Your controversial opinions

[Welkamo]

Gen 2 I feel is good by first game standards. Gen I, on the other hand... Good ideas and designs, bad execution?

Without the context of the Pokémon franchise or the history of it, Gen 1 feels like one of those obscure arcade games from the 80s or 90s that you don't really hear about, except for the Gameboy.

 

[Greninjaman]

Kalos, Alola and Galar all suffer from too many cutscenes, but Alola especially. Large amounts of cutscenes never bother me the first time that I play a game, when I'm reading the dialogue for the first time, but it can be a bit of a nightmare for subsequent playthroughs.

I do agree that recent games have too many cutscenes in them. I struggle to do a challenge through Sword and Shield, but I have only done two runs: A normal run and an Inteleon only run. Also, I only played the Alola games twice: once in Sun, once in Ultra Sun. I honestly prefer games that are light on cutscenes (like the gen 1 games). If the cutscenes are skipable, then I can bear a ton of cutscenes.

 

[Jimothy]

I will never understand what went through Gamefreak's head (or if it was Nintendo's idea) to even consider ending the franchise after two games. You have arguably the most popular thing in video game media at the time (best selling game on the hottest handheld device), to the point you have an huge amount of people waiting with extreme anticipation for your sequel, but then you somehow decide to end it with the sequel. Obviously the idea was dropped, but just the fact the initial intent existed is ridiculous.

This is like if Myamoto decided to end Super Mario after Super Mario Bros 2.

My understanding is that Tajiri wanted to end it there rather than drag it out-- notice that he stepped away from the franchise after gen 2 and Masuda essentially started over with a new continuity.

My controversial opinion here is that it makes a little more sense if you regard GSC as the intended endpoint of the series. The mentality of each new Gen showing off the species of that Gen really comes into play with Hoenn, and since then we've become very used to the notion of eternal successive instalments. Famously, GSC were intended to be the sequel and no further; I feel that the roster additions were meant to just flesh out the world that bit more as opposed to taking the lion's share of the spotlight. With this mentality, Scyther is still one of the most impressive Bug-types of the holistic Pokédex, and Gengar is still the reigning Ghost-type - we're not necessarily meant to draw a distinction between the old and the new.

Another thing to consider is that, in the context of gen 2, they weren't necessarily Johto Pokemon so much as more-recently-discovered/cataloged Pokemon. Notice that many of the big setpieces revolve around Bellsprout, Slowpoke, Gyarados, or that some of the new Pokemon are only found in Kanto or that it's not the Johto Dex but the New Pokedex.

The whole idea of "the new expansion of the Dex being exclusive to/spotlighted in the region they first appeared in" wouldn't truly be codified until gen 3.

 

[Daren]

Gen 2 is really, really weird in the context of what came later with the whole "newly discovered species" thing, and an NPC expresses shock at the revelation that Pikachu is already evolved--so it took longer for mankind to discover Pichu then to genetically engineer an unstable clone of Mew.

Another thing to consider is that, in the context of gen 2, they weren't necessarily Johto Pokemon so much as more-recently-discovered/cataloged Pokemon. Notice that many of the big setpieces revolve around Bellsprout, Slowpoke, Gyarados, or that some of the new Pokemon are only found in Kanto or that it's not the Johto Dex but the New Pokedex.

Heck, a bunch of the new Pokémon in GS don't appear until Kanto!

*
About the cutscenes; I'm fine with cutscenes heavy games where they're at least interesting like Dragon Quest or Suikoden, but I remember Sun/Moon being frontloaded with very, very dull ones. I can't recall exactly what the issue was.

 

[SodiumChloride]

I think they should stop doing gyms the same way they always do them. In Gen 9 I either want there to be more than 8 gyms (maybe 18 gyms, one for each type, or 16 gyms like HGSS) or for the gyms to not be based on types anymore, but instead based on themes. Like maybe one of the gym leaders is a fire-fighter who uses Water and Fire types, and a forest themed gym that uses Grass, Bug, and Poison types, and maybe even a medieval themed castle gym that uses Dragon, Steel, and Fairy types.

 

[KirbyBulba737]

I think they should stop doing gyms the same way they always do them. In Gen 9 I either want there to be more than 8 gyms (maybe 18 gyms, one for each type, or 16 gyms like HGSS) or for the gyms to not be based on types anymore, but instead based on themes. Like maybe one of the gym leaders is a fire-fighter who uses Water and Fire types, and a forest themed gym that uses Grass, Bug, and Poison types, and maybe even a medieval themed castle gym that uses Dragon, Steel, and Fairy types.

Themed gyms are a good idea, but 18 gyms are a bit too much, unless you don't need to do all of them

 

[Mr. MoonStone]

I think they should stop doing gyms the same way they always do them. In Gen 9 I either want there to be more than 8 gyms (maybe 18 gyms, one for each type, or 16 gyms like HGSS) or for the gyms to not be based on types anymore, but instead based on themes. Like maybe one of the gym leaders is a fire-fighter who uses Water and Fire types, and a forest themed gym that uses Grass, Bug, and Poison types, and maybe even a medieval themed castle gym that uses Dragon, Steel, and Fairy types.

I've been wanting something like this since Gen 7
Themed gyms and gym leaders that specialize in teams related to a specific environment or role would be awesome to see and could definitely pose an extra challenge.

I've also considered having a team member cap lock when challenging gyms in a similar manner to the anime; prior to the gym battle the guide informs you that the leader is suing four Pokémon, so the player would only be allowed to use up to four Pokémon in the gym challenge. I genuinely thought this would be the format for the Galar gyms since they seemed much more formal and streamlined conceptually than other regional gym challengers.

If I had to choose though, I would rather the themed base gyms be implemented. There are a lot of interesting ways that concept could be utilized to really keep the gym challenge fresh imo.

