Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This game is ‘Monster Hunter Stories’, but more toned down with pokemon theme: Start at hub world. Get missions to collect/observe certain pokemon, go back with findings. Don’t know why people are calling it ‘Zelda Breath of the Wild’ of pokemon games Only one version of the game this time. Don’t need to purchase two versions to collect all pokemon. Single player focused game. No trade evolutions (pokemon with trade evolutions before use items to evolve now), able to obtain all starter pokemon in wild post game. 242 total pokemon at launch. Technically 240 since two are gifts for having save data on Switch from other games (more on this later). May have more due to mystery gifts in the future You can trade pokemon if you want, but no online battling. Unless Nintendo decide to patch in online battles later; not a competitive game except for speedruns. Gameplay is more involved than mainline pokemon games; having to sneak and hide behind grass in real time instead of touching pokemon and pressing A and use D-pad buttons to win. More focused on the trainer than pokemon battles (more on this later) Story. Origin of pokemon, or at least first in the timeline. Try to complete the first ever pokedex. You explore the Hisui region. Characters/NPC have family lineage to recent games due to their appearance. You can choose which clan (diamond and pearl) to join. More story: text heavy than previous mainline pokemon games. Disappointed there’s no voice acting Graphics is the one of the best from the pokemon series thus far, but not the best graphics on Switch overall especially the environmental graphics. There are framerate dips at times depending on how many things are happening on screen If you have save data from past pokemon games on switch, you get additional bonuses For Pokemon Let’s Go games you get Pikachu and Evvee masks by talking to the clothier after joining the Galaxy Expedition Team For Sword and Shield save data you get Shaymin, by doing a side quest post game. Also Shaymin Kimono Set by speaking to clothier For Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl save data you get Darkrai post game, and Modern Galactic Set clothes --Gameplay: Mix of Pokemon safari, and pokemon battles. Follow same gameplay flow as monster hunter games. This game is more about exploring and catching pokemon. Battles can be totally speed luck based (more on this later) Instead of focusing on beating elite 4 (No gyms in this game); you’re working with the survey corps to collect data on wild pokemon via missions NPCs give you. For example: NPC will ask you what pokemon to catch, and you go out on mission to capture one Since you’re collecting data, there are sub missions/quests you must do to complete the pokedex like catch a pokemon a certain way (not being spotted, catching a lighter/heavier version), see them use certain moves a specified amount to times, or simply defeating them. Basically you’re just doing a series of check list quests. Story progression is gated by how many quests you complete. Can be frustrating for those who just want to see the main story and not quest grind You can catch pokemon without battling like giving them food first then throwing pokeball to catch. Or just sneak up and throw a pokeball at them Most of the time you don’t engage in pokemon battles (unless you do a quest that require you to do certain moves or boss battles). It’s easier just to throw a pokeball as a trainer (Like Ash trying to catch a pidgy in first episode of the anime) than battling a pokemon till they reach near 1hp, maybe do a status effect, and throw pokeball. No static movements from wild pokemon in overworld or random encounters. Different pokemon have different temperaments/personality: some just let you catch them for free (can catch multiple pokemon in succession if group together, or when they’re sleeping), run away from you, or attack you (sees you as a threat and put on angry face as you get closer). Higher level pokemon (alpha pokemon) will appear bigger with red eyes. There are shiny pokemon you can spot in the overworld. The game does give you a notification sound if there’s one nearby. When hear this sound, save your game! (you can save at anytime). If you mess up catching the shiny, you can reload the save and try again. There are random in-game events called ‘Mass outbreaks’ where there’s a large concentration of a particular pokemon in an area marked on your map. Going there will have higher shiny spawns especially if you keep catching the same pokemon in a herd/group If a pokemon attacks you; you can throw out a pokeball and have a traditional turned based pokemon battle. Pokemon battles are seamless with no screen transition with no different graphics/art like past games. Battle animations are less static where pokemon shake to attack like previous games, actually have unique animations If you don’t throw out pokeball to battle, wild pokemon can attack your trainer character and have them black out if you don’t get away in time. If you black out this way or in battle; you lose some items you’re carrying. If you go back to where you blacked out, you can’t get items back…but if you’re connected to Nintendo Online you can find other people’s item they dropped. Instead of getting exact items, you are told what items they held and get only currency for it (which is a bit weird) During pokemon battles, you still have 4 moves to select from. Can use Strong, agile style for each move. Latter has chance to attack first but weaker. If you have high speed stats you can attack multiple times, and vice versa with your opponent. Also can do regular move without strong or agile if you want to do something in between. You can’t view your or other pokemon stats during battle, so you can get frustrated when they attack multiple times and you just have to assume they’re way faster than your pokemon Noble pokemon count as boss battles. Must throw bombs (from trainer) at them, while simultaneously dodge roll from their attacks. Once they get tired, you can throw out pokemon and start pokemon battle Since the RPG turn-based is toned down, best to play with pro controller especially when going against nobel pokemon. One of the noble pokemon is so OP (more so than Cynthia in Pokemon BDSP) Trainer you control move in full 360 degree motion in open world instead of 8 directions. Camera is more 3rd person over the shoulder than top-down. There is a day/night cycle. One in-game day is around 20-25mins Open world. Use pokemon like wyrdeer, basculegion, and Braviary to help traverse world. Able to control them in real time while traversing. There’s fall damage which is annoying. Collect materials and craft. Break rocks, collect flowers, shake trees, stuff laying on the ground. You can craft at anytime with items on your person, or at crafting table (use items in storage) A lot of clothing options in game. More options unlock as you progress through the game. Able to customize individual clothing parts like hat, shirt, pants, kimono/outer wear, shoes and glasses. At hairdresser you can change hairstyle, and eyebrow/hair color No pokemon breeding or held items. No Ditto due to timeline Pokemon don’t evolve automatically. Must go into menu and press to evolve. Game will give you notification if they can evolve or not -9 types of pokeballs: Pokeball, great ball, ultra ball, heavy ball, leaden ball, gigaton ball, feather ball, wing ball, jet ball Pokeball, greatball, ultra ball function as you expect Heavy, leaden and gigaton is for stealth/sneak up catching pokemon, low range Feather Wing and Jet ball for catching nible pokemon and pokemon in flying in air. Long range No master ball seeing the timeline of the story No EVs, IVs. Instead of EL (effort levels). Each stat can upgrade to 10. Use particular items to upgrade stats by any amount. No need to breed, battle same pokemon 100s of times, and use protein/vitamins to increase particular stat. No need to mix-max. Pokemon of same nature have exact same stat. Overall fun game if you want to be an apprentice pokemon researcher, and not the best there ever was (Pokemon).