How are we feeling about all the changes and inclusions so far?

[salvader90]

Apparently there's no gyms and no HMs, instead there's an Island Challenge and Poké Rides. Ash is going to school in the anime, which seems like a downgrade from the awesome Ash from Kalos. Serena won't be there despite being popular, though I won't count that as a change because Ash had other companions leave. There are new Alola varient Pokémon which will probably replace the classic designs. We haven't seen any Mega Evolutions, instead we got Z moves. Could these changes be so controversial that Alola would be hated more than Unova?

Change is good, they are trying to spice things up, re evaluate the formula, see what works. I think their concern is to be up to date for the new generations. They want to stay competitive in the market. It can be good and bad.

 

[Alolan Aipom]

The status of HMs is currently unknown but who would miss them? They were a nuisance considering you couldn't unlearn them without the aid of the move deleter, and at this point the Pokérides look like alternatives to HMs that are actually fun, and allow Pokémon outside of your party to be featured.

Same situation with Megas - we don't know either way, but every single Pokémon can use Z moves and some get exclusive ones and honestly they seem way less game breaking than Megas whilst also being more inclusive (aka pseudo legendaries and a handful of others *cough Kangaskhan Blaziken Mawile cough * aren't the only viable options out there to unleash pure power...)

Alola variants bring the spotlight back around to some overlooked Pokémon, and - as smalllady said - they're not replacing the originals, they're just a complimentary alternate form, like many other Pokémon have had in the past.

The anime is a whole other topic, but I'm pretty sure Ash will face the island leaders and the kahunas, and, as with the removal of gyms in the game, did we really need another go-round of Ash traversing a new region with the same sequence of events motivating him?

No, quite the contrary of being hated, Alola is more likely to be embraced like a breath of fresh air. Sure, some purists will probably be unhappy, and it's always possible that the new direction falls flat, but the general gameplay is going to be the same as always - catch Pokémon, battle trainers. There's just going to be a lot more going on alongside it this time. And I don't really see how that could end up making it hated at all personally.

 

[PurplePopplio]

A change was so needed. This like placing the SNES cartridge in the system, finding that it doesn't work and blow on it to make it work. Sun and Moon will be that gust of wind.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

It is too soon to consider Sun and Moon the best games ever. Plus we don't know if it would match up to the Unova games who are the best in the franchise in my personal opinion.