Is Pokemon getting too easy?

[Pork T]

Everybody who has played XY knows that it is the easiest game in the franchise, even the Elite Four is a joke, but is this going to be a pattern in Pokemon games now?
I have now beaten ORAS and can confirm that it too is easy. My favorite moment was when I beat Flannery with a level 20 wingull. It shouldn't have been possible, as Flannery is a very strong gym leader in RSE, especially with her white herb Torkoal. Tate and Liza, also very strong, have been made easy as well. Now with only two pokemon, it is easy to OHKO both with just surf, winning the badge in just one move from a Pelipper (Maybe the Pelipper line is just too strong?). There were some moderately difficult parts, namely challenging the Elite Four the second time, but it is noticably easier than RSE. What do you guys think?

 

[Robo-Floatzel]

Too easy? More like it's getting too simplistic, with the games getting more and more linear as you play them, as well as the fact they are getting faster to finish because of it, among other things...

 

[AuraSoul93]

My buddies actually asked me this yesterday. I think it's because so much emphasis is now put on the post-game & interactive features that the main stuff took a dive. That's just me though.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Possibly. They have been getting easier, certainly. I think that a lot of the problem is that the fandom in general is more tuned in to the metagame. The games have to be accessible to completely new - and usually younger, therefore - players, so the main story is never going to be particularly difficult for a twenty-something veteran

 

[Osprey]

Easy? I don't think so. I believe that the relative ease I've experienced recently is probably the result of playing these games for more than half my life. After so long, when you pretty much have all type match-ups, Pokemon types, and moves memorized, there's less the games can do to throw you a curveball. X and Y weren't very easy, actually... the late part of the game seemed easy because it was easy for your team to gain momentum, especially with Megavolution. The earlier part of the game though? Especially before Megavolution? I actually got defeated by several of the Gym Leaders.

If anything, the game's become more of a handholder over the years. It happens to a lot of franchises- the originals start with little instruction within the game, fairly barebones in direction... then when the franchise become super popular, the games begin to have more and more instructions for players to read.

Really, most of the difficulty lies in the metagame. Of course, there's nothing like fighting another person rather than fairly predictable (sometimes stupid) AI, and I understand why it's appealing to veterans and noobs alike.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Absolutely. Everything's been too dumbed down and handholdy, from the nerfed region design to the roster limits to the new EXP Share.

My buddies actually asked me this yesterday. I think it's because so much emphasis is now put on the post-game & interactive features that the main stuff took a dive. That's just me though.

Too much emphasis on the post game? When XY's post game is absolutely barren and ORAS' is completely phoned in?

It's the 3D graphics and Mega Evolutions that have been given too much focus, and the storyline in the last few games except XY. The post game and extra features haven't been the focus since 4th and 5th gen.

 

[Pork T]

Easy? I don't think so. I believe that the relative ease I've experienced recently is probably the result of playing these games for more than half my life. After so long, when you pretty much have all type match-ups, Pokemon types, and moves memorized, there's less the games can do to throw you a curveball.

If you play XY, then go back and play RSE or FRLG or something, you will notice a significant difficulty spike. Perhaps this is just an illusion caused by the need for grinding, slowing down the game, but I believe that it's just harder.

 

[Tyrfing]

Of course it is. Maybe this a result of my heavy bias against X and Y and my lack of progress in ORAS, but they do feel easier. I feel difficulty was low early on and gradually rose until it hit its spike in Gen 4. As much as I love Black and White, that was the point where the series seemed to get easier.

 

[Silverwynde]

Of course it is. Maybe this a result of my heavy bias against X and Y and my lack of progress in ORAS, but they do feel easier. I feel difficulty was low early on and gradually rose until it hit its spike in Gen 4. As much as I love Black and White, that was the point where the series seemed to get easier.

Maybe I'm in the minority here but Black and White were tougher than Pearl, Platinum or Ruby. I do not kid.

Cynthia? I could take her out easily in Sinnoh, no troubles. My Palkia could pretty much curbstomp her team. Hoenn? No one gave me any real trouble except for one Junior trainer--the one with the Wobbuffet--in Tate and Liza's gym and even then I was able to finagle a win out of him. The Hoenn Elite 4? Again, no major problems; my level 95 Blaziken and level 95 Gardevoir took turns murdering everything they saw. Hoenn and Sinnoh were almost too easy for me.

Then came Unova. And Elesa. And Clay.

Two different Gym leaders, two very similar twenty minute swearfests. Seriously, Elesa nearly swept my team with her flying rats and Clay's Excadrill laid out anything that stood before it. It was crazy. If I had been doing a Nuzlocke I would have been back to square one in two separate instances, they gave me that much trouble.

It was a different story in Black 2, as I had counters in place and Elesa had only one Emolga. But Black was the first Pokemon game that actually challenged me.

Unfortunately, X fell into the same category as Sinnoh; a bit too easy. I can't really give an opinion on ORAS yet as I've only gotten my first badge but as of right now, no massive troubles.

 

[Almonds]

I haven't beaten the Elite four of ORAS yet, but I think there's a reason people think ORAS is too easy.

