Don't get me wrong, at first I did love it. I really, really did. And I still think it's a relatively good game. Pokemon has never been so fun and immersive. But then, I noticed what I feared would be the case:

The game mechanics are severely unpolished.

There are lots of Pokemon wandering around aimlessly, but they're all one of three types for me- smack it with a pokeball, throw 20 poke balls in rapid succession while it runs away, or throw a poke ball from just far enough away that you don't start a battle. Battles are actually so unenjoyably simple I avoid them, something I never did. When aiming a poke ball, it will often bonk on the pokemons head rather than capturing it, despite the x not showing above their head. A reason is never given for this. Furthermore, the alpha pokemon- once escaping a pokeball- will bob their heads in a very comical way, never again being available for capture. They just bob their heads indefinitely until you leave or enter their line of sight. Pokedex tasks are ultimately unfun and simplistic, and I don't feel I could be acquiring the data I am from the tasks I'm doing. Some Pokemon also seem far too easy to complete dex entries on, while others feel impossibly tedious.

This isn't my only issue, either. Buckle in.

I don't want to speak on the graphics- as many before me already have- but I feel its important to address them. They aren't good. At all. People who say this is better than SWSH need their eyes checked. This is at least as atrocious. The textures are washed out, the models have no shading, and there's a terrible gray hue over everything. I believe they were trying to mimic Breath of the Wild, but it looks terrible.

The post-game is empty and barren, with only tedious and repetitive research tasks to keep you busy. Your reward? An increased shiny chance on a game with already the easiest shiny hunting in the franchise's history.