Why do people hate Gen 4 and 5 so much?

[Kool-aid man]

I've noticed most newer members of this site (those who joined in 2013) seem to find Gen IV and V unfavorable while older members like myself(who've been here longer than 2012) seem to enjoy them :look:

*Looks at some of the posts here*

your kinda right most of all the gen 4 and 5 hate are coming from new users, but i despite being new dont share the same as them, gens 4 and 5 had better stories, better pokémon and better characters than gen 1, 2, 3 and even 6

 

[Norzan]

I've noticed most newer members of this site (those who joined in 2013) seem to find Gen IV and V unfavorable while older members like myself(who've been here longer than 2012) seem to enjoy them :look:

I joined July this year and Gen IV is my favourite gen and i like Gen V much more than Gen 1 and 2.

 

[MDMassey]

To me none of the pokemon games after gen 2 up to gen 6 really pushed the hardware they were running on. Don't get me wrong I like the games well enough but they could have been much better

Gen I was about average for the abilities of the original GameBoy system, Pokemon gold/Silver pushed what the original game boy could do, and Crystal actually pushed the GameBoy color, problem is gen III looked like Crystal with only a slight better animation and sprite rendering, this was done on a system that could do a lot more. The GBA had much more power than GF ever used. It could have run a game that looked like SoulSilver and HeartGold easily, but it would have cost more to produce and would have taken longer to bring to market. The 4th gen games could have also had a sharper look to them with the power of the DS systems. Now we have Gen 6 which looks fantastic, and comes to par with the systems power and what is available in graphics for other games as well. I don't think that this is the pinnicle of 3DS power but X&Y are using the system's power better than gens 3-5 did.

Dom

 

[Angelic Gardevoir]

I can't hate the gen that introduced the physical/special split. And Cyrus. And a Gen 2 remake.

But as for Gen 5...it was just okay for me. Something about the story fell flat. It was a good concept to examine whether or not humans should use Pokemon, but I guess it could have been explored more?

 

[MetroLSD]

To me none of the pokemon games after gen 2 up to gen 6 really pushed the hardware they were running on. Don't get me wrong I like the games well enough but they could have been much better

Gen I was about average for the abilities of the original GameBoy system, Pokemon gold/Silver pushed what the original game boy could do, and Crystal actually pushed the GameBoy color, problem is gen III looked like Crystal with only a slight better animation and sprite rendering, this was done on a system that could do a lot more. The GBA had much more power than GF ever used. It could have run a game that looked like SoulSilver and HeartGold easily, but it would have cost more to produce and would have taken longer to bring to market. The 4th gen games could have also had a sharper look to them with the power of the DS systems. Now we have Gen 6 which looks fantastic, and comes to par with the systems power and what is available in graphics for other games as well. I don't think that this is the pinnicle of 3DS power but X&Y are using the system's power better than gens 3-5 did.

Dom

What? Ok it's obvious you have no idea what your talking about so i'm going to have to break down your argument.

problem is gen III looked like Crystal with only a slight better animation and sprite rendering, this was done on a system that could do a lot more.

Here's comparison shot between Crystal and Emerald...

Still think the GBC and handle any of the Gen III games?

The GBA had much more power than GF ever used. It could have run a game that looked like SoulSilver and HeartGold easily, but it would have cost more to produce and would have taken longer to bring to market.

Even with all the time and money in the world GF would never be able to get the GBA which could barely ever render a proper polygon to run something like this period...

The 4th gen games could have also had a sharper look to them with the power of the DS systems.

Because they were new to the DS' hardware at the time, by Gen V they were able to do all these.

X&Y are using the system's power better than gens 3-5 did.

In Gen IV only the characters trees and the interior of buildings were 2 dimensional other than that the game was full 3D, in Gen V pretty much everything minus the people and Pokemon sprites was in full 3D, X&Y was basically like Gen V but with more detailed houses, rocks and trees and polygon models for people and pokemon.

Saying no Pokemon game after Gen II haven't pushed a system to it's limits is hypocritical.

 

[Norzan]

To me none of the pokemon games after gen 2 up to gen 6 really pushed the hardware they were running on. Don't get me wrong I like the games well enough but they could have been much better

Gen I was about average for the abilities of the original GameBoy system, Pokemon gold/Silver pushed what the original game boy could do, and Crystal actually pushed the GameBoy color, problem is gen III looked like Crystal with only a slight better animation and sprite rendering, this was done on a system that could do a lot more. The GBA had much more power than GF ever used. It could have run a game that looked like SoulSilver and HeartGold easily, but it would have cost more to produce and would have taken longer to bring to market. The 4th gen games could have also had a sharper look to them with the power of the DS systems. Now we have Gen 6 which looks fantastic, and comes to par with the systems power and what is available in graphics for other games as well. I don't think that this is the pinnicle of 3DS power but X&Y are using the system's power better than gens 3-5 did.

Dom

And to also add to @8ther; post pokemon games were never about graphics, graphics never made a game and never will. While X and Y graphics are pretty awesome there are other 3DS games that have much better graphics than X and Y but X and Y still look awesome.

