Pokemon Moon First Thoughts Vol. 1

Picked up the game last night. I've been busy so I'm only about 5 hours deep, but it's not like I want to rush this anyway. I like to take my time and enjoy it, island-style, ya dig?

-I really like how the environments feel less blocky. We went to full-3D movement with XY, but you could tell it was still designed on a grid. But right away in Moon, I see paths that curve around, and the patches of grass feel especially natural.

-With that said, the technical limitations of the 3DS are on full display. The models themselves are fine, but that pixel resolution, forced outline, lack of anti-aliasing, and often terrible texture quality are very noticeable. I've heard rumors of a version for the Switch, and honestly it feels like about time Pokemon stepped into the modern realm of graphics. The utter abandonment of 3D is funny to me as well, but I guess it only served to create more lag, huh?

-I like how they're actually committed to the Hawai'ian theme. Last game was in "France" but it didn't really feel particularly French to me - the people were too polite, and smelled too good! This time, there's tan skin aplenty, and I see slang like Howzit thrown around. I'm glad they didn't go overboard and try and full Pidgin it, but it's nice! Can't wait til I get to Kauai, where I lived.

-damn there are a lot of cut-scenes and hand-holding. I just want to play the dang game already but bitches keep hassling me every 10 feet to tell me about some cool new feature and hand me an exp share or something.

-I try to run a team of only new pokemon for a first playthrough of a game, but so far I've hardly met any new ones! I've got a Litten, named Rocky after my irl cat, a Pikipek named Papaya (who just evolved into Trumbeak actually), and I'm filling out the rest with an Alolan Meowth named Bad News, Wight Lady the Gastly, Perry the Wingull, and Avedakedavra the Abra.

-the music is pretty neat, too. I dig the little jingle for picking up items, it's really keeping in theme!