Well damn, didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but for once Game Freak did something right.
I think what made this game work so well for me and made it so addicting is just the fact that the actual act of catching Pokemon is way more fun. Something that I never went out of my way to do in any past Pokemon game is, oddly enough, catching them all. It generally feels like a chore, and the RNG aspect of it can be frustrating. Having more direct control over the process of catching Pokemon makes it a lot more fun and interesting. I also enjoyed the different objectives to fill out the Pokedex entries too. Made you feel much more like an actual researcher.
I'm normally not into survival crafting games, but they make it work here. All the crafting is pretty much focused on creating items that make the Pokemon catching process easier and more efficient (especially for Alpha Pokemon). It's simple enough to never get annoying, and it constantly incentivizes you to keep exploring for materials.
The battles are a little weird with the Agile/Strong mechanics, and I spent most of the game barely utilizing it. I mainly used Agile moves so that my moves would be weak enough to not defeat wild Pokemon so I could catch them. Turn priority is also strange and I felt like I never completely understood it. They're definitely on to something with these new mechanics, but they come off as a bit undercooked.
I'm mixed on the trainer battles because while I appreciate that this game isn't afraid to kick your ass a bit, some of them just turn into trading one-hit KOs with each other. It often felt like wild and trainer Pokemon were significantly stronger than yours, regardless of level. Thankfully, this is far from the focus of the game, and trainer battles barely happen. Pokemon's general battle mechanics are so strong, that it's difficult to make it not work.
I really enjoyed exploring the world and completing side quests. The side quests are simple, but add a lot of flavor to the game, really making you feel like you're helping a community understand these strange creatures more. Ride Pokemon are also awesome in this, especially with how seamlessly you can switch between them. If there's anything that modern Game Freak should be applauded for, it's getting rid of HMs and replacing them with something much more interesting.
If there's anything I'm not so keen on, it's the boss battles. I appreciate the attempt at making Pokemon more action oriented, but this clunky dodge-roll-to-win shit is not what I want from a Pokemon game. Most of the battles really aren't that bad, but the Arcanine and Avalugg ones felt like you could get easily screwed over by RNG due to the small and awkwardly shaped arenas. At least you can basically brute force your way through these eventually with the continue option if you really suck at them.
What can I say, Game Freak did good here. I'm pleasantly surprised. Maybe this is a sign that there still is some talent left at Game Freak. Maybe they'll listen to the criticisms of Violet/Scarlet and improve on the next iteration. I'm not completely convinced, but at least there's still a small smidgen of hope.
I think what made this game work so well for me and made it so addicting is just the fact that the actual act of catching Pokemon is way more fun. Something that I never went out of my way to do in any past Pokemon game is, oddly enough, catching them all. It generally feels like a chore, and the RNG aspect of it can be frustrating. Having more direct control over the process of catching Pokemon makes it a lot more fun and interesting. I also enjoyed the different objectives to fill out the Pokedex entries too. Made you feel much more like an actual researcher.
I'm normally not into survival crafting games, but they make it work here. All the crafting is pretty much focused on creating items that make the Pokemon catching process easier and more efficient (especially for Alpha Pokemon). It's simple enough to never get annoying, and it constantly incentivizes you to keep exploring for materials.
The battles are a little weird with the Agile/Strong mechanics, and I spent most of the game barely utilizing it. I mainly used Agile moves so that my moves would be weak enough to not defeat wild Pokemon so I could catch them. Turn priority is also strange and I felt like I never completely understood it. They're definitely on to something with these new mechanics, but they come off as a bit undercooked.
I'm mixed on the trainer battles because while I appreciate that this game isn't afraid to kick your ass a bit, some of them just turn into trading one-hit KOs with each other. It often felt like wild and trainer Pokemon were significantly stronger than yours, regardless of level. Thankfully, this is far from the focus of the game, and trainer battles barely happen. Pokemon's general battle mechanics are so strong, that it's difficult to make it not work.
I really enjoyed exploring the world and completing side quests. The side quests are simple, but add a lot of flavor to the game, really making you feel like you're helping a community understand these strange creatures more. Ride Pokemon are also awesome in this, especially with how seamlessly you can switch between them. If there's anything that modern Game Freak should be applauded for, it's getting rid of HMs and replacing them with something much more interesting.
If there's anything I'm not so keen on, it's the boss battles. I appreciate the attempt at making Pokemon more action oriented, but this clunky dodge-roll-to-win shit is not what I want from a Pokemon game. Most of the battles really aren't that bad, but the Arcanine and Avalugg ones felt like you could get easily screwed over by RNG due to the small and awkwardly shaped arenas. At least you can basically brute force your way through these eventually with the continue option if you really suck at them.
What can I say, Game Freak did good here. I'm pleasantly surprised. Maybe this is a sign that there still is some talent left at Game Freak. Maybe they'll listen to the criticisms of Violet/Scarlet and improve on the next iteration. I'm not completely convinced, but at least there's still a small smidgen of hope.