To me it is either this or Black/White.
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Ok, so now that the dust has settled, are Pokémon Sun/Moon the best Pokémon games?
- Thread starter SalvaPot
- Start date
To me it is either this or Black/White.
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
Im already playing that game to the switch. Ots called "BOTW taking the perfect photo by moving with the sheika gear, move a little bit animal, NO! Dont turn now, shit now i need to move, ok let me take the shot, shit is blurry, ok this is going to be perfect and... FUUUUUUUUU NOW IS CLOUDY!"
No really, im having a lot of fun with the photo mechanics to take the perfect photo (and i know you can buy them, but I want to do it myself), and would love a pokemon snap on an open world.
Actually, they might be among my least favourites. There were a few things I liked, but most of the game's "big changes to the formula" are either superficial or make the game worse off for it. The story doesn't score any points with me for being "different to a typical Pokemon story" because none of the characters are actually interesting and all the dialogue is annoying more than anything. The island challenges are just simplistic gyms without any trainers in them. Either defeat three weak Pokemon, or walk around clicking on stuff. I'd rather just have gyms to be honest. Also, a pitiful amount of original Pokemon, only made worse by how low the encounter rate is for anything new. They basically showed off all the Alolan variants in the trailers, except really shit ones like Geodude with eyebrows. I didn't even bother to beat the Elite 4 in this one. I've heard it "gets better afterwards", but why should I have to go through the entire storyline for the game to get good?
It does not feature the amazing virtual training system for EVS, so no. I consider the remake of Sapphir/ruby as the best because it has tons of legendary pokémon and a convenient radar feature that tells you which pokémon you havecaptured in a region ad which still need to be caught.
BlueSparrow
Member
Oh yeah i love being stopped in my adventure every 3 steps of the way because some blonde girl has the need to tell me yet another thing i really wanted or could have figured out on my own.
This almost drove me insane, and outright made my girlfriend quit. Uninterruptible cutscenes and constant dialog / tutorials about simple mechanics with no option to disable when we simply wanted to catch random Pokemon and do battles was annoying.
I'd still like to try continuing some day, but maybe I should also try Heart Gold / Soul silver.
Personally, I prefer the sense of a connected and relatively open world as it was presented in the earlier games of the series, but I will always pick a different game over repetition of the same thing over and over again. SM broke the rules in more ways than enough, and I appreciate them for this. I want Game Freak to continue to experiment with the same spirit. Some things will go right, some things will go wrong, but that's how series evolve. They will always learn something new they can apply on a later game, and each entry will always have something unique to offer when you look back to it.
So, I don't think SM are the best Pokémon game, but I can certainly say that I prefer their freshness and tight design over another "conservative" Pokémon game, even if that hypothetical game were really well made.
At least handholding was designed to be part of the formula in SM, and there was always clear indication of where/when the next interruption will happen. That is very unlike XY, where the game interrupted you without warning or good reason and never allowed you to freely explore without fear of triggering some event.
So, I don't think SM are the best Pokémon game, but I can certainly say that I prefer their freshness and tight design over another "conservative" Pokémon game, even if that hypothetical game were really well made.
At least handholding was designed to be part of the formula in SM, and there was always clear indication of where/when the next interruption will happen. That is very unlike XY, where the game interrupted you without warning or good reason and never allowed you to freely explore without fear of triggering some event.
Fix-It Felix. Jr.
Member
There were some great Pokémon introduced this gen; and I like that expanded on character customization, and replaced HMs with something more convenient. Is the best Pokémon game, though? Not for me. In fact, it's probably my least favourite so far. I don't find any of the characters charming, trials aren't nearly as fun as gyms, there's way too much dialogue and too many cutscenes, and the handholding is strong. Don't get me wrong, I understand why some of this stuff was implemented and who the target audience is - but I still don't think the execution was all that great. My time in Alola wasn't nearly as memorable of an experience as the past gens, especially Gen 2.
(side-note: S/M isn't a bad game by any means, just not great compared to previous gens)
(side-note: S/M isn't a bad game by any means, just not great compared to previous gens)
Vital Tundra
Member
On a whole no, BW12 are the best to me. It's up there. Woah you could turn off the hand holding. For all the QoL they did with SM they just forgot a large amount of people know how to play Pokemon. Can we at least press a yes button to skip learning about old mechanics?
I loved Sun and Moon and it was my GotY... but no, it is not the best Pokemon game. I would put it in the middle of the pack, which sounds bad, but honestly I've loved every Pokemon game (Gen III is demoted to "like" status).
