(NO SPOILERS) FINALLY, a good pokemon game. This new format for Pokemon is so refreshing, older titles feel so obsolete to me in comparison.
From the gameplay, to the story itself this game has a lot to offer fans of pokemon. The small pokedex is hardly a con, neither is the single-player focus of the game.
There's lots of quality of life additions to this game older Pokemon titles could only dream of having. I truly hope they don't ditch this format or keep releasing remakes no one asked for.
Circling back to the story, its so engaging you'd feel regret skipping through the dialogue. They ditch the same old boring story of becoming champion with the cardboard cutout characters with some of the best character writing and storytelling i've seen in a pokemon game so far.
I'll forever remain critical of Nintendo and its practices, but this game is truly a gem. Shame they have the rights to it completely; I personally feel that if freed from the shackles of Nintendo, Pokemon has the potential to become even greater than it already is. This game really raised the bar, highly recommend especially for those who enjoy RPG style games similar to Ni No Kuni.