Pokemon Sun and Moon Review Roundup

Pokemon Sun and Moon launch November 18 (or November 23 if you're in Europe), and as such, reviews have started to appear online for The Pokemon Company's latest monster-collecting adventure.

Pokemon Sun and Moon have appeared to shake up the formula a little by the looks of pre-release impressions and marketing--and this seems to have gone down well with reviewers. GameSpot's review is currently scoreless however, as we are currently unable to state our opinion on "events or gameplay" after an in-game event that occurs roughly 15-20 hours in. We'll publish our full review shortly after the games launch.

Until then, take a look at critics' opinions below--or check out a wider look at Pokemon Sun and Moon's reception on our sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Pokemon Sun / Moon
• Developer: Game Freak
• Platform: 3DS
• Release: November 18 (November 23 in Europe)

• Price: $40

GameSpot -- 8/10

"Sun and Moon is essentially the same Pokemon experience that comes out every few years, just with enhancements to make it feel more modern. But this an entry that should appeal to more than just the series' devoted fanbase who'll notice those details. For players who have loved or been interested in the franchise before, but who felt that the growing roster and feature set made it too unapproachable, Sun and Moon is like meeting a long-lost friend again. And for everyone else, Sun and Moon is the perfect game for understanding what makes Pokemon so popular." -- Justin Haywald [Full review]

Eurogamer -- Essential

"The world of Pokemon is finally, exactly that: a world, with charming, textured characters not just in the named friends and foes you meet, but the random people on your journey, the region you live in, the music, the Pokemon themselves and the very soul of the journey. At long last, Pokemon is not just back. With Sun and Moon, it feels fresh again." -- Chris Tapsell [Full review]

Game Informer -- 8.5/10

"Sun and Moon feels significantly different from previous Pokemon games. X and Y may have marked the series' biggest visual change, but Sun and Moon shows Game Freak is willing to re-examine Pokemon's tenured mechanics in order to improve the game. Sun and Moon is still Pokemon, but it showcases some of the biggest changes the series has ever seen – and that's a good thing." -- Kyle Hilliard [Full review]

IGN -- 9.0/10

"After 20 years of slow but steady evolution, Pokemon gets a bit of a reinvention in Sun and Moon. An engrossing and rich new region makes the Alola journey--along with all the changes Sun and Moon make to the existing formula--enjoyable throughout the main adventure, and small interface and variety of upgrades along the way make a few of the things that stayed the same feel better than before." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]

GamesRadar -- 4/5

"Pokemon’s celestial pair occupy a unique position, belonging to a bestselling series played by kids and adults alike. Sun and Moon not only maintain its broad appeal, but boost it into the stratosphere. It’s familiar enough and different enough. It’s complex but well-communicated (if a little heavy handed in its tutelage). Learning about each of Sun and Moon’s new monsters--how they run, fly, swim, feed, dance, and co-exist with locals--gives the games a marvellous sense of rolling wonder for anyone, regardless of age. Game Freak’s latest welcomes old fans disillusioned by previously samey entries and entices a whole new generation to pick up a Pokedex." -- Ben Griffin [Full review]