For a while now, we weren't sure what to think of Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon.
It seemed like a modest improvement over Sun & Moon with several new features but not much
more to really get us excited.
Oh how wrong we were.
The Pokémon Company not only released a new Story Trailer in Japan, but a trailer that
shows off how trainers can travel within Ultra Space in order to capture Ultra Beasts both
old and new.
It's absolutely stuffed with information so you know what that means.
It's time to break out the old Analysis Machine to see what secrets and hidden details
we can find.
There's a lot to discover so let's get to it.
We begin with Necrozma, ostensibly the central figure in all of Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, as
more of the fight between it and either Solgaleo or Lunala is shown.
While it's not a hugely choreographed fight, as most of it shows their energies clashing
against one another above your trainer and Lillie, it does show off the power of these
Pokémon since merely crashing into the ground sends both kids flying away.
As for which is which, it's pretty obvious that Necrozma is the black miasma and the
Legendary, likely Lunala in this case, is the blue light.
It's likely going to be an impressive scene although the trainer still hasn't learned
how to emote.
He still turns his head to watch the battle with the same dopey grin plastered on his
face.
Lillie shows much more concern though as she desperately reaches out toward what appears
to be Necrozma, but it's apparent that this is during the process of it taking over either
Solgaleo or Lunala.
Once it achieves its new form, Necrozma lets out a massive roar which seems to create an
Ultra Wormhole beneath it, showing that the Pokémon can freely travel to Ultra Space.
This is likely the beginning of the chase to save the captured Legendary.
It certainly raises the stakes considering the player's connection with the Legendary
at this point.
But we also see a brand new scene with Hala as two beams of light streak across the sky.
His mouth is moving as if he's talking indicating that this likely a cutscene.
While we're not sure if this has a direct connection to Necrozma, the scene might be
evidence of the effect of the Pokémon's new form on Alola.
This could even be part of the scene from past trailers where either UB Assembly or
UB Burst appeared before Hala and Hau.
Perhaps the other streak of light we see here is a more direct confrontation between the
Ultra Beast and Tapu Koko.
However, this would also mean the removal of the showdown with the Ultra Beast scene
from the original Sun & Moon.
Considering the changes to the plot that seem to be taking place, we wouldn't be surprised
if this was the case.
The final time we see Necrozma is in this new sequence where we see a place that closely
resembles the Alolan Champion's Chamber except that it's obviously in Ultra Space.
And thanks to the new trailers, we know that this tower is in the Ultra Megalopolis.
We'll have more to say about this place soon, but let's focus on Necrozma for now.
There's a walkway leading up to it with stairs in the center, directly in front of
Dusk Mane Necrozma.
But from what we can tell, it seems to be laying down while this yellow bubble of light
surrounds it.
We can even see the trainer nearby.
What is the purpose of this bubble though?
Is Necrozma trapped or is it building power in some way since we can see streaks of the
same yellow light gathering toward it?
We get a different view of this at the end of the trailer, further showing that Necrozma
is indeed lying down.
That's not a position of power so either it drew in more light than it can handle,
or perhaps this new team, known as the Ultra Recon Squad, is controlling it in some way
and forcing Necrozma to gorge itself for their own purpose?
We're not exactly sure of that explanation though considering the trainer is simply able
to walk past them.
But there might be a reason for this as well, which we'll cover when we take a closer
look at this Squad.
Interestingly, we think this scene is showing the aftermath of this confrontation, whatever
form it may take.
The light is dispersing all around the trainer and he's even emoting, indicating that this
is another cutscene.
Lillie is there too as the light falls into her hand.
She seems calm too which ties into our belief that, at this point, Necrozma's control
over the Legendary has been broken and all the light that it had stolen is returning.
The Ultra Wormhole probably leads back to Alola too.
So, naturally, we can expect a happy ending.
But what else do we really know about the Ultra Megalopolis?
It seems to be the home of the Ultra Recon Squad and, thanks to the events with Necrozma,
the final destination of this part of the story.
