I disagree about the Gym. Conceptually Trial and Gym are the same withthe former just being a different take of the latter. Trial just have more puzzle and less battle. What makes Trial different is how there are more personality to it by making the Gym Leader, or captain as the game called it, more involved and let their characters come in play.
This character focused aspect of Pokemon SunMoon could be found already in Pokemon BlackWhite. But for whatever the fuckin reason, GameFreak decides to throw them all away and gave nothing in return. From Cheren that question the meaning of strength and Bianca who accepted her unfitness of being a trainer, we got Tierno who want to teach his pokemon to dance. Fuck Generation VI, the only good thing come out of it was Fairy type and nothing else.
