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[Akura]

Welcome to this playthrough of Pokemon Sword, which takes place in Galar which is actually Britain. As it was quite recently released, this is pretty much a blind run.

One of the controversies surrounding Sword and Shield is the fact that many older Pokemon are supposedly not in any way obtainable. That said, I've already seen my personal favorite Pokemon in a screenshot on the back of the box, so hah! I've also seen rules for the first competitive tournament stating that only Pokemon obtainable in Galar are eligible, implying that non-Galar Pokemon are obtainable somehow. They also said that "special" Pokemon, including specifically Mew as well as the box legendaries, are not eligible, implying that Mew is legitimately obtainable in this game.

A few things to note before I begin. I'm actually much further in the game than any given update. I've also probably forgotten some of things I may have done, especially if I forgot to screenshot it in the first place. Also, some of the image sizes might be a little weird, especially for the first update. Not sure if that's Imgur doing something screwy with the upload or if it's something I have to fix - the screenshots were all scaled down by half in Paint, in part to keep the file size down.

[Akura]

Now, on to the game. Character creation happens the moment the game is turned on for the first time, in significant contrast to previous games. I didn't screenshot that, but it's basically just your name, and if you're a white/brown/black boy/girl.





: "Welcome to the wonderful world of Pokemon! Our beloved Galar region is a wonderful place, with thriving nature... beautiful cities, and many Pokemon with which we share our lives!

As you know, our society is able to thrive..."



Welcome to the latest Pokemon design: a bright orange elephant that looks like its wearing a backwards baseball cap.

: "Yes, Pokemon are all around us - in the sea, in the sky, and even with us in our towns! And those of us who choose to raise and train Pokemon to do battle and compete... we call Pokemon Trainers!"



I wonder if this guy gives this speech every time there's a battle in this stadium. You would think people would get it by now, am I right?

: "Oh! But I'm getting carried away. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rose, and it is a please to be here. Now turn you gaze to the Galar region's greatest Pokemon Trainer, your undefeated Champion...

It's time for Champion Leon's exhibition match!"









Is this guy actually dabbing?







: "Charizard! Dynamax!"





The intro gives us the first look at this game's main gimmick: Dynamaxing. This is also why Leon remains undefeated; when you're one of the few people who can pull out a 100ft-tall dragon, battles tend to be one-sided.

The result isn't shown, but I'm fairly certain that Raihan lost. Because he probably can't pull out a 100ft-tall dragon. Instead we cut to us at home.



That's a Wooloo. Apparently we're a poor shepherd family. Wait, are we Welsh?



We're a poor shepherd family that can afford a 70-inch flatscreen TV.



And here I am, playing on my phone.





This is Hop. He's our next-door neighbor, best friend, and rival. He's not quite as spastic as Barry was, but still pretty hyper. That's his personal Wooloo behind him.

Also, is "flash" used as an adjective in Britain?

: "Were you watching Lee's exhibition match on it? But you can't cheer him on with your hands full!"

One, I call bull on cheering being a hands-only activity. Two, why are we watching a televised event on a phone, when we have a 70-inch flatscreen TV literally right over there?

: "You know the only way to properly cheer on Lee would be with his famous Charizard pose!"

Ah, so Leon is the guy brought dabbing to Galar. I'm going to end that man's whole career.



That's the single mother raising a prodigal child present in every Pokemon generation except one. And yes, in true British fashion, we call her "Mum."

: "Yeah, that's exactly why I came running over to get Akura! Never mind watching the match now! I've got it recording at home anyway. I record all my brother's matches."

Finally, Pokemon gets ahold of DVR technology.



: "And Lee always brings presents when he visits, so I wouldn't forget that Bag if I were you! Now I've got to run! See you at mine later!"



Now we finally get to look around.



Also, there's plenty of wall-mounted radiators around the house.



Sadly, we cannot take one of the most useful hold items in the game here.



Is that what they call them over there?



Mum's pet Munchlax.



Like fish and chips, and spotted dick. Mum really likes the spotted dick, I'm sure.



I'm pretty sure that once that Munchlax evolves, feeding it will become a very expensive endeavor.



It has eight buttons on it. I also just noticed that the cabinets under the sink make almost no sense in how they're positioned.



: "I last saw it in your room. And don't forget to grab a hat for the weather!"

Mummy knows best. Also, hoo boy the weather. You'll see.



When I first bought the game, there was a really cute plushie of Celebi dressed a witch there as well. I almost regret not buying it too.



We're a poor shepherd family that can afford two 70-inch flatscreen tellies, one for Mum's comedy-dramas, and one for a Switch which generally works better as a handheld console as opposed to being docked. And I was preferring to watch a Youtube stream of a battle instead of watching it on the telly.



Wait, is this a family bed? Like, I share this with my mum? I mean, that does answer the age-old question of where the mother sleeps and mum is hella thicc, but I don't really think this bed is sized for two people. We're not that trapped in the Middle Ages.



Biologically adult. Nobody ever said you had to emotionally become an adult.



That's the closest the series has ever implied to dad being dead.





Ready to rock.

The game explains some of the menus, and I open up the options menu.



Why would we need to play this one-handed?



: "Now hurry along. Hop is waiting, isn't he? But remember - no going into the forest for the two of you!"

Yes, mum. We're not going to immediately disobey you.



