So on November 17th 2017 the newest main series Pokémon games were released. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon. The 2nd additions to the 7th generation of Pokémon main series media. These titles had something different in store though. In a similar vein to Generations 2, 3 and 4, Generation 7’s latter games were “Perfected versions” of the games prior. Generation 3 had Ruby, Sapphire and then perfected the story of those two with Emerald, for example. Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon are the “Perfected versions” of Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon released in 2016. Nearly 8 years after the last time we had a “Perfected version” game in Generation 4’s Pokémon Platinum. It was once the tradition of the main series of Pokémon games to have the third version of the story but in the most recent games, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon acted as the 3rd & 4th versions of the Sun & Moon storyline.
If that made sense, well done, it’s a strange one to explain. Anyway, when Pokémon Ultra Sun & Pokémon Ultra Moon were announced at the beginning of last year I was excited. I hoped they’d follow the example of Generation 5 and have them be direct sequels to Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon (Just like Generation 5’s Black/White & Black2/White2) but it was revealed shortly after that the new games would be an “Alternate telling” of the events of Pokémon Sun & Moon. I freely admit I was slightly disappointed by this as when main series Pokémon games do direct sequels they tend to be fan favourites (example: Gold/Silver/Crystal) but I was willing to give these new game’s the benefit of the doubt. It was entirely possible that an “alternate telling” could be radically different enough to feel like a brand new game and now just another version of Sun & Moon.
When release day came I awaited patiently for the post to arrive and then it happened. I tore the packaging open and there it was, Pokémon Ultra Sun in all its glory. I booted it up and began playing. My heart sinking slowly as I progressed through the exact same story points that Sun & Moon had began with. Being the optimist I went on believing the game would diverge from the Sun/Moon themed railroad and move on to be its own thing. 
I decided to begin taking notes of things I liked and disliked in order to make a review for this blog but as I progressed I decided this would be better as a miniseries of reviews. Each part focusing on the events of each of the four (technically five, or even 6) islands of the Alola region. So, this is part one of however many parts that I require for this review – Melemele Island.
Aside from a few differences Melemele Island of US/UM is very similar to the Melemele Island of S/M. From here I will list my good points, then my bad points and try to explain my feelings toward them as best I can.
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Good Points:
- The Ultra Recon Squad:
As I was playing I was getting more and more nervous that this was just Sun & Moon again with new things thrown on at the end and then the Ultra Recon Squad showed up. It was nice to have something at least a bit different at that point as I’d already played the events of the game twice already in completely different titles. They weren’t in it for long though, which disheartened me and enforced my hypothesis that all the new stuff would just be crammed on at the end.
- Totem Gumshoos:
I don’t know why, but I found the Totem Gumshoos really hard and only won by the very marginal amount of HP I had left on my last party member. It was nice to have a challenge in a Pokémon game again – though it may have just been because I was under-levelled from trying to get through Melemele Island as fast as possible.
- Difficulty Harder Than Sun & Moon(?)
I’m not sure of the truth of this, but in the early game it felt as if it were harder than Sun & Moon, akin to the difficulty spike of Generation 5’s Black 2/White 2 sequels. It made me remember when effort was put into a sequel to a main series Pokémon game.
4: Rotom Dex:
Early in the game the Rotom PokéDex seemed to interact with you. It’d ask you questions and seem like a travelling companion you’d share your journey with. It was something a bit different and interesting but it seemed to fizzle out after Melemele Island. Fun while it lasted, I guess.
- Mantine Surf
Finally, something substantial that is also new! At the very end of Melemele Island you seem to be given the illusion of a choice: Take the boat to Akala Island with Lillie and Professor Kukui, or partake in a Mantine Surf contest against Hau to reach Akala Island that way. An illusion of a choice because it seemed obvious to me whether I picked the Mantine Surf or not I’d end up being railroaded into it. So I hopped on my Mantine and surfed through the crashing waves of the Alola region doing flips and tricks the entire way. It was a fun little minigame that fit very well with Alola’s Hawaiian/tropical theme and I loved seeing the distant Akala Island grow closer and closer with each stunt. An approaching view that offered me hope I’d find something new on the next leg of my third time around the Alola Region in less than a year.