Gen I/II/IV/VI: 10
Gen VII: 9.5
Gen V: 9
Gen III: 8
First let me sing some praises. Alola is a wonderfully realized region that is a fresh setting for the franchise. You would think it would be all palm trees, but there is a nice diversity in the climate and locals. Game Freak did a good job with the Pokemon distribution. Even though it was a lower number than XY, it honestly didn't feel like it. You can get a Pokemon of every type in the first island alone. The game is packed with content, and I though the post-game was pretty good. There are many things you can easily miss and a lot of content unlocks only after you finish the game. The QoL changes were also amazing. The detailed Pokedex? No HMs? Auto EV training when you're not even playing? Seeing which moves are effective in battle? Checking IVs via the PC box? The ability to put a Pokemon you just caught instantly in your party? GENIUS. They smoothed out so many of the annoying aspects of previous gens with this one. Not to mention, it was actually challenging at times. I felt the island trials were a bit too simplistic, but fighting the Totem Pokemon was a unique challenge. And although the story was spotty, I really loved the characters I came across. Kukui, Guzma, Nanu... you can't hate on these guys.
However, there were definitely some fumbles. Alola is just way too linear. There are a lot of hidden secrets and areas you won't find unless you specifically look for them, but the story railroads you along in a big circle. Nothing is more annoying in a game than telling the player they can't explore a clearly visible area yet. All the online features were straight up downgraded from the amazing PSS in XY. The game was also somewhat annoying in its blatant teasing of Pokemon Stars. You see a lot of empty construction areas that are clearly going to be something new in Stars. One of the more egregious teases is finding a solitary area with a single guy talking about him wanting to open a theme park. He's in a trailer and has some construction materials. Do you go on a quest to help him open it? NOPE. It was either a completely pointless area or an annoying tease. I would also say in general, XY had a stronger cast of Pokemon in design and battle aptitude. Outside of the Tapus and UBs, there are very few powerhouses.
But Sun and Moon is a great game that I would recommend. It feels fresh in a lot of ways while also refining key elements, so I can see people burned out on Pokemon liking it a lot.
Gen I/II/IV/VI: 10
Gen VII: 9.5
Gen V: 9
Gen III: 8
First let me sing some praises. Alola is a wonderfully realized region that is a fresh setting for the franchise. You would think it would be all palm trees, but there is a nice diversity in the climate and locals. Game Freak did a good job with the Pokemon distribution. Even though it was a lower number than XY, it honestly didn't feel like it. You can get a Pokemon of every type in the first island alone. The game is packed with content, and I though the post-game was pretty good. There are many things you can easily miss and a lot of content unlocks only after you finish the game. The QoL changes were also amazing. The detailed Pokedex? No HMs? Auto EV training when you're not even playing? Seeing which moves are effective in battle? Checking IVs via the PC box? The ability to put a Pokemon you just caught instantly in your party? GENIUS. They smoothed out so many of the annoying aspects of previous gens with this one. Not to mention, it was actually challenging at times. I felt the island trials were a bit too simplistic, but fighting the Totem Pokemon was a unique challenge. And although the story was spotty, I really loved the characters I came across. Kukui, Guzma, Nanu... you can't hate on these guys.
However, there were definitely some fumbles. Alola is just way too linear. There are a lot of hidden secrets and areas you won't find unless you specifically look for them, but the story railroads you along in a big circle. Nothing is more annoying in a game than telling the player they can't explore a clearly visible area yet. All the online features were straight up downgraded from the amazing PSS in XY. The game was also somewhat annoying in its blatant teasing of Pokemon Stars. You see a lot of empty construction areas that are clearly going to be something new in Stars. One of the more egregious teases is finding a solitary area with a single guy talking about him wanting to open a theme park. He's in a trailer and has some construction materials. Do you go on a quest to help him open it? NOPE. It was either a completely pointless area or an annoying tease. I would also say in general, XY had a stronger cast of Pokemon in design and battle aptitude. Outside of the Tapus and UBs, there are very few powerhouses.
But Sun and Moon is a great game that I would recommend. It feels fresh in a lot of ways while also refining key elements, so I can see people burned out on Pokemon liking it a lot.
Oswen
Member
I still think they are, they have the best gameplay and finally removed HMs, that alone is great.
Regional variants are a great idea that I hope gets used alot in the future: Sinnohan forms in D/P remake? Kantoan forms should we ever go back in Kanto yet again (which everyone seems to want), it would be lovely to see a Rock/Fairy Mount Moon Boldore and the like.
I still don't like UBs that much since I would have preferred them to stay as big Boss battles and losing the PSS was probably the worst thing to come out of it, we went from perfect, quick and easy to use multiplayer functions to the obtuse thing that is the Festival Plaza.