 

[Norzan]

I think they should stop doing gyms the same way they always do them. In Gen 9 I either want there to be more than 8 gyms (maybe 18 gyms, one for each type, or 16 gyms like HGSS) or for the gyms to not be based on types anymore, but instead based on themes. Like maybe one of the gym leaders is a fire-fighter who uses Water and Fire types, and a forest themed gym that uses Grass, Bug, and Poison types, and maybe even a medieval themed castle gym that uses Dragon, Steel, and Fairy types.

Don't know if it's popular or controversial, but Gym Leaders being made around a single type has been a terrible idea since Gen 1 and it should have never been implemented in the first place. The main reason is that it causes most, if not all, Gym Leaders to be a joke that get swept by a single pokemon.

Gym Leaders should have been made around themes that can encompass two or more types, this way they could have a good team and not be swept by a single pokemon.

Of course it would make the games harder and if there had to be a compromise, i would have been fine with the first maybe three gyms being single type, and then the remaining gym leaders be made around a theme.

Pretty much said the same thing six months ago. And if there has to be a compromise besides the one i mentioned: an option before starting the game for people who want to toggle themed based Gym leaders for the whole playthrough.

Or, you know, actual difficulty options.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

I did feel that USUM messed up the pacing somewhat, though. It uses the more conventional (and in my opinon, not very logical) Pokemon game structure, with the main storyline ending quite a long time before the Pokemon League.

When I first played Ultra Moon, I expected Mina's trial to be in the postgame based on what I'd read on Bulbapedia.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (Even Gates to Infinity) are the best games story wise of the entire series.

I'm pretty sure that's a popular opinion.

so it took longer for mankind to discover Pichu then to genetically engineer an unstable clone of Mew.

I wonder if the implication was that people hadn't tried breeding Pokémon until relatively recently?

 

[prog rocker]

I'm pretty sure that's a popular opinion.

Well, not so much in the case of GtI and PSMD... those are more base-breaking.

 

[Norzan]

Yeah, from what i gathered it's the first Mystery Dungeon game and specially the Explorers games that get praised for their story (i definitely agree that the Explorers's story is pretty good).

 

[SodiumChloride]

Yeah I agree Pokémon stories aren't engaging enough, and in the newer games they also interrupt gameplay too much, which is a really bad combo. Sun and Moon in particular suffered from this, i didn't really like any of the SM characters, so them being in my face for the entire game was really annoying lol. I think gen 5 had a pretty good story-gameplay balance, and I also feel like it has the best story in the series. I honestly just hope future generations have interesting stories while also not interrupting gameplay too much.

 

[Greninjaman]

Yeah I agree Pokémon stories aren't engaging enough, and in the newer games they also interrupt gameplay too much, which is a really bad combo. Sun and Moon in particular suffered from this, i didn't really like any of the SM characters, and them being in my face for the entire game was really annoying lol. I think gen 5 had a pretty good story-gameplay balance, and I also feel like it has the best story in the series. I hope future generations have interesting stories while also not interrupting gameplay too much.

Yeah. Having to sit through cutscenes every 10 steps is an easy way to get someone to not play the game.

 

[Daenerys]

I dislike the sun/moon time system. Please just give me the normal time (I mean I guess I could just set it to a different time in the settings to be fair).
So I ended up using PKSM (hacked 3DS app for Pokemon) to change the Sun time to Moon, and it's much better. I dunno if this is controversial tho

Yeah that feature annoyed me but why didn't you just change the time of day at the Altar of the Sunne/Moone?

 

[Alola]

I think Starters should have a 50/50 split regarding their gender ratio instead of 87.5 of them being male. It would also make resetting for a female Chikorita, Fennekin, & Popplio a lot less time consuming.

 

[Esserise]

I think Starters should have a 50/50 split regarding their gender ratio instead of 87.5 of them being male. It would also make resetting for a female Chikorita, Fennekin, & Popplio a lot less time consuming.

I don’t think this is a controversial take (if anything, plenty of people who’ve reset for the same things would agree), but that doesn’t make it any less true. I really don’t get the point of having such a slanted ratio, especially for Pokémon that are hypothetically meant to have a more universal appeal.

 

[Daren]

I don’t think this is a controversial take (if anything, plenty of people who’ve reset for the same things would agree), but that doesn’t make it any less true. I really don’t get the point of having such a slanted ratio, especially for Pokémon that are hypothetically meant to have a more universal appeal.

I always assumed it was to make it harder to breed extra starters without getting Ditto.

 

[WyndonCalling]

A hot take arising from another thread - as much as I miss it, I completely understand why the Emerald-style tough Battle Frontier no longer exists in quite the same way. It was a wonderful new mini-region to explore, but the difficulty was probably a little misjudged; if a typical 12-year old player would significantly struggle to defeat the Brains with only the information provided by the game itself (i.e, no substantive reference to EVs, IVs, STAB and the like), Game Freak do have to seriously consider whether developing such content is time well-spent. It doesn't help that each facility is more than a little grindy before you can make your way to the interesting fights with actual personalities.

 

[Alola]

Given the extensive efforts Game Freak has gone to promote and support competitive battling in the past several years, including the explicit managing of IV breeding and EV training with each Generation, you would think they would include facilities for the players they clearly had in mind for the aforementioned efforts, to use their trained Pokémon in. They don't even have to do a Hoenn style Frontier; use the easier to develop Generation IV iteration with five facilities instead and revise it as necessary.

 

[Esserise]

you would think they would include facilities for the players they clearly had in mind for the aforementioned efforts, to use their trained Pokémon in.

Given that it’s competitive battling they’re pushing, there is such a facility where people can use their Pokémon: the Battle Spot/Stadium.