Yes, the game has actual loading screens. We live in the town of Postwick, which according to maps made by other people already, is actually close to real-life Inverness. Galar is the UK flipped N/S. And I thought those memes about the female player character being a drunk Scot were jokes.









So, Mum has a flock of Wooloo, a Munchlax, and a Budew. My rival already has a Wooloo. I've got nothing.



Are you mocking my heirloom backpack that I got from my presumably dead father?

: "At least we know it should hold anything Lee might bring, even if it's as big as a Snorlax!"

Time-space compression technology has been known for centuries in the Pokemon universe. And it's been over two decades since that technology has been mass produced to the point that an object the size of a baseball that can hold something "as big as a Snorlax" costs about as much as a cup of coffee.



: "A Wooloo... But what's it doing there?"

Um... it's right outside my mum's house probably because my mum owns it?

Said Wooloo begins bashing its face against the gate.

: "Hey! You silly Wooloo! I see what you're up to! Don't go using Tackle on the fencing! Everyone knows there are scary Pokemon living in the Slumbering Weald!"

The Wooloo just goes "meeeh" and continues ramming the gate. It's either brave or very stupid.

: "How about it, Akura? Let's race! Bet I can make it to my house first, what with you lugging about that big old Bag!"

ARE YOU MOCKING MY DEAD DAD'S BAG STILL?


"A farming town since days of old, where people and their Pokemon live in close harmony."

Postwick consists of literally two houses, mine and Hop's. That's actually a step back from previous games, where you'd usually get three or four. That said, Postwick does have a lot of visible farmland, so it's probably less a town and instead a rural backwater.



"Now you can battle and trade Pokemon with other people just by walking around! Isn't that super amazing?"

Yes, and you can also flood nearby Bluetooth devices just by walking around as well.



This is Hop's house. Judging by the size, Postwick isn't so much a farm as a feudal manor. Does that mean I'm his serf?

I can't go any further down the road, so I go to Hop's house.



<Ididn'tscreenshotHop'sMum'sface>: "Oh, and you've brought along Akura. Hello dear."

Oh god, I am their feudal serf.

: "Yeah, yeah, but where's Lee? Have you got him crammed in a cupboard?"

What is to us criminal child abuse is to the British fine child-rearing.

<Ididn'tscreenshotHop'sMum'sface>: "He's still not here yet! For the hundredth time... Honestly, Hop, you must learn some patience!"

Yeah, Barry! I mean, Hop!

"He's probably only just arrived at the station in Wedgehurst.

: "Then that's where I'm going! You know Lee is hopeless with directions. I'll make sure he doesn't get lost on the way!"

It's literally a straight line.

: "You've got to come with, Akura. You've still never met my big bro, right? You can't miss out on your chance to meet the undefeated Champion! I'll wait for you out on the route!"



I'm going to rummage around your house first.



I did not know Purrloin was bipedal. It looks weird this way.



This either Hop's dad, or one of their other serfs.





Pretty much the entire franchise summed up in one image.



So many flatscreen TVs.



: "Wild Pokemon could come out of nowhere if you walk through patches of tall grass. But not you, Akura! So we'll steer clear of the tall grass as we go."

He literally blocks me from walking through the side path into the grass.







A crowd gathers to gree the Undefeated Champion of many hats.





: "Hello, Hello, Wedgehurst! Your Champion, Leon, is back! I promise I'll keep doing my best to deliver the greatest battles for you all to watch!"

If he wins all the time, how is it fun to watch? Unless you like watching brutal executions or something.

Random person: "It's our unbeatable Champion! Leon, you and Charizard are the greatest!"

: "Well, thank you for that! I hope you'll all carry on training up your Pokemon and never shy from battle. Then come challenge me for the Champion title!"

At which point he will brutally murder them for fun.

Rando 1: "We're on it! We've all been working on our battle skills just like you've taught us to, Lee!"

Rando 2: "But that Charizard of yours is too strong for the likes of us to take on!"

Yes, us peasants haven't got a chance against the 100ft-tall dragon.

: "Too true that Charizard is blazingly strong. But other Pokemon can be strong as well! That's why I want the strongest of challengers, to fill the Gym Challenge and come battle me! My wish is for Galar's Trainers to work together to become the strongest in all the world!"



And then, and then, we will rebuild the British Galarian Empire!

...Right?



: "Hop! So, my number-one fan in all the world has come out of his way to pick me up! Look at you, Hop! I reckon you've grown... exactly an ince and a quarter since the last time I saw you!"

: "Bingo! That's the sort of sharp eye that's kept you undefeated so long, eh, Lee?"

: "And these bright eyes over here..."

Senpai noticed me, yay.

: "I've got it! You must be Akura - am I right? I've heard loads about you from my little brother. I'm the Galar region's greatest-ever Pokemon Champion - and a massive Charizard fan, too. People call me the unbeatable Leon!"

: "Come on, Lee! And you, Akura! Bet I can beat the both of you back home!"

And he's already gone.

: "That Hop... Always wanting to be the best, isn't he?"

Like no one was before. To catch them is the real test, to train them is the cause. Pokemon, gotta catch em' all! Except you can't anymore since they stripped the list for this game.

: "With a proper rival of his own, I bet he'd push himself to become something truly special...

Well, everyone! I bid you farewell for today! But don't you fret... *dabs* I'll always be around to make sure everyone in Galar can have a champion time!"



Nothing happens on the way back. Leon even manages to walk in a straight line apparently.



: "You brought Akura and me Pokemon. You did, didn't you? I know you must have!"

