Pulls in the best parts of the most recent Pokemon games-- the quest system and ecosystems of Pokemon Snap, the monster raising mechanics of Let's Go, and a more fleshed out version of the Wild Area in Sword & Shield. This really feels like an attempt by Game Freak to truly innovate the franchise beyond small QoL improvements and graphical upgrades. While I wouldn't want this formula to completely replace the "main" series, I would excitedly play another game in this format and would love to see some of these mechanics included in future mainline games- specifically, capture, exploration, and interesting story beats that revolve around Pokemon lore.

While I firmly think this is the best Pokemon game that has released in at least the past 12 years, I think there is room for improvement in small-ish ways. More complex environments and a story that really twists and turns would take a game like this to a next level. As well as some smaller QoL changes like the ability to sort your pasture Pokemon.