11-23-2016, 03:08 AM
So before I get too into Dragonball Fusions and forget anything that happened in Pokemon Sun and Moon, I thought it would be wise to write down my thoughts. However, I also realize that nearly every active member on this forum is only just about to get the game, so even though there are story aspects that are worth mentioning and will have an effect on the overall review and score of Sun and Moon, I will only make mention of them in the sense of whether or not I like them, instead of explaining any aspects of them, hence spoiler free review. Once you've got the game, let me know what you think. Let's get reviewing.
Pokemon has been around for a long time, and in that time it has done several great things, some not so great things, and a little bit of the typical, just okay things. I am happy to say therefore, knowing that in my opinion, Pokemon's track record is not the best, but this is a step in the right direction, in fact, there's a lot of good steps being taken here.
First off I love the visual's of the game. They may not be the most detailed or refined in the 3DS' history, but they are still the best Pokemon has ever done on handheld. The islands are done incredibly well, the and do a wonderful job of making you feel like you are actually in Hawaii, far more than X and Y ever made you feel like you were in France.
The most important thing about a Pokemon game though is the gameplay, as that's what really moves the series forwards or backwards, and thankfully, despite a small misstep or two, Pokemon's battling system, which is the main attraction in gameplay, is moving forward marvelously. I will say it's not perfect though, as I am opposed to HP gauges depleting slower and slower the closer they get to zero. This may not seem like a big deal, but it does mess with the pacing enough to become irritable at times. Beyond that though, the system is better than ever. If you're like me, and sometimes have a hard time remembering what is strong or weak to what, no worries. After you encounter a pokemon one time, even if it's in the wild and you run from it, the game will show you what moves are best against that pokemon. You would think this would make the game easier, but I honestly think in the long run, Sun and Moon are the hardest games series so far. As to why that is, well I think that might actually be a bit of a spoiler, so I won't mention it, but the challenge is there. The typical turn-based system is pretty much the one we already know, but with the editions and/or replacement of horde battles in exchange for pokemon calling for help and Totem pokemon, there's a lot of changes in there that can add moments of challenge, and feel really good to complete. Small things like Pokemon refresh are also a nice change of pace when you want to slow down and Poke Pelago is great as well for collecting great items. I don't have much of an opinion on the Plaza, because it really feels like a refreshed version of the area you could manage in Black and White 2 only with less control, but I can see a lot of people enjoying it.
The story of the game is interesting, and actually might be the best Pokemon has ever done, and I'm sure if you've been watching reviews, you've heard that before, but seriously, it's really good for Pokemon game story standards. It does things like make you at first really dislike Team Skull, only for that to be turned around, and never mind the major twist of the game, it's really engaging. The best part of the story for me though, was the final battle of the game as presents the most interesting Elite 4 challenge to date, even if there is one small hole in there. The ending few minutes of the game are also really interesting, and I wish I could explain why here more than anywhere, but I'd hate to spoil it, even if anyone says it's okay to. Trust me though, the ending alone is reason enough to play the game. Admittedly, I haven't done much post game stuff yet, but even then, what I have done has the potential to be the most interesting part of all.
One aspect I really like, is the ability to ride Pokemon, because each one can do something interesting and make certain areas more fun and interesting to explore as a result. What I like most about being able to ride pokemon, is that they eliminate the needs for certain stereotypes in the series to keep appearing, which is a welcome change of pace, even though I kind of wish that there were certain areas that you could use them as a little more than a means to collect a few items are move faster along the map.
The new pokemon in this game can be hit or miss depending on what you prefer, but overall, I like this generation. There's no fluff like last gen, but there's more reason to decide between using old forms of Pokemon, and using 7th gens exclusively, or even mixing them up depending on what you want to do. One thing I don't like, is that the best Ghost Pokemon of all is either a contest between the final evolution of a starter, or a Gen 1 Alolan form. Speaking of Alolan forms, they can also be pretty hit and miss. I for one really like Golem's Alolan form, but like most I really don't enjoy Diglett and Dugtrio, even though certain moves become available to Alolan form pokemon that weren't there before.
Overall, I really do think Sun and Moon are great games. They may not be my favorite on the 3DS this year, heck they aren't even my favorite RPG this year, but they are fun, harmless and a good use of your time. Whether you are a new fan to the series or an old one, there is something here to enjoy. My rating for Pokemon Sun and Moon, is 4.5/5. There are some flaws but most of them are minor. Even the few points of lag I never faced were pretty far apart, so I don't really get why people kept mentioning them like they were a problem.