: "Right then! The greatest gift from the greatest Champion... It's show time, everyone!"













...And they immediately piss off somewhere.









Sobble uses Water Gun!(despite not having learned it yet)



It's super effective!





I missed the screencap, but yes, Grookey's berry did hit Sobble.



And it's super effective at making Sobble cry.

: "All right! Line up, everyone!"



: "Which will you choose?"



Yaay, picking time!



It just keeps going and going and going...



I'm pretty sure we're forcing them to hurt each other, not dating them.



I'm pretty sure it just cries, instead of adapting.


So there we have it, a choice between cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. I'm pretty sure I can make a lot more jokes about the bunny rabbit, so I pick cocaine.





Don't worry little guy, you're going to be decapitating armored men soon enough.

[Akura]

: "I'm aiming to be the next Champion, so be ready! You and I'll be doing some serious training!"

I like how what he says has absolutely no suggestion of consent to this on Grookey's part.



Wooloo are presumably herbivores. I think this one is considering eating Grookey.

: "I bet you will be, Hop. That's why I brought along these Pokemon for you and Akura. So the two of you might battle and train and grow stronger together... to try and match me!"

It's all about him, isn't it?



[face-007]: "Charizard will show you the ropes. He's strict - but real strong and real kind, too!"

I hope we're not talking literal ropes here.



First, it's still the middle of the day. Second, wow, way to step on what your own children do as a profession.

Unlike previous games, the concept of using the system clock for a day/night cycle was thrown out the window, so scenes like this can happen, where Hop's and Leon's mum barbecues... stuff for us.



Hop is carrying two skewers. Even if one of those are mine, and there's no indication that it is, there's no way I'd be able to eat that whole thing.



Seriously, no sense of time. I wonder if the only reason that they kept the day/night cycle for the previous games because that was literally the title and theme of the games.



: "Getting on all right? Understanding one another? Maybe even built up a bit of love?"

YO WHAT THE FU-


...Are they Welsh?

: "Course I have, Lee! Akura's made fast friends with his Scorbunny, too!"

Friends. The key word here is friends.



: "If you trust in one another and carry on battling side by side long enough, then someday..."





Top Ten Anime Betrayals.

: "If you think Akura might be able to challenge you, then I guess he's my first rival! But I'm not planning to lose to him and miss out on my chance to beat the unbeatable Champion!"

Silly boy, nobody plans to lose. Unless they're playing some form of 5-dimensional speed chess where their defeat is just another step in their long running plan to seize victory in a single brilliant move according keikaku.

But nobody is doing that here. I think.



By definition, yes it does.

: "Proper Trainers raise their Pokemon up to be first-rate in battle, too!"



Top Ten Anime Betrayals 2: Electric Boogaloo.

: "Guess I'll be the judge of that! Let's see how you handle yourself in a battle against their friend, if he's up for it."



Are you kidding me? It's only been over a hundred screenshots and there hasn't been any kind of battle yet.



: "Do those two things, and I'm certain you'll learn to choose the moves that suit your Pokemon. And more importantly... to have a champion time battling with them!"



: "I've watched every match that Lee's ever had! I've read every book and magazine he left behind at home, too! I know exactly what to do in order to win!"

Knowing what to do and being capable of doing it are two different things.








Scorbunny levels up and immediately learns Ember. As if that wasn't a hint enough.



I know, I was right there, Hop.





Oh come on! Everyone knows about the basic Fire>Grass>Water>Fire matchup.



I get the feeling that if he had used Grookey first, he might have had a better chance.



: "You and your Pokemon all fought hard. Made me almost want to let out Charizard and join in all the fun!"

Please don't.

: "Good effort out there, Scorbunny. Why don't I get you all sorted? And Akura, you've got greate promise! In fact, I've got a favor to ask you... Be a real rival to Hop, would you? Push him, and make the both of you stronger!"

Bully your kid brother. Got it, will do, already doing.



You've seen me battle now Lee, so come on - you've gotta let me take on the Pokemon Gyms!"

: "You? Join the Gym Challenge? You think you're ready for the single greatest competition in the Galar Region? Not putting the cart before the Rapidash there, little brother?"

Okay, stop. Why would you put a Rapidash on a cart? While the Galarian Rapidash is not Fire-type, so it wouldn't burn the cart, but I also know for a fact Mudsdale is in this region as well and would be a much better draft Pokemon.

: "If that's really what you want to do, you have a whole lot you need to learn about Pokemon. Especially your friend, Akura. Before you think about getting Gym Badges, best to think about getting a Pokedex. A Trainer's Pokedex helps them learn lots of things about all the Pokemon out there, including their strengths."

It doesn't as far as I know.

: "But it's more than just a collection of data, you know, it's a record of a Trainer's love and passion for Pokemon training."

Again, it's really not.

: "Right, right, we get it... Pokedexes then! We're on it! Looks like it's off to the Pokemon Research Lab for you and me, Akura!"

: "That's the kind of enthusiasm a Trainer needs! I'll let the professor know to expect you."

: "I'm going to be the next Champion so completing a simple Pokedex will be nothing! Just another page in the tale of my legend! You'd probably better go tell your mum that we're heading out, though."

Yes, I should tell my mum we're off on an adventure to who knows where.



: "Akura! Did you hear that just now?"





Wait, that Wooloo was attacking the gate the entire night?




Tell that to the Wooloo.

