It’s been many years coming, but Niantic is finally ready to launch their own mobile game. Introducing Peridot, an AR mobile game based on raising and caring for your own mystical critters.

Ok, to be fair, this is their second original game. The company first grew to popularity with their own IP called Ingress, which laid the groundwork for the augmented reality system used in their other games. It wasn’t until Pokémon GO, however, that Niantic became almost a household name. Since then, they’ve produced a number of AR games for various brands.

Now they’re stepping back into the original content with Peridot, a recently revealed AR mobile game. Named after the creatures the game is focused on, Peridot is about raising these small critters from birth into adulthood, breeding them, and traveling alongside them. Players will be able to feed them, teach them tricks, and give them affection. All in all, it looks like a very Tamogatchi inspired experience.

Unlike Tamogatchi, however, there is a dynamic system to breeding peridots. By meeting with friends and hooking your pets up together, you can create a whole new creature form, taking traits from both parents.

The appeal of a real-time pet-raising game like Tamogatchi does sound like a lot of fun. We have a few of the Tamo toys, ourselves. But we aren’t certain about how it will integrate the AR in an entertaining way. Photo ops are occasionally fun, but not enough to be the core gameplay loop. It sounds like most of what’s fun here can be done at home, or at a friend’s house.

Alternatively, having to leave home for supply runs doesn’t sound much better. If they take the PokéStop route, we hope that they are rewarding enough to not require constant travel.

Either way, time will tell soon. Peridot will be soft-launching around the world over time. Those wanting to participate as soon as possible can pre-register on the official website. You’ll receive details as soon as they become available.