It's even described as a place where Necrozma has stolen all the light.
So maybe the Recon Squad is hunting it through the story?
After all brand new artwork, in a very different style, shows all four members here along with
your trainer, but they don't seem confrontational.
It's more that they're greeting him while he stares in awe at the massive tower of light,
which leads to that platform from before.
However, there doesn't seem to be that much to explore here.
Looking at this path, there's not really many opportunities to break off in a new direction.
Now it is wider where the trainer starts out so maybe there are things to see around there
plus there are steps leading toward what could be a door.
Perhaps it's some kind of shop?
Or maybe it's the base of the Recon Squad, revealing more about them?
Otherwise though, the only choice the player has is to run toward the tower despite the
presence of street signs.
The tower itself consists of a long elevator that likely leads to this walkway that weaves
around to the platform at the top.
The final stretch before this big confrontation.
But before this stretch is indeed a new team known as the Ultra Recon Squad.
Using the title of team though seems to be a misnomer as there only appears to be these
four members.
And even then, only two of them will primarily be met over the course of each version of
the game.
However, all four are wearing the same kind of gear that likely protects them in Ultra
Space.
This keeps their faces hidden as well with the exception of their mouths and hair.
It shows us that their skin color is a chalky white that matches the gear.
Is this an effect of living in Ultra Space or from living in the Megalopolis where Necrozma
stole all the light?
We believe it's the latter based on the domains we see for the other Ultra Beasts.
Dulse is a purple-haired guy who's matched up with the short girl with an orange braid,
Zossie, and both are exclusive to Ultra Sun.
We see them at Aether Paradise where they're the ones to cut off Lillie during her initial
escape rather than Aether Foundation employees.
This would imply that the two organizations are working together which works in many ways
as we'll soon see.
We next see the two in a cave with the trainer and Nebby.
It's almost like they found the troublesome Pokémon and are returning it based on the
trainer's posture.
Again, this doesn't seem to be a combative meeting.
The more intriguing aspect of this encounter is how there seems to be a cut in the footage
before Dulse tells Zossie to calm herself.
It makes us wonder what kind of dialog we're missing out on.
All we know is that Dulse wants to confirm something which we believe has some kind of
connection to Nebby.
Considering how the plot of Sun & Moon goes, this again makes a lot of sense though it
doesn't make their goals any clearer.
Although they don't seem outright confrontational in the few sequences we see them in, they
can be battled, specifically Dulse who only has one Pokémon.
But, being from Ultra Space as confirmed by the Pokémon website, he naturally uses an
Ultra Beast, a brand new Pokémon known as UB Adhesive, at least for now.
It's a Poison-type but we'll go into greater detail on this Pokémon later in the analysis.
More interesting at the moment is that it comes from a Beast Ball and this battle takes
place at Paniola Ranch.
That's way before Faba develops these Pokéballs for use and would indicate that the Ultra
Recon Squad shared the technology with him so he could produce them in greater quantity.
It's a great way of fleshing out this world.
That's just the Ultra Recon Squad members for Ultra Sun though.
In Ultra Moon, the members are the ones we've seen a bit more of thanks to the Story trailer.
There's Phyco who has the mustache and beard and Soliera who keeps her hair to the side.
Phyco's quirk seems to be that he's always saluting, even returning to a salute after
giving the Alola greeting.
So they've been in Alola long enough to know its culture.
This encounter takes place in a wooded area indicating that they're met all over the
region.
This is basically confirmed in this scene where they seem to be met for the first time.
We don't see Phyco's name shown after all.
What's interesting is that this is in Iki Town which would indicate that they're introduced
incredibly early.
Phyco even mentions something about aura readings, but it's not about a Pokémon.
Instead he ponders if it's coming from a Kahuna, namely Hala.
So maybe this takes place after your battle with him?
Could aura readings be coming from the Z-Ring and Z-Moves?
Or is there something else in play here?