Remember one thing guys can gals, do not save the game in Pokecenter's. There's a glitch in the system that can delete data like in gen 6. It will be patched I'm sure, and the odds aren't as great, but do be careful, and enjoy the game.
Pokemon has been around for a long time, and in that time it has done several great things, some not so great things, and a little bit of the typical, just okay things. I am happy to say therefore, knowing that in my opinion, Pokemon's track record is not the best, but this is a step in the right direction, in fact, there's a lot of good steps being taken here.
First off I love the visual's of the game. They may not be the most detailed or refined in the 3DS' history, but they are still the best Pokemon has ever done on handheld. The islands are done incredibly well, the and do a wonderful job of making you feel like you are actually in Hawaii, far more than X and Y ever made you feel like you were in France.
The most important thing about a Pokemon game though is the gameplay, as that's what really moves the series forwards or backwards, and thankfully, despite a small misstep or two, Pokemon's battling system, which is the main attraction in gameplay, is moving forward marvelously. I will say it's not perfect though, as I am opposed to HP gauges depleting slower and slower the closer they get to zero. This may not seem like a big deal, but it does mess with the pacing enough to become irritable at times. Beyond that though, the system is better than ever. If you're like me, and sometimes have a hard time remembering what is strong or weak to what, no worries. After you encounter a pokemon one time, even if it's in the wild and you run from it, the game will show you what moves are best against that pokemon. You would think this would make the game easier, but I honestly think in the long run, Sun and Moon are the hardest games series so far. As to why that is, well I think that might actually be a bit of a spoiler, so I won't mention it, but the challenge is there. The typical turn-based system is pretty much the one we already know, but with the editions and/or replacement of horde battles in exchange for pokemon calling for help and Totem pokemon, there's a lot of changes in there that can add moments of challenge, and feel really good to complete. Small things like Pokemon refresh are also a nice change of pace when you want to slow down and Poke Pelago is great as well for collecting great items. I don't have much of an opinion on the Plaza, because it really feels like a refreshed version of the area you could manage in Black and White 2 only with less control, but I can see a lot of people enjoying it.
The story of the game is interesting, and actually might be the best Pokemon has ever done, and I'm sure if you've been watching reviews, you've heard that before, but seriously, it's really good for Pokemon game story standards. It does things like make you at first really dislike Team Skull, only for that to be turned around, and never mind the major twist of the game, it's really engaging. The best part of the story for me though, was the final battle of the game as presents the most interesting Elite 4 challenge to date, even if there is one small hole in there. The ending few minutes of the game are also really interesting, and I wish I could explain why here more than anywhere, but I'd hate to spoil it, even if anyone says it's okay to. Trust me though, the ending alone is reason enough to play the game. Admittedly, I haven't done much post game stuff yet, but even then, what I have done has the potential to be the most interesting part of all.
One aspect I really like, is the ability to ride Pokemon, because each one can do something interesting and make certain areas more fun and interesting to explore as a result. What I like most about being able to ride pokemon, is that they eliminate the needs for certain stereotypes in the series to keep appearing, which is a welcome change of pace, even though I kind of wish that there were certain areas that you could use them as a little more than a means to collect a few items are move faster along the map.
The new pokemon in this game can be hit or miss depending on what you prefer, but overall, I like this generation. There's no fluff like last gen, but there's more reason to decide between using old forms of Pokemon, and using 7th gens exclusively, or even mixing them up depending on what you want to do. One thing I don't like, is that the best Ghost Pokemon of all is either a contest between the final evolution of a starter, or a Gen 1 Alolan form. Speaking of Alolan forms, they can also be pretty hit and miss. I for one really like Golem's Alolan form, but like most I really don't enjoy Diglett and Dugtrio, even though certain moves become available to Alolan form pokemon that weren't there before.
Overall, I really do think Sun and Moon are great games. They may not be my favorite on the 3DS this year, heck they aren't even my favorite RPG this year, but they are fun, harmless and a good use of your time. Whether you are a new fan to the series or an old one, there is something here to enjoy. My rating for Pokemon Sun and Moon, is 4.5/5. There are some flaws but most of them are minor. Even the few points of lag I never faced were pretty far apart, so I don't really get why people kept mentioning them like they were a problem.
Remember one thing guys can gals, do not save the game in Pokecenter's. There's a glitch in the system that can delete data like in gen 6. It will be patched I'm sure, and the odds aren't as great, but do be careful, and enjoy the game.