The last Pokemon games I played through from start to finish were X and Y, so going in, the controversy around Sword and Shield almost put me off giving them an honest try.

I'm really pleased I did, typing this as the credits roll!

The new QOL features, gym challenges and region all feel great for the new generation; not ground breaking by any means, but definitely an improvement.

The story is serviceable, and has enough of that Pokemon charm to keep you moving between towns to see what comes next.

On the subject of the Pokemon themselves... There's plenty to catch! The current number in the dex (pre expansion) feels tight and gives plenty of creatures to hunt for, without dragging things out.

Overall, definitely an evolution, rather than a revolution, but amazing nonetheless!