Pokemon Go has received a rather major update, bringing with it both good and bad things. On the plus side, a few of the more major bugs and glitches have been fixed. However, we still don’t have a functional tracker, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Still, it’s largerly a positive thing, provided you’re okay with rather regular lectures.
To start, Pokemon Go’ s Pokemon radar still doesn’t work. Instead of seeing steps and being able to select a character for possibly improved tracking, this has changed to “Sightings.” If a Pokemon is within a few hundred feet of you, it will show up as being in the grass nearby. You can’t get a definite answer as to how far away it is, so it’s still rather inefficient.
Catching has been improved. While I’m still seeing Pokemon running rather frequently and seeing basic ‘mon needing multiple Poke Balls, throwing the balls has improved. You now get the experience bonuses you’re supposed to when you get a Nice, Great, or Excellent throw. Also, curveballs are more accurate.
Some things have been added too. iOS owners will see Battery Saver in the settings menu again, which should help keep you hunting longer. You can also change your nickname one time, in case you didn’t get a good one the first time. Blanche, Candela, and Spark’s portraits are in Pokemon Go now. Finally, the game constantly reminds you not to play while driving, should it notice you moving at a certain speed. That last one is especially frustrating if you’re on a bus, since the game will constantly provide pop-ups which obscure your view of Pokemon.
On the whole, the Pokemon Go update is rather nice. I’m not a fan of all these passenger and riding restrictions. It’s like it’s becoming impossible to play the game if you’re on a bike or riding in a vehicle as a passenger. Which is disheartening, since it used to be an efficient means of hatching eggs and quickly catching PokeStops.