Typically when you ask me to study an animation in a video game it is mostly for the purpose of combat. In a souls/ action game I want to look at visual cues, and wait for their strike animation to end and respond by attacking back. Even more so in fighting games, you can gain more advantageous knowledge by knowing frame data and how to punish accordingly. New Pokemon snap is an interesting game because unlike these other games who use animation viewing as a mechanic to push their mechanics in regard to their combative nature. Snap is more interested in using this animation viewing as a mechanic to push its environmentally focused gameplay. The game controls like an on rails shooter however it asks the players to use the environmental cues, mixed with the items given of course. To not only take pictures of pokemon, but also to take pictures of behaviors and reactions. The game rewards you for this with the request system, where you can complete specific research request by solving environmental puzzles and looking at how pokemon act. It's such an interesting, unique and relazxing gameplay loop that is hard to replicate, but new pokemon snap, by using these elements, creates such a fun and fantastic experience. It is also not only the best looking pokemon game, but also one of the best looking on switch (Tied up there with Luigis mansion for me of course)

Honestly had too much nostalgia for this game and was a little bit disappointed when I finally completed it. The pacing of the story is terrible and barely any of it advances at all by the endgame point.
Dialogue is tremendously slow and barely anything of importance is said for how fucking much anyone talks, also the dialogue box disappears and reappears for almost every line that is said, with characters animations and emotes in between. It really makes it a slog.
The combat is also weirdly designed and too easy. If you can prepare 4 max level summons before a boss and nearly one-shot it in one turn maybe you should reconsider the game's mechanics.

What makes this game special is its presentation and puzzles. Music is gorgeous and it looks great, I particulary like the character's portraits. Puzzles are also pretty good. But even then it just can't carry a JRPG with such lackluster story progression and combat.