So, here's the Treehouse Video just in case someone didn't see it. As always I'm going to give my own comments but first I'll bookmark the parts people here might be interested in:
BOOKMARKS:
2:12: Gameplay starts.
4:44: Encountering Super Nerd Miguel, aka the trainer in Mt. Moon which found the fossils
7:53: Team Rocket Trio encounter
14:11: Partner Pokemon Move Tutor
15:35: Madame Celadon, wild Pokemon Nature setter
20:06: Celadon Department Store
26:08: Celadon Gym
28:07: GO Park
COMMENTS:
7:17: Huh, wait. So all Pokemon gaining experience points was because of Exp. Share, but we saw all Pokemon gaining experience as soon as Viridian Forest. So does that mean we get the Exp. Share WAY early in the game, before the first Badge?
11:22: Huh, so the Rocket Trio no longer sends out Meowth. I wonder if Jessie and James will get their other Kanto Pokemon like Lickitung and Victreebel.
14:37: I've really got nothing to say about the Partner Pokemon Move Tutor himself aside it's nice to know how we're getting these moves (also I never realized the Tamer class was holding a lollipop, that's kind of funny considering they're holding a bullwhip). But let's pause for a second to talk about the new Eevee moves. First off this proves the metal tin image true that Eevee will be getting other moves based on its other Eeveelutions (meaning Eevee will have 8 Partner Moves, curious if Pikachu is getting that many and what they would be). I'm guessing Glitzy Glow is Espeon as Baddy Bad is obviously Umbreon. That said, let's take a second to talk about those names. In one word: PUKE! Glitzy Glow I guess is fine, but Baddy Bad? BADDY BAD? You couldn't think of ANY other alliterative name? Like how about Dark Dash or Dark Dart depending whether its a Physical or Special move? Or do what I thought and name them after the Eeveelutions, ESP EMP and Umbra Urge. But eitherway, this is LITERAL baby speak. You are talking to the player as if they were a baby. FUCK OFF.
16:03: Hey look, a use for money that player would actually want to spend. :P Yes, so this is a VERY interesting mechanic and I hope they bring over to the core series. Okay, maybe it's not changing Nature of the Pokemon you have (and since these games don't have breeding we have no idea if it would affect Eggs), but hey its a start by making all the Pokemon you encounter for the rest of the day have the Nature you select. And I'm going to guess, as long as you have 10k dollars to spend, you can change it as many times as you like. Though I think its a bit round-about how they do it, asking you what color flower you would water and thin out? This is a first player trap unless you know what color the Contest Stats related to each normal stat: Red for Attack, Yellow for Defense, Blue for Special Attack, Green for Special Defense, and Pink for Speed. Also apparently Madame Celadon is using her Abra's Synchronize to do this... in a game which doesn't have Abilities...
18:55: Oh, so now you can just judge a Pokemon's stats anywhere instead of having to go to a PC. Good, I always thought they should just make it a Pokedex upgrade.
20:13: Hm, I wonder what that poster showing Erika says, and why is it showing Jigglypuff and Clefairy? Erika is a Grass-type Gym Leader, also of all the Evolution Stones they sell they don't sell a Moon Stone (unless that changed).
21:14: Game, if I'm playing this game I already bought a Switch and at least one copy of Let's Go, you don't need to keep advertising it to me. Oh, there is one for Pokemon Quest, that's cute... though you'd also think they would have something for GO and maybe even Pokken.
22:07: Oh, so they replaced the Drugstore with an Accessory shop. Wonder if that means they no longer have Vitamins now that they have the Candies.
26:18: Boo, talk with the old man, let's see if he's still a perv.
26:25: So Celadon Gym has been remade into a hedge maze like in HGSS.
31:14: Wait, so Meltan is considered a Mythical Pokemon from Kanto? So what does this mean for the core series, specifically in getting Meltan? They're not going to require us to get Pokemon Let's Go in order to get a Meltan (and thus a Melmetal), are they?
31:55: Wow, the Play Yard doesn't look fun at all. It honestly looks annoying with how vicious the other Pokemon are with dispersing the group you gathered.
35:13: Wow, for it being a difficult capture you sure caught it easily in a Great Ball. Are you guys sure GO Park Pokemon aren't 100% guaranteed captures?
36:19: HAHAHA! Only if Let's Go has Pokemon Bank compatibility will save this statement. And note just because they said the development team is working to bring these Pokemon up to future titles doesn't necessarily mean core series, they could just mean the next Let's Go title (if there is one).
My point is that people here being virtually unanimous that the game is a travesty doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how the majority of the fan base feels and that the game is doomed to fail.
I'll give you that, compared to actual terrible games, Let's Go is leaps above them. It's based on Pokemon Yellow, an already fine game, and it's a better version of that game.
I'll also give there is some bias, but not because Smogon is competitively mined. We're a bit bias cause there has been a lot of Gen I pandering and many players are tired of it, Let's Go seemingly as the penultimate example. Back to Gen I Kanto's story, no Pokemon from other gens (excluding special forms and the new Meltan family), and them removing mechanics such as Abilities to make the game feel like the original.
Honestly, if GF had come out and said these games were meant to be for both a new generation of players and to draw in the GO crowd I would not be complaining as much as I would. I'd still make jokes, but I wouldn't be yelling "WHY?!" at every odd decision they're making. But GF also wants the veteran players to buy this and trying to pass off lackluster content like the Master Trainers meant for them. And, no GF, Let's Go is a "loosened" experience to the core series. Sure, you'll get a batch of the veteran crowd who'll buy the game out of curiosity or because they'd want to play through Yellow again but in better graphics and more up-to-date mechanics, but you're not going to draw in all of us as this is a step back when compared to the core series of games.
GTG, when I come back I'll look through the latest Masuda interview, newest trailer, and more responses.