Isle Of Armor: 10 Highlights From Pokemon's First Expansion
4. A Brisk & Enjoyable Story
To be clear, the story for the Isle of Armor was spoiled worse than Spider-Man in trailers. But it's concise, well paced and completely different from anything you did in Sword & Shield proper. Casting off the shackles of gyms and trials means the story can chart a sensible way through its narrative; you arrive on the island, join the dojo, earn the partnership of Kubfu and grow together to get him to evolve and learn to Gigantamax.
It's paint by numbers, sure, but it's uncomplicated and in no measure of a rush so each beat gets five minutes to breath before the next chapter. It won't take you more than a couple of hours to finish the story, but it's better for it as its not infantilising the abilities of a heavily adult fanbase.
It is, no joke, the best story telling from the franchise since Gen V, and with any luck a sign of Game Freak's willingness to experiment with story form in future titles.