Pokemon Sun

 3DS
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1265 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 868 out of 1265
  2. Mixed: 186 out of 1265
  3. Negative: 211 out of 1265
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  1. SSJSSKuririn
    Feb 24, 2018
    10
    Not only the pokemon game with the greatest story, but also the best for pro-players, as the training, capture and SPECIALLY breeding of pokemon is easier than ever. It's also the most revolutionary generation that changed the most of the pokemon patterns and formulas instead of just reusing previous concepts, the hm system for example being replaced by something much better, just likeNot only the pokemon game with the greatest story, but also the best for pro-players, as the training, capture and SPECIALLY breeding of pokemon is easier than ever. It's also the most revolutionary generation that changed the most of the pokemon patterns and formulas instead of just reusing previous concepts, the hm system for example being replaced by something much better, just like gyms are replaced by a refresher in its kind of boss… Expand
  2. CaueV
    Feb 20, 2018
    0
    This game deserves an award for disappointment. First of all why does the tutorial last almost an hour? It’s not rocket science. All previous games gave you a 10 minute tutorial at max. People are not that stupid. And well, I guess most reviewers buy a Pokémon game to watch the anime, because that’s all this game is. You spend 90% of the game on cutscenes/ loading screens. And the story isThis game deserves an award for disappointment. First of all why does the tutorial last almost an hour? It’s not rocket science. All previous games gave you a 10 minute tutorial at max. People are not that stupid. And well, I guess most reviewers buy a Pokémon game to watch the anime, because that’s all this game is. You spend 90% of the game on cutscenes/ loading screens. And the story is as childish as you would expect. Every dialogue is basically about the power of friendship or something like this.
    But the stupidest design choice is putting a extremely low appearance rate on most of the new Pokémon. So you bought a new Pokémon game and want to play with new Pokémon? You better do research on which ones you want and have bulbapedia open while playing so you can grind an specific tall grass for 20 minutes until the Pokémon you want shows up. Otherwise you would most likely finish the game asking yourself where is half of the new creatures.
    And what a stupid idea is z-moves. Omg please remove this from the next game. 1 hit KO moves with long animations. Wow, they add so much to the gameplay. Mega evolutions did such a good job bringing back Pokémon that were useless before it, and then they got carried away and invented this garbage.
    It’s surprising how they got everything right on X/Y and managed to throw all that away, go to the opposite direction and make such an atrocity. Takes skill for that.

    X/Y still the best games in the series    … Expand
  3. yggSSparappRR
    Feb 14, 2018
    10
    One of the best things relating to pokemon to ever be published Period. It did away with obsolete parts while adding more, moving forward instead of more of the same. The story is on pair with great franchises known for their great stories, trials, kahunas, totems and captains are all interesting concepts that bring more and better to the table. Evil teams were the best we ever had.One of the best things relating to pokemon to ever be published Period. It did away with obsolete parts while adding more, moving forward instead of more of the same. The story is on pair with great franchises known for their great stories, trials, kahunas, totems and captains are all interesting concepts that bring more and better to the table. Evil teams were the best we ever had. Z-moves complemented the main battle system well and naturally, without overwhelming it but adding a new layer stil. Catching, breeding and training pokemon is easier and more practical while still compelling to do, even going as far as giving a way to interact with the boxed pokemon in island where they can hang out, explore and even train. And the best of all: HMs are finally gone and replaced with something better, and all that is just what I can remember from the top of my head.… Expand
  4. Scrubba-DrivE
    Jan 30, 2018
    10
    The first game to finally remove gyms and let me have a different journey for a change. That is while still be a fun journey that makes sense in the world of pokemon, whichalways feels like there's millions of discoveries to be found. Alola is one of the best looking regions and has a strong thematic and cultural sense, it really feels like an actual place, and even the new pokemon feelThe first game to finally remove gyms and let me have a different journey for a change. That is while still be a fun journey that makes sense in the world of pokemon, whichalways feels like there's millions of discoveries to be found. Alola is one of the best looking regions and has a strong thematic and cultural sense, it really feels like an actual place, and even the new pokemon feel like they have more personality and charima than ever.… Expand
  5. SiemB
    Jan 22, 2018
    8
    It are great games. As aways, I enjoyed them much as a pokémon fan, but it are defenitely not the best pokémon games I have played.

    The alolan forms, the new pokémon and the story are awesome. On the other hand, the unskippable cutscenes can be very frustrating if you replay the games. Also, I don't like the trials as alternative to gyms and the tropical theme of the game doesn't really    It are great games. As aways, I enjoyed them much as a pokémon fan, but it are defenitely not the best pokémon games I have played.

    The alolan forms, the new pokémon and the story are awesome. On the other hand, the unskippable cutscenes can be very frustrating if you replay the games. Also, I don't like the trials as alternative to gyms and the tropical theme of the game doesn't really fit to pokémon in my opinion.

    There are many changes, some may find that positive while other might hate it. One thing is for sure: at least GameFreak tried to innovate the games and many people critized the lack of that in the past.    … Expand
  6. dandragon
    Jan 16, 2018
    10
    This game is a amazing the new Pokémon are okay. But overall a good game. My only problem is their is a lack of post game content after the main story. But I would just get this game.
  7. kiank
    Jan 14, 2018
    10
    This game was a great change of pace from the usual pokemon. The change of pace with no gyms was welcoming and the story was fun with some of the most interesting characters in any pokemon. I played this game for almost 200 hours and I enjoyed every one of them.
  8. CreedCREEDcreed
    Jan 6, 2018
    10
    Best story of all pokemon games (+)

    Pokepelago, now my boxed mons won't just be forgotten (+)

    Unexpected quest system instead of gyms, bound with nature and the pokemon themselves (+)

    z-moves are a good spice to the battles, as I can give use to my weaker mons now (+)

    Overall Sun and Moon were amongst the best games that came out in 2016
  9. Coramcrash
    Dec 29, 2017
    8
    Ha tutti i tratti distintivi e di pregio dei predecessori e non si fa mancare qualche aggiunta di qualità.
    Per la prima volta assistiamo ad una storia vera e propria con i controcazzi.
    Le uniche pecche le si possono riscontrare nel level design troppo semplificato ed a volte confusionario ed in alcuni dialoghi eccessivamente inutili e frustranti. Ma alla fine sembra un gioco incompleto,    Ha tutti i tratti distintivi e di pregio dei predecessori e non si fa mancare qualche aggiunta di qualità.
    Per la prima volta assistiamo ad una storia vera e propria con i controcazzi.
    Le uniche pecche le si possono riscontrare nel level design troppo semplificato ed a volte confusionario ed in alcuni dialoghi eccessivamente inutili e frustranti.
    Ma alla fine sembra un gioco incompleto,
    voto 83/100    … Expand
  10. Angulaureon
    Dec 14, 2017
    10
    Most innovations of all the main series games by far. The ever stales gyms got replaces by an interesting trial system with totem bosses that really excite you for what's coming next. Great new pokemon each with their own lore, top-notch story and that's only 1% on all the GREAT stuff SM added
  11. TheDarkGreenPit
    Nov 30, 2017
    10
    Alola is really fresh and innovative compare to the beginning of previous generations, this is the game where they FINALLY, after so long, started to push the envelope and find ways to innovate and change old formulas while still keeping the core of the series true to itself. Like the Totems replacing the old gym leader system.
  12. MattCK
    Nov 25, 2017
    10
    The main plot is the most interesting of the series with Black and White, but still not being so good, not as easier as XY or ROZA were, new Pokémon are great, Island Trials, Ultrabeasts, Alola ambientation, the awesome music, cinematographic cutscenes, Alola forms, No more HM, characters and their evolutions, Red and Blue's comeback, Alola is big, great ending, metagame improves... IThe main plot is the most interesting of the series with Black and White, but still not being so good, not as easier as XY or ROZA were, new Pokémon are great, Island Trials, Ultrabeasts, Alola ambientation, the awesome music, cinematographic cutscenes, Alola forms, No more HM, characters and their evolutions, Red and Blue's comeback, Alola is big, great ending, metagame improves... I think this is one of the best Pokémon games, and finally they've changed the franchise a bit.

    Despite all of this, this game have also failures, plot is interesting, yeah, but inside the Pokémon series, as a story in general is still poor. Postgame could have been longer. Pokémon has changed but... Only a bit. Z-Moves take too long. Festival Plaza it's a bad decision and the Rotomdex sucks sometimes.    … Expand
  13. chocapic
    Nov 21, 2017
    9
    Como juego de pokemon, es de 10, tanto por todas la innovaciones, como por la historia y por los diseños espectaculares de los pokemon. Personalmente no me gusta el rumbo que esta tomando la saga hacia un publico mas infantil, tanto por la dificultad como por los diálogos de dora la exploradora, y sigo prefiriendo los gimnasios a esta basura, pero es una idea nueva por lo menos. Juego deComo juego de pokemon, es de 10, tanto por todas la innovaciones, como por la historia y por los diseños espectaculares de los pokemon. Personalmente no me gusta el rumbo que esta tomando la saga hacia un publico mas infantil, tanto por la dificultad como por los diálogos de dora la exploradora, y sigo prefiriendo los gimnasios a esta basura, pero es una idea nueva por lo menos. Juego de pokemon excelente, que te encantará si eres fan, pero no esta a la altura ni de 2º ni de 5º generación.… Expand
  14. evani
    Nov 8, 2017
    5
    Worst main series pokemon game i have ever played.
    Cut scene, dialog, follow the npc it just never lets you play the game, the first 30 minutes is horrible just full of Dialog and cut scenes let me play the game!
  15. Dalium
    Nov 7, 2017
    4
    This game is way too on rails and the postgame is aweful aside from Looker. The festival plaza is a confusing and unneeded replacement for the PSS. A bit harder then ORAS and expecially XY (thank god), plus the story is great. Way too much dialog though, and nobody asked for or wants Z-Moves. It also takes way too long to get your starter Pokemon.
  16. Sausage22
    Nov 7, 2017
    8
    Pokemon Sun and Moon are huge improvment over older entries, but in the same time gets some new flaws that previous games didn't have. Also one of the best looking game on 3ds.
  17. Bunnyhoppy
    Nov 3, 2017
    9
    I absolutely love this game. It was fairly challenging at times, but not so hard it can't be played by a kid (Not that all of us who play Pokemon are kids. Pokemon stays with you forever). The plot is amazing, particularly compared to X and Y. The graphics...fabulous. And I absolutely love the Alolan forms, too. People say that Pokemon is old, but that doesn't change anything. It's still aI absolutely love this game. It was fairly challenging at times, but not so hard it can't be played by a kid (Not that all of us who play Pokemon are kids. Pokemon stays with you forever). The plot is amazing, particularly compared to X and Y. The graphics...fabulous. And I absolutely love the Alolan forms, too. People say that Pokemon is old, but that doesn't change anything. It's still a great franchise.… Expand
  18. Firepistol95
    Nov 3, 2017
    7
    Performance review: Its a good game so far, imo. but from wht ive been hearing from ppl tht the load times are long and Double battles hav framerate drops. If I remember right, I read somewhere a couple of days ago tht the game is best played on a New 3DS. And I hav one, so far I have rarely seen a single framerate drop and the load times are about 3 seconds long, sometimes less. It looksPerformance review: Its a good game so far, imo. but from wht ive been hearing from ppl tht the load times are long and Double battles hav framerate drops. If I remember right, I read somewhere a couple of days ago tht the game is best played on a New 3DS. And I hav one, so far I have rarely seen a single framerate drop and the load times are about 3 seconds long, sometimes less. It looks like we're hitting the point where games are being demanding enough to where u will actually need a New model to hav the best exp with them. So it looks like the old models are slowly, but surely, phasing out. If Nintendo is planning to keep the 3DS life span going any longer. Im glad I dont use an old model anymore.… Expand
  19. Nessuno-Kun
    Oct 31, 2017
    1
    First off, this game is horrible. You either already know or were warned.
    If you are a fan, this will disappoint you.
    They decided to ruin the wonderful Pokémon franchise with some poor, boring, easy and extremely childish games. The only possible pro is that you might like a couple Alolan forms (though watch out from Persian and Exeggutor). Here is the reasons why you should never be    First off, this game is horrible. You either already know or were warned.
    If you are a fan, this will disappoint you.
    They decided to ruin the wonderful Pokémon franchise with some poor, boring, easy and extremely childish games. The only possible pro is that you might like a couple Alolan forms (though watch out from Persian and Exeggutor).

    Here is the reasons why you should never be tempted to waste your money there:

    1) Extremely easy, even more than XY.
    2) Very slow, unless you run it on a New3DS line.
    3) The online features are three steps back from the sixth generation's PSS.
    4) Annoying cutscenes and long, unneeded dialogues.
    5) Lack of freedom throughout the gameplay.
    6) Z-Moves make it even easier and similar to Yo-Kai Watch.
    7) The characters, including your rival, are childish and annoying as evil.
    8) Ultra Creatures designs, as well as some Pokémon, are literally TERRIBLE.
    9) Lack of National Pokédex which is cool to collectors.
    10) No tough challenges after the supereasy Alolan League (Battle Tree is easy).
    11) Rotom-Dex adds even more ease and prevents you to ever be curious about how to proceed.
    12) They forgot to add decent clothes if you are a straight male.
    13) Lack of puzzles and secrets like in the previous games (there are no gyms as well).
    14) The Gold Bottle caps might be cool on the card, but then it's frustrating to level up until level 100 and to acquire those items which raise up the IVs.
    15) With cheaters and cheats being everywhere and shiny odds being raised down, legendaries and shinies have much less value than in any other pre-3DS games.
    16) The Alolan map is a total disaster, extremely confusing design.
    17) Too many items that are not needed because the game is already easy, even for your 5-years-old children.
    18) The enemies of the story are not as cruel as in the past, they are childish and politically correct as well, while in the previous games they were actually wicked.
    19) The game is overall not fun, unless this is your first Pokémon game and this is the main reason why you should not buy your money, even because the previous chapters are even cheaper.
    20) They are nothing more than what has been leaked on Nintendo's YouTube channel, so basically this is everything they had to offer. Sales were good because of that marketing.
    21) Unlike the other games, these games are ONLY FOR KIDS. If you are a quite smart adult, you are going to get bored and disappointed about this series's present and future.
    22) Sound and story could even be ok, but gameplay is the core of every videogame.