 

[MDMassey]

8ther, you missed the point of my post entirely. The graphics were not what other games on the samy system were capable of and they could have been. I'm not saying that gen III was the same but it was not a giant leap better. Look at the battle scenes of Golden Sun, the GBA did those beautifully, so how come we couldn't get more of a background during our battles, the system was more than capable of it. We get them now but we could have then too. Basically the pokemon games have lagged their systems abilities since genIII. now I'm not saying that there were not beautiful scenes in the games like the captures you posted above, there most certainly is, I just feel there could have been a little more eye candy

@Norzan,
I also agree with you in that the content of the game has far outweighed the graphics. I have played them all, I love them all and I still go back and play the older generations from time to time. I'm playing Emerald right now, starting over from the beginning just because... Oh and to get the legendaries for my X & Y that can only be found there.


Dom

 

[MetroLSD]

8ther, you missed the point of my post entirely. The graphics were not what other games on the samy system were capable of and they could have been. I'm not saying that gen III was the same but it was not a giant leap better. Look at the battle scenes of Golden Sun, the GBA did those beautifully, so how come we couldn't get more of a background during our battles, the system was more than capable of it. We get them now but we could have then too. Basically the pokemon games have lagged their systems abilities since genIII. now I'm not saying that there were not beautiful scenes in the games like the captures you posted above, there most certainly is, I just feel there could have been a little more eye candy

How do you even know if any of the DS games "lagged their systems abilities" though? i've already given you examples of how Game Freak pushed the DS with Black and White, Mario Kart DS and Zelda: Spirit Tracks are possibly the only other DS games to top Gen V in terms of graphical capabilities.

 

[Kool-aid man]

I noticed people seem to hate Gen 4 and 5's legendarys, why is that?

 

[Norzan]

Anyway back on topic I noticed people seem to hate Gen 4 and 5's legendarys, why is that?

Not the legendaries themselves but the absurd aumont of legendaries in Gen 4 and 5 wich i agree when people complain about it, in my opinion Heatran should have been a normal pokemon.

 

[GastlyGibus]

New gens get a lot of hate because some of the -- well, you know the term for Generation I obsessed fans -- have their nostalgia goggles permanently duct-taped to their face.

Now, as to why people may dislike Generation V, you have me there. I personally thought Generation V was fantastic, one of the best in my opinion. I liked the fact that they actually tried to have a decent story and interesting three dimensional characters. Animated sprites, cool new Pokemon (Scrafty is my all-time favorite Pokemon), Hidden Abilities, what's not to love? my only complaint with Gen V is Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus all looking completely ridiculous and weird. They don't look like Pokemon, they look like Genies. xD

 

[randomspot555]

I'd argue many people don't hate 4, 5, or even 6. But the vocal critics are going to be much louder than those who are content with the game play and make it seem like the fans who approve are outnumbered.

At the beginning of any generation, when leaks are happening and before the games are even out, there's tons of people who'll leap to be the first to say "it sucks!!!!11!1!" because I guess you get Internet Cred or something. Most of the "it's new, therefore it sucks" crowd eventually dies out and goes on to accept the games. A few of them realize they outgrew Pokemon and move on, and the remaining dedicated complainers are mainly ex-fans who haven't picked up a Pokemon game in ages (usually since Gen I or II) and had no real intention of ever even giving the new games a chance. The last group usually isn't found in Pokemon fan sites but are common on YouTube and more general social media sites.

That doesn't mean fans of the games don't find problems or think things could be better. But just because a fan doesn't like certain aspects of a Gen or a specific game doesn't mean he or she hates the gen/game as a whole.

And to the above guy: I think they're kinda supposed to look like genies...

 

[Bolt Strike]

Now, as to why people may dislike Generation V, you have me there. I personally thought Generation V was fantastic, one of the best in my opinion. I liked the fact that they actually tried to have a decent story and interesting three dimensional characters. Animated sprites, cool new Pokemon (Scrafty is my all-time favorite Pokemon), Hidden Abilities, what's not to love? my only complaint with Gen V is Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus all looking completely ridiculous and weird. They don't look like Pokemon, they look like Genies. xD

A lot of the 5th gen haters (myself included), hated how the games lost a sense of depth and challenge in BW1, the region was made completely linear which made the exploration less fun, the games were too easy (part of this was that many of the trainer battles were usually limited to about 3 Pokemon), and many fan favorite gameplay features (examples: Vs. Seeker, Battle Frontier, Secret Bases) were removed. They simply offered less than previous Pokemon games like Platinum and HGSS.

 

[SupersonicScolipede]

Gen IV and V are honestly tied as my favorite Gens, but, from an objective standpoint, I can recognize some of the fandom backlash. I think fans tend to be more flippant when criticizing more recent games (although Gen IV is definitely not what I'd consider new anymore, considering DP came out almost 8 years ago) due to less feelings of nostalgia clouding their judgment and the absence of the threat of committing a sort of fandom blasphemy. There are also people who, having become someone for whom Pokemon does not suffice anymore, blame the quality of the newer games without realizing they themselves have grown out of the series.

