Pokemon Moon First Thoughts vol. 5

-Before going further, I took this time to make sure I had everybody I wanted from the routes:

Mr. Bear the Stufful

Hukilau the Comfey

Dr. Zaius the Oranguru

Pikaboo the Mimikyu

Gradius the Minior

Gelato the Sandygast

Humu the Bruxish

(plus some obligatory older-gen Pokes, but whatever)

-But after cruising through the trials until now, I got stomped by Mimikyu. I knew it would absorb the first attack, but then I tried to sleep it, missed the first time, and when I hit it immediately ate its berry and recovered. Also I didn't realize it was part Fairy. Re-ordered my party, and had Papaya Pluck that bitch first thing, and it was fairly simple after that.

-Then I got humbled again, fighting one of the Route Boss trainers I'd skipped over. I let Ledian set up both kinds of screen, so when Pinsir came out I couldn't KO him before he Swords Danced twice, and then he went Brick Broke Back Mountain on my ass. For the rematch I just got rid of Ledian in a hurry, so I still had an available avenue of attack to defeat Pinsir.

-After that, the real blow to my pride came. The Route Boss up on that mountain only had one Absol, and it Night Slashed my team to death like it was straight outta some 80's horror flick. No strategy, just too stronk. But, I realized a lot of my team was right around level 30, just a few shy of evolving. Grudgingly I turned EXP share back on for a bit, and evolved 'em all. Easily won the rematch, especially with Pikaboo taking point.

-Can we just say how absolutely amazing Mimikyu is? Tanking the first hit, of any kind, is SO damn good. Some times I use it to Swords Dance, sometimes I just use it for a free attack, it lets me switch in with impunity, and then the darn thing has the speed and attack to still make a difference, and the defense to stick around afterwards, too. I'll be singing this thing's praises very highly in a few weeks, or months, or whenever it comes up.

-Team Skull is amazing. Po Town was amazing. Guzma and Plumeria are amazing. I love everything about these boneheads.

-The story is actually maybe kinda good? Is that possible? I care about the characters, and it surprised me with some bits, more than I can say for any other Pokemon game, which tend to be as by-the-numbers as possible. Still not finished, but I'm invested and want to know what happens next. This is a first for me.

-Got to Poni Island, the Kaua'i analog... and the map is showing it's basically a wasteland without civilization. Big ol' dustbin where Kapa'a should be. Ever heard of Mt. Waialeale? Rainiest spot in the world? Or that Kaua'i is known as the Garden Island? Yet you decide to make it the desert level of the game. Fucking thanks, Gamefreak.

-but seriously, Lillie is adorable and I'm even starting to come around on Hau and I want to play more but I've been so busy with other junk