    There are plenty more, but if you have these games on your hands, you are probably aware that this is the first step of the sunrise of the Pokémon decline.
    The Sun/Moon anime show may help you realizing that, they are very similar to these games.

    Verdict: Save your money for anything else and if you are a parent, let your kid play Red, Blue, Crystal, Emerald, Platinum or even Black and White. He's going to grow better and happier.    … Expand
  20. Amfibios
    Oct 23, 2017
    3
    i've been playing pokemon since the original red and blue and this is the first time a pokemon game has bored me out of my mind.

    it's basically like watching an interactive movie where u just watch for 5 minutes while they're shoving the game's story down your throat, then back to the world, only to go the next objective pointed on the map where another 3 minute cutscene will pop up    i've been playing pokemon since the original red and blue and this is the first time a pokemon game has bored me out of my mind.

    it's basically like watching an interactive movie where u just watch for 5 minutes while they're shoving the game's story down your throat, then back to the world, only to go the next objective pointed on the map where another 3 minute cutscene will pop up only to be followed by a stupidly easy fight of non interesting npcs and then go back to the world where every way is blocked off, except the one THEY want u to take.

    0 interest in the story, 0 exploration, annoying npcs spamming the same animations over and over, everytime u meet them (somehow they keep popping up every 10 steps u take).

    npcs just seem to be so nice giving away charizards and lapras for free so that u'll use them to travel the world, monster encounters somehow is like 90% gen 1 pokemon. mega evolutions are basically non existent and noone's even talking about them as now everyone's focusing on the brand new z powers. no national pokedex.

    i wanted to love it, i TRIED to like it. it started holding my hand since the 1st minute and i was telling myself it'll get better, but it didn't. it kept my interest for a little while until it fell flat on its face and i couldn't find myself playing it anymore.

    they did try making some "innovations" but it wasn't even enough to be considered a whole new gen, just rehashed **** everywhere. if u like pokemon for the exploration and the quest for unveiling the mysteries of the world/pokemon, u'll find none of that here, steer clear.    … Expand
  21. Spitbot
    Oct 22, 2017
    7
    It's a Pokemon game.

    I could end the review right there, because chances are, you already know what you're getting into, but assuming you've never played one of these massive critter-collecting RPG adventures, this is a good place to start. There are over 800 Pokemon, it's a blast to play, and there's post-game stuff to keep you occupied after the 20 - 30 hour story, but if you've    It's a Pokemon game.

    I could end the review right there, because chances are, you already know what you're getting into, but assuming you've never played one of these massive critter-collecting RPG adventures, this is a good place to start. There are over 800 Pokemon, it's a blast to play, and there's post-game stuff to keep you occupied after the 20 - 30 hour story, but if you've played Pokemon before? You might be happy to know that they've mixed this one up a bit - The gym system has been overhauled, your old favorite Pokemon are back with new forms, there are new, ultra-powerful moves that can only be used once a battle, and yet...

    It feels like it's different for the sake of being different.

    The replacement for the gym system works, and it works well - I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong - but there was nothing wrong with gyms in the first place. The Z-Moves are nice, but they don't feel as rewarding or cool as Mega Evolution (and the animations get kinda tedious, too). They tried to write a good story, which I applaud them for, but it really isn't anything special. I know nobody cares about the plot in these games, but it gets in the way - This game has the worst tutorial since Black and White. At it's core, this is still Pokemon. All of these games have problems, and while I have a few gripes with this one, it's more or less what you've been playing since 1996.

    So, brand new to the series? Jump right in, the water's warm. Seasoned veteran? It won't surprise you, but I'm sure you'll have some fun. Looking for something brand new? You'll probably be let down.    … Expand
  22. Aquiver
    Oct 11, 2017
    8
    As with every Pokémon game, this duo come with a new villainous Pokémon Team, (Team Skull) a plethora of new Pokémon – 81 in total, new Pokémon moves and abilities, a new region and most importantly new gyms. Or is there…?

    In Pokémon Sun and Moon the islands have not yet created a gym system (or even an Elite Four at the beginning of the game!) and instead have a system of trials that    As with every Pokémon game, this duo come with a new villainous Pokémon Team, (Team Skull) a plethora of new Pokémon – 81 in total, new Pokémon moves and abilities, a new region and most importantly new gyms. Or is there…?

    In Pokémon Sun and Moon the islands have not yet created a gym system (or even an Elite Four at the beginning of the game!) and instead have a system of trials that involve: a challenge set by the Trial Captain, a fight with the Totem Pokémon and a battle with each Island Kahuna. Although this may seem off-putting for seasoned fans, the way it is presented comes off as a breath of fresh air. The actual challenges are not hard at all so don’t expect to tested by these new trials but the Totem Pokémon fights can be quite difficult if you are under prepared and the Kahunas aren’t anything to laugh at either.

    Many people have complained that these new generations of Pokémon have been getting easier and easier and time goes on. Though this may be true, that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun anymore or entertaining to play through. If you want a really challenging game there are ways of making that happen but on the whole, you have come to the wrong place. Pokémon games are about having fun, exploring new regions, seeing new Pokémon and not having a really difficult time. Saying that, I will admit that these new games are easier than previous games mostly due to the fact that the effectiveness of each move is displayed beneath it. This can become pretty annoying as you don’t have the option to turn it off.

    Pokémon Sun and Moon are set in the region of Alola – a fantasy world based off Hawaii. In comparison to other regions where you traverse one section of land, the Alola region is made up of five main islands and has your character explore between them. This concept is nothing new as we have had mostly island regions before. Although many people were cautious towards this approach, I found that, although at some points confusing, overall it was an enjoyable change.
    The Pokémon included in this generation invoke a variety of emotion. Some people are indifferent to designs and what the Pokémon are based off but for some it means that Nintendo are “running out of ideas.” I don’t think that this is the case. Most of the Pokémon are aesthetically pleasing and there are only a few that I wouldn’t pick up purely because of design. Something that has been introduced as a unique feature of Alola are Alolan Pokémon. These are Pokémon from other regions that have changed their colour and type supposedly because of the climate in Alola. Although the premise seem a bit odd, it was really nice seeing some old faces getting new looks and getting new ways to play. The only criticism I have is that some of the designs are questionable and Pokémon that usually come in parallel pairs (For example, Arcanine and Ninetales) only one of them got an alternate form.
    Your character customisation follows a similar system as was implemented in Pokémon X and Y. When creating your player, you have four sets of skin colour and hair colour to choose from for each sex and throughout the region there are apparel shops that allow the player to buy new items of clothing or accessories. This is nothing new but it is something that fans have asked to bring back after its exclusion out of Omega ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

    The story is a typical Pokémon plot. It isn’t anything ground-breaking but it does include some new parts. One of these is a legendary Pokémon that is part of an evolutionary line - a first for the franchise. Other than that, the story is ordinary but does rid of the mountains of rivals you had during Pokémon X and Y and does involve some immersive cut-scenes.

    Helpfully, a feature that come with these games is the removal of Technical Machines (or TMs.) For anyone new to the franchise, in other games these were moves that could be used to access different areas, in other words, moves that could be used out of battle. The catch however, was that you couldn’t naturally replace these moves and instead had to but tutored off. As easy as this sounds it was incredibly annoying. Ride Pokémon replace this annoyance with something entertaining. Instead of having moves that allow you access now you now use Pokémon. As the name suggests, these Pokémon are called by you and you ride them to clear certain obstacles - something the community has been asking for since day one.

    Overall I think that the new instalment in this collection is a good addition to the series. However, it is obvious that Nintendo and Game Freak’s focus is on the younger audience and not necessarily the seasoned players.

    Pokémon Sun and Moon are produced by Game Freak and published by Nintendo/The Pokémon Company.

    It is available on the 3DS and platforms that support 3Ds games.    … Expand
  23. NintendoGamer1
    Oct 6, 2017
    8
    With the classic game-play of previous iterations as well of having no more HMs makes this game an amazing experience. Unfortunately the game is ridiculously easy compared to other game in the Pokemon series.
  24. aescalantesuare
    Sep 29, 2017
    8
    Después de dedicarle mas de 100 horas e iniciar el "competitivo", puede decir que es el juego de la saga mas me ha emocionado.

    Puntos en contra:

    - Los mapas son sencillos
    - Todos los combates contra la PC son faciles
    - No existe la Pokédex nacional
  25. Luqueto
    Sep 22, 2017
    9
    Pokemon Sun/Moon is a totally refreshing pokemon adventures were the basic concept of 8 gyms was eliminated and instead this game offers a series of challenges that you must overcome in order to beat the game. The main story is pretty decent and long enough compared to other pokemon games, but it lacks of a post-game after beating the pokemon league. What its also new is the removal of HMPokemon Sun/Moon is a totally refreshing pokemon adventures were the basic concept of 8 gyms was eliminated and instead this game offers a series of challenges that you must overcome in order to beat the game. The main story is pretty decent and long enough compared to other pokemon games, but it lacks of a post-game after beating the pokemon league. What its also new is the removal of HM and instead you can ride pokemon that you register through the game, making the game less tedious. Most people would criticize the low frame rate at double battles and they are right, but its nothing you have to worry a lot if you not play competitive as the game has few double battle combats. So i probalby recommend this game if you have the opportunity to buy it.… Expand
  26. Romorais
    Sep 15, 2017
    8
    I really enjoyed the game, but it's debatable that it has a very slow beginning and, even thought goo history, way too extensive narrative.
    The game tries too hard to explain the new gimmicks of the game and it made me feel like i played 20 hours of tutorial
  27. Braduk
    Sep 13, 2017
    4
    Pokemon Sun/Moon are by far the worst in the mainline series.
    Pros:
    --Bottle Cap system to allow pseudo-IV maxing --The ability to send Pokemon from your party to the PC when catching other Pokemon --Simple and effective egg hatching route (in the sense that this time it's just a square) --Shiny Charm now only requires the regional dex to be completed --Battle Tree --The Mini    Pokemon Sun/Moon are by far the worst in the mainline series.
    Pros:
    --Bottle Cap system to allow pseudo-IV maxing
    --The ability to send Pokemon from your party to the PC when catching other Pokemon
    --Simple and effective egg hatching route (in the sense that this time it's just a square)
    --Shiny Charm now only requires the regional dex to be completed
    --Battle Tree
    --The Mini islands where you plant berries, EV train, etc are a cool idea

    Cons:
    --Excessive amount of cutscenes, to the point where nearly every route has at least one cutscene (and the intro itself takes 12 minutes for a speedrunner to complete, far far longer for the average player)
    --Excessive levels of handholding, I'm aware the series is for kids but the past games didn't have this much handholding
    --Super easy, even for a Pokemon game. Not once did I have to repeat a battle and I finished the Elite Four first try with a slightly underleveled party.
    --Extreme linearity, even for a Pokemon game, with tons of very obvious and shoehorned route and entrance blocks nearly every screen
    --The majority of the new Pokemon designs are not very memorable nor are they very coherently designed, though this is a more subjective con I know I am not the only one who thinks this, and don't even get me started on Ultra Beasts
    --No Super Training, despite both past games having them and it being a very well-received mechanic
    --Mega Forms are more or less shoehorned into a place and it's clear they never really planned to have them back
    --Z Moves are broken and ruin battles, and are required in every battle just like Mega Forms used to be
    --The region is very bland, small, and not very varied between islands, it's clear Gamefreak had no idea what to do without the grid system
    --Certain Pokemon have a 1% appearance rate in areas and that is just stupid
    --Postgame is near non-existent, which makes the small and crappy region feel all the worse
    --Nearly all the new Pokemon have tank-based stats, making party building unnecessarily difficult unless you want a full high defense, low speed team
    --The Trials are a poor replacement for Gyms, if anything both could have been done, there's not even 8 Trials
    --The minigame theme park is not well-developed and does not reach its full potential

