Pokemon Infinite Fusion

What do you do when you finally catch them all? Well, you create your own, of course! That's the basic premise of Pokémon Infinite Fusion, a fan mod that looks and plays like an official release. Considering the sheer amount of new content that Pokémon Infinite Fusion provides, one could argue that this fan release is even more enjoyable than any of the latest Gamefreak titles.

Though the story is as barebones as the Pokémon games go, Pokémon Infinite Fusion's focus on the collecting aspect that made the formula so enjoyable in the first place is why this fan game deserves the attention of any pokémaniac.

Merge and Conquer

As you might have guessed, Pokémon Infinite Fusion prides itself on its unique 'fusion' mechanic. Any two Pokémon can be merged to create new forms outside the scope of any previous Pokédex.

To make things even more enticing, each fusion has unique sprites, which makes mixing and matching different Pokémon even more addictive. There's a certain spirit of wonder surrounding the whole game, something that the Pokémon series seems to have lost since long ago.

The fusion mechanic is mechanically similar to what we've seen in games like Persona 5, where two creatures can be combined into a more powerful third entity. The difference here is that the game includes the complex Pokémon stats that die-hard gamers know and love.

A New Region?

Admittedly, one of the very few flaws in Pokémon Infinite Fusion is that it leaves its plot dead last. Even the developers admit that the plot is little more than Pokémon Red with a few tweaks.

However, calling the game just an updated version of the Game Boy classic would be a disservice to the rich world the developers have created here. Not only is there a good selection of post-game content, but the visuals are great, on the same level as Pokémon Platinum on the Nintendo DS.

The fact that the game also introduces unique sprites for every new fusion is also worth noting. Although, it must be mentioned that some sprites are certainly much more complex than others. You'll notice that some fusions are mere "copy and paste" jobs, while some others include handmade pixel art.

Looking Good

In a word, Pokémon Infinite Fusion looks "professional." Every aspect of the game screams quality in a way that few fan games do. The gameplay mechanics are solid and well-implemented, and so is the overall presentation.

If no one told me that this was a fan game, I'd say that this was a step in the right direction for Gamefreak as to how to make the Pokémon formula feel fresh again. Sure, some sprites could've used a bit more love here and there, and the story is nowhere near the levels of Pokemon Black, but, for what it is, Pokémon Infinite Fusion is an amazing fan project that will surely stand the test of time.

Pros

• Tons of unique fusions to discover
• All the charm of the mainline Pokémon games
• Balanced stats for competitive play

Cons

• The plot and characters could have been a bit more detailed