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3D Pokemon had a rough but promising start with XY. Unfortunately, it's only gotten worse since then.
The 3D models were great when we saw them for the first time, but they haven't changed at all. Colors are still lacking saturation. Animations are being reused despite claims to the contrary. Tropius, Xatu, Swellow, etc. are still fucked because of Sky Battles. And it's just...Really jarring to see these same models reused across EVERY game and spin-off since 2013. It makes the Pokemon themselves feel ironically static and lifeless.
The multiplayer and community features were perfect in XYORAS, but much of those features have been gutted. No more live player feed, no more O-Powers, no more VS Records, no more co-op in Battle Facilities. The GTS is a part of Home now, which is a "premium" service. 6v6 matches are on a 20 minute timer, which just about kills the format for people who like to battle. And on and on and on. If I want to play Pokemon online with friends, even in 2021, I'd rather play XYORAS. It's fast, it's fully featured, and best of all it's still FREE.
If I can say anything positive, I think SM does a great job at telling a story. It's got great characters and a charming setting. But it also doubles down on the ez mode gameplay with characters constantly telling you what to do and how to do basic tasks. It's practically unplayable on a second or third run, with unskippable cutscenes and tutorials. This gen could've been kino if it didn't treat you like an idiot.