    Gamefreak attempted to shake up the series with Sun/Moon. But change is not always good. Bad change is possible. And most of the changes in Sun/Moon are bad for the series. After how bad these games were I am outright skipping Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon and may not ever buy a Pokemon game again unless the 2018 game stirs away from the type of game these ones are, and this is coming from the person who has bought and completed generations 1-6 of Pokemon before these ones.    … Expand
  28. Sakamoto_San
    Sep 11, 2017
    8
    Un buen juego pero con una historia floja, dejaron fuera las mecánicas de las mega evoluciones incluidas en la versión anterior y eso deja la sensación de que el juego esta incompleto, su principal problema es no contar con la pokedex nacional para poder juntar a todos los pokemon que se limite solo a Alola es muy malo y deja a el titulo sin la amplia variedad de pokemon que existen.
  29. EmirKhorasani
    Aug 18, 2017
    0
    This game was the culmination of taking all of the worst parts of pokemon and putting them front and center. 60% of the game is spent mashing the A button through the pointless slow grueling mucked up narrative. The other 40% spends a lot of time in loading screens and animations. It's actually 13.4 seconds from losing control to gaining it again in wild battles. The pokemon themselvesThis game was the culmination of taking all of the worst parts of pokemon and putting them front and center. 60% of the game is spent mashing the A button through the pointless slow grueling mucked up narrative. The other 40% spends a lot of time in loading screens and animations. It's actually 13.4 seconds from losing control to gaining it again in wild battles. The pokemon themselves used to be the compelling feature which pushed exploration, and dialogue used to be optional. That's what made pokemon greak. This is a horrible, horrible game.… Expand
  30. iliketrains
    Aug 16, 2017
    9
    This is my first pokemon game and I LOVE it. From the charters to the different pokemon this game is amassing! The only problem is the battles feel to easy.
  31. Kyle67
    Aug 10, 2017
    2
    This is a horrible game. It wasted my time literally from hitting entering my character's name. Some other reviewer said that cancerous unskippable cut-scenes make it so you can pay attention to the story, and i agree. It makes it so I can REEEALLY notice all of the cookie-cutter characters, cliche moments, cheesy writing, and childish archetypes used.
    I hate this game so much that when    This is a horrible game. It wasted my time literally from hitting entering my character's name. Some other reviewer said that cancerous unskippable cut-scenes make it so you can pay attention to the story, and i agree. It makes it so I can REEEALLY notice all of the cookie-cutter characters, cliche moments, cheesy writing, and childish archetypes used.
    I hate this game so much that when the SD card that contained the game became defunct, I didn't even care. The only reason this game doesn't get a '0' is because it added about 7 or 8 Pokemon that were okay. And, no.
    I don't mean f***ing Bruxish.    … Expand
  32. koolaidman486
    Aug 1, 2017
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sun and Moon (they're the same game with very minute differences in terms of story and gameplay) aren't bad. I just don't think it's great. First off, I personally hate the trials system over gyms. I'd rather do a puzzle, fight some trainers, and then fight a leader of a certain type. The trials feel incredibly same, frequently it's fighting 3 Pokemon, then fight a fully evolved Pokemon with a guaranteed partner and super beefed up stats. Thankfully this game is easier then the entire previous generation, as bosses frequently had excellent coverage for weaknesses and they were almost always designed to counter the most likely to be used strategy for fighting said bosses. The world looks nice, and the music is generally good. My next gripe comes with the entire first island. It's ridiculously hand-holdy. The game will never really fully let go of your hand and Sun and Moon are still some of the easier games to date. Z moves are fine, albeit I would've preferred a greater emphasis on mega evolution but that's just me. New and Alolan Pokemon are almost all good. There are a few did but that's to be expected. Overall, I'd recommend getting Sun or Moon if it's on sale, but I just can't do full price, I can't.… Expand
  33. Revmx
    Jul 18, 2017
    5
    Pokémon Sun and Moon are mediocre as Pokémon games, are mediocre as RPGs, and are mediocre as games.

    With the series conventions, many people rate this game with the expectations they have from the past games, rather than rating them entirely as a game. People ignore the fact that the stat system has mostly stayed the same since 1996, showing its age in obtrusive modifiers like IVs.    Pokémon Sun and Moon are mediocre as Pokémon games, are mediocre as RPGs, and are mediocre as games.

    With the series conventions, many people rate this game with the expectations they have from the past games, rather than rating them entirely as a game. People ignore the fact that the stat system has mostly stayed the same since 1996, showing its age in obtrusive modifiers like IVs. People ignore that the 4 move turned based combat has not evolved one bit, meaning each and every iteration so far has really only added more gimmicks and RNG. People ignore that the story is much the same as a bad children's cartoon.

    So what does Sun and Moon do to break from the conventions of the previous games and improve at its core? Nothing.

    What does it have over X and Y? That's what most people's hype was rooted in. Really, the only true difference is that Sun and Moon are more wacky. For every functional improvement in Sun and Moon, they seemingly removed two that came from X and Y. They introduced 'bottlecaps' as a half measure to fix IVs (instead of just removing them), but removed Super Training (a genuinely positive feature which was there to effect the somewhat hidden EVs). They also removed the PSS, the best online integration in a Pokémon game ever, in favour of the dreadful 'Festival Plaza' which makes you run around like a fool and go through loads of UI to do the most basic things. The game foregoes the 8 gym model of past games, which I thought would be a positive step, but replaced it with these 'Trials' which resemble MMO quests but manage to be less interesting and fun.

    Game Freak has proved they have no interest in improving the fundamental game design of the series, but instead want to focus on flashy, promotional gimmicks which will sell the game. This is evident in the 'Z-moves', which are just more powerful moves with ridiculously long animations.

    Forgetting the series conventions, let's think of Sun and Moon as any other RPG and judge it as such. As a game, there is no better word that comes to mind than 'lazy'. It is extremely linear, the story is piss-poor, and worst of all, it doesn't even run on its system. Even in normal gameplay, it can chug. You especially do not want to go on a multiplayer double battle.

    Sun and Moon are easily the worst games in the franchise, and are barely worth looking at as RPGs themselves. I give it a 5/10.    … Expand
  34. ORevisor
    Jul 8, 2017
    3
    O jogo me decepcionou em diversos aspectos:
    - história fraca como de costume e para piorar esta versão é repleta de diálogos e escolhas que não interferem na história;
    - gráfico sem muita inovação ou melhoria fora e dentro das batalhas; - músicas éé... algumas são bem chatinhas outras são até empolgantes; - o desequilíbrio entre os tipos de pokémons persiste, não foi alterado em nada    O jogo me decepcionou em diversos aspectos:
    - história fraca como de costume e para piorar esta versão é repleta de diálogos e escolhas que não interferem na história;
    - gráfico sem muita inovação ou melhoria fora e dentro das batalhas;
    - músicas éé... algumas são bem chatinhas outras são até empolgantes;
    - o desequilíbrio entre os tipos de pokémons persiste, não foi alterado em nada neste ponto, o tipo grama continua terrível em campeonatos;
    - a lista de novos pokemons é beem pequena e possui muitos lendários;
    - hyper potion restaura 100 de hp;
    - muitos pokémons especiais de evento são obtidos através dos filmes ou lojas físicas, odeio com toda força o Ash e o desenho mais ainda, ou seja, NUNCA iria assistir um lixo para obter um pokemon exclusivo;
    - treinar o effort inicialmente é impossível (não existe macho brace), e mais para frente entediante;
    - acabaram com as lutas horde e com os ginásios;
    - e o pior de tudo o pós game é terrível MUITO terrível, quase nada para se fazer...
    - fim das lutas triplas;
    Pontos Positivos:
    + fim dos HM;
    + o pokemon não ganha lv no daycare;    … Expand
  35. ScreenScraggy22
    Jul 5, 2017
    9
    These critics KNOW what they are talking about. This game is full of fresh and new things that make this a unique installment to the series. The story is probably one of the best in the series next to Black and White. The new Pokemon look great and this game brings more of a challenge than X and Y did. Have nostalgia take you over, but that doesn't change the fact that this is one GREATThese critics KNOW what they are talking about. This game is full of fresh and new things that make this a unique installment to the series. The story is probably one of the best in the series next to Black and White. The new Pokemon look great and this game brings more of a challenge than X and Y did. Have nostalgia take you over, but that doesn't change the fact that this is one GREAT Pokemon game.… Expand
  36. randomphoenix03
    Jun 29, 2017
    7
    As a lifelong fan of Pokémon, I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this game. However, there just was some things I didn't like about it. First of all, personally, it just felt different. The feel was just completely different compared to when I played any other Pokémon game. I'm counting off for this because I feel like it's because the game was changed in such a way that it felt soAs a lifelong fan of Pokémon, I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this game. However, there just was some things I didn't like about it. First of all, personally, it just felt different. The feel was just completely different compared to when I played any other Pokémon game. I'm counting off for this because I feel like it's because the game was changed in such a way that it felt so different for me.

    Another thing was the change in the gym leader system. It's both a pro and con for me, because Nintendo was trying to change up the formula, which was good, but it just wasn't the same as gym leaders, which is not as good.

    Finally, the biggest con for me is the amount of handholding the game puts you through. Out of what I believe is four islands if I remember correctly, two of them are mostly tutorial. It feels like it's designed for three-year-olds. It just ruins the fun of it when you're put in to what feels like a multiple hour-long cutscene.    … Expand
  37. proxfrd
    Jun 22, 2017
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Worst main series pokemon game. Gamefreak focused solely on story and left the gameplay easy as heck. There are actual cutscenes that can't be skipped so you have to just grit it out and press A on the boxes as they come. The stories to these games have always been bad to mediocre. Focusing on the story didn't help that. After winning the championship, your game isn't autosaved and you're faced with the most horrendous, 30 min - 1 hour long cutscene depending on if you actually read the text. That is followed by the unskippable, 10 - 20 minute long credits. Also framerate issues throughout during battles.
    It doesn't seem like much, and I do appreciate the attempt at something new, but this endless garbage story is a huge leap in the wrong direction.
    Z-moves are cool. The new pokemon are cool, the gameplay is mostly the same.
    Solutions: Just put in a skip tutorial option and a skip cutscene option.
    Also fix the framerate issues, pokemon doesn't need to be that graphic intensive.
    P.S. You can't name your rival. Fix it    … Expand
  38. Hongwaree
    Jun 13, 2017
    9
    Pokémon Sun does refresh the franchise, with a great and beautiful world, full of stuff to look for and find, beautiful Pokémons for most part, and a more interesting gameplay. Hours and hours of fun make this game a must buy for any Pokémon or rpg fan. I never wanted to play Pokémon after Crystal, and Pokémon Sun brought me back. I've been playing more hours than I should...and that wont'Pokémon Sun does refresh the franchise, with a great and beautiful world, full of stuff to look for and find, beautiful Pokémons for most part, and a more interesting gameplay. Hours and hours of fun make this game a must buy for any Pokémon or rpg fan. I never wanted to play Pokémon after Crystal, and Pokémon Sun brought me back. I've been playing more hours than I should...and that wont' change in a while.
    + Nice roster
    + You can breath Hawaii wherever you go
    + Lot of things to do
    - Festival Plaza
    - The customization of your character still feels poor.
    - Story.    … Expand
  39. MazinroboX2
    May 14, 2017
    9
    This game is amazing, and not getting the scores it deserves in my opinion. It has the problem of starting a bit slow and with many cutscenes, which is maybe why it is getting low scores, the beginning of the game can be a bit tedious for veteran Pokémon fans. But this Alola region is amazing, beautiful, so full of joy and things to do, and from the third island things begin to improveThis game is amazing, and not getting the scores it deserves in my opinion. It has the problem of starting a bit slow and with many cutscenes, which is maybe why it is getting low scores, the beginning of the game can be a bit tedious for veteran Pokémon fans. But this Alola region is amazing, beautiful, so full of joy and things to do, and from the third island things begin to improve drastically! It also becomes a lot harder from that point. I played without Exp. Share, without Z moves, and with Set Battle Style, and opponents began to overlevel my team even though I battled everyone. This made quite of the final battles of the game hard. So, it can be challenging if you want it to. Post-game is also quite decent, with many things to do, a few new routes, and the UB sidequest.

    Something I didn't like that much is the SOS battle system, with Pokémon constantly asking for help, it can be pretty annoying to catch Pokémon, and also some exclusive Pokémon from this system are a pain to catch (I spent an hour looking for a Slowbro, and when it appeared I had lost so much focus I killed it with a crit; at least that was great because later in the chain I got a Shiny Slowpoke!). Another thing I have to point out is the frame drops against Totem Pokémon and when there are many Pokémon in the screen in older versiones of the Nintendo 3DS. While those situations aren't very common, they are a bit annoying. But apart from that I love the path these two games have taken. It has renewed the Pokémon franchise a lot, with things like Island Trials replacing gyms, which I believe are quite original and some of the Totem Pokémon quite challenging to beat. It also removed HMs, which allows you to train freely a team of 6 Pokémon! Speaking of Pokémon, I really like most of the Alola versions of Gen 1 Pokémon, most like Grimer were made a lot better, a lot more useful in-game than they ever were. And new Pokémon design is also very good, for me better than 6th Gen and 5th Gen Pokémon by a lot. The variety of Pokémon you find in Alola is huge, but they made it pretty well adding at least one or two of the new Pokémon to each of the new places to make the whole game feel fresh.