Simply put, people know too much. A lot of people have already played RSE. They know the basic plot, they can predict what teams the gym leaders would use, know where to go after which plot point, when and where the rival battle will take place, and know what pokemons are available in which route even without the expanded dex. They know what team would best beat the Elite Four and Champion most efficiently. Even without spoilers or leaks, people just know what to do - people are better prepared for everything in ORAS because they know everything from RSE, so they just sweep through easily.

And even if people haven't played RSE and are playing ORAS completely without any information, the game offers a lot to aid players. The games offer better pokemon through the Dex Navi. That, and you get a Lati@s for free. You get a shiny Beldum for free. You get two of Gen3's strongest pokemons for free - the Lati@s joins you without a fight, and the Beldum has a different OT which makes it all the more easier to level up despite being the notorious pseudo-legendary. There's the Exp.Share, O-Powers, Pokemon Amie/PokeBlocks for raised affection and easy access to trainer rematches. Primal Groudon prevents any Water-type attacks from harming him, which is huge if you're using one. You can Fly directly to routes, and you don't have to blend the berries through a mini-game.

So much less effort for nearly everything.

I'm not complaining about the easy difficulty-it was to be expected. But there are so many other things that make up for it. Better graphics, more music, new features I haven't tried yet, a whole new post-game plot, more character development, more personalities seen in NPCs, changes in dialogue, and new animation/cutscenes... I'm enjoying the game better without stressing over level grinding and type matchups. I can see more of the content, focus more on the enhanced story without having to worry about healing, spot the little details I haven't noticed before, and get excited over the differences I see in ORAS compared to RSE.

 

[DraconicBandGeek]

Hey guys you know what rhymes with Drake? Cake. As in beating Drake was a piece of Cake.

And the rest of the Hoenn Elite 4. And Steven. And the Gym leaders. And your rival. And Archie/Maxie. And Wally.

I think my point has been made.

 

[MDMassey]

For my children who are 8 and 5 the game is difficult and it keeps them interested. They dont quite grasp all the who beats what aside from the grass, water, fire which all starters except Yellow have used. My 8yr old is starting to pick it up and he is getting much better, my 5 yr old still not sure why she got beaten so badly this fight but easily beat the last one. For me (age 39) all the Pokemon games are easy, I understan the rock, paper, scissors and then some that the game is. In XY and now ORAS we can level up the whole team rather than just one or 2 mons at a time. This makes the game move much faster, and in a way does make it easier since you dont have to spend 2 or 3 hours per mon grinding levels. I have ADD so for me this is great and it keeps me playing as grinding levels in any game quickly losses my interest... (oh look there is a piece of dust on my screen..._) so yea... I would like to see the Elite 4 have a team that is equal to or a level above your highest level mon so that even when you arrive there with level 80+ mons you are still challenged and not just stomping them with one or 2 mons.

Dom

 

[Bolt Strike]

Then came Unova. And Elesa. And Clay.

Two different Gym leaders, two very similar twenty minute swearfests. Seriously, Elesa nearly swept my team with her flying rats and Clay's Excadrill laid out anything that stood before it. It was crazy. If I had been doing a Nuzlocke I would have been back to square one in two separate instances, they gave me that much trouble.

It was a different story in Black 2, as I had counters in place and Elesa had only one Emolga. But Black was the first Pokemon game that actually challenged me.

Unfortunately, X fell into the same category as Sinnoh; a bit too easy. I can't really give an opinion on ORAS yet as I've only gotten my first badge but as of right now, no massive troubles.

Unova's gyms weren't really hard by their own merit, though. I never really struggled with any of the gym leaders because they were a legitimate challenge. The only times they really challenged me was when I didn't have anything good to counter them (Cheren and Drayden in BW2, for example) or when the EXP system and lack of areas to explore made training difficult (the section you mentioned is probably the worst one). If they remade the games, fixed the EXP system and gave you better options, they'd probably be as easy as everything else.

 

[Tyrfing]

Of course it is. Maybe this a result of my heavy bias against X and Y and my lack of progress in ORAS, but they do feel easier. I feel difficulty was low early on and gradually rose until it hit its spike in Gen 4. As much as I love Black and White, that was the point where the series seemed to get easier.

Maybe I'm in the minority here but Black and White were tougher than Pearl, Platinum or Ruby. I do not kid.

Cynthia? I could take her out easily in Sinnoh, no troubles. My Palkia could pretty much curbstomp her team. Hoenn? No one gave me any real trouble except for one Junior trainer--the one with the Wobbuffet--in Tate and Liza's gym and even then I was able to finagle a win out of him. The Hoenn Elite 4? Again, no major problems; my level 95 Blaziken and level 95 Gardevoir took turns murdering everything they saw. Hoenn and Sinnoh were almost too easy for me.

Then came Unova. And Elesa. And Clay.

Two different Gym leaders, two very similar twenty minute swearfests. Seriously, Elesa nearly swept my team with her flying rats and Clay's Excadrill laid out anything that stood before it. It was crazy. If I had been doing a Nuzlocke I would have been back to square one in two separate instances, they gave me that much trouble.

