Preface:

I should probably mention that while this is my first time owning a game, it's not my first time playing. I have a little background with the video games, but only from some events and a friend's game, neither of which really count. I have played a little of Emerald and Sapphire, although I was quite familiar with the Pokemon and details about them from Kanto through Hoenn due to my having played the TCG.

...I also once played a ROM of Fire Red, when I was a lot younger.

My first Pokemon game (and console game) was Pokemon Y. I do not have a complete Pokedex, although got about half in there.

The Pokemon:

I must admit, I love the new Pokemon. They're not all perfect, but a lot of the issues with crappy design that I saw in previous generations is gone, and Pokemon in general are much more creative and abstract than what they mostly were in Gen 1 - animals, some with elemental powers. That's not to say that Gen 1 designs are bad - I love the original 151 Pokemon, and there are only a few in there that I don't like. That said, I did not love the Pokemon in Gen IV (I quit the card game a few months after the release of it in the TCG) - especially Arceus, Palkia, and Dialga. Elemental creatures controlling the world? Fine, I can live with that. The gods of Time, Space, and everything? As Pokemon that you can capture? Sorry, I really don't buy that. If they can control those, it's probably safer NOT to capture them.

My favorite new Pokemon Yveltal, because it's bizarre and awesome at the same time. Xerneas and Zygarde are also pretty cool, too. Of the non-legendaries, I'm caught between Tyrantrum, because it's a T-Rex, and Talonflame, because it was the first really cool three-stage standard bird I've seen. Dragalgee is also super-awesome, as are all three final evolutions of the starters - I was almost disturbed by Quilladin's appearance (cute little Chespin turned into a...monster), but I absolutely LOVE Chesnaught, and the other ones are great too. I would venture to say that there are no truly awful designs (aesthetically) this gen, because while Binacle and Pumpkaboo are pretty bad, they don't come close to the awful that is the seemingly human (and downright UGLY) Jynx and Mr. Mime or the stupidity that is Vanilluxe.

Main Playthrough/Story:

I played through with EXP Share turned on, and I was surprised by how little grinding I had to do. I could train an entire party without the game becoming tediously grind-heavy. The only battles I lost were those against Sky Trainers, do to the fact that my only Flying Pokemon was Fletchling/Fletchinder/Talonflame (and Butterfree, for a short period of time). The story, featuring multiple trainers and their joint journey through Kalos, was pretty decent, although Team Flare was a bit ridiculous - I can see how Team Magma and Aqua might think that half destroying the world could somehow benefit humans or Pokemon, but how stupid do you have to be to think that using a Pokemon that absorbs all life benefit you? Also, the grunts looked ridiculous. That hair...uuuuugh. Just awful. You call that fashionable?

I must admit that the ability to use a Master Ball on what is essentially the most important being in the entire story is a bit offsetting - that's what I did, and I kind of regret it, because catching Zygarde freaking SUCKED. That aside, it's a bit anticlimactic, even if you fight Lysandre after. Oh, and Team Flare, a group of criminals who tried to KILL EVERYONE, were basically forgiven - you can see them, wearing their Team Flare getup, here and there after you beat them. Foregiveness is great and all, but people like that should be locked away for a very long time.

I took a break from story after the 6th gym to do some breeding (for Pokedex), and then I went back. The rest of the story wasn't particularly challenging, save the Elite Four and Champion - while they were not overly difficult, they were a decent challenge of the sort I rarely encountered in the game.

One thing that was really annoying was catching Articuno. Getting it is ridiculously tedious. It most definitely is not fun. Oh, and you can only get one Legendary Bird per playthrough, meaning you have to through it three times. Two, I can almost understand, as having players play two slightly different games is a big reason for them to trade...but I don't think I want to go through two more full games just to get all three Birds, especially considering that the only other benefit is Legendary Pokemon for trading (I think).

Post-game:

The Looker saga was fun, although it seems odd to me that preschoolers would have stronger Pokemon than any Gym Leader. Also, Xerosic did not act remotely evil. Oh, and Malva was part of Team Flare, yet she wasn't hiding in the base to protect herself from Yveltal.

The Battle Maison and the other Battle place showed me that I definitely do not have the strategy down, as most of what I do in Pokemon is spam the most powerful attacks. I have a ways to go.

Player Search System:

The player search system is new to the franchise, and it makes the game a lot more fun. It makes evolving certain Pokemon way easier for people like me. I haven't done any battles yet, but O-Powers seem nice. I've only used them once, though.

Some Nitpicks:

- Beauties are carrying grocery bags, which is dumb and has sexist undertones

- If I want to start a new game to get the other Legendary Birds, there is no way to hold on to any of the Mega Stones, nor is there a means by which I can preserve my TMs for a future game - if I want to do another playthrough for some trade fodder and completion, then why can't I keep my Mega Stones? I get that Pokemon Bank's not being able to store items prevents items that are incompatible with a game from transferring to another, but the Mega Stones were a bit tedious to get, and the TMs even more so.

- I don't see why HM moves can't be overwritten

- Luvdisc is the new Magikarp

Awesome Things:

- No Safari Zone, because there is nothing more annoying than finding a rare Pokemon and hoping that it won't run away each time you attempt to catch it (with only a slim chance of success).

- 3D: older game's 2D style just wasn't nearly as interesting as this. Some of the scenery was really great, too - the sundial, and the falls in the Cyllage Gym, and so on - really great stuff.

- Multiracial (not just white, like older Pokemon games were)

- Mega Stone

The game has lasted me quite a bit of time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am almost definitely going to get Alpha Sapphire, although I'm not sure if I'll do another playthrough of X & Y for a while. The RPG elements of the game are great, and the side tasks are pretty decent, even if Pokemon Amie is kind of odd...

I also really like that you can actually train Pokemon outside of battle now with Super Training. If I ever try to do competitive playing, that will come in handy.