: "I remember the professor's granddaughter went in once, and she came back in a right state... And that's nothing compared to the earful she got from the professor afterward!"



That's me mum's income on the line there. Of course I'm going after it.

: "Right? Even if we're not supposed to, this is the kind of scene where you simple have to do what's needed! Hope you're ready for anything, because we're going in, Akura!"

Lemme just tell her I'm going into the scary forest of death real quick.



...Or not. Sure, let's go die without anyone knowing what happened.





I don't know, it didn't strike me as particularly intelligent.



There are random encounters in the grass here, but we can't catch anything yet.











Well don't run off! You don't leave someone alone in a place like this. That's basic survival.



Try lifting your hand to your face, first.

: "I think I get now why this place is off-limits."




Wait, wha-



Oh crap!







Well that ain't fair at all.




We're screwed.






Are we alive? Butthole's still intact? Okay.





: "You're pants with directions. You always get lost.

: "Oh, that's nice to hear from the little brother who had me worried sick! I'd been waiting ages for your two, and you never showed! Of course I came looking for the both of you!"

How long were we unconscious? Without a day/night cycle, telling the time is pretty hard.

: "Wait, where's the Wooloo? We were trying to rescue that Wooloo!"



It's literally right in front of us.

: "The little chap's just fine. Though all of you had fainted by the time I found you here. You know this place is out of bounds... But it took courage to come in here all the same. And I can understand well enough why you did it. You did good, Hop!"



Hooray, our family income is secured.

: "I thought we'd had it when that weird fog started rolling in and that mad Pokemon attacked... but at least it wasn't all for nothing!"



: "It seemed seemed loads stronger than any Pokemon I've ever seen. And it just had this sort of presence. Our moves didn't even touch it. I mean really... they seemed to pass right through it!"

"Our" moves? You didn't try fighting it.

: "You're moves passed right through it? So, the fearsome Pokemon they say live in the Slumbering Weald... Are they actually illusions or something. Get strong enough and maybe the two of you could be the ones to unravel the mystery. For know, let's simply get out of this place. You'll be all right now that I'm here with you!"

: "Even if we did get an earful from Lee... what an experience! This'll make a pretty fine first page in the tale of my legend!"

"Our tale begins with our hero, Hop, losing against his best friend. Then he cowered behind his friend who battled a fearsome beast, then tried to take credit for fighting it himself. Which he didn't."



: "She'll go spare if you leave without a word - even worse than Lee just did!"

Well I was going to tell her! But who railroaded me onto the plot?



Wait, wasn't there only one of those before?



: "And yes, I heard the news from young Leon. I'm glad someone bothered to tell me! Off to Wedgehurst, aren't you? Here you are! A bit of pocket money for your journey. Buy yourself a little something at the Pokemon Center. Maybe some Potions or something!"

What she actually gave me are some Pokeballs, meaning I can catch a few Pokemon before getting the Pokedex. Which I will do, next update.

[King Zultan]

PTW

Also why does everyone's backpack look like a suitcase?

[Akura]

: "Guess I'll probably train up Grookey a bit by having it battle against Pokemon in the tall grass."



: "mark out on front. That's the Pokemon Research Lab!"




Yes I would wake them up! I don't think walking by them would even wake them.

But at the very least, it gives me a chance the catch things. Time to use the balls my mum gave me.



In this game, Pokemon are found walking around in the grass. In addition, walking around will cause an exclamation point to appear, this is also a Pokemon encounter and some Pokemon are more easily found this way. (Note: I didn't discover this until much later.)

Take that Rookidee there.




Rookidee is the basic bird Pokemon. It's most notable feature is that it's a pure Flying-type; unlike every previous game's bird, it's not mixed with Normal.







Hop isn't the only one putting his balls to Wooloo.

That was all I could encounter on Route 1.




Does Leon just let his Charizard hang around and bask in the glow of adoring fans?

The building behind them is the train station.



The man behind the counter is actually a Poke Mart. I can't take a train anywhere just yet, due to a railcar inspection. I'm being ironically railroaded elsewhere.


"To the right is the Pokemon Lab. On the opposite side is the station."

Wow. This guy's greatest achievment is being a substitute road sign. His parents must be proud.

But right, the Pokemon Lab.



: "You did a far sight better than I did my first time. I'm hopeless with directions."

I can't tell if he's being condescending or an utter dumbass.

For the record, the directions to get here are: Down the road until you enter the town, go right. That's all. There's literally a guy posing as a signpost to give directions.

: "See how your world has already grown, all thanks to having Pokemon with you. I know I'm sure glad I've got Charizard with me... to keep me from getting lost all the time. Now, in we go!"

Try not to get lost in the three steps towards the door.










Aww, whose a good little puppy?



: "Looking for info on another never-before-seen, superstrong Pokemon? I wish you'd stop with these outlandish requests."

As a matter a fact, a few minutes ago in the forest...



: "Yamper here is a real champ when it comes to helping you find your way around. He came to my rescue plenty of times back in the day when I got lost on the road. Oh yeah, that's his Trainer, Sonia. What can I say about Sonia? Well, I like the way she cooks. She makes food you can gobble down in a flash."

That's how you talk about a lady? How she should stick to the kitchen?



: "Gym Challenge? It wasn't just Yamper helping you out, I did too."



Oh, so you're the one I saw all that hentai of.



: "He's a new Pokemon Trainer. Set him on the right path, would you?"