It was a different story in Black 2, as I had counters in place and Elesa had only one Emolga. But Black was the first Pokemon game that actually challenged me.

Unfortunately, X fell into the same category as Sinnoh; a bit too easy. I can't really give an opinion on ORAS yet as I've only gotten my first badge but as of right now, no massive troubles.

OH, yeah, come to think of it, that is true... I must of been thinking of B2W2. While excellent Pokemon games certainly, they were a bit easy (albeit in 'exchange' for the best post-game in any Pokemon)

 

[PiPie314]

The problem is that most of us Bulbagardeners (Is that the right term?) are adults/late-teens playing a kids game. We memorized type matchups, Pokemon stats, read guides, watch walkthrough videos, etc. Ask a eight year old that's playing Pokemons for the first time and they'll probably say that its too hard. Another factor is power creep.
[rant] I mean look at Mega Rayquaza. That monstrosity is BROKEN! More attack than Slaking or Regigigas, doesn't need to hold a mega stone to mega evolve, has a ability that nullifies most of its weaknesses!! Insanity! [/rant]

 

[CynthiaLover]

I'm with @Kyriaki; on this one. The fact is that most players are veterans to the series. I, for example, have been with the series since RBY, so by now, even with the newer adjustments, types, Physical/Special split, and other factors, I have virtually memorized everything. So I know how the games work, the general Pokemon make-up, can create more sophisticated strategies, better balance a team, and so on and so forth. However, compared to XY, ORAS does have a more balanced level in terms of difficulty, accessible Mons, (somewhat) smarter AI, and so on. You're not ridiculously overleveled by the time you reach Gym #2 , like back in XY (I already had Greninja and Delphox by that point, while here my team was just scraping 20 when I faced Brawly, even with the EXP Share on and considerable exploring).

But, again, most players are veterans, and we have greater access to the resources we want, so that's why it seems so easy. Not needing to grind for levels much anymore makes the game move faster, too. While I loved Platinum and White, you had to spend a goodly amount of time grinding for a Gym Battle or such, as both were slower paced games, and being caught off-guard was much easier to accomplish with a more intelligent AI system. The EXP Share is both a virtue and a vice, as it cuts down on the time needed to raise a well-balanced team, but can make the games more easy. Not to mention you get two powerful Pokemon (Beldum and Latios/Latias) with minimal effort, so that speeds things up even more. Plus it offers a ton of aid and assistance throughout the game, so even without a guide, spoilers, or walkthrough, you're generally very prepared for whatever comes your way. But, again it's because most of us are well-versed with the series and core concepts as a whole, so it does feel easier. Experience is the best teacher, after all, so that plays a heavy role in a game's capabilities, especially with a series that's been around for a long time.

Despite that, however, I can appreciate the changes from XY to ORAS. Updated graphics, richer colors, (somewhat) smarter AI, more story-driven plot, better character development, more interesting villains, more music, more sophisticated cutscenes/animations, and more personality in NPCs. It's a huge step up from XY which was very bland in most of those fields. While it is easier than past games, I do believe it's a step in the right direction. So, even with the games getting easier over time, there is still a lot to appreciate in ORAS, and probably future games will further that mentality along. So, despite the games getting easier, that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy the game. So I'm willing to overlook any minor nitpicks such as easier gameplay so long as I enjoy the game. That's my two cents, feel free to spend it however you'd like.

 

[Megametaross]

RSE was my entry into the games, and I remember putting hundreds if not thousands of hours into playing them. At my peak, I could blow through them in 7-1/2 hours (Blaziken, Manetric, Castform and Sharpedo are one heck of a team) conversely, ORAS which has a similar plot, and zero need for level grinding took me 24 hours to reach the league. I was a bit stunned as to how fleshed out the story was. I've played every game, and rarely has any captured my full attention. RBY were amazing, despite the lack of fancy features. GSC had their dual regions. DPPt were stunning with their lore and intro of the God-poke Arceus. BW threw me for a loop because of the lack of previous gen pokes. B2W2 followed suit and built upon that a bit. And XY killed me with their references, ease and 3D graphics. But Hoenn has got to be the most interesting place in both original and remake.

 

[Cosmic_lugia]

i think its a balance of it getting easier and us just getting better at it. but x and y were pretty easy compared to others. i completed a wonderlocke with no deaths.

 

[GhostFingers]

I would like to see the Elite 4 have a team that is equal to or a level above your highest level mon so that even when you arrive there with level 80+ mons you are still challenged and not just stomping them with one or 2 mons.
Dom

This, basically. GF changed the EXP share mechanic - which is great, but didn't compensate by raising the levels of opponents (especially Gym Leaders & Elites). Also some of those teams were shocking to see. Unova & Kalos Eiltes have 4 per team!? (At least Unova's elites added more for the rematches).

 

[firepanda]

Yeah, but I don't find it an issue. I just add more personal restrictions, like no in-battle items, no switches after fainting a Pokemon etc. What irritates me is the hand-holding and the linearising. BW was the worst at it: the map was literally a single path, with an alternate side path for the post game.