I also feel like they have no idea what to do with Mega Evolution: the stones are in game, but locked away, there are no new ones, you can't use them online in most things and, on top of that, some are not in the game at all and you need events for those.
I get the feeling they moved past them and really don't know what to do with those resorting to basically stashing them away not to outright remove them which would look bad.
I hope they can make up their minds on it because If every game going forward will have this problem (which I fear may happen with Z crystals aswell) then it wont be a pretty thing at all.
Other than that the story is a bit lame but better than most titles (B/W remains the best) and post game content is lacking (which seems to be becoming the norm, a true shame).
As for other contenders I would say that HG/SS were great titles, full of content, the pokewalker and a big dose of nostalgia but are still shackled to GEN IV gameplay which I wouldn't really call great, a similar note can be made for B/W2 aswell which were another great pair of games in the series.
I agree that RBY (and GSC aswell, since Gen II was basically a direct sequel) are great for what they were at the time and I also think like they felt the most RPGs of them all, with a small but smartly crafted region and a better sense of exploration which seems mostly gone from newer titles.
Other than that, however, they still don't hold a candle to newer games gameplay wise and for that alone they are far from being the "best".
Regional variants are a great idea that I hope gets used alot in the future: Sinnohan forms in D/P remake? Kantoan forms should we ever go back in Kanto yet again (which everyone seems to want), it would be lovely to see a Rock/Fairy Mount Moon Boldore and the like.
I still don't like UBs that much since I would have preferred them to stay as big Boss battles and losing the PSS was probably the worst thing to come out of it, we went from perfect, quick and easy to use multiplayer functions to the obtuse thing that is the Festival Plaza.
I also feel like they have no idea what to do with Mega Evolution: the stones are in game, but locked away, there are no new ones, you can't use them online in most things and, on top of that, some are not in the game at all and you need events for those.
I get the feeling they moved past them and really don't know what to do with those resorting to basically stashing them away not to outright remove them which would look bad.
I hope they can make up their minds on it because If every game going forward will have this problem (which I fear may happen with Z crystals aswell) then it wont be a pretty thing at all.
Other than that the story is a bit lame but better than most titles (B/W remains the best) and post game content is lacking (which seems to be becoming the norm, a true shame).
As for other contenders I would say that HG/SS were great titles, full of content, the pokewalker and a big dose of nostalgia but are still shackled to GEN IV gameplay which I wouldn't really call great, a similar note can be made for B/W2 aswell which were another great pair of games in the series.
I agree that RBY (and GSC aswell, since Gen II was basically a direct sequel) are great for what they were at the time and I also think like they felt the most RPGs of them all, with a small but smartly crafted region and a better sense of exploration which seems mostly gone from newer titles.
Other than that, however, they still don't hold a candle to newer games gameplay wise and for that alone they are far from being the "best".
Not objectively, but man they hit some really high notes.
The games are gorgeous, feature a massive amount of pokemon, have interesting stories and memorable chars, the pacing works well, a lot of systems are updated for the better (except for removing PSS). I prefer gen-2 myself, but I could see how someone could think SM is the best gen. It's pretty great
The games are gorgeous, feature a massive amount of pokemon, have interesting stories and memorable chars, the pacing works well, a lot of systems are updated for the better (except for removing PSS). I prefer gen-2 myself, but I could see how someone could think SM is the best gen. It's pretty great
GeekyDad
Member
Best? Definitely the most fun I've had with one since Diamond/Pearl. I enjoyed it quite a bit. The updates were nice, I liked the kind of sim-like elements of changing clothes and all that. It was really cute, quite funny. 'Twas a good one, for sure. That being said, I still haven't completely finished it yet. But it held my interest and entertained me a lot more than X/Y did, even though I really appreciated its updates in terms of presentation. Though I prefer the new polygonal battles, I still miss the cute, little chibi sprites on the overworld.
MannyToons
Member
Way too slow to start. HGSS and B2/W2 hold the title of 'best games' for me.
It's not bad but it isn't good either.
The story is okay by pokemon standards, but I guess pokemon isn't well known for amazing storylines. It has much better character development than the previous installments.
As for the pokemon design, subjective but I didn't like most of them. The idea of alolan forms were half baked, they showed the awesome designs and hid the lame ones also limiting it to only gen 1. Some new pokemons are forgettable and I'm starting to think gamefreak is running out of ideas.
Gameplay wise it's great, but 2 gens straight post game content is lacking.
I actually had high hopes for this gen since it was a game to celebrate 20th aniv but was heavily let down.
The story is okay by pokemon standards, but I guess pokemon isn't well known for amazing storylines. It has much better character development than the previous installments.
