Pokemon GO Update's Controversial Appraisals Rolling Out Now
The latest Pokemon GO update is rolling out to iOS and Android gamers, and in among its changes and improvements is a big help to new players and those needing a little extra tutoring from their team leaders. Already out for Android as Pokemon GO version 0.35.0 – and in the pipeline as 1.5.0 for iPhone – the update includes a variety of bugfixes and tweaks, but there's one significant feature that's been added, even if it's not making every player happy.
That's a new Pokemon GO Appraisal tool, which effectively provides in-game advice as to the strengths of the characters you've captured, and which might make sense to bring out in your next battle.
Niantic has roped in the three Pokemon team leaders – Candela, Blanche, and Spark, chiefs of Valor, Mystic, and Instinct respectively – to dole out the advice. As well as the attack and defense characteristics, there'll be the new character portraits which were shown off at Comic-Con earlier in the year.
Still, there are signs that the honeymoon period for Pokemon GO might be at an end. Not only does Niantic face the ongoing challenge of keeping on top of cheats and hacks for the game – without, in the process, inadvertently banning legitimate players – it's also dealing with louder complaints about some of the missing features gamers would like to see added.
That includes more expansive multiplayer support, such as being able to compete with online friends in battles, and trading abilities.
Meanwhile, many are still smarting from the removal of tracking support from the game. Niantic has previously said that it intends to add a better system in its place, but the latest data suggests it may be losing players unwilling to wait.
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Even today's changes aren't meeting with universal acclaim, with some Android gamers already critical of the appraisal tool. For instance, while there's a basic summary of how strong they might be, there's still no way to really predict how they'll improve after time in a gym, which players get to experience once they're beyond Level 5 and have chosen a team to join.
The advice that is shared, meanwhile, has been accused of being too vague. As before, if you want the deepest understanding of the Pokemon you've collected, it's best to do the math and consult a Pokemon GO calculator.