Jeremy Gallen's Game Reviews

Alola 'Oe

Video game series such as Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest (specifically that franchise's fifth installment) initiated the monster-collection mechanism that would find its way into other roleplaying game franchises, although Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise, making its way to North American shores before its aforementioned precursors, deserves credit for popularizing the craze beyond Japan. Despite the popularity of the series known as Pocket Monsters in the Land of the Rising Sun, Japanese RPGs around the time were still in their niche, and somewhat inaccessible to mainstream video gamers, although the franchise would slowly break out of its mold. Sun and Moon, given enhanced rereleases Ultra Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun, would continue to evolve the series.

As with most of the game's predecessors, Ultra Sun opens with the player's customizable protagonist and his mother moving to the islands of Alola, loosely based on the Hawaiian archipelago. At first, it seems like a typical plot for the franchise, especially given the antagonistic Team Skull, although there are some unique twists that prevent it from feeling too much of a rehash, such as the general goal leading to the confrontation with the Elite Four, in the form of Trials on each of the four primary islands in lieu of Gyms. As with many other games in the series, there's some decent backstory, but the plot scarcely reaches excellence.

Neither does the translation, which is nonetheless perfectly legible, although Nintendo as usual makes stylistic decisions such as rendering "okay" as "OK", both a broken English version of "all correct" and a reference to U.S. political history non-American Anglophones won't get. The "titles" of opponent trainers also clue players to the game's Japanese origin, but the localization could have been far worse.

The core gameplay is largely the same as in prior entries of the franchise, the player choosing one of three starters, afterward able to capture other Pokémon with different types of Poké Balls, players able to level and occasionally evolve them into more powerful forms, and every 'Mon being of one or two types that are strong against various kinds of skills and weak versus others. One major improvement over earlier installments is that the player no longer needs to waste any one of a 'Mon's four skill slots with a Hidden Move necessary to advance through various portions of the islands, "vehicular" Pokémon allowing them to perform the various functions of HMs. Most of the same pros and cons of combat Ultra Sun bequeaths from its precursors, such as the occasional unbalance and waste of turns when swapping 'Mons. Otherwise, the game mechanics don't too greatly disappoint.

As with previous Pokémon titles, the player can record their progress anywhere outside combat, and the game for the most part does a decent job leading players in the right direction story-wise. The text speed is adjustable, the menus are easy, and both items and abilities have descriptions as they should in any RPG nowadays. However, there were maybe a few moments where I had to reference the internet to find out how to return to a certain dungeon that I left to heal my party, one has to hold down a button for the protagonist to dash, and the player has to revisit specific shops around Alola to purchase specific items unavailable elsewhere. Generally, interaction isn't bad, but the developers could have worked out certain kinks.

Sound, as with previous games, is a high point, with plenty of energetic battle themes and town tunes, not to mention mostly-unique Pokémon cries. There are a few areas without music, but otherwise, Ultra Sun is far more than easy on the ears.

The game is easy on the eyes as well, even if to a lesser extent. Regardless, there are plenty of positives such as the superb art direction, with distinct Pokémon designs that aren't palette swaps at all, even the countless evolutions of the Eevee, not to mention bright colors and pretty environments. However, there is some blurriness and pixilation regarding the textures, not to mention other aspects such as the "blackout" whenever characters do things like exchange objects, but otherwise, Ultra Sun is far from an eyesore.

Ultimately, Pokémon Ultra Sun was definitely a positive step forward for the franchise, given the continuation of the hallmark strategic gameplay, improvements regarding things such as the replacement of Hidden Moves with "vehicular" 'Mons that consequentially free up valuable skill slots, and a storyline which features some distinctive beats that decently differentiate it from preceding generations of the series. The aural and visual direction continue to remain strong as well, and in the end, I'm definitely glad I purchased the game as part of my pre-eShop-closure haul. It definitely proved that subsequent entries of the series aren't mere rehashes, and those interested in seeing how far the franchise has come since its humble origins will get a great deal from this particular generation.

This review is based on a playthrough of a digital copy downloaded to the reviewer's Nintendo 3DS.