Now this isn't going to be a step-by-step of the plot and gameplay progression. I'm assuming everyone at least vaguely remembers what happens, so I'm just only going to mention things I want to talk about.
After a greatly appreciated expanded customization, we start at home. And, as some of you may remember, I posted
a whole list of complaints in the Little Annoyance thread right off the bat. So you can read that if you'd like to know how my first, say, 30 minutes with the game was like. Seriously, that no running thing is just a weird decision.
Also seems a bit off that Director Clavell came personally to deliver documents and the Starters. Does he do that with all new students? I know the game contrived it that the player was the only "new" student, but even then this feels more like something at most a teacher like Jacq would be tasked than the Director of the whole academy. Though with Nemona being the president of the student council, could easily be headcanon'ed that he actually had to talk to her about something and realized the new student just so happened to be across the road; KOing two Pidgey with one Rock Slide.
Nemona guides us to Mesagoza and the games takes no time to give us our Motorcycle Legendary. Cute how we bond with it via giving it a sandwich for it to get better (mom, what type of sandwiches are you making that revive Legendaris?). The faux-battle with the Houndoom was also a nice touch, and that Nemona points out it looks like a (weird) Cyclizar. Of course we can't ride it yet, which means after returning it to its Poke Ball its pretty much just sitting there in our "party" until the Treasure Hunt begins which does feel a bit clunky storywise. "Here's the mascot Legendary, it's been given to you but it can't battle and you're not allowed to ride it yet... you might as well not have it as far as the story is concern at this point".
Being the next segment after that is the first town and our first taste of the open world, not to mention all of Mesagoza, I feel maybe they should have maybe had Arven keep the Mascot Legendary and reveal later he gave it to Director Clavell for sake keeping (though also told him about your rescue and quick bonding with it thus why you would get called in to help regain its power as Arven doesn't want to do it). Or, being Clavell is in the area, have him come up somewhat aware of the situation (we can assume the escape happened earlier in the day which would have given the Professor enough time to contact Clavell before leaving), and take custody of the Legendary though noting its bond to the player (hence why the player is called later); could maybe even be another reason why he's out there as he got reports of a mysterious creature flying toward that direction.
Anyway, the first taste of the open world is fun to explore, surprised how far you were allowed to go before being restricted by the geography. I also like if you explore enough you get the first glimpse of a sealed door and a black stake over a gap. Very nice foreshadowing.
Mesagoza puts Motostoke to shame... mainly because we can explore all of Mesagoza! GF put in a lot of work, and not just for Mesagoza but for all the cities/towns. While some are more impressive than others, they all also have their own unique aesthetics, some matching their Gym Leader's theme which helps build out their characters. Of course bigger/more complex the city/town the more it lags... remember kids: save time, save often. I had only experienced only one major crash (or rather it just not loading, I beat a raid and it never loaded me back into the overworld), I have gotten a few freezes which thankfully cleared up after a bit but made my heart skip a beat as I think back to the last time I saved. You gotta make a stability patch GF, you're lucky Pokemon is an established franchise otherwise you'd have a Cyberpunk 2077 on your hand. Though one quick small credit to GF about putting in the anti-hardlock feature of resetting our character onto solid ground if we get stuck in a falling animation (which has happened to me a few times... two notable being between two slanted roofs and another over some barrels).
So, we finally get settled into the school and given our own dorm... AND then time jump to the Treasure Hunt. Huh. Like, I get it, you don't want to drag the player through classes (unless they want to) and get to the actual game. But at the same time it just feels odd it's implied weeks if not months have suddenly passed yet nothing about your Pokemon team has changed (and the Legendary is still just chilling as your unofficial seventh member; Did you ever bond with it more? Did it stay in its Poke Ball most of the time? Were there incidents others became aware of it? WHO KNOWS!). Actually, not only hasn't your team changed, but when you do take classes your teachers act its the first day you're attending! And they're not meant to be taken as like flashbacks, so what was your character doing for several weeks/months? If they wanted to get right to the Treasure Hunt, I say have it that a current attending group (which would include Arven and Penny) are about to go on their Treasure Hunt. Nemona, seeing how good you are, pulls in some favors and gets you to a part of the Treasure Hunt with the option you can at anytime go back and attend classes. I mean, she got you the Tera Orb with is said to be a very powerful only trusted trainers are given, at this point I would buy she let you join in the newest Treasure Hunt instead of waiting until your group was ready for yours.
On the Treasure Hunt now, but I feel we forgot something... OH, yeah, letting you ride the Legendary and giving you ALL the objectives! Well, all the objectives for Victory Road & Starfall, for some reason Arven gives you the location of the Titans before the time skip. Like, if anyone would be giving you the location of their objectives early, I think it would have been Nemona showing you where the Gyms are. Like the scene right after you meet with Arven where he shows you the locations you speak with Nemona about Victory Road, that would have been the spot where I think she would have added their locations on the map.
Anyway, I think this is where I'll end today's thoughts. Next few posts I'll go into the different stories individually (as well as more into the characters). Though, I gotta say, for all the build-up that you can do whatever story you want, well that was sure
LIE! Not only are you required to do ALL the stories to get to the post game, but due to how some of the progression mechanics work you pretty much need to do at least the Victory Road and Path of Titans story side-by-side (though you will still also need to do Starfall Street at some point as well for plot reasons; so essentially you're doing all stories regardless). Not like I don't think anyone wasn't planning on doing all of them, (it's not like one storyline has you needing to do Pokemon Contests, they're all different flavors of basic battling) still if you thought you could wait till post game to do one of the stories, not happening.