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Bad Points:
- The Characters
I can kind of understand this one because Kukui, Hau & Lillie’s stories are the same as Sun & Moon to this point and have yet to diverge from the Sun & Moon version of events, but if this is an alternate version of the characters they COULD be different. Hau could be less happy-go-lucky, Lillie could be a trainer in some way, etc. Just small things that could have made the game at least FEEL different from the get-go. They didn’t even have different designs. I think this cemented the feeling of “This is exactly the same” for me more than anything else. Especially when your character had a different style than in Sun & Moon.
- Your Character:
One of the things I disliked most about the original Sun & Moon was my character. I’ve seen this complaint a lot so I won’t linger on it. You show no emotion whatsoever no matter what happens outside of a goofy grin. No matter the circumstances going on around you, you just smile blindly and it’s really, REALLY distracting.
- The Trial:
It was exactly the same and it was at this point I was certain the only changes I’d find for the first half of the game would be menial and barely worth noting down.
- Customization:
Blocking off certain customizable options on which version of the game you have and how far you’ve progressed through the game is a unique idea on paper but it’s rarely appreciated in practise. Generation 6’s Pokémon X and Y had full customization and wasn’t severely hindered like it was in Generation 7. I don’t understand why wine red hair can only be unlocked in the post-game. It was annoying in Sun & Moon and it was even more annoying they didn’t do anything different in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. I also found the hair styles you began with to be the best options available.
- The Grand Trial
The difficulty spike I had suspected in the early half of this island was shattered when I reached the Island’s Grand Trial against Hala. With a party consisting of three Flying type Pokémon against his Fighting type Pokémon the battle was over with before I could let out a sign of dissatisfaction. And the difficulty spike was never seen or heard from again. It was also the exact same as Pokémon Sun & Moon’s.
- The Pokémon/Trainer Photo Club Minigame
Pokémon Photo Club
After the Grand Trial, or before, I can’t recall, I was railroaded to the new Pokémon Photo Club. It was alright. Killed the pacing and extended my stay on this island a little longer. Not exactly the innovative new feature that was promised though. I found myself never returning to continue playing this minigame, unlike Mantine Surf. Shame really as this minigame showed at least some potential in the lead up to the game’s release.
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Ultimately I was a little underwhelmed by Melemele Island in Pokémon Ultra Sun. I understand it is a retelling, but it is because of it is a retelling I compare it to their predecessors. You may think it’s unfair to compare Pokémon Ultra Sun to Pokémon Sun but this was the angle Nintendo were aiming for when they announced they would be retellings so I see no reason why NOT to compare the two.
Melemele Island in Pokémon Sun was a fantastic way to introduce us to the Alola region and its unique customs and scenery. It had colourful characters and an interesting set up as you learned the new rules and meet all the newly introduced Pokémon, as well as encountering some old favourites along the way.
Melemele Island in Pokémon Ultra Sun is exactly the same. And that’s the problem with it. It plays it safe. Too safe. Pokémon Ultra Sun came out just under a year after Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, so there hasn’t been enough time for the dust of those games to settle or to forget some of the more unique aspects of those games. When Ultra Sun is trying to be its own thing with the Mantine Surf & the different way to encounter your starter – moments that visually took effort to make and weren’t just copied and pasted were excellent and I really enjoyed them. It’s just a shame those new things only amounted to about 33% of the first act of the game.
Pokémon Ultra Sun – Part One: Melemele Island gets a 4/10.
I intend to do these reviews for each of the other three islands of the Alola region, and then perhaps one for the Aether Foundation and another for the post-game when battling Team Rainbow Rocket. As for release times of these review parts, I have no idea. One a month perhaps? Or whenever I get time? Or every week? Who knows, stay tuned though, because next time we’re off to Akala Island.
Until next time,
The Spectacled Observer. 🙂
The Spectacled Observer 