Try not to get lost on the way out the door.



: "head in the clouds. It's not wonder he gets lost all the time. Oh, looks like you've got a Rotom Phone. Hey there, Rotom!"



My phone isn't just a smartphone, it's a sentient phone. And at no point do I ever use it to make a phone call.



: "That said, Leon still gets lost, so... Oh, sorry. So tell me, do you know a lot about Pokemon?"

Uhh...
Has been playing these games for more than half their life

: "Don't worry. Here, I'll make it so that you can use the Pokedex on your Rotom Phone!"



We don't get a standalone Pokedex this game, we get a Pokedex smartphone app. Hey wait, can I get Pokemon Go! on my Rotom smartphone?



: "Could you let Gran know that you received your Pokedex? She lives in the house down along Route 2."

Do you want me to bring her a picnic basket and a big bad wolf Pokemon? Because I just ran into one.

: "Leon's a right amazing Champion, and I'm basically just an assistant... I'm not even Gran's official assistant, either. I've just been calling myself one... Some how, it makes me feel a little worthless."

You don't need an Official Job Title to be an assistant. Well, it's over the river and through the woods off to grandma's house for me. Except I'm staying the hell out of the woods.


"You just left the Pokemon Lab, right? So that means you've got a Pokedex, yeah? I love talking to new Trainers and giving them useful stuff."



Okaaay. But if I see a windowless van, I'm running for an adult.

Moving on.


"It'll take your breath away!"

Yeah, because of all the industrial smog. It's Britain Galar, right?



: "Then it's time to meet lots of different Pokemon and start building up a strong team! But battling strong Pokemon in the wild can leave your team in a bad way. Not to mention what battling another Trainer can do. Luckily, we've got Pokemon Centers! They look the same wherever you go. Come on, Akura. Bet you've never been inside one!"



In this universe?

: "Then the future Champion's got you covered! First things first - talk to the lady at the counter if you want your Pokemon healed up."



: "After all, you can only bring six Pokemon with you on the road in your party. The Potions they sell at the Poke Mart got me out of a real rough spot the other day!"

One of the most annoying things about SuMo comes back with a vengeance: Rotom. It's everywhere now. Luckily they're not as bad as the previous game.



: "Cheers! I'm already good, though."

And I've got some dude creeping on me.

Aside from the medical counter and the Poke Mart, there's also a guy on the left who combines the Name Rater, Move Reminder, and Move Deleter from previous games. The Mover Reminder is free in this game, instead of requiring Heart Scales.

As for the rest of Wedgehurst.


"I bet he's an amazing Trainer, just like Leon!"

Hahaha no. This stall does sell some basic Berries. I don't think his stock ever expands, though.



The clothing store. I would say the selection is a bit better than the previous game. I'm still a bit low on cash at this point, so all I buy is a new hat.



What is it now, Hop?

: "If you're a Pokemon Trainer now, you must want to try your hand at the Gym Challenge, right?"

Sure. It's the same as any other, right?

: "The Gym Challenge, mate! The annual competition where Trainers can battle it out for the right to challenge the Champion! But the trick is that you've got to be endorsed if you want to take part."

So there's the British sense of nepotism and classism I've been waiting for.

: "And Lee doesn't seem to think I'm up to snuff... So I'm thinking I ought to talk to the professor and see if she could help! You've got to take part, too! A proper rival is just the thing every Trainer needs to keep growing stronger, after all. Keeps you motivated, right? The professor's house is way down at the end of Route 2, so let's head there... and give our teams a chance to train up a bit along the way!"

I always figured an existential threat was a good motivator too. But hey, whatever works.



Hold up. Leon is: obsessed with winning all the time, has a... fascination with hats, and he dumped his perfectly fine girlfriend like a piece of rubbish the moment he was through the Pokemon League?

Leon is Ash Ketchum?


"Professor lives."

Fortunately, it's not as far as it looks.





: "All right, Akura? It's time we filled in our teams a bit-"



: "You'll need to catch Pokemon if you've got any hope of filling in that Pokedex.

: "Lee? Where'd you come from?"

How is someone so easily lost so good at stealth?

: "Only... look at you, little Akura! You've already caught some on your own!"

For years, we've been wanting to tell that guy who insists on teaching us how to catch a Pokemon to shove off, and we finally get to!

: "Your mum gave you those Poke Balls, did she? I'll give you some more Poke Balls. In return, I'll only ask that you catch plent of Pokemon! The Pokemon around here seem easy to catch. Almost like they're itching to join some Trainer's team, wouldn't you say?"



Now I have balls for days.

Also, that stuff on Leon's cape are from his sponsors. He's turned his backside into ad-space.

: "The Pokemon on your team with get Exp. Points when you catch Pokemon, too."

: "And of course, they get Exp. Points from battle, so take on the other Trainers you meet along the path to help your Pokemon thrive."

As far as I know, you cannot turn off the Exp. sharing. Which is kind of annoying.

: "Your team will keep on changing and growing as you get stronger together, no doubt... But even I don't know exactly how yet! Show your Champion something good, all right?"

: "All right! I'm gonna catch loads of Pokemon. The Professor will be shocked when she sees!"

Spoiler alert: he doesn't.

Me on the other hand.




I call it the Derp Squirtle.





This is one of the nicest features of this Pokedex: it will show you whatever Pokemon - that you've already encountered - are in a given route. In addition, looking up a Pokemon's habitat will not only show you what areas a Pokemon lives in(as in all prior games) but also under what weather conditions(or if they're fished) they're found.