We think it's the former as picking up these aura readings may be what encourages them
to visit all the islands and see the Kahunas.
A big question we have about the Ultra Recon Squad though is if the other members will
be met in the opposite games in a smaller role.
After all, the website does say that they play a central role in their games, which
leaves at least a little wiggle room to have all four members show up in each game.
It wouldn't be too much of a surprise if this wasn't the case though.
The trailers already show that Soliera is battled as well and only has one Pokémon,
Dulse and Zossie are met in Iki Town, and Phyco and Soliera try to stop Lillie in the
opening scene.
They're pretty much interchangeable depending on the version though obviously they'll
have very different personalities.
That brings us to Ultra Space itself which we can explore this time around thanks to
a ride by either Solgaleo or Lunala.
This would indicate that it cannot be explored until the post-game since the cutscenes we've
seen so far make it seem like Necrozma attacks the Legendaries as soon as they appear.
The trainer is also wearing a suit like the Recon Squad which likely means that you work
with them for this endeavor.
If they're antagonists during the story then they become allies by the end.
Maybe defeating them in battle is what proves you can handle Necrozma in the Ultra Megalopolis?
And if they're always allies, then the decision to let you use this suit after helping them
makes even more sense.
Traveling through Ultra Space is more than just going through different Ultra Wormholes
though.
After entering, the perspective changes to behind your back and gives full control to
the player.
However, we're still not sure of the exact purpose of the other elements within Ultra
Space.
Players are obviously supposed to fly through the rings but what benefit do they grant?
Are they necessary to build up enough power to travel through the Ultra Wormholes?
We see Lunala pass by one in the trailer so either it didn't have enough energy or it
has to be hit dead center.
Each Wormhole also has its own color which likely tells you which Ultra Beast domain
you'll end up in.
Again, it's just a question if stronger Ultra Beasts require you to fly through more
rings in order to use the Wormholes.
That would also give purpose to these electrical balls that can be seen in the Japanese trailer.
Hitting them might lower your energy and prevent you from accessing the area you want.
We're obviously not positive about this, but it's our best guess based on the evidence.
Then there's the Ultra Beasts themselves and, unfortunately, we still don't how much
of a role they have in the main story.
They definitely appear outside of Ultra Space with Xurkitree appearing near a Wormhole.
Maybe this is part of a scene showing how Necrozma is opening portals all across Alola.
This was something that happened in the originals after all.
But this seems to be on a grander scale as we see a Guzzlord appear in front of Nanu.
It's a pretty significant encounter as the previous games revealed that it was a Guzzlord
that appeared 10 years before when Nanu was still part of the International Police.
It was this incident that led to him and Looker discovering Anabel.
Whether Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon will raise this point is unknown and unlikely, but at
the very least it seems like a purposeful choice.
The Guzzlord also appears outside the Ruins of Abundance, which is where Tapu Bulu is
located on Ula'ula Island.
So maybe we'll see it battle in the same way as Tapu Koko.
No other part of these trailers show more of this attack though.
The rest instead focus on how you'll be able to visit the Ultra Beasts on their home
turf.
We first see Nihilego's domain which is the same area of Ultra Space that Lusamine
escaped to in Sun & Moon.
It's a nice bit of continuity and explains why Nihilego were the only Ultra Beasts there
in the original game.
This is just its territory.
What we're not sure of though is why your trainer takes a seat in this new scene.
A Nihilego appears behind your trainer which of course raises some concern.
Perhaps this is how you attract one to you in order to battle?
Next up is Xurkitree's domain which is very different visually from Nihilego's.
As we'll soon see, each Ultra Beast's territory matches their design aesthetic.
So Xurkitree being an electrical Pokémon obviously has lightning storms all over.
It looks like the player must chase it down too as we can see Xurkitree skipping along
a different path towards a center area where the showdown will likely happen.
But there's still danger as lightning strikes the path the trainer is on.
We see the eventual showdown in the story trailer and even more lightning can be seen
in the distance before Xurkitree itself is struck, likely signifying the start of the
battle or as an intimidation method.
