Pokemon is one of, if not my favorite, video game franchises of all time. I have been with it since the beginning and have seen all of its highs and lows. “Pokemon Ultra Sun” and “Pokemon Ultra Moon” are not even close to being the best the series has to offer if you are a series veteran like myself. However, if you are looking to get into the series after possibly taking a break or never playing, the two games are serviceable jumping-off points.
These two games are follow-ups to the games released last year, “Pokemon Sun” and “Pokemon Moon.” The strengths those games brought to the series are back, like Z-moves, the elimination of Hidden Machines and a more involved story. However, none of these are changed or improved much in the new games, especially the story. The story feels the same as the previous games. There is a little bit of a difference, with the addition of a couple new characters, but for a brand new $40 game, it really isn’t worth it if you played the previous games. Many of the cut scenes in the games are also the same, as well as unskippable, so you have to watch them again if you’ve played the older games.
However, these games are a great beginning for people. There are four islands that the player travels to in the game, and the first one serves as a tutorial of sorts, giving players a way to learn how to battle and catch Pokemon. These games are outstanding at teaching the new player the ins-and-outs of the battle system, how to traverse the world and why they should care about the story. The games get a bit of credit for that, but as a veteran, this tutorial makes the games feel many hours longer in the beginning than I was hoping. I thought I had played 10 hours, but it was actually four, and that’s my least favorite part of these games.
Pokemon is, and always will be, one of my favorite series, and “Pokemon Ultra Sun” and “Pokemon Ultra Moon” still scratch that itch if you haven’t played a game in the series in a while. If you are looking to get back into the series after a long hiatus, then they are an amazing way to come back. But, if you already played “Pokemon Sun” and “Pokemon Moon,” then I can’t help but say to take a pass and wait for the next games. They are too similar to be worth a purchase.