Further along the path, we see our first victim opposing Trainer other than Hop.




Actually, they trigger based on cone of vision, I don't need to meet their eyes.




His Skwovet pretty much immediately dies.



He's the only random trainer is the way for now, the rest are just wild Pokemon.







Yamper's a good boy. I don't know quite where he came from, I found him in the middle of the road, far away from any grass.



It's about half way to the Professor's house, and I'm going to end it here. Because I haven't pulled any more screenshots off my Switch's SD card yet.

Before I forget, as far as I know, there's still a Mystery Gift event running for the normal form Meowth.

[Akura]

(Finished transferring screenshots from my entire playthrough onto my PC, up until the other day. The total so far is 3,232 screenshots with a total size of 770MB. Just a note, I am still massively further into the game than this LP suggests)


Continuing down Route 2 to the professor's house.

As of now, my team is Scorbunny, Wooloo, Derp Squirtle, Nickit, Rookidee, and Skwovet.




She had a Chewtle. It was neither strong nor cute.




Almost there.




If you couldn't beat Hop... ya ain't gonna beat me.



Blipbug is this game's basic bug. It's a nerd that doesn't like being bullied. I proceed to bully it.



The professor's house is right behind him.




: "I had hoped that my granddaughter would take over my research, but..."

But Sonia isn't named after a tree.




: "Welcome, young Trainers! Now come, let's head indoors."



: "And you must be Akura. I trust that you received the Pokedex from Sonia. I'm sure that you'll have it complete in no time!"

Now I'm wondering, is completing a Pokedex a common occurance in this region?



: "Professor Magnolia's been doing research into the Dynamax phenomenon for years and years. And it takes a proper understanding of the thing if you plan to use Dynamaxing to the fullest!"



You DO realize the world we live in, right? Pokemon is literally what everyone talks about all the time.

: "There are other things worth knowing about, too, you know. Like how many different types of tea there are!"

Because it's Britain Galar.



: "Help me convince Lee he should endorse us for the Gym Challenge!"

Yes, help us perpetuate classism!



: "Hop and Akura only just started out as Pokemon Trainers... There's still loads they don't know yet!"

: "Dearie, I thought your dream was to have everyone in the Galar region become strong Trainers. Isn't that right?"

: "Well, yeah... you're not wrong. That goal's precisely the reason I gave them both Pokemon, in fact."



: "Let's see if the two of you can show me such a brilliant battle that I'm left with no choice but to endorse you. And don't worry. I'll make sure both your teams are in good shape before the battle starts."

: "Right! I'll be waiting outside, Akura!"

You're going to be waiting for a bit. I'm gonna rummage through the old lady's house first.



Gotta get everything before I can give everything.



That sounds like a bad idea. What if the chimney's not been cleaned in a while?



Probably the same Pokemon that comes through the chimney.



Either it's Sonia's room, or Professor Magnolia is really into what kids are into these days. That said, the bed does look like it's too small for Sonia - she's one of the tallest of the people here except maybe Leon.



Yes, because I am SO into the latest makeup products.



Included among those are Butterfree and Zubat, the latter of which I looked up and found that it's impossible to obtain in this game. Interesting.



: "You've gotta battle me so I can get myself that endorsement!"

Oh have a little patience, Hop. I'm busy looting the professor's yard. I found a Great Ball and TM57 Payback around there.



: "I think you've got potential, and that's why I want you to be a real rival to Hop. And that's direct from your Champion Leon!"

: "I'm going to become the greatest Pokemon Trainer there is! And to do that, I need that endorsement to take part in the Gym Challenge! Come at me with everything you have so we can prove to Lee we've got what it takes!"



I wonder if she battles. Is granny spry?



: "part in. That's how I've gotten to where I am today. Show me something good in this battle!"

I thought you got here because Charizard keeps you from getting lost.





I somehow missed the screenshot, but it was my Wooloo against his. His lost.




Plants burn. It's not that hard to figure out.



His "green" power is to slap me in the face with a stick. It's as effective as it sounds. My power...



...is to set plants on fire.



It's as effective as it sounds.



This isn't close. This isn't remotely difficult.



That isn't exactly threatening. For the three Pokemon he had, I had six, and all are stronger than that one Rookidee. And that's without the critical hit from Nickit.





It isn't how you throw your balls, it's what's in your balls that matter.

: The sting of defeat and the joy of victory... I guess going through both is the key to the two of us getting stronger, right?"



: "I suppose I've little choice but to give you both an endorsement as Champion!"



How'd he write these so fast?

: "Yes! Thanks, Lee! I swear I'm going to win my way through the Gym Challenge to reach you!"

: "You may both be young still, and plenty rough around the edges, but it was a proper battle. Charizard and I were both feeling the excitement in every last cell in our bodies!"

...We can kinda see that. Your shorts are a bit... tight. Didn't need to see that.

: "Hop, you've always tended to get caught up in things like how you throw your Poke Ball out... Things that have nothing to do with real strength. Honestly, I'd been worried about you still obsessing over that sort of nonsense, but it seems you really have grown a bit, Little Brother! And I'd like to see some more thrilling Pokemon battles out of you, too, Akura."



And not, say, everybody else?

: "That's the way of it when you've got a real rival! Just like you've got me, and I've got you!"

So which of us is Cher in this relationship?






