, and socialize with your furry friends through your smartphone. The approach of this game is a bit more personal than Pokemon GO, where your priority is to capture multiple breeds of Pokemon. Let’s take a closer look at what the game is all about.
What is Niantic’s new game Peridot all about?
Meet our latest, real-world adventure: @playperidot. Pre-register here: https://t.co/6M64eUJ26h https://t.co/chZxdeEVWX
— Niantic (@NianticLabs) April 13, 2022
Gameplay
- You can choose from three different Peridot eggs in the beginning. Upon selection, one egg will hatch a random creature you will name.
- You need to provide access to the mobile camera, and doing so will allow the pet to merge into the AR setting. On tapping a flat surface, the game will calibrate with it, and the character will act accordingly.
- You can then caress and feed your new friend, upon which you will gain a few rewards and XP.
- Your pet will grow by completing various tasks and quests. In the game, these tasks are called desires which you will need to fulfill for progression.
- There are also different quests that you can complete for additional in-game XP.
- Once your Dot is an adult, you can breed it with the Hatch-a-Dot system. You can either find other adult Peridots in their nests or request other users to initiate breeding with their pets.
- Like Pokemon GO, there are various stops and nests that you can physically explore.
Pros
- Raising pets through augmented reality is a fresh new concept. This can be perfect for people who can not own a real-life pet but want to do so. We will probably also see various creative mechanics in the future that can be built around augmented reality.
- Peridot is a kid-friendly game with cute and colorful creatures. It teaches them the various responsibilities of raising a pet, even virtual ones.
- The game promotes socialization and physical activities as they are integrated in its core gameplay mechanics.
- We can expect Niantic to add more content in the future to make it more compelling. Limited-time events and updates will be a major help in this department.
Cons
- Peridot is plagued with multiple game-breaking bugs. The Augmented Reality feature is not optimized and may frequently frustrate players with its unpolished state. The creature would frequently vanish from the screen or act abnormally, leading to an unpleasant experience.
- The game is overly complicated with a complex progression system. Even though the basic mechanics are simple, advancing through the game is taxing. For example, one might need to consider various tricky compatibility perks like archetypes during breeding.
- The clustered user interface also makes it challenging to understand and navigate your way around the app.
- The title is filled with microtransactions that are directly tied to the progression system. Most fans are critical of this feature and are clearly unhappy with this aspect of the game.
- As of now, there is not much content for the players. Once someone grows out their Dot into an adult, there is not much to do with it except breeding and occasional interactions. Peridot must look for ways to keep its audience hooked if they want a solid player community.
What do you think about Niantic’s latest game, Peridot? Have you had the chance to try it out yet? Let us know in the comments below!
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