For the series’ twentieth anniversary, Game Freak dared to touch the foundations: no more gyms, no more HMs, Kanto Pokémon you can barely recognize. Sun and Moon are the boldest entries of their era, and also the chattiest. Our verdict, with hindsight.

Platform
Nintendo 3DS
Release in France
November 23, 2016
Genre
role-playing game
Developer
Game Freak
Our score
17/20

👍What works

  • Alola is a triumph of atmosphere: each island has its own character, from the seaside city of Hau’oli to the canyons of Poni. The music, the colors and the inhabitants really give the feeling of going on vacation.
  • The Island Challenge renews progression. The Trials vary the fun (investigation, quiz, cooking, photography) and the Totem Pokémon, with their backup, are real boss fights.
  • Alolan forms are the most appealing idea of the generation: rediscovering Vulpix, Exeggutor or Marowak in a new light is a collector’s delight.
  • Comfort improves markedly: move effectiveness is displayed in battle, Ride Pokémon replace HMs and the Exp. Share is available from the start.
  • The story is the best-written of the series at the time of release, with a real family at the heart of the tale and endearing characters, from Lillie to Guzma.

👎What falls short

  • A very guided adventure: the first hours pile on dialogue and cutscenes, and you are often stopped for a conversation.
  • Performance: double battles or battles with several Pokémon noticeably slow down the console, especially on original 3DS models.
  • The post-League content, while rich, remains shorter than in some previous entries.
  • Difficulty stays moderate, despite a few spikes, with the Totem Pokémon and Olivia’s Grand Trial for Litten players.

⚖️Our verdict

Sun and Moon are not perfect, but they had the courage to change what was thought untouchable. The Trials, Z-Moves and Alolan forms have left a lasting mark on the series. If you only have time for one seventh-generation game, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are more complete; but Sun and Moon tell a tighter, more moving story.