    All in all, while not a perfect game, the game is still a very very good Pokémon game, it is being underrated due to its slow start, which maybe wants to help people new to the franchise understand Pokémon, but give it time, as it gets better the deeper you go in the game, and you can find challenge if you want to!    … Expand
  40. Reciter5613
    May 2, 2017
    9
    It's great! The new setting and Pokemon variations really make it interesting. Switching the gym battles with these trails is a fresh new idea. Of course the frame rate can go down in battle. The cutscenes can go on for too long and are difficult to keep up with at time. Not that it matters since some of the story is a bit predictable. Not to spoil but I'm sure you can guess which goodIt's great! The new setting and Pokemon variations really make it interesting. Switching the gym battles with these trails is a fresh new idea. Of course the frame rate can go down in battle. The cutscenes can go on for too long and are difficult to keep up with at time. Not that it matters since some of the story is a bit predictable. Not to spoil but I'm sure you can guess which good guys is really a bad guys shortly after you meet them. Also there is a major spike in difficulty. At the first two islands it's very easy but then when you get to the third it wicked hard without warning. The ending was sweet and there is good replay value so I really recommend.… Expand
  41. Wake_loms
    Apr 27, 2017
    10
    El mejor juego de pokemon de toda la historia, ademas de una evolucion grafica, presenta opciones de jugabilidad distintas, y ahora se vuelve muchisimo mas atractivo para cualquier jugador tanto en la historia como en la jugabilidad
  42. DelWolf
    Apr 20, 2017
    9
    This takes the Pokémon series and gives it the tweaks it desperately needed, with a story that drives this close to perfection. However, after completing the main story, unless I want to battle online competitively, I didn't find myself picking it back up for more. However, the main game is nothing short of amazing.
  43. mrmettse
    Mar 31, 2017
    6
    I've been playing all pokemon DS games and i don't really care for this one.
    Find the ''camera angle'' weird and miss a lot of the old ways to do things. Don't really like the trial parts.
    Guess it takes some getting used to.
  44. zachary1000
    Mar 26, 2017
    9
    Pokemon Sun and Moon truly take the franchise to new heights, and have become my favorite games in the series. The pokemon designs were surprisingly good overall, and the difficulty was well-balanced. The main new feature of Sun and Moon are of course the replacement of gyms with trials, and I personally really liked this change of pace. The trials all felt different from one another, andPokemon Sun and Moon truly take the franchise to new heights, and have become my favorite games in the series. The pokemon designs were surprisingly good overall, and the difficulty was well-balanced. The main new feature of Sun and Moon are of course the replacement of gyms with trials, and I personally really liked this change of pace. The trials all felt different from one another, and the totem pokemon provided for a fun challenge. On top of that, the captains were all unique individuals and gave the trials themselves more personality. To be honest, the characters as a whole were very interesting, and drove the story forward in a lot of cool ways. I might go as far as to say that Sun and Moon have the best storyline out of any main series pokemon game, right alongside Black and White. The only downsides would probably be the game's slow start, and the lack of new pokemon out in the wild. Nonetheless, Pokemon Sun and Moon are great games and I highly recommend them to anyone who not only likes the series, but to people who want something new and might have gotten tired of the traditional pokemon formula at this point.… Expand
  45. Firepork08
    Mar 26, 2017
    7
    I am a massive Pokémon fan and overall I really enjoyed this entry to the series but I think I just expected more from it the new pokemon added are very hit or miss and a lot feel unfinished as if they need an evolution or pre evolution (Komala, Drampa and Turtanator) non stick out to me as amazing although some are defiantly great like decidueye, bewear and mimikyu but the biggest problemI am a massive Pokémon fan and overall I really enjoyed this entry to the series but I think I just expected more from it the new pokemon added are very hit or miss and a lot feel unfinished as if they need an evolution or pre evolution (Komala, Drampa and Turtanator) non stick out to me as amazing although some are defiantly great like decidueye, bewear and mimikyu but the biggest problem with Sun and Moon is how much the story is shoved in your face you enter a new area and your instantly took away from your experience to see a cutsceen now the story is great but you have to sit through literally 35 hours on my first run of the game to the point where it picks up. The soundtrack is very meh to me some tracks are ok but compared to X+Y and ORAS soundtracks sun and moon's soundtrack was lacklustre but of course music depends on your taste. I was very sceptical about the new trails thinking that they wouldn't be a challenge and I would miss gyms but they were the opposite really I loved trails and thought they were much harder then gym leaders and were a very welcome edition to the pokemon series. Some new features were also very great such as the poke pelago making training so much easier but some were terrible such as the festival plaza which was way too confusing.… Expand
  46. tbeit2
    Mar 25, 2017
    9
    I will say that I'm a huge Pokemon fanboy who has liked all of the main games. Despite that, I will say the Sun is one of the best.

    The gameplay is improved a lot. The addition of Z moves are great and add a tactical layer to the gameplay. Plenty of new Pokemon shake up the experience, with some new type combinations, new moves and abilities. The game is also the most difficult    I will say that I'm a huge Pokemon fanboy who has liked all of the main games. Despite that, I will say the Sun is one of the best.

    The gameplay is improved a lot. The addition of Z moves are great and add a tactical layer to the gameplay. Plenty of new Pokemon shake up the experience, with some new type combinations, new moves and abilities. The game is also the most difficult mainline game. The opponent's movesets are challenging, some of them use Z-moves and they are at decent levels as well.

    The design is also improved. Gamefreak removed HM's, which makes the experience a lot more smooth and less tedious. The islands are all fun to explore and have plenty of nooks and pockets to explore. The graphics are also beautiful, marking an improvement over X and Y. The framerate does drop during double battles which is unfortunate though.

    The story is also a bit underdeveloped. There are some interesting characters and a more personal arc this time, but I feel that we could have explored it further. Other than that, the music is good but not the best in the series.    … Expand
  47. marvs869
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    Gen 7 grew up from its chibi phase back in Pokemon X and honestly, the 3D models made the game so much more immersive. It felt like I was on actual interesting islands with so much to discover. If I had to rate this game from the changes alone that it distinguished itself from the past generation like Z-moves, immersive pokemon sounds and actions, ratios from height of building to people,Gen 7 grew up from its chibi phase back in Pokemon X and honestly, the 3D models made the game so much more immersive. It felt like I was on actual interesting islands with so much to discover. If I had to rate this game from the changes alone that it distinguished itself from the past generation like Z-moves, immersive pokemon sounds and actions, ratios from height of building to people, trials and kahunas, a much better story of friendship and the end-justifies-the-means ambitions, I would still have rated this a 10/10… Expand
  48. Wiwaldo
    Mar 7, 2017
    9
    This game it's still pokemons but with fresh feeling. It's what this series needed, evolution but not revolution. Only bigger issue is transfer internet function to different section.
  49. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    8
    Pokemon is back yet again with Sun and Moon. The look of the game has improved greatly and the same fun gameplay is still there, but some minor changes bring the score down a little for me. Still well worth a look.
  50. NeoCortexTrophy
    Mar 4, 2017
    10
    As someone who played since Red and Blue, Sun is by far the very best game in the entire series. Great story and characters that prove a pokemon game can have a compelling narrative in a way never done before, a great region to explored, divided into 4 islands with a unique and exotic feel and charm to it.

    It also shown unexpected boldness from Gamefreak by finally changing up the once    As someone who played since Red and Blue, Sun is by far the very best game in the entire series. Great story and characters that prove a pokemon game can have a compelling narrative in a way never done before, a great region to explored, divided into 4 islands with a unique and exotic feel and charm to it.

    It also shown unexpected boldness from Gamefreak by finally changing up the once already tiring formula of 8 gym leaders along with the changing and renovation of many other older staples. HMs are gone and replaced by a better system that won't stuck your team with unwanted choices. The trials and challenges feel fresher and more interesting than many previous games allowed themselves with the gym system, the rival characters, despite their outside appearence are unique in personality, are well developed through out the story and are real challenge. The game as a whole also have better challenge for experience players than any previous one.

    The world feels more alive and connected. Older elements and characters from all previous generations come back in unexpected forms.

    The perfect game to commemorate the series 20 years anniversary, was positively surprised by how much I ended up liking it.    … Expand
  51. MrComrade
    Mar 4, 2017
    6
    It's a nice game. The setting, most of the characters, the and music are very nice. I like the new pokemon, even if their stats are a bit wonky. The main reason for the 6 is one of the characters really drags the game down for me. I couldn't stand her interrupting the story constantly. She ruined any desire I would've had to go back and revisit Alola.
  52. ernchii
    Mar 4, 2017
    9
    After being so excited and hyped for this game for so long, all I can say is that it does not disappoint. Some may dislike the new Pokemon introduced in this generation, however I disagree. Gen 8 consists of a solid line up of Pokemon with strong personalities reflected in their dex entries. Each dex entry is written in a way that makes the Pokemon feel like a living breathing creature. IAfter being so excited and hyped for this game for so long, all I can say is that it does not disappoint. Some may dislike the new Pokemon introduced in this generation, however I disagree. Gen 8 consists of a solid line up of Pokemon with strong personalities reflected in their dex entries. Each dex entry is written in a way that makes the Pokemon feel like a living breathing creature. I enjoyed the story of Pokemon Sun a lot. The story is far deeper than almost every other Pokemon game. I really love the new characters introduced in this gen. As opposed to the last few games where the character briefly appears and never again, the characters in these games are fleshed out and lovable, having their own cutscenes. On the topic of cutscenes, many seem to dislike them, but I didn't really mind them.

    I really enjoyed PokePelago for some reason, being there always gave me sense of serenity and calm. I enjoyed picking up my PokeBeans and farming berries. I just finished the main story and haven't really touched on the post-game content, all I can say is that the in-PC IV checker is a huge blessing that GameFreak should have done since IVs became a thing. Seriously. In terms of accessibility and convenience, Pokemon Sun has great UI and there is not much hassle trying to get anything done.

    However, the game suffers from performances issues. The biggest issue being massive lag happening during double battles. Besides that, I don't really mind linearity in video games as long as it is done well, this game plays a cutscene every time you walk into an area you are not supposed to go. It is really annoying to walk 2 steps into an area, have the screen fade into a cutscene, and then fade out to where you are standing. And it happens so many times it quickly became annoying to me. I don't mind not entering an area, but I wished they would just let the npc say something in a quick text box and let me leave. Also, while this is not entirely the games fault, I wish they didn't reveal such a big bulk of Pokemon before the game's release. I know, I could just skip out on watching the reveal trailers, but I was riding on the hype train so of course I'm not going to miss out on any new information! Frankly, the biggest joy that came in this game was discovering the new, unrevealed Pokemon, and the surprises in the story.

    I love Pokemon games, and all I can say is that Gen 8 is one of the best ones. For anyone doubting whether or not to try out the series, play it!    … Expand
  53. Hippoall2002
    Feb 20, 2017
    8
    A very good game. The new monsters are cute, But I think strategy is less reachable. Also, the new pokedex is easier to complete but some of my favourite pokemon are not still in he game ( Hippowdon ;_; ). The mount are really cool and usefull. The design of the interface is better and the new Z-moves are all awesome.
  54. BasilZero
    Feb 15, 2017
    9
    Game: Pokemon Sun
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: GameFreak/Nintendo System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS) Total Score: 93/100 Value Score: 9.3/10 • Story: 8/10 • Characters: 9/10 • GamePlay: 9/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 9/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 10/10 • Player Value: 9/10 Pros +No more Gym battles, now Island Trials which make you do side quest events such as    Game: Pokemon Sun
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: GameFreak/Nintendo
    System: Nintendo 3DS (3DS)
    Total Score: 93/100
    Value Score: 9.3/10

    • Story: 8/10
    • Characters: 9/10
    • GamePlay: 9/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 9/10
    • Music: 10/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 10/10
    • Player Value: 9/10

    Pros
    +No more Gym battles, now Island Trials which make you do side quest events such as finding items, solving puzzles or fighting certain battles
    +Region is split into 4 islands with a Hawaiian theme
    +Some first gen pokemon have new forms with new typing
    +Pokedex now Rotom-Pokedex which talks with you and splits entries into 4 categories (for each island) and the entire region
    +QR Scanner allows players to scan in data of pokemon that they have not caught
    +New battle type called Battle Royal where it allows you to do a 4 way free for all battle
    +Z-Moves bring a new way in battling allowing you to do special moves in a cinematic cutscene, this replaces mega evolution
    +Poke-rides are a new feature which allow you to use certain pokemon to traverse the region, this makes surf, flying, strength obsolete as HMs (there are no more HMs)
    +Hyper training returns
    +Festival Plaza allows players to see other players and interact with them for battle or trade, they can access the GTS here as well. Festival coins can be obtained here by interacting with characters which can be used to increase the rank of your festival plaza
    +Poke Pelago is a new feature which allows you to create your own island to have your PC stored pokemon to find items, discover wild pokemon and to even raise levels and stats.
    +81 new pokemon

    Cons
    -No more gyms (replaced with Island challenges)
    -No HM moves/field moves
    -No Bicycle
    -FPS gets lowered in horde battles
    -No National Pokedex
    -Post game is weak in game wise but thanks to Festival Plaza, replay value can still be increased with other players through trading/battling    … Expand
  55. Fred_GameOnBatt
    Feb 12, 2017
    9
    I'm impressed that Pokemon Sun and Moon truly take the franchise to new heights. This game is a great surprise BUT The introduction is a bit slow, especially for the hardcore pokemon fans. I think this game in my opinion is great for newcomers. The graphics are a bit better than the previous 3DS Pokemon games. The gameplay is still the same, they didn't change much with the core elementI'm impressed that Pokemon Sun and Moon truly take the franchise to new heights. This game is a great surprise BUT The introduction is a bit slow, especially for the hardcore pokemon fans. I think this game in my opinion is great for newcomers. The graphics are a bit better than the previous 3DS Pokemon games. The gameplay is still the same, they didn't change much with the core element in the game.

