I think that's the problem a lot of people have with it. It's a good game and it's a ton of fun, but it just kind of feels like it's a shell of what it could have been. After playing a bit I kind of feel like the world and roster just feels smaller than other games. Completing my pokedex doesnt really feel like an achievement anymore really, and it's not nearly as fun now that most pokemon are in the wild lands.

It does lay the foundation for what could be a more open world game going forward though. It does have some innovations and enjoyable aspects. I feel like the barrier for entry in this game is lower and it was a lot easier to get my nieces to get excited about it than any other pokemon game.