This review contains spoilers
Look, this game is really not as horrible as people make it to be. While it does have flaws, it also has its upsides!
The Wild Area is a bit empty, and it does start to feel small once you get around it once or twice, but the variety of Pokémon does make it feel like a real habitat and not some random place with Pokémon in it.
Some routes and cities have AMAZING design, and the atmosphere is really good, while some others are a bit more lackluster. It does manage to create a distinct identity, though.
The story is a weak point, and it feels a bit strangely rushed at times (kinda reminiscent of XY in that regard), but the characters make up for it. All of them feel unique, even if Hop does seem a bit too mediocre at times, and they're fun to battle!
Speaking of battle, the game's difficulty is not too high I'd say. The real challenges are not in the main campaign, but in the DLCs (the beginning of Game Freak's greedy era was here!) and the 5-star dens. This is a relaxed game with potential to be challenging, which is how most games should be.
The Pokémon roster is great, giving you a lot of possible options very early on, even if some of the new evolution methods are quite... unorthodox.
If I'm totally honest I can't remember much of the pre-DLC pre-postgame story because they invaded my mind once they came out, and most fo what I remember is from there.
The Isle of Armor is OK? I liked the Isle itself, enjoyed exploring it and completing the Pokédex, and Kubfu's storyline was fine I think. The battles against Mustard and Honey were very fun, and the way you could keep upgrading the Dojo was also very cool! The Cram-O-Matic was an addition for gamblers and the Alola forms were a fun throwback!
The Crown Tundra was a great scavenger hunt! Apart from the whole Calyrex storyline, the Swords of Justice were interesting to try and find and the Dynamax Adventures are a very fun way to shiny hunt or just get many different Pokémon! The three birds were also a quirky addition, and Keldeo's conditions for its appearance are certainly strange to find out!
Overall, this game is a fine game with solid DLCs that should have just been for free. Not as horrible as people say but not very good either - just fine!
The Wild Area is a bit empty, and it does start to feel small once you get around it once or twice, but the variety of Pokémon does make it feel like a real habitat and not some random place with Pokémon in it.
Some routes and cities have AMAZING design, and the atmosphere is really good, while some others are a bit more lackluster. It does manage to create a distinct identity, though.
The story is a weak point, and it feels a bit strangely rushed at times (kinda reminiscent of XY in that regard), but the characters make up for it. All of them feel unique, even if Hop does seem a bit too mediocre at times, and they're fun to battle!
Speaking of battle, the game's difficulty is not too high I'd say. The real challenges are not in the main campaign, but in the DLCs (the beginning of Game Freak's greedy era was here!) and the 5-star dens. This is a relaxed game with potential to be challenging, which is how most games should be.
The Pokémon roster is great, giving you a lot of possible options very early on, even if some of the new evolution methods are quite... unorthodox.
If I'm totally honest I can't remember much of the pre-DLC pre-postgame story because they invaded my mind once they came out, and most fo what I remember is from there.
The Isle of Armor is OK? I liked the Isle itself, enjoyed exploring it and completing the Pokédex, and Kubfu's storyline was fine I think. The battles against Mustard and Honey were very fun, and the way you could keep upgrading the Dojo was also very cool! The Cram-O-Matic was an addition for gamblers and the Alola forms were a fun throwback!
The Crown Tundra was a great scavenger hunt! Apart from the whole Calyrex storyline, the Swords of Justice were interesting to try and find and the Dynamax Adventures are a very fun way to shiny hunt or just get many different Pokémon! The three birds were also a quirky addition, and Keldeo's conditions for its appearance are certainly strange to find out!
Overall, this game is a fine game with solid DLCs that should have just been for free. Not as horrible as people say but not very good either - just fine!