    It's a good Pokemon and great way to Celebrate it's 20th Anniversary.    … Expand
  56. renegade96
    Feb 9, 2017
    0
    This game sucks. The rival is a total pushover, the story is stupid. The Aloa forms are stupid, instead of gyms you have challenges which are as easy as waking up. This game is a waste of money. The beginning is slow and boring as all hell. Gladion's sister does nothing but **** and whine the entire game. The villain is so **** vanilla it's unreal. These " beasts" are really, reallyThis game sucks. The rival is a total pushover, the story is stupid. The Aloa forms are stupid, instead of gyms you have challenges which are as easy as waking up. This game is a waste of money. The beginning is slow and boring as all hell. Gladion's sister does nothing but **** and whine the entire game. The villain is so **** vanilla it's unreal. These " beasts" are really, really stupid. What is this? Pokemon fanfiction the game? I did not enjoy one thing about this game. Not one thing. I really hated the Rotomdex. That thing was **** annoying. The only good thing about this game is that you can sell it at a pawn shop and use that money to by a game that is actually good… Expand
  57. AuldWolf
    Feb 3, 2017
    0
    It's just too linear! It's the Final Fantasy XIII of Pokémon games, it really is. For me, that's a huge disappointment. I feel that the strength of Japanese games development lies in the Metroidvania feel. It's where they excel. A world where you can revisit older parts of it and sometimes discover new things; You've unlocked a new ability, so perhaps now it's time to go back and checkIt's just too linear! It's the Final Fantasy XIII of Pokémon games, it really is. For me, that's a huge disappointment. I feel that the strength of Japanese games development lies in the Metroidvania feel. It's where they excel. A world where you can revisit older parts of it and sometimes discover new things; You've unlocked a new ability, so perhaps now it's time to go back and check that area you couldn't pass to see if there's anything new there. You may get a new bit of story (maybe even pertaining to a specific character), you may get a new item, but it'll be worth going to nose around the places you've been and it would give you a new appreciation for those places.

    Sun & Moon is a neverending road onward. It continually plows forward with only minor interruptions in a very direct road. It's exactly like Final Fantasy XIII. I've been trying to enjoy it, but i simply can't. I know a lot of extraverted people speak about the "hassle" of HM slaves because it's too much to manage, it was too much freedom for them, too many options! And whilst I can see that to a degree, I also enjoyed the freedom of choosing which Pokémon served my travel needs. It was a freedom I liked. From numerous perspectives, customisation matters to me, and it's a bit confusing that this type of customisation no longer matters to Nintendo since they've been pushing trainer customisation so hard.

    At the end of the day, Sun & Moon just feel cloyingly locked in and bereft of options and choices. I am a robot, I follow this line on the ground, I battle the interruptions, I obey. Might be fun for people who just don't want to think, but that's no fun for me.    … Expand
  58. asdfre
    Jan 13, 2017
    9
    This game is what would happen if black and white and diamond and pearl had a baby together. The characters are some of the most fleshed out I've seen in a Pokemon game and the legendary feels more relevant to the plot. The ride pager was a brilliant addition (no more HM slaves wasting a slot). For those complaining about framerate drops: yes it's annoying, but it doesn't matter as much inThis game is what would happen if black and white and diamond and pearl had a baby together. The characters are some of the most fleshed out I've seen in a Pokemon game and the legendary feels more relevant to the plot. The ride pager was a brilliant addition (no more HM slaves wasting a slot). For those complaining about framerate drops: yes it's annoying, but it doesn't matter as much in a turn based RPG.

    It does lose a point for making some clothes version exclusive for no reason and the introduction of SOS battles when the horde mechanic was better.    … Expand
  59. supercereal
    Jan 6, 2017
    3
    Its pokemon, and the pokemon aspects are good, but they should sack whoever wrote that dull dull story and lynch whoever forgot to allow you to skip cutscenes. This, the dumbass Rotom Dex and and the "call for help" thing wild pokemon do, have made the whole thing much worse than it needed to be and Pika-peed all over the good stuff.
  60. JJJKR
    Dec 31, 2016
    10
    This game came out 2 years ago pokemon Heart gold is the newest game. Why would anyone buy a 3DS ganme when the nintendo ds is the latest thing. Worst pokemon game ever. I hate the starter piplup why couldn't i pick a rowlet. Rowlet is so much better then pipup. Piplup sucks. The pokemon in this game were awful there was onl 3 pokemon to choose from. Also why is there no trainerThis game came out 2 years ago pokemon Heart gold is the newest game. Why would anyone buy a 3DS ganme when the nintendo ds is the latest thing. Worst pokemon game ever. I hate the starter piplup why couldn't i pick a rowlet. Rowlet is so much better then pipup. Piplup sucks. The pokemon in this game were awful there was onl 3 pokemon to choose from. Also why is there no trainer customization in this game. I really wanted to change red's design, At least you can battle Moon in this game. Worst game eva. 10/10… Expand
  61. Blackbox20
    Dec 19, 2016
    0
    This game feels more like some weird spinoff to the anime series than a mainstream Pokemon game. There's so many pointless cutscenes and dumb tutorials....it doesn't feel like a Pokemon game. 5 Hours in and I just can't play it anymore. Super boring compared to the other games.Asd Come to this
  62. kilometerman
    Dec 18, 2016
    10
    I dont think that it really is a 10, but i have it as 10 to counter-balance the people who only played the first hour, or genwunners.

    Sun and Moon are easily the best games games in the series. Amazing characters that develop and are interesting, a good story, a good difficulty level, great music, and lots of smaller additions as well (such as thr auto pokeball button). The first    I dont think that it really is a 10, but i have it as 10 to counter-balance the people who only played the first hour, or genwunners.

    Sun and Moon are easily the best games games in the series. Amazing characters that develop and are interesting, a good story, a good difficulty level, great music, and lots of smaller additions as well (such as thr auto pokeball button).

    The first island is really long and somewhat boring, but oncr you get past it, the game is great. This is the first Pokemon game I've played where I've enjoyed exploring, talking to NPCs, and filling out the Pokedex. The whole expierience is just great, and based on what I've heard from friends, it appeals to long-time fans, new players, and people returning to the series after GO.

    Overall, great games. I would definitely recommend them to anyone wanting to get back into Pokemon, or peoplr looking to get into the series.    … Expand
  63. Neng-
    Dec 15, 2016
    8
    This game steps up pretty much every other Pokemon game made before, the plot is more engaging, battle animations look better, route designs are very well done and the kahuna system is innovative and gives a fresh atmosphere to the game.

    There are some annoying things they got rid of like the MO system and the box storage (you can now switch a party member for a Pokemon you just    This game steps up pretty much every other Pokemon game made before, the plot is more engaging, battle animations look better, route designs are very well done and the kahuna system is innovative and gives a fresh atmosphere to the game.

    There are some annoying things they got rid of like the MO system and the box storage (you can now switch a party member for a Pokemon you just caught), and that's a step in the right direction.

    Altough, things like the bad framerate (even on new3ds) in double battles is something that should be fixed as soon as possible, and the z moves doesn't really add anything to the game that really matters.

    That being said, the new alola forms are cool and the post-game is very entertaining, all in all is a game that keeps improving and that is always a good sign. Collapse    … Expand
  64. peropify
    Dec 14, 2016
    8
    Pokemon Sun (and Moon) is everything you want in your latest Pokemon generation game. There have been overall good and interesting changes to the casual and professional player and has generally picked up most of the good things found in past games. However, it would be nice if they would invest in a game that focused more on story and there's just way too many Pokemon in the game now forPokemon Sun (and Moon) is everything you want in your latest Pokemon generation game. There have been overall good and interesting changes to the casual and professional player and has generally picked up most of the good things found in past games. However, it would be nice if they would invest in a game that focused more on story and there's just way too many Pokemon in the game now for it to be feasible to "catch them all", not to mention how plagued the game is with hackers. But this game was a step in the right direction.

    My suggestion is to break even more from convention with strong emphasis on story and difficulty. The reason the Pokemon franchise is so successful is because of it's roots in Pokemon Red and Blue. Gameplay was designed amazingly (either by genius or mistake), from the more difficult gym leader typings and pokemon available in the early game. As for story, I think it would be a great idea to go back to the past - a prequel if you will - that explains interesting pokemon mythology from the legendary dogs to the pokemon war.    … Expand
  65. minorthreat97
    Dec 11, 2016
    8
    It's a good Pokemon and great way to Celebrate it's 20th Anniversary. However there a few things that could've been expanded upon or improved. Somethings that used to be in Gen 6 have been removed, which doesn't ruin the game in a big way but it does make you wish they stayed or were improved. There isn't too much new Pokemon but overall they're interesting pretty cool. The story isIt's a good Pokemon and great way to Celebrate it's 20th Anniversary. However there a few things that could've been expanded upon or improved. Somethings that used to be in Gen 6 have been removed, which doesn't ruin the game in a big way but it does make you wish they stayed or were improved. There isn't too much new Pokemon but overall they're interesting pretty cool. The story is predictable and cheesy but overall it's tolerable and pretty great. Somethings are a chore however, the cutscenes sometimes feel like they go longer than 1 minute and the tutorials take so long to finish ( I'm over exaggerating but it feels like forever.) Oh yea Rotomdex is pretty annoying, it's cool at first but it just never shuts up lol.

    Overall this a pretty good game, some things I wish could've been improved but I got my money's worth and I'm actually enjoying the game.    … Expand
  66. umegames
    Dec 11, 2016
    6
    As a player since Red and Blue, this new entry is the worst of the series.

    Pros: Rid of HM moves New pokemon are cool A little bit (just barely) more challenging than Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire easier to train and level up for competitive play involving IV's and EV's Cons: Way to linear No side / extra missions like pokemon contests, safari zone etc too many cut scenes    As a player since Red and Blue, this new entry is the worst of the series.

    Pros:
    Rid of HM moves
    New pokemon are cool
    A little bit (just barely) more challenging than Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
    easier to train and level up for competitive play involving IV's and EV's

    Cons:
    Way to linear
    No side / extra missions like pokemon contests, safari zone etc
    too many cut scenes
    feels to much like a loooong episode of the cartoon, pointless dialogue and pokemon "chirping"
    worst soundtrack in the series
    worst story in the series
    fishing is over simplified (only 1 kind of Rod so magikarp appear often)
    however, can only fish in dedicated places
    hardly any double battles in game, no triple battles    … Expand
  67. CorkAficionado
    Dec 8, 2016
    8
    I'm a longtime fan of the series so keep that in mind when considering my review. Also keep in mind that the game is intended for children, so I'm not going to be super critical.

    I was really impressed with the my experience on the first island, I thought the pacing was pretty great after the introduction and I was really pleased by the sheer quantity of basic pokemon I caught within    I'm a longtime fan of the series so keep that in mind when considering my review. Also keep in mind that the game is intended for children, so I'm not going to be super critical.

    I was really impressed with the my experience on the first island, I thought the pacing was pretty great after the introduction and I was really pleased by the sheer quantity of basic pokemon I caught within the first four or five hours. Everything was relatively easy, but I thought that was fine since it was the first island.

    Once I arrived at the second island my enthusiasm diminished a bit because the amount of newly available pokemon per area was starting to diminish. That said I was still having a pretty great time, the ride system removing the requirement of HMs to travel was a great feature, and the rate of introduction was such that it allowed you a pretty good deal to explore without gating it behind gym badges like previous entries in the series.

    By the time I got to the third island though I was really struggling to keep interest. In a game where the premise is to "Catch them all." Running into the same rats and birds ~60% of the time is not exactly an enticing prospect. Heck, these are entirely different islands, maybe show a little bit more biodiversity? I understand having common pokemon but you could at least have made them common per island, rather than the same common pokemon between islands. Fortunately the story picks up at this point and compels you through the end of the game, which is alright on it's own.

    The Post-game is alright, but I don't enjoy it as much as I did with Gen 4 and Gen 5s different modes of battling. I don't have as much time to grind out ideal pokemon either, so that definitely factors into it. Still, I find it better than Gen 6.

    All in all I was genuinely pleased with the quality of Sun and Moon. There were a lot of very great cosmetic enhancements over previous entries, small things such as better backgrounds in combat and trainers using different types of pokeballs. This is easily the best looking pokemon game to date, but that is very much what it should be.

    All things considered it's a pretty solid entry. They made some poor choices in regard to pokemon distribution (in my opinion), and having a regional dex smaller than the previous generations is a bit sad as a person who enjoys catching as many per region as possible. But the various quality of life improvements and cosmetic enhancements were really a step in the right direction in my opinion.

    Conclusion:

    I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it's a good game. I enjoyed it significantly more than XY / ORAS and about on the same level as BW / B2W2. I was also pretty disappointed in the quantity of new pokemon, but the regional variants were an inclusion that I thought were great and would love to see more of in future games.

    I think most fans of the series will enjoy the game, I think most children will enjoy the game. I think the game could have offered more, but the game is still good if not great.    … Expand
  68. Kartillian
    Dec 7, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've played every main series game in the franchise and I find this one to be by far the weakest.

    The problems are present from the outset, the game literally takes approximately 2hrs (playing at a casual pace and exploring a lot) before you're released from the cutscene purgatory, the cutscenes themselves wouldn't inherently be a bad thing except that they're borderline unnecessary most of the time, a lot of them are simply the characters doing simple gestures with little to no text. On top of that a serious number of them are a cutscene, followed by you walking several steps forward to yet another cutscene, the problem is exemplified in its agony by the fact that your character literally never changes their expression, at the apex of the main story arc when you find out the culmination of information, it pans over to your character to see you just stood there smiling while everyone around you is shocked and horrified.