: "Since there are two of them, you should take one yourself!"



: "With one of these, my Pokemon can Dynamax! They're gonna be massive! YES!"



: "They say Wishing Stars fall down for those who have a true wish in their heart, you know."





: "There! I've said it three times, so surely my wish will come true now, right?"

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody- ...What?

: "Don't be silly, Hop. Those Wishing Stars are composed of a curious sort of rock containing unknown power... They are one of the most precious resources we have here in the Galar region. But they won't do a thing for you in that state. Give them to me now, and I'll have you sorted."

: "Ah, right. You've done heaps of research on the Dynamax phenomenon, haven't you Professor? Then please! Give Akura and me the power to Dynamax our Pokemon! First we got to battle against that mad Pokemon in the Slumbering Weald, and now this... It really feels like we're getting caught up in the adventure of a lifetime!"

For the last time, you didn't battle that Pokemon, I did!

: "I do understand your excitement, young man, but don't get carried away. You want to save that energy for tomorrow's journey!"

: "Seems I came back home right in time for all the excitement!"



: "obsessed with making the latest trendy curries."




That was a fast transition. What was in that curry?

: "Good morning to you, young Challengers."

: "Hop, is it true you really met some Pokemon you didn't recognize? Is there anything more you can tell me about it?"

: "Er, well, there was a weird heavy fog, and then this even weirder Pokemon appeared... Akura tried to fight it off!"

Finally.

: "But then I think we both passed out or something. It's all pretty hazy."

: "A right fount of information you are.

: "Akura, Hop, these are for you."



: "Those are your Dynamax Bands. I made them by fitting the Wishing Stars you found last night into those bands."

: "Thanks, Professor! This is brilliant! It's just like the one Lee has on him, too. Now we can Dynamax our Pokemon like he does!"

: "My word, you don't waste any time, do you? I think you'll find it's not so simple as all that. There are a number of conditions you must meet if you hope to have your Pokemon Dynamax and take on that gigantic form. Now, don't be afraid to go to all sorts of places and meet all sorts of Pokemon. That will help fill out your Pokedex, too."

: "The legend of my reign if finally about to begin!"

Wouldn't that be "reign of your legend"? Or are you planning to take over the country?

: "Come on, Akura! I'll beat you to the station."



: "I don't know... I've got an uneasy feeling for some reason..."

Is it the curry you ate?



: "You know how you sometimes see Pokemon wandering about out of the tall grass, yeah? If you move real slow like, and crouch down, those Pokemon won't pay you any notice. But on the other hand... If you whistle at them, you'll be SURE to catch their attention!"

This is about Pokemon, and not stalking women, right?

: "If you're a bit rubbish at whistling, just remember this: 'Need a fail-proof trick? Press the Left Stick!'"



: "You remember Wedgehurst Station, right? Where we went to pick up Lee before. That will be the goal, so see you there!"

I'm not even gonna play his game. I take a casual, uneventful walk back to Wedgehurst.



Are we racing or stalking?



I'm not trying to!



Oh no. He's not racing or stalking. He's Naruto-running.

If I'm going on a trip, I'm going to get a fresh look. I head to the clothing store and pick up a hoodie.



It makes me look a bit edgy.



: "I caught a really special one! And you got..."

Uh... nothing. I had already caught everything I thought I could yesterday. The only ones I missed were ones I did not know never appeared walking about.

: "Not one? What were you doing this whole time? You're going to want a team if you're a Trainer!"

My team still outnumbers AND out-levels yours!



He hands me this TM as some kind of pity gift.

: "That's a technical machine! A TM, mate! With a TM like that, you can teach your Pokemon a new move in a flash. And you can use them again and again, too. That one can teach the move Swift. Lee gave it to mea ages ago, and now it's yours. The Gym Challenge will begin in Motostoke! And our train's wating, so let's go!"





: "I knew this day was coming since the moment you chose Grookey as a partner, darling."

That was literally two days ago. Maybe, I don't know how long I was really out on that curry blackout.

: "Professor Magnolia was kind enough to let us know that you two were setting out."

Ooh. We really need to keep in touch with out mothers more. Or at least, Hop has to stop railroading me so I can.

: "So here - a last little gift to see you well set on your way. All the kit you'll need for camping!"



Yay! You're the best, Mum!

: "No matter what happens out there, if you and your partner are together, I know you'll be fine."

: "Thanks, Mum. And just think how lucky you are - mother to the first ever pair of Champion brothers! Because I'm certain to be the Champion next. You'll see!"

Are you talking crap about me in front of my mum?

: "Of course you will be, darling. Anyway, do have fun and take care of yourselves! You'll be welcome back home anytime!"

: "Wish us luck! Not that we'll need it."

Nor would it help you.

: "There are loads of brilliant Trainers and all kinds of Pokemon out there waiting for us! My excitement's running ahead of me even faster than that train can go, Akura!"

[Akura]

This one is going to be largely a pile of images.



Just me and Hop sitting on a train, looking through social media on our smartphones instead of paying attention to one another almost as if it were a proper modern date-
Hop I swear that if you try to footsie me I will ram my foot as hard as I can into your kneecap.





It's possible to get sick of it, but then, it did take awhile.




"I'm sorry to tell you that the train is halted, due to a flock of Wooloo on the tracks."

Dammit Mum, can you try to keep them locked up?!

: "What's there to be sorry about? This is brilliant! This Wild Area is massive! There are loads of Pokemon to battle here! You get it, don't you, Akura? This is the best possible place to put together the greatest team!"