As for the pokemon design, subjective but I didn't like most of them. The idea of alolan forms were half baked, they showed the awesome designs and hid the lame ones also limiting it to only gen 1. Some new pokemons are forgettable and I'm starting to think gamefreak is running out of ideas.
Gameplay wise it's great, but 2 gens straight post game content is lacking.
I actually had high hopes for this gen since it was a game to celebrate 20th aniv but was heavily let down.
Greatest Ever
Member
Lmao no wtf
The first hour alone can prove otherwise.
The first hour alone can prove otherwise.
Tyraniboah
Member
Yep. Though Sun and Moon are up there. It took some time away from Sun for me to look back and think about it, but I'm not sure what else I'd put above Sun/Moon besides HGSS. The only reason I haven't really gone back to my copy is because I'm awaiting news on Stars.
tenderbrew
Member
Sun & Moon were my favorite campaigns, but some things still bug me.
I hate how it's so difficult to find a decent place to grind mons to 100. Turned me off big time from a game I would have spent 1000 hours in. Even the breeding was really good in SuMo and I got like 20-30 perfect mons I want to level up.
I hate how it's so difficult to find a decent place to grind mons to 100. Turned me off big time from a game I would have spent 1000 hours in. Even the breeding was really good in SuMo and I got like 20-30 perfect mons I want to level up.
But it's not a good story. I figured the people who liked it had never played another JRPG so the only standards they had were other Pokemon games.
lvl99 Pixel
Member
its not the amount, its the quality
Gen 2 remakes 1st
Sun & Moon second.
The gen 2 remakes are littarly perfect and there is alot of post game content to do.
Gen 7 is fantastic so far but the post game content is very light sadly. I still don't get why gamefreak deletes older post game content since gen 6.
In gen 5 there was alot but since the 3ds ones they have been pretty lazy on post game content wich is sad.
Sun & Moon second.
The gen 2 remakes are littarly perfect and there is alot of post game content to do.
Gen 7 is fantastic so far but the post game content is very light sadly. I still don't get why gamefreak deletes older post game content since gen 6.
In gen 5 there was alot but since the 3ds ones they have been pretty lazy on post game content wich is sad.
zelhawks37
Member
Yes, but gen 5 is a close 2nd.
Played other shit, but I still liked S/M's story well enough, even outside of just comparing it to previous Pokemon games. Hilariously enough, I think I somehow liked it more than a certain RPG I played this year...
mocolostrocolos
Member
One and done.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
Bam. There it is. I didnt even bother to finish the game.
Black 2 and White 2 are still the best. However I think sun and moon ranks fairly high among the series.
Btw I don't get the post game complaints. I mean it sucks that they don't have much of a post game but at this point people should know they save the post game stuff for the 3rd game.
Btw I don't get the post game complaints. I mean it sucks that they don't have much of a post game but at this point people should know they save the post game stuff for the 3rd game.
Well honestly there never was a third game in gen 6 and the Ruby/Sapphire remakes lacked in post game content, so i get why people are worried.
McMoneyman
Member
Not for me. Thought it was very mediocre and kinda killed off any interest I had in Pokémon. I wasn't very into X/Y, but still found it enjoyable enough.
My favorite still would be HG/SS. B/W I liked a lot too.
My favorite still would be HG/SS. B/W I liked a lot too.
BodiesWithoutOrgans
Member
G/S/C/HG/SS for life I love the Johto region and it's Pokemon and the 2nd region I wish every Pokemon game had a bonus region
It's an amazing story by Pokemon standards, and an okay one by JRPG standard.
It was especially interesting in terms of lore.
It isn't bad. It is a game for kids and I still liked it more than the story of Persona 5 for example. Far above any Pokemon game that isn't BW.
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
BW2 holds that title.
I like that they tried really hard to make Aloha different, but it ended up feeling really hollow to me. I didn't even catch all of the Pokemon because it just felt that way.
To me, HG/SS will still be the ultimate Pokemon game. Gen 1+2 maps, lots of side content, great menus, awesome remixes, etc.
To me, HG/SS will still be the ultimate Pokemon game. Gen 1+2 maps, lots of side content, great menus, awesome remixes, etc.
You played the part that is exactly the same for every pokemon game and dropped? I don't understand this. It is not like Pokemon games started doing tutorials with Sun and Moon.
Maybe I'm not remembering right as I hadn't played a Pokémon game since B/W when I started, but I really don't remember them being nearly as insufferable with the amount of interruptions.
My thoughts as well
E_Darkness
Member
Easily the best. I haven't enjoyed Pokemon that much since Crystal.
But the aggressive handholding at the start was the worst part of the game and you have to get passed it
But the aggressive handholding at the start was the worst part of the game and you have to get passed it
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