    The second major problem is the animation, while a great deal of effort has been put into beautifying the world (and to its benefit), many of the characters you're forced to interact with have the same stagnant animation time after time, I can only see Hau waving at me so many times before it becomes a symptom of poor design.

    The storyline while impactful is incredibly short and sudden, this is both one of my biggest pros and cons of the entire game, I can do nothing but praise the level of care that has been taken to help forge a bond between the player and the fellow characters in the game, to which end you do genuinely feel for them in a way that no other game has so far in the series. However unlike other games in the series, the story isn't so intricately woven into the fabric of the game and simply comes seemingly randomly and in 3 bulk points that feel unnatural and forced, giving you little time to appreciate the world and its troubles.

    Another large problem is the severe lack of variety of Pokemon in the game, the developers specifically stated that they wanted to use Hawaii as the basis for the game due to the abundance and variety of wildlife and wanted to mimic that in the game, the series is now home to over 800 monsters and yet you'll see the same ones over and over, after your 20th Pelipper and 40th Yungoos, you really start to wonder what's happened to all the other Pokemon.

    The Island Challenges however are a huge praising point in the game, you still effectively get 'gym battles' with one of the Kahunas or Trial Leaders as well as some additional mini-game type enjoyment, the Elite 4 has also had a great small overhaul with you being able to battle the Elite 4 in any order, the trainers using some more powerful moves as well as them having access to some more interesting techniques, although the AI does seem to need a little improvement in these areas.

    The removal of HMs is a great change that many of us have wanted for years and the implementation of the new Ride-Abilities, while a little clunky in places, is a great alternative that they've found, however the 'gating' off of areas now is exceptionally obvious whereas before it could be obscured by you needing to get a specific HM, now there are literally gates with someone telling you to come back when you've got a Z-Crystal, its rather jarring and immersion-breaking to simply have someone tell you to buzz off and get a crystal that only a few characters have access too, so what do the rest of the citizens do if they want to get to the next town?

    The world while seemingly expansive is actually exceptionally linear with not much filling it, the world itself is physically large but the actual content to explore within that world is depressing light. The whole game may as well be played on rails between the straight forward routes and the constant steering cutscenes, this RPG world doesn't feel very RPG when you're told exactly where to go and what to do without much time to go off and explore for yourself, and lets be honest, the Pokemon games have always had a linearity to them but it's very poorly hidden and disguised in this game.

    The post-game is appalling, after you complete the main story arc, there's borderline nothing for you to do except collect the Zygarde cells and clean up a bit of UB-mess, thats it. The game dangles Kanto a few inches a way from your face, before cruelly snatching it back from you, it really does feel like this game has been set up for some DLC, which i'm fine with but putting icing on feces doesn't make it taste nice. The removal and non-replacement of the DexNav or counterpart is probably one of the worst mistakes that could also be made in this franchise, not just the game.

    The difficulty curve is also a fickle thing, the early game is borderline boringly easy, mash A, win battle. However the curve ramps up fiercely toward the end and actually provides a decent challenge in the late game, which is one of it's saving graces.

    Overall, a disappointing game is an excellent series.    … Expand
  69. lilweezy34
    Dec 3, 2016
    10
    At first I was kind of iffy on the game because of the long start but the graphics are really incredible and the atmosphere of the game is more how I imagined it to be when I was little, friendly. So for that I think its a great pick up and wonderful game for long time Pokemon Caretaking.
  70. Angrylittleman
    Dec 2, 2016
    1
    This game is great if you're five years old and have never played Pokemon before. For the rest of us it's a chore. Long cut scenes, forced tutorials, lack of freedom to explore, linear gameplay, too easy and just boring. I was skipping all chat as fast as I could without reading it. It's sad because I love this franchise to bits.
  71. Haydinho
    Dec 2, 2016
    5
    Unfortunately to celebrate 20 years of the most populated RPG Gamefreak and Nintendo have released a game with too much hand holding, in game cut scenes and a preschooler difficulty level.

    It was disappointing to play through and let me wanting for something like Black and White / Black 2 and White 2.

    Don't let the sales numbers trick you, if your a veteran player this will disappoint.
  72. OhTheDerp
    Dec 2, 2016
    7
    Way too many unnecessary cut-scenes, long loading-times on an ordinary 3DS and awful framerate keeps this from being an 8 (maybe a 9). Great visuals, fantastic new Pokemon, great new region. The old gyms may be gone, but the Trials are basically the very same thing as gyms anyway,
  73. muzzirenti90
    Dec 1, 2016
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have just completed the main story and caught the UB's and so far for me the game has been a good and interesting change in the franchise. I bought this game as I have always bought the pokemon games since gen 1 and this game kind of has changed the rules a bit and for good or worse everyone's opinion is different.

    First off it seems that the story has been the main focus of this game instead of the battling and if your favorite part of the pokemon games was taking on the gyms and earning badges, I would say that this game is probably not for you. They have introduced a new pokemon spawn system where different parts of grass in the same route can spawn different pokemon, the gyms have been replaced with trials which sometimes are a very short mini game followed by a battle, new pokedex system and a big overhaul to the look of the game. Personally compared to the older games this game has taken it to the next level with the look of this game but the downfall of this is I have noticed frame rate drops on a regular basis especially in battles. But for me even though I enjoyed the stroy of the game there were too many cut scenes and some of them did not have much relevance to what was going on and just felt like a waste of time.

    But for me overall if you are a pokemon fan you should give this game a shot if you are willing to try something new, but if you want the same old pokemon you will be disappointed.

    Pros:
    The new graphics are great
    The story is a good length
    The game feels longer
    The map on the pokedex screen is a nice edition
    New editions like poke pelago, Festival Plaza,
    Customization of your character,
    SOS battle system adds a nice new touch to battling (but can be frustrating sometimes)
    New HM system
    Very new player friendly (can be a con for some people as it can be very easy at times)
    New ways of encountering pokemon (hiding in trees, in berries, chasing Wimpod)

    Cons:
    Too many cutscenes, especially pointless ones (in the first hour there is only about (15 mins gameplay)
    New fishing system (you can only fish in certain spots)
    Team skull, at first it was funny but to me just felt ridiculous after the first couple encounters
    framerate drops
    Lack of a rival, I miss having a proper rival that was challenging
    Way too much hand holding from the game, it felt like the game wouldnt let you go off track
    If you enjoy grinding levels the game will be come way too easy, it seems to be a normal feature with pokemon games since black and white.
    Cant skip the Z-move animation (they feel way too long)    … Expand
  74. AntRoot
    Nov 30, 2016
    9
    Great game. Possibly the best in the entire series. Amazing gameplay, variety, and replay value. Only problem is the framerate with battles with more than two Pokemon.
  75. nickdos
    Nov 30, 2016
    10
    The good
    The new pokemon designs are great.
    New pokemon are made with the sole purpose of **** up the meta. The writing has a comedic slant compared to the previous games. Team Skull is great because of this The plot is legit No more HMs. Now you can go through the game with whatever team you want. The game is more difficult. Hatching eggs is a lot easier this time around. The    The good
    The new pokemon designs are great.
    New pokemon are made with the sole purpose of **** up the meta.
    The writing has a comedic slant compared to the previous games. Team Skull is great because of this
    The plot is legit
    No more HMs. Now you can go through the game with whatever team you want.
    The game is more difficult.
    Hatching eggs is a lot easier this time around.
    The music is great
    Z moves are a great idea. There was little reason to not mega your pokemon in XY, but in Sun/Moon you actually have to think about your Z move.
    Pokemon Refresh is a bit more personal than Amie was in gen 6. You can cure your pokemon of status effects outside battle, and they removed that **** minigame where you make faces at the camera and it doesn't register.
    No more triple/hoard battles.

    The bad
    PSS was great. They replaced it with this plaza thing which just makes everything more convoluted. Try playing with someone on your friends list in XY, then try the same in Sun/Moon.
    GTS doesn't let you write your own messages any more. This is probably due to the extra languages they added. You pick from a list of predefined messages now.
    The story is a bigger deal. This in itself isn't a bad thing but you feel railroaded into playing the game the way the devs want. Future playthroughs are going to be a drag.    … Expand
  76. militarymetal
    Nov 30, 2016
    8
    Pokemon Sun/Moon is a different experience than any Pokemon game before it. While the game still carries the same linearity of traditional installments, the new environment not only inspires exploration, but also highly encourages it. It's a refreshing feeling for a Pokemon game, and even 30 hours into gameplay, not once did I ever feel discouraged from exploring the game at all. I alsoPokemon Sun/Moon is a different experience than any Pokemon game before it. While the game still carries the same linearity of traditional installments, the new environment not only inspires exploration, but also highly encourages it. It's a refreshing feeling for a Pokemon game, and even 30 hours into gameplay, not once did I ever feel discouraged from exploring the game at all. I also appreciated the new trial system over the traditional gym system, as they were all unique to their respective typing, and each challenge felt fun and engaging. The new elements, new mechanics, and the gorgeous environment create a truly spectacular experience.

    However, the game is not without it's fault. While Sun and Moon are definitely Game Freak's most ambitious installment to date, the overall story was a bit lacking. While elements of it were new and different, it was a pretty typical archetype for the Pokemon series. It's not bad by any means, but I felt as though that as far that goes that they did not bring anything new to the table.

    Overall, Sun and Moon are still a much needed breath of fresh air to the series, and it makes me hopeful as a fan to see what they do next in the world of Pokemon.    … Expand
  77. Kenmei
    Nov 29, 2016
    9
    A very good update to the familiar formula, while the main story is still very bland, everything else that was added to the game is very well done. I quite enjoyed the new Island Challenge system. While it's not that different from the gym battles, it's different enough to be enjoyable. The changes to the battle system UI is great too. I think ti's a very good update to the series,A very good update to the familiar formula, while the main story is still very bland, everything else that was added to the game is very well done. I quite enjoyed the new Island Challenge system. While it's not that different from the gym battles, it's different enough to be enjoyable. The changes to the battle system UI is great too. I think ti's a very good update to the series, especially one that had gotten fairly bland over the years. I quite enjoyed the new game and I hope that they added a 3rd game to this story and skip the remake this time around.… Expand
  78. sirejovan
    Nov 29, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With the scraping of the gym badges system, and the inclusion of a new one involving trials, this game is drastically different from it's predecessors, and I mean that in a good way. Veterans like me will definitely feel compiled to finish the game till the end, and after that, there is still plenty of post-game content to ensure you get your money's worth out of this game.… Expand
  79. MOHAMMAD0203
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    First of this game is excellent, the story is the strongest probably since black and white. The gameplay is refined and polished and many of the new pokemon look great with the exception of a few. The graphics look as polished as they can get on the 3ds. The only problem is the lag you sometimes face but that is really the systems fault not the game.
  80. Palea8526
    Nov 28, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really like the new "3D" feel of the overworld, it makes it a lot nicer to look at then the old square format pokemon always had. I actually like the trials, they are not gyms, but at the end of the day it's pretty much the same thing IMO. I found the game to be a little harder then XY and ORAS (They were too easy IMO) but I would have liked it if it were just a tad harder. The powered up Totem Pokemon as well as the 2 vs 1 format does help making the game harder, so I think it's actually a good step in the right direction. I also enjoyed many of the goofiness of the game.. MY BODY IS READY!… Expand
  81. Zetah
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    Probably the best pokémon game yet.

    The series needed a change after the years of X/Y, and Sun brings new features and little changes in the right direction. Even the absence of the gyms plays a fundamental role in this, making the old and boring (last generation failed in every possible way to make them appealing) gym system different and more engaging. I really appreciated the fact    Probably the best pokémon game yet.

    The series needed a change after the years of X/Y, and Sun brings new features and little changes in the right direction. Even the absence of the gyms plays a fundamental role in this, making the old and boring (last generation failed in every possible way to make them appealing) gym system different and more engaging.
    I really appreciated the fact that wild pokemon can now call for help: the easiest part of the game is now more engaging and opens to different possibilities in shiny hunting and EVs training.
    The main story is probably one of the best of the series and if not rushed gives the game a good longevity.    … Expand
  82. Rickles
    Nov 28, 2016
    4
    Pokémon is giving way too much credit to Red, Blue and Yellow for its own sake. This fanservice comes in the form of Road 1 birds and rodents from every generation combined and spread accross Alola's 4 islands. The player is spammed with those useless, tired encounters throughout the game, ruining the experience.

    Zubat, Graveler, Dugtrio, Raticate, they're all back, and we're not happy    Pokémon is giving way too much credit to Red, Blue and Yellow for its own sake. This fanservice comes in the form of Road 1 birds and rodents from every generation combined and spread accross Alola's 4 islands. The player is spammed with those useless, tired encounters throughout the game, ruining the experience.

    Zubat, Graveler, Dugtrio, Raticate, they're all back, and we're not happy about it. To add insult to injury, they come in new flavors (new typings) that are considerably worse than their original counterparts and leave them vulnerable to an addition of other types, on top of former weaknesses.

    Pokémon in this game aren't well distributed. New creatures are hidden behind unfavorable 10% odds, daytime requirements, pin-pointed spawn locations or the new, frustrating S.O.S battle mechanic.

    Any Pokémon in a pinch will invariably call for help right before you can throw a Pokeball at them. This means getting stuck in never ending loops of respawns. This is annoying to say the least, seeing that most Pokémon will only call for copies of themselves.