He isn't wrong about any of this. The vast majority of Pokemon acquired in this game come from the Wild Area.



These two refer to the games Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee games. I don't know what they give you, since I never put down >$50(EACH) for either of these games.


"It wouldn't be very decent of us to try to drive off those Pokemon just because we happen to want to run our train here, now would it?"

I mean, it wouldn't be decent of you to go bankrupt because you weren't running the trains, not to mention all the disruption you're causing because the trains aren't running on time.


"If you feel like you're in a pinch during a battle, just use a Poke Doll!"



We are going to need them. Now, to step into the wide world of Pokemon for reals this time.



I don't know why there's a purple haze over everything, it might have been the time of day since it turns out that while everywhere else uses Plot Time, the Wild Area does use the system clock.




: "And between there and here are countless new Pokemon waiting to be met!"

Motostoke... Judging from the name, it sounds like they make cars there. Of course they don't, cars don't exist, silly.



Hi, Sonia!



: "'Those two young Trainers are setting out on a journey, but what are you doing with your life?'"

Ouch. Being a NEET in the Pokemon universe is probably worse than being a NEET in real life.

: "Ah... Never mind that! Nothing to worry yourselves over! Besides, I'd been quite curious about that Pokemon you two met in the forest. I'd been thinking I should look into it, so the timing works out fine! If I discover something really huge, the maybe even Gran'll admit I've got some talent!"

: "Yikes.. Being an adult has got its own challenges, eh?"

Sheesh, what if you don't find anything? I don't think you'd fit in with Team Skull, not in the least they're on the opposite side of the world and probably don't exist anymore.

: "I said you needn't worry about it! I'm glad to be on the road. Really! It's been ages. It'll be great fun to fish and camp and rought it outside again."



Sticking your head into the dens of wild creatures sounds like a perfectly safe thing to do. Have fun with that.

: "I'm going to battle the snot out of a bunch of Dynamax Pokemon and fill another page in the tale of my legend!"

Hop jumped face first into the wild Pokemon's den. The Pokemon was 100ft tall. Hop punched it in the nose, clearing the mucus blockage the Pokemon had from a cold.



: "You'd better Dynamax your partner Pokemon, too, if you want to take on opponents that strong! You'll find spots here and there in the Wild Area to emit a beam of light. If you think you're up to it, check them out. There'll be Dynamax Pokemon lurking inside! So with that, how about I send you off with a little treat from me?"



: "With a Pokemon Box Link, you'll be able to put Pokemon from your team into your Boxes or take Pokemon from your Boxes to add them to your team. Nice, right? So go wild catching as many Pokemon as you like, and fill some more of your Pokedex!"

Neato, this means that PCs are mostly obsolete. Oddly enough, I still use then out of habit.



And we're off!

...and run right into this.



That's a Lv. 26 Onyx. The highest on my team is about Lv. 11 at this point. Not only that, I'm physically unable to throw a Poke Ball at it, since the maximum level you can catch is locked behind badges in this game. I have to flee using a Poke Doll.

Now, this Onyx was wandering outside the grass. The one's wandering inside the bounds of tall grass are at a level more easily handled. As evidenced by this pile of screenshots.




At this point, I check out one of the Dynamax Dens.



Here's how these work: You can either invite up to three (physically, in real life) nearby players to assist, or the game will give you 3 semi-randomly generated Trainers to help. The battle has a time limit of 10 turns or if 4 Pokemon are knocked out(in total). You can send in only one Pokemon, and if it gets knocked out you can cheer the other players for a boost. You Pokemon will also be revived after three turns.

As for my first attempt...



It was a total wipe.



If figure here was a good place to set up camp and cook up some curry because that is literally the only thing you're allowed to cook. And what flavor of violent diarrhea did I come up with?




Spicy curry with sprinkles.

Back to catching stuff.









I swap out Wooloo for Metapod hoping for a quick evolution.





It was at this moment I realized that not only are Pokemon walking about visible, but if you run through the grass an encounter will appear where the Pokemon isn't visible until you walk into it and battle. I run back to Routes 1 and 2 to get a few things I missed.





The Exp. gained from catching Caterpie ironically gives Metapod a level.



I swap Butterfree out for Blipbug.





That Oddish was a hard catch. It also makes me think that part of the catch chance is based off the level of your active Pokemon. This suspicion has held up throughout the entire playthrough so far.

At this point, I feel like I can try another Dynamax battle.



I also figured out how to Dynamax my own Pokemon.





Once defeated, you can capture the Dynamax Pokemon.





You also receive loot, from candies that give Exp. to curry ingredients to TRs(Technical Records, one-use TMs. They brought those back).





It's snowing, when walking 10 steps the other direction it was blistering sun. Because it's Britain Galar.



Catching Pancham also pushes Blipbug's level up as well.













Krabby's catch brings Scorbunny to Lv. 16, which means...



All he needs is an AK-47 and he's set.









Those Ghost-type Pokemon are actually too powerful for me to catch or battle, and I'm forced to use several Poke Dolls to survive.

I do find a Dynamax Den with Ralts in it.








"What's so amazing? The Pokemon that live on the other side - they're so strong. You probably won't be able to catch them unless you have several Gym Badges, though."

"Probably" isn't even. You literally can't until you have the first few Gym Badges. This isn't the way to Motostoke anyway.



This is.