I share everyone's fears for the potentially fire/fighting bunny. Perhaps the band-aids are an indicator of something other than getting into punching/kicking matches all the time, but if this comment section is any measure to go by, well . . . suffice it to say, we won't be the only fans with this impression.
Not that it really matters to me. I'm more concerned that it indicates a disconnect from fan input about what we want in future games. For instance: 23 years into Pokemon games, and we have yet to see a mainstream adult protagonist, or even one of high school age. I get it, it's a kids' game, but I'd bet the deed to my house that over 2/3 of the current fans own cars. When will adult sprites at least be made an option?
Also, the Pokemon Company rep pointedly stated that this new game would retain the core elements of the past, but simultaneously try new things. That can be interpreted countless ways, but I hope the new policy includes a resolution to back off with the constant storyline interruptions so prevalent in Sun/Moon. That game literally, literally, literally could not go five minutes without jerking gameplay to a halt with stuff about "take a picture of this Pikachu," or "those guys are such numbskulls," or "gosh, I wonder who that mysterious masked man could be." If they pull something like that again, the least they can do is allow for a skip option this time around.
I will say that the graphics look awesome, and Sword/Shield comes as close as it ever has to the idealized version in my mind when it comes to 3D pokemon games. I'm also happy that so far, the pokemon look convincingly like animals, and not out-of-proportion aberrations from Azathoth's nightmares. More Suicune, less Trubbish, please.