    Some Pokémon call for otherwise unobtainable Pokémon, meaning that chaining is now a compulsory mechanic. And in a way, False Swipe becomes a requisite too. A shame, in a game that supposedly frees you of compulsory moves. This mechanic entails that you look for tips online to know exactly where to go and what Pokémon to chain to obtain a hidden monster.

    HMs finally disappear only to see the game become even more restrictive in its linearity and hand-holding.
    The story is bland and badly implemented. Dialog is immature and blithe even by Saturday morning cartoon standards.

    Technically, the game puts Game Freak to shame. It's simply inconceivable that such a game should lag so much. Both graphics and basic statistical calculus seems taxing on the 3DS. There is no stereoscopic 3D, and even the mapping of direction on the Circle Pad is imprecise and fidgety, making navigating menus a chore.

    Triple and rotation battles are a thing of the past, and inversion battles too (which saw the types affinity table overturned in a neat twist, and demanded that movesets be rethought entirely). The game's code couldn't take it, obviously, but here's thinking the 3DS itself actually could have, with some talent to back it up, which Game Freak has always notoriously lacked. The presence of the trainer's model, for instance, was an unnecessary addition, if it meant cutting off half of the game's modes.

    I couldn't really play Battle Royale, only because the main quests only opposes level 50 Pokémon to the player's lineup, meaning this is truly a post-game solo feature sitting in the middle of the campaign. Of course, up to 4 players may join in a joust, but putting it in the campaign at a time when no player may enjoy it is simply dumb.
    There are countless vexations in this game that make it a terrible iteration. Some will legitimately drive you up the wall, some are more subject to personal preference, such as the garish art direction and cacophonous score. But this is only my sentiment.    … Expand
  83. Jass13_02
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    Absolutely perfect :) The game has the same charm and changes that stay in what Pokemon is. For the first time ever the current region feels alive because the routes of every island could be take you a few hours if you explore them
  84. MJSY
    Nov 27, 2016
    10
    I have always loved Pokémon, as I have played it since Pokémon Red and Blue. Pokémon Sun and Moon reminded me why I started loving pokémon in the first place. It is very accessible for newcomers and the story of these games is great as it has more than enough plot-twists. You begin sympathising with each character and enjoy the encounters with team Skull. Anyone who says the game is bad,I have always loved Pokémon, as I have played it since Pokémon Red and Blue. Pokémon Sun and Moon reminded me why I started loving pokémon in the first place. It is very accessible for newcomers and the story of these games is great as it has more than enough plot-twists. You begin sympathising with each character and enjoy the encounters with team Skull. Anyone who says the game is bad, just is not honest. It's just really really good. If I could only buy one game for the 3DS; I would choose this one (or Super Smash bros) ;)… Expand
  85. Rockoman100
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    I should first note that I do not think this is a 10/10 game. I rated it 10 to offset the crazy unfair zeros this game is getting from people who seem to have only played the first hour of the game and gave up, have only watched the trailers, or are salty because they were banned for getting it early.

    Right off the bat, this game is gorgeous, the new graphics and overall art style of    I should first note that I do not think this is a 10/10 game. I rated it 10 to offset the crazy unfair zeros this game is getting from people who seem to have only played the first hour of the game and gave up, have only watched the trailers, or are salty because they were banned for getting it early.

    Right off the bat, this game is gorgeous, the new graphics and overall art style of the game are much-needed atmosphere change for the Pokemon series. Pokemon has finally untethered itself from its grid-based history. There is no grid movement at all, and no option to use it, because the map is not built on the grid. The world is designed to look and feel far more organic, like most modern game worlds. It truly feels like Pokemon has *finally* come into its own with this.

    Very similar praise can be given to the music. The soundtrack in this game is absolutely gorgeous and it doesn't sound like your average Pokemon music at all. Additionally, the range in styles between the tracks can vary drastically, but each track always succeeds in setting the tone of the area or scenario just right. There is also a great deal of thought and detail put into much of the music. There is heavy use of leitmotif, from the recurring "Welcome to Alola" theme popping up in different forms throughout your adventure, to certain team/character leitmotifs being used in the music to not only complement but cleverly forshadow parts of the story.

    Now comes the story. This has to be the best, most well thought-out story in the main series Pokemon games. I believe this game has dethroned Black/White. At the very beginning of the game, you are shown an intriqueing cutscene that sets the tone for the rest of the game's story. While the story takes a while to take off after that, the knowledge of that opening scene really keeps you interested in how this story is going to unfold, and it all pays off eventually. Meanwhile, the game keeps you occupied with less-interesting but still entertaining and enticing plots and motivations, such as your pursuit of the Island Challenge and Team Skull's hilariously inept goons attempting to terrorize the region. The Island Challenge is an excellent replacement for the standard Pokemon League Challenge we have been used to for 20 years now. It really aqcuaints the player with the vibrant and unique culture of the Alola region and feels like a breath of new life for the series. The Island Challenge is fun, lighthearted, and strangely enticing. It is extremely refreshing and makes Sun/Moon feel very different from your average Pokemon games, and they benefit strongly from that. As for Team Skull, before playing the game I was worried that they would be too silly of a team to be involved in a serious story, but the way the overall story is handled makes Team Skull's silliness entirely acceptable. They are meant to be a large part of the comic relief of this game (though this game is already hilarious!), although their leader is carefully revealed to be a somewhat tragic character. I'm not going to spoil anything but the story gets much MUCH more interesting than just "Team Skull does bad thing, stop them". The significant characters in this game are all fantastic and lovable in their own way. Every character fills their niche perfectly and the character development of some of the more important characters is unmatched by any other Pokemon game. It would be a tragedy for any one character to be removed from this game. The same cannot be said for X/Y, to say the least. This game does *real* storytelling, and it made me fall in love with its characters such that I was actually sad when the story was over because it meant I wasn't going to see more from them. It was like watching my favorite show end. The improved graphics and art style also help communicate the story much more effectively.

    Okay, enough about the story and style. In terms of the basic mechanics, it's still Pokemon, but there are numerous quality of life improvements. To name a few:
    -There is a dedicated button to throw a Pokeball.
    -The game will show you the type-effectiveness of your moves against your current opponent, given that you have seen the opponent Pokemon before.
    -HMs have been removed in favor of a system that doesn't force you to compromise the strategy of your team.
    -EXP is scaled to your level to prevent over-leveling and to help under-leveled mons.

    That last one is important. This game still has the EXP Share functionality of X/Y, but the scaled EXP formula prevents the sort of ludicrous over-leveling people experienced in X/Y. Additionally, the AI is better, NPCs use EV-trained mons, and the battles are overall more cleverly designed. This has resulted in a considerably more difficult game than X/Y, even with the EXP Share on and battle mode set to "switch". I actually *lost* a few story battles.

    Overall this game is an unique, enticing, challenging and extremely well-polished adventure, especially for the Pokemon series.    … Expand
  86. aoukoa
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's currently 5:19am and I'm tired as all hell, but I just read some of these reviews and honestly I'm kind of angry. It seems like everybody begs Nintendo to change up the formula but then loses their **** when something new is tried. I'm gonna list off a bunch of the common "issues" people have with the games and say if they are in my opinion justified or bull****.

    1. The amount of cutscenes- For me this isn't a big deal because I like cutscenes in my games, but even if you dislike cutscenes you have to acknowledge it's the natural evolution of the series, all the other games technically had the unskippable cutscenes you hate so much it's just that they didn't have any dynamic camera angles and weren't quite as long. This in my opinion is to the benefit of the game as it makes you more involved in the story and less likely to just frustratingly mash through boring characterless dialogue in the old games.

    2. The island challenge- In my opinion this is the change the series needed, even if it's just a one off. It allows for much better pacing than the classic 8 gyms and it's uniqueness really immerses you in the world. I do think that the actual trial themselves (not the totems) could get a slight bit of improvement. But overall I honestly don't get how people could hate this as much as some do.

    3. Your dialogue choices don't matter- they never have, I've never seen people complain about this before so why now?

    4. The region is linear- Every region has been linear, and every game since gen 5 has literally had a loop for a region. It sucks but don't compare it to how it's more linear than B/W or X/Y like some are doing

    5. Characters expression never changes and it's jarring - I agree 100% honestly

    6. Worse Graphics than X/Y- Honestly if you believe this you're crazy

    7. Framerate drops- the N3ds which I played on had some frame drop but it wasnt terrible, however I assume this is an old 3ds issue.

    8. Bad pokemon designs - I agree some like Bruxish or Alolan Dugtrio are bad but honestly imo this game has some of the better/best designs in recent memory

    9. bad music- honestly you're **** crazy, this is probably the second best Pokemon soundtrack other than B/W

    10. Long tutorial- I kind of agree that this is annoying but I believe the game makes up for it by having the tutorial actually being involved for a change, and I actually really like the new trainers school.

    11. Bad story- Yeah it's not good, but it's a million times better than any other pokemon story except maybe B/W

    12. Evil team(s) are bad- I don't like the aether foundation much but honestly in my opinion team skull is one of the best teams in the series, they are goofy and fun and instead of trying to be all sinister they play up the goofy grunts found in the other games to their fullest potential.

    13. it's light heartedness- It's the 20th anniversary man, just chill out and reminisce. There is a reason game freak chose Hawaii for the setting. It's supposed to be a low stakes journey where the main goal is to just become part of alola and have fun.

    14. Your rival: Hau is a pretty bad rival early game, late game he gets better bit still isn't great, however canonically Hau isn't your rival, Gladion is, and the music track names prove this.

    Honestly in my opinion pokemon sun and moon are by far the best games in the franchise and I really don't understand most of the criticism    … Expand
  87. CodyCoyote64
    Nov 24, 2016
    10
    The best game this year! An absolute blast to play from start to finish. The game introduces several new concepts to the series, such as a new kind of boss battle.
  88. Xenn2423
    Nov 23, 2016
    8
    Pokemon Sun is a great game to start off with for new Pokemon fans, but doesn't bring too much to the table for experienced pokemon trainers.

    Let's start with a quick look at the pros and cons. Pros: -Amazing graphics and animations for a Pokemon title -Features are more refined and user friendly -Map on lower screen makes it easy to find your next objective -New 'Alolan Form'    Pokemon Sun is a great game to start off with for new Pokemon fans, but doesn't bring too much to the table for experienced pokemon trainers.

    Let's start with a quick look at the pros and cons.

    Pros:
    -Amazing graphics and animations for a Pokemon title
    -Features are more refined and user friendly
    -Map on lower screen makes it easy to find your next objective
    -New 'Alolan Form' Pokemon bring back some fan favorites
    -'Z-Move' mechanic adds a new layer to movesets
    -Unique puzzles take the place of the battle-heavy gym system
    -'Poke pelago' allows pokemon in your PC to be productive
    -EXCELLENT soundtrack for boss/rival/legendary battles

    Cons:
    -Very, VERY linear story: No freedom to explore
    -Incredibly predicatble plot twists
    -Vague and sometimes nonsensical storyline
    -Limited post-game content
    -Pokemon cannot be transferred from old games until January
    -Only a few new pokemon are added
    -Many, MANY pointless loadscreens and cutaways
    -Unskippable cutscenes (Some of which are 5+ minutes)
    -Lengthy and dull tutorial that can't be skipped
    -Multiplayer features are buried behind the new 'Festival Plaza'
    -Communication features limited (no more typed out messages or shoutouts)
    -Main Rival (AKA 'Edgelord Supreme') has very little screen time
    -Pokedex talks too much (Yes, it TALKS now)
    -You can't even buy Black Jeans if you're playing Sun >:(

    Overall, this game was worth the money spent. For only $40 USD, I got about 30 hours out of the storyline, and I'm up to 50 and counting now that I'm building up my usual competetive teams. However, the story was somewhat lacking, and there is very little postgame content to play through if you aren't a hardcore player. If you don't intend to play competetive multiplayer, complete the pokedex, or complete some other obscure long term goal, this game will most likely only last you 30-40 hours before you move on.

    For multiplayer fans, the replacement of the PSS (Player Search System) will hit you rather hard. Instead of having the ability to have a short, typed message displaying what you are looking for or whether or no you'd like to battle, you must choose from vague, unhelpful preset phrases along the lines of "Willing to trade any time!" You will no longer be able to tell the world that you need a level 97 female Alolan Ninetales with 5 perfect IV's, Moonblast, and its hidden ability. Not only that, but you won't even be able to USE the multiplayer features until you complete a few completely unrelated tasks in the festival plaza, which many people haven't even located in their menus in the first place. These barriers make it seem almost like Game Freak didn't want people to interact with the multiplayer menus, and leave us wondering why they even opted to get rid of the brilliant PSS system in the first place.

    Final verdict: New pokemon players will find this to be a great introduction to the Pokemon games, and hardcore players will enjoy some of the new battle systems and Pokemon. However, if you're a casual Pokemon player that's just in it for the story, and you want something more along the lines of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in terms of content, you're going to want to pass on this one.