I respect people's opinions and understand that I may not agree with them, but I think the best way to avoid these kinds of feelings is to consciously attempt to, at least to some extent, appraise each Generation individually and without pitting it against its predecessors. I always try to remember that the older Gens are still there and that they don't disappear when a new game comes out; I can go back and play older games any time, so it's best to (imo) approach the new ones with an open mind. Of course, that doesn't mean fans shouldn't discuss flaws, as they obviously have a right to discuss what they'd like.

 

[Roth]

I think a huge part of gen hate has to do with nostalgia goggles being super glued to a lot of people's heads. Granted, there are the 'bums' in terms of Pokémon design, along with the loss of Secret Bases in BW/B2W2 (though I was never a Base fan), but there are a lot of plusses alongside each Gen. Gen 4 had Barry, Poffins, a less linear region, and many awesome Pokémon designs as well. Gen 5 had crisper designs in general, an epic story, fantastic trainer designs, awesome Pokémon and the addition of a (while linear) fascinating region. There are things to love in every Gen, I think.

 

[King Robert]

Give it a few years, eventually they'll accept those Gens as Pokémon while saying that X and Y aren't.

I've never been one for how a Pokémon looks, as long as its strength more than makes up for it.

 

[manaphy910]

I'd say that Generation IV & Generation V was pretty dull compared to some of the other gens. And yeah, part of it may be the nostalgia-factor working. I started on Generation III so I basically love everything about it—I love Kanto to death and Hoenn is my favorite region. For me, nothing can compare to Hoenn's Battle Frontier. AND SECRET BASES GUYS. Pokémon Colosseum and XD were some of my favorite games.

While Generation IV was the generation I played with my friends, the replay factor for DP just isn't there for me. I never played GSC so HGSS wasn't as special to me. I just thought it was pretty and I liked the Pokéwalker and walking Pokémon. I did enjoy Platinum as a game though, but I wish it had more HGSS features. (Can't say I liked Sinnoh though. There was something about it that just rubbed me the wrong way.)

I actually liked Generation IV more than Generation V though. As much as I liked the new Pokémon of Generation V introduced in BW, I can't say I liked Unova as much as I did Kanto-Johto and Hoenn. I didn't like the linear region of BW Unova. While B2W2 just barely improved the region, it just wasn't enough. Story-wise, Gen V was my favorite generation. But to play over and over? Nope. Plus, I'm weird so I enjoy things like Pokémon Colosseum and My Pokémon Ranch being available. Weirdly there was nothing like that for Gen V. I feel like Gen V was rushed, considering the short time lapse between BW2 and the announcement of X and Y. I still haven't finished BW2 completely—gotta beat that PWT, one of my favorite features partly because I saw all the old gym leaders haha.

As always, I'm gonna say "YEP THIS GEN IS THE BESTEST" and when the next one comes out, I'll have a list of criticisms. (I already have my criticism list for XY but I'm hoping a third version will redeem it, and maybe Hoenn remakes will come about. *shot*)

 

[CarlosTheBuizel]

Well people like to stick to the newest game, and then say the previous game before that was cool since it's "older" and they want to make themselves feel good. At least that's how I look at it, haha.

 

[Team Gaara]

I've not really know Gen IV to get a lot of hate, but if I could guess, I hear a lot of complaints about the Sinnoh Pokedex, though I'm not entirely sure what exactly about it people dislike. I also think people didn't like the many legendaries and lots of baby Pokemon/new evolutions of old Pokemon. I didn't think people didn't like the story or Team Galactic, but maybe it's just me that likes it. Other than that, I really can't guess why DP would get hate. Maybe because it's my personal second favorite gen, but I'm just not too sure what else it could be.

As for Gen 5, well, most people hated the new Pokemon and the fact that they were forced to use the new ones only in BW, something I, personally, liked. But Pokemon like Vanillite, Patrat, and Stunfisk seemed to make people hate everything about the new Pokemon. Not to mention, once again, a LOT of legendaries and forme changes. Some people thought there were too many new Pokemon in general. I myself, wasn't a fan of Team Plasma or the story in BW, but I know a lot of people loved the plot and N and feel that it's the best of all the games. Then, of course, is the obvious that it contained probably the worst seasons of the Anime. Resetting Ash's journey and giving him a terrible league run after being at his peak in DP put a lot of people who still follow the Anime off. To be honest, there's stuff I dislike about Gen 5 that I think the majority likes, so, other than the new Pokemon and the Anime, I can't really be all to certain if there's anything else people like to bash the whole generation over.

 

[-Cameron]

The best argument I can give to those who say Pokemon has not come a long way, is to imagine it in reverse. Had we started with X and Y and regressed into Red/Blue, the series would have lost almost all players by the time the Hoenn region was even a thing. Imagine losing all the new features that we have now, all the new minigames and such.

Be glad that Pokemon has come such a long way. I've been here since GEN I. I did stop playing for a bit as I couldn't catch up, but after picking up the recent games, I'm simply astonished. I'm loving it.

Stunfisk is bad in both power and appearance? New gen sucks?
Well Dunsparce in GEN II wasn't any superior.