On November 18th, 2016 I along with many others explored the flashbacks of childhood and embraced the newest release of one of the most popular games series; aka Pokémon Sun and Moon. Pokémon Sun and Moon was one of the most talked about DS games since we learned about its epic release early on in the dreadful. It was a game for people such as I had been waiting for because it embraced the older roots of Kanto within a vast area loosely inspired by Hawaii. It brought familiar Pokemon while incorporated some brand news that was at one point questionable until the official release.
As a person that grew up enduring the beginning stages of this series, I found the game to be quite entertaining much like its predecessors, yet at the same time, it brought its own element into it by doing Hawaii trials to respect the 'spirits' of the game. Unlike the previous games, we don't get to experience the eight badge journey, but instead follow the trials with its own specific element or type and challenges that seem almost comical in a personal opinion. While playing through the game, I found the trials to be quite refreshing and enjoyable since I'm so used to the traditional way of playing. Sure the trials made the story fairly short, it did make people like me get attached and wanting more for this game's region.
Another thing I found likable were some of the mechanics. Unlike the other games, the player was introduced to Z-Moves and Z-Crystals. These particular little gems allowed the player to intertwine with their chosen Pokemon to perform a dance (similar to the Hawaii tribal dances). As a result, the Pokémon holding the crystal is able to perform an epic move that could possibly kill off your opponent or you know, somewhat injured them. While I'm not a huge fan of the dancing, I found the crystals to be more exciting to achieve rather than a badge because of two reasons. One, it meant we were going to enjoy more of the story depending on the Island, and two, I found them to be pretty in a simplistic way.
Finally, the new Pokémon. I hope I wasn't the only one to notice that the three starters almost melded together as superheroes. The grass one being Green Arrow (my starter Oliver), the fire one being Hulk, and the water one being a random ballerina (I'm not a comic person sorry haha). I found it to be humorous when I first noticed it, but I felt out of place because I thought the critical mindset from being an English major kicked it. However, I just it let it go and enjoyed by Oliver once I got him evolved to the final stage. Besides that, the other new Pokémon were nice, but what made my day whenever I played the game was seeing the older ones taking on new forms and abilities that weren't being used in the past.
Overall, while this game wasn't the greatest in story and Pokémon in a sense, the game itself was a refreshing and calming experience when dealing with the hardships of last year with the election and other crap. This game was a great introduction to the younger generation and a great appreciation to the older generation who got to play an old game with beautiful graphics and a gripping tale that still holds a special in our hearts. If you ever want a short yet exciting adventure, definitely pick up this game and enjoy yourself even if you're not a fan of video games.