    8.5/10 (from a hardcore player's perspective)

    9/10 (from a new player's perspective)

    6.5/10 (from a casual player's perspective)    … Expand
  89. SirCharizard
    Nov 22, 2016
    10
    Pokémon Sun & Moon are probably the best Pokémon game yet! We may have lost the 3D feature and Poké Finder can still be a disappointment, but Game Freak has showed us their best effort to deliver a game that feels fresh for first time in years. The games present the evolution of the storytelling techniques that we have been following over the past years, resulting in beautiful andPokémon Sun & Moon are probably the best Pokémon game yet! We may have lost the 3D feature and Poké Finder can still be a disappointment, but Game Freak has showed us their best effort to deliver a game that feels fresh for first time in years. The games present the evolution of the storytelling techniques that we have been following over the past years, resulting in beautiful and intriguing cut-scenes and lots of good dialogues.
    The characters are appealing and full of charisma and it's impossible not to fall in love with the new Pokémon or the Alolan forms of old Pokémon. One of the issues with the last generation was the games were too easy. This has changed now. The Totem Pokémon present a real challenge and lots of Trainers won't shy away from using Z-Move against you - remember how sad was that quite a few Trainers would use Mega Evolution in XY and ORAS?
    There also plenty of new features to provide players with fun for during and after the main campaign, such as the Festival Plaza and the Poké Pelago. There might be a few glitches and problems, especially for those who are not playing in the New 3DS and I feel sorry for not having the option of sharing pictures of my game on the Miiverse (or for not being able to save good quality pictures I take of the Pokémon), but these are really minor problems for those that are shaping up to be two of the most memorable Pokémon games ever!    … Expand
  90. Hamish95
    Nov 22, 2016
    3
    I've been playing the Pokemon series since it's inception and over the years I've loved they new strategies game freak has used to change the way each game feels and plays, until now. This game would be a great game if it was a first in a series, showing plenty of bugs and making it not so challenging. From playing though this game I've found over half of play time is cut scenes and that'sI've been playing the Pokemon series since it's inception and over the years I've loved they new strategies game freak has used to change the way each game feels and plays, until now. This game would be a great game if it was a first in a series, showing plenty of bugs and making it not so challenging. From playing though this game I've found over half of play time is cut scenes and that's not what I want out of a pokemon game, yes cut scenes are great and help the story but there's a point of to much ruins it. As well as series frame drops when it comes to totem and double battles which have never occur in past games for me. The introduction of mega evolutions in just the last new games in the series being ditched for Z-moves that aren't overly useful I feel was a jarring mistake as Mega evolutions were loved by so many as well as removing the challenge of trying to figure out the next part of the story line that many have come to love of the pokemon series is what makes it so enticing, it's meant to be a challenge and overall I have found this game more cut scenes than gameplay, unchallenging with everything being handed to you, laggy and minimal strategy needed to be successful. The change of the gyms to trail however is something new and enjoyable even though they are fairly easy passed.… Expand
  91. Bluewaternebula
    Nov 22, 2016
    6
    The game is fun but it is also a little too hands on. I can't explore a new area without being bombarded by conversational text. By far, the biggest downside is the lack of super training. It was ditched for the more time consuming traditional way of EV training.
  92. OrbitingJupiter
    Nov 22, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Alright, I already wrote a review for Pokemon Sun and Moon, however, I originally gave them a 6/10. I thought they were pretty decent games, but also took huge missteps as well. Well, as you can clearly see, I'm writing a second review. Overall, looking back on the 2 games, I have to say...

    My opinions on this game have shifted for the better. I suppose I just needed to adjust a bit. Don't misinterpret what I'm saying; I don't think they're perfect now, I have just grown more fond of them. Anyhow, I'm not here to be an ass-kisser, I'll keep this review as objective as possible.

    I'll start with what I liked. Firstly, I thought the Pokemon designs in the game were, for the most part, very good. There are exceptions, of course (*glares at Dhelmise*), but on the whole, I liked them. Hopefully they can keep this up.

    Another thing I though was very interesting were the Alolan forms of the older Pokemon. I liked the idea that certain Pokemon have to adapt to different regions and areas. Most of their designs were very good as well, with the only exception being Dugtrio, but I can't say that its original design was all that mesmerizing either.

    The soundtrack has grown on me as well. I originally thought it was quite sub-par, however, it has gotten better the more I listened to it. I especially like Guzma's, Lusamine's, Red's/Blue's, The Elite Four's, and the League Title Defense's themes. The credits theme is pretty damn good too... except for the amateurish vocals.

    The graphics in the game are damn good as well. The 3D Pokemon models look astonishingly good, the environments look very pleasant, an they overall appear less "Gamey," as I said in my previous review. I WILL mention one issue some folks came across, and that is the framerate. I won't lie- I was playing on the new 3DS, and the only time I encountered slowdown was during double battles. If you have a new 3DS, the framerate shouldn't be too much of an issue, but if you have a standard 3DS, you should probably be wary of this when you think about purchasing these games.

    All of that is really good, but the thing that REALLY changed my mind on the semi-negative rating...

    Was the story. I honestly didn't expect my opinion to shift as much as it did, but the more I thought about it, the better it became.

    The story in this game is easily one of the best, if not THE best, story in the entire series, only rivaled by Black and White. I am SO glad this game wasn't like X and Y with its shallow characters, non-existent emotions, and muted tone. The story in this game is really good! You feel actual tension as things start to happen, the protagonists are very down-to-earth and view you as actual FRIENDS and not battle buddies like those 5 caricatures from X and Y (shows how great they are when I can't even remember their names), and best of all, YOU FEEL ACTUAL EMOTIONS AS IT PROGRESSES. There are some genuinely touching moments in the game!

    The driving force behind this story is Lillie. Lillie is the best character in the Pokemon franchise since N. I'm not exaggerating, she really is a great character! She's not an obnoxious damsel in distress, nor an edgy 'I hate everything and everyone' if you know what I mean. She's a very grounded, yet emotional young woman with a ghastly upbringing. Her mother is a Ultra Beast obsessed lunatic, and her father is a street thug. After being through all of this, she ends up meeting the player, and as the journey goes on, she grows more autonomous and cheerful.

    The only issue I can highlight is that she CAN seem kinda cliched at times, but overall, she's a fantastic character, and a great motivation to progress through the game. I really hope she appears in another Pokemon installment.

    With all of that out of the way, it's time to talk about the negatives.

    Unfortunately, the biggest issue I had with the game is still present. The new Pokemon may have great designs but their stats are incredibly "Second-rate." The most common complaint about them is that they're too slow... and yeah, I empathize with that. Tip: When you get to the battle tree, DON'T USE GEN 7 POKEMON. THEY SIMPLY CAN'T COMPETE WITH OLDER ONES. Yes, there are exceptions, but the majority of them just can't hold their own against anything but themselves.

    The only other huge issue I have is the pacing. Not only does the story take a bit of time to gain some traction (despite its quality), but the opening tutorials like the trainer school last way longer than they should. Sorry, but taking 2 hours to tell me stuff I already know isn't acceptable.

    At the end of the day, I'm very happy that I played these games. GAMEFREAK has shown to me that even though they will always stick with the winning formula, they at least had a bit of ambition while making these games.

    I will recommend this game to any Poke-fan out there, maybe even most folks who own a 3DS. Here's hoping for a sequel of some kind.

    8/10    … Expand
  93. Youmustdienow
    Nov 22, 2016
    9
    Plus+++++
    Lush Visuals that resembled Zelda Skyward Sword & Spirit Tracks.
    Controls move in 8 directions unlike the previous games that had massive circle pad, dead zone lag. Takes 30 Hrs to beat which is a perfect run time. Not much grinding at all for an RPG. Use Rare Candy to boast XP even more. Every building in the game can be entered. No repeats of locations. Riding    Plus+++++
    Lush Visuals that resembled Zelda Skyward Sword & Spirit Tracks.

    Controls move in 8 directions unlike the previous games that had massive circle pad, dead zone lag.

    Takes 30 Hrs to beat which is a perfect run time.

    Not much grinding at all for an RPG. Use Rare Candy to boast XP even more.

    Every building in the game can be entered. No repeats of locations.

    Riding Pokemon that run 100mph never gets old.

    Wealth of post game activities and collecting.

    Negative------
    Caves and water navigation increases random battles while desiring to explore and collect.

    Music was not very catchy like other known Nintendo brands. No orchestrated tracks, repetitive.

    Couldn't Save game after long end battle, optional extra battle, 20 minute long credit sequences, and 10 Minutes worth of cut-scenes. Good luck with battery not dying while on the go.

    Plot dragged on at points with bad guys bragging and dissing the player's skills. Family member who betrays and is evil cliche.

    Enemies that hide in trees, then ambushed. Total BS

    Bosses that use health potions even while they have 1 percent health.

    Pokemon that keep calling for battle support while I'm in the middle of trying to capture it.    … Expand
  94. Portalguy17
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    I thought this game was great, some things were kinda annoying like the cutscenes but they're interesting to watch the first time through, the story is pretty darn good in my opinion, some of the alolan form Pokemon are just bad but that's fine, getting rid of gyms and adding trials and kahuna battles was an excellent replacement for gyms, this is a great Pokemon game that's not afraid toI thought this game was great, some things were kinda annoying like the cutscenes but they're interesting to watch the first time through, the story is pretty darn good in my opinion, some of the alolan form Pokemon are just bad but that's fine, getting rid of gyms and adding trials and kahuna battles was an excellent replacement for gyms, this is a great Pokemon game that's not afraid to try something different.… Expand
  95. kikumaru818
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    I have to give this game 10/10 rate. Because I love Pokemon so much. I have played every generation, and I am still having fun on it. I am not a ruthless person to rate below 6/10 because of "no gym," "slow loading time," "stupid storyline" Bla Bla Bla..... At least, this is a totally complete game, with a lot of new elements. I earn at least 8/10. I first time want to give 8, but finally,I have to give this game 10/10 rate. Because I love Pokemon so much. I have played every generation, and I am still having fun on it. I am not a ruthless person to rate below 6/10 because of "no gym," "slow loading time," "stupid storyline" Bla Bla Bla..... At least, this is a totally complete game, with a lot of new elements. I earn at least 8/10. I first time want to give 8, but finally, I decide to give this generation 10! because I am a real fan of Pokemon. The developers deserve this rate!… Expand
  96. Ordano
    Nov 21, 2016
    0
    As others have stated: worst game in the series.
    - Terrible frame rates
    - Terrible story line (Team Skull was done particularly poorly with writing out of place for the series) - Deviates from traditional game formula in a negative way - Constant Loading - Constant Cut Scenes - The Rotom-dex is annoying A step backwards for the series - unfortunate that it happened on the year of    As others have stated: worst game in the series.
    - Terrible frame rates
    - Terrible story line (Team Skull was done particularly poorly with writing out of place for the series)
    - Deviates from traditional game formula in a negative way
    - Constant Loading
    - Constant Cut Scenes
    - The Rotom-dex is annoying

    A step backwards for the series - unfortunate that it happened on the year of their 20th anniversary.    … Expand
  97. gigus
    Nov 21, 2016
    2
    It is overall a very disappointing if you are a pokemon fan. There are some good things in the game but in the end the game leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. The main reason are the story cutscence
  98. fbnaulin
    Nov 21, 2016
    8
    I play Pokémon since Red/Blue, but stop completing Pokédex and caring about sharing / competitive features after Gold / Silver. Then, I just play Pokémon as an RPG, main story, maybe some extras and that's all.

    Having this in mind, Pokémon Sun / Moon gave me a very nice and fresh impression. The story is peaceful, and everything feel like a slices of life touch in it. It's great to have    I play Pokémon since Red/Blue, but stop completing Pokédex and caring about sharing / competitive features after Gold / Silver. Then, I just play Pokémon as an RPG, main story, maybe some extras and that's all.

    Having this in mind, Pokémon Sun / Moon gave me a very nice and fresh impression. The story is peaceful, and everything feel like a slices of life touch in it. It's great to have a Pokémon game where you can advance without a HM slave or using a lot of repels to avoid countless useless encounters.    … Expand
  99. DarthSidious63
    Nov 21, 2016
    8
    To all the complainers of how easy Pokemon is then move on. It's main target audience is a younger audience or fans of the series. Granted there is too much hand holding but it's a nice looking game. Sun and Moon has nice changes but its time to add a difficulty setting for experience players.
  100. valls
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    El mejor juego de pokemon! 10/10

    Con un modo historia de mas de 25 hs
    Pos-game infinito
    Nuevo modo competitivo
    bigcheese53535 Te recomiendo que sigas jugando pokemon rojo y azul
    roastbird
    1 Nadie usa el modo 3D
    2 Pokemon no es solo ganar medalla en los GYm
    3 Tiene el mejor modo historia de la franquicia.
    4 Es mejor que X/Y
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best 3DS Game of 2016
1
#1 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
1
#1 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 85 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 87
  3. Negative: 0 out of 87
  1. Vooks
    Apr 8, 2017
    100
    Pokémon Sun and Moon make terrific changes the twenty-year-old formula, allowing new fans and returning ones back into the series with a wonderful lively and colourful world. It's just a little too easy for us who have been here from the start - but it's easy to forgot that when you're having such a blast.
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  2. Easy Allies
    Mar 19, 2017
    90
    If you’re a newcomer to the series, this is an excellent opportunity to learn the fundamentals in a laid-back setting. If you’re a pro, you’ll relish the new options in place for making your Pokémon all they can be. Sun & Moon is a Pokémon vacation we’d gladly take again.
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  3. Vgames
    Mar 8, 2017
    90
    These games exceeded my expectations by a mile. Pokemon Sun and Moon are games that every Pokemon fan and every 3DS owner needs to own. Nintendo and Gamefreak did an awesome job creating a great story and the changes they made for the format make the game feel fresh and exciting more so than ever before. The game has its minor issues like the end game and some performance issues on Old 3DS models but the soundtrack, the story and the new features more than make up for it, to make an unforgettable experience.
    Read full review
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