Not quite the huge step up I felt this franchise needed. Don't be surprised if I lower the rating if there ever comes a sequel, as it could fix a ton of jank and refine some of the more akward mechanics. The presentation still continues to be rough, though I'd prefer voice acting to be added then nicer environments (both would be of course ideal).
That said, this is the most fun I ever had completing the Pokedex in any Pokemon game. I loved the choice of how I wanted to catch Pokemon by either stealth, brute force (tossing a lot of mud balls), or the traditional turn base battles. Adds a lot of player expression in a area I never thought Pokemon would change. I also could say the same for many other mechanics like Pokémon moves, evolutions, effort values, and things I never knew I wanted like being rewarded for releasing Pokemon so I'd stop hoarding a bunch of Pokemon I never used. The action elements, while primitive, are welcomed when you get into situations when you angered too many mushroom bugs and are desperate to get to safety, lest you faint and loose a bunch of items.
There are things could nitpick more of, but I'm being a bit generous because not only is it their first time doing something like this, this game made me giddy for Pokemon which I haven't felt in a long time. Also, let's please keep it to one version of Pokemon. Not requiring two slightly different copies to complete the Pokedex is appreciated so much.
EDIT: Well that last statement didn't age well.