I started it to get it off my backlog and it took until I heard the piano keys in the first forest area play their melody before I properly got into it.
The game is interesting in concept and I do like the historical context and blatant allusions to harsh reality of people fucking dying outside in the wilds. I also believe this is the first time since generation 5(?) where they tried to do older main characters but because its a jap company they still look like midgets to fit into the small bushes.
The catching mechanics are questionable with the spam and release loop but feel fair after a while. For single player I found the battling mechanics superior to mainline due to being overleveled not mattering in many encounters as the game turns into attrition of resources if you're exploring and many pokemon hit hard despite level gaps.
Ancient forms are better than regional variants and I hope that industrial pokésociety and its effects on the human race gets its due in the next Legends game about Unova and some cowboy native space aliens shitshow over the Kyurem meteor shower.

Also holy fuck how did the graphics downgrade so hard after this