We then move on to the next area which is a massive rainforest with a path stretching
across a series of incredibly tall and strange-looking trees.
This eventually leads to a volcano, which we see a hint of on the right side.
The volcano itself is where Buzzwole appears, ready to challenge you.
Based on everything else, it's very likely that Buzzwole will remain exclusive to Ultra
Sun while Pheromosa is in Ultra Moon.
And we even see Pheromosa's domain in the Japanese trailer.
It's filled with sand and strange rock formations while pyramid-shaped dunes can be seen the
distance.
Another scene from the Japanese trailer shows an area that appears similar to Buzzwole's
domain but we think it's someplace new.
Based on all the rising gas that can be seen, this could be the habitat of Celesteela.
After all, it's described as able to expel gas from its bamboo-like arms.
While not the most solid of evidence, we think it fits better than the other remaining Ultra
Beasts.
The Japanese trailer even provides one final look at an Ultra Beast's domain thanks to
this new artwork.
We can see the same area that many assumed was related to Kartana.
And the comparison certainly works meaning this is probably its turf.
But that creates a fascinating implication.
So far, every Ultra Beast we've seen is reached by following a long narrow path.
It's very unlikely that random battles will occur so it's all just lead-up to this showdown
with the Ultra Beast.
However, the Kartana area could mean that we'll fight other trainers along the way.
In that previous footage, we pointed out NPCs lining the path toward that central area.
It could be possible to battle them, meaning we'll meet more people that live in Ultra
Space beyond the Ultra Recon Squad.
It's unclear how it all works at the moment, but the prospect is absolutely exciting.
That leaves us with our three new Ultra Beasts.
First up is UB Adhesive, a Poison-type known as the Poison Pin Pokémon.
According to the Pokémon website, its large head is filled with venom which they fire
from the poisonous needles on top.
It also displays many emotions and is said to be able to understand human speech if it
spends enough time together with them.
Could it be possible that this is more than just flavor text?
Will players actually have to raise their Affection with Adhesive in order for it to
listen to your commands in battle?
After all, it is shown in Pokémon Refresh during the trailer though this could simply
be a coincidence.
We next learn more about UB Burst.
It is a dual Fire and Ghost Pokémon that tricks its targets into letting their guard
down as it draws near with its funny gait that swings back and forth.
Once it's close enough, Burst shocks them by blowing up its own head without warning.
Before the opponent can recover, it steals their vitality which it's said to use a source
of energy.
The head itself seems made up of a collection of sparks that it can freely remove, hence
the Fireworks Pokémon.
Burst also has a brand new Move called Mind Blown.
This deals powerful Fire damage at the cost of half of its maximum HP, making for a risky
maneuver.
Finally, there's UB Assembly, the Rampart Pokémon.
It nearly weighs a ton at 1807.8 pounds, but this still only makes it the 8th heaviest
known Pokémon.
And as we thought, each stone-eye on Assembly is actually a separate life form.
They come together in order to protect one another and will glow red when enraged.
Okay, we're almost done here, but there's still a few things worth pointing out.
For one, Guzma returns which isn't all that surprising, but he is shown talking to you
at the Altar of the Sunne or Moone.
Then there's a new short scene featuring Gladion and Hau so they'll likely help in
some way as well although we're not sure where this takes place.
Finally, we see Lusamine on the ground which could indicate that her plans are interrupted
by Necrozma in some way or that she has some other role to play.
We're not exactly sure.
Still, there's no denying how exciting all of these new elements make Pokémon Ultra
Sun & Ultra Moon.
Along with the new gameplay from previous trailers, we have a greater idea of how the
story has been changed along with new Pokémon to catch and can even explore Ultra Space.
It won't be long until the game releases on November 17th, and we're certainly looking
forward to it.
Of course, if we missed anything be sure to let us know in the comments.
Thanks for watching and make sure to subscribe to GameXplain for more on Pokémon and other
things gaming.
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