Changes in Modern Generation Games You Prefer?

[Juliyet]

There's been some debate regarding certain changes introduced in modern gens and whether they worsen the experience or not. I'd like to flip that on its head and ask, what are changes or additions introduced in the more modern gens that you actually appreciate?

The removal of HMs in favor of Pokemon you can just summon has been a big plus for me at least and lets you worry less about making room for certain HM moves or certain Pokemon to carry those moves at all times.

Another big one for me is character customisation. It just feels right having a persona of yourself. And like they've basically got more elaborate with each gen. I think I spent 10 minutes in SV alone designing my character at the beginning. Granted it's not perfect, (the clothing options in SV are very limited due to the mandatory school uniforms) but every game they seem to be going a bit more out with it and I appreciate it.

 

[Kirumi]

I enjoy the rebalanced movepools for every Pokémon. Now there's a lot more variety concerning the four moves to choose. The raid system is another one since it makes the game feel longer, if you know what I mean. The upgraded breeding system is also pretty awesome 'cause at least now you don't have to wait that much for a single egg to hatch. The character customization is great because this way you can make your character look more like yourself.
However 3D models are (for the most part) kind of lame and even the attacks' animation during a Pokémon battle was aesthetically more pleasing in the older generations.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Open world. I've always been big on exploring wide open areas and there's no beating open world in that regard. Getting to go anywhere you want, do anything you want, and catch anything you want offers immense freedom and flexibility and I've been waiting almost my entire life for Pokemon to offer that kind of experience and we finally have it. I would like to see it improved with a level scaling system in future games, but as is I'm still pretty happy with it.

 

[BorealRookidee]

For me (and assuming "Modern Generation Games" basically just means SV and SWSH):

-Better and wider movepools for most Pokemon
-Removal of HMs (and thus wider teambuilding options)
-Open World (makes world feel more interconnected, fun to explore and mess around)
-Raid Battles
-better Pokemon designs in general (IMO)
-EXP share (not done well in every game but it is in some, and grinding isn't fun for me)
-Union Circle
-Easier Shiny Hunting
-Easier ways to level up Pokemon in the post-game
-Hyper Training and Nature Mints

And, to do the opposite, some modern Pokemon game features I don't care for that are otherwise quite popular:
-Character Customization (not bad, I just don't care)
-Picnics/Camp (cool novelty, but I don't like it impacting affection and the breeding system is just worse, give me the daycare back)
-Following Pokemon (although SV's auto battle system is nice)

 

[BorealRookidee]

Open world. I've always been big on exploring wide open areas and there's no beating open world in that regard. Getting to go anywhere you want, do anything you want, and catch anything you want offers immense freedom and flexibility and I've been waiting almost my entire life for Pokemon to offer that kind of experience and we finally have it. I would like to see it improved with a level scaling system in future games, but as is I'm still pretty happy with it.

I agree, open world is better and very fun, but it really needs level scaling, or at the very least a way the game tells you when you should go to which areas.

 

[Norzan]

-Better and wider movepools for most Pokemon

This is an odd thing to say given how the movepools of a lot of pokemon this generation got much worse because they lost stuff like Recover, Knock Off, Toxic, Defog, Wish and several other moves. Just look at Mew in Smogon competitive, that pokemon lost so much utility this generation that it dropped to the lower tiers.

This generation is infamous for making the movepools of a lot of pokemon significantly worse by the lost of access to the Isle of Armor tutors and really just lost moves that they naturally learned. Yeah, several pokemon got more moves (some of the moves they got really didn't helped anything), but the ratio is still somewhat skewed towards removal.

 

[Lapidot Matoi]

People have already brought up the removal of hms, but I want to add that ride Pokemon are an amazing replacement.
Especially how seamless changing what ride Pokemon (or form in the case of koraidon and miraidon) have become in legends and scarlet and violet

 

[Princess Viola]

I agree, open world is better and very fun, but it really needs level scaling, or at the very least a way the game tells you when you should go to which areas.

Ngl I'd say the levels of the Pokémon in an area you go to is how the game tells you when you should go to a certain area.

If you've got a team of Pokémon that are all levels 15-20 and you find yourself in an area full of level 40-50 Pokémon, that's a good sign that you shouldn't be in that area tbh.

(Also tbh I kind of hate level scaling in open world games, I think it just defeats the point of getting stronger in them lol)

 

[FelipePR]

Ngl I'd say the levels of the Pokémon in an area you go to is how the game tells you when you should go to a certain area.

If you've got a team of Pokémon that are all levels 15-20 and you find yourself in an area full of level 40-50 Pokémon, that's a good sign that you shouldn't be in that area tbh.

(Also tbh I kind of hate level scaling in open world games, I think it just defeats the point of getting stronger in them lol)

The problem is that the level progression in Pokémon, especially at the beginning of the game, is too fast, especially with the modern conveniences of Level Up that, considering the map size of Scarlet and Violet, several areas and challenges become quickly uninteresting.

I played the game completely out of order, which resulted in some locations, gyms and trainers being challenging, while others were laughable. This aspect of the game frustrated me greatly.

If they want to make the entire experience enjoyable, there needs to be a change in the level design approach for the open-world aspects of the game or a complete overhaul of the experience system.

 

[BorealRookidee]

This is an odd thing to say given how the movepools of a lot of pokemon this generation got much worse because they lost stuff like Recover, Knock Off, Toxic, Defog, Wish and several other moves. Just look at Mew in Smogon competitive, that pokemon lost so much utility this generation that it dropped to the lower tiers.

This generation is infamous for making the movepools of a lot of pokemon significantly worse by the lost of access to the Isle of Armor tutors and really just lost moves that they naturally learned. Yeah, several pokemon got more moves (some of the moves they got really didn't helped anything), but the ratio is still somewhat skewed towards removal.

I understand a lot of Pokemon lost moves in SV, but things are still better now than in most earlier gens (and do remember I was also referring to SWSH in my post).

 

[colours]

i personally think the introduction of nature mints on their own are a game changer for people interested in competitive pokemon even on a casual level. no longer was it necessary for one to really breed for optimal natures (though i suppose you still technically could), you could just buy a nature mint, select your pokemon, and instantly, it's "changed". while not truly actually changed, for the purposes of gameplay, it functionally adjusts stats the way you'd like for them to be adjusted and that's what really matters.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Ngl I'd say the levels of the Pokémon in an area you go to is how the game tells you when you should go to a certain area.

If you've got a team of Pokémon that are all levels 15-20 and you find yourself in an area full of level 40-50 Pokémon, that's a good sign that you shouldn't be in that area tbh.

(Also tbh I kind of hate level scaling in open world games, I think it just defeats the point of getting stronger in them lol)

Thing is that telling you you should only go to certain areas at certain times defeats the purpose of open world. Open world is supposed to let you go wherever you want whenever you want, if they're putting stronger Pokemon in certain areas that's basically a soft roadblock discouraging you from going there until later and scripting a certain order to complete the game. A sense of progression can be good for the story because it provides a satisfying buildup to the game's climax, but for the sense of adventure? If you script the game to force or even encourage the player to visit areas in a specific order that can hurt players' engagement because you're letting the plot interfere with the player's natural curiosity to explore areas or engage with content that look interesting. Telling the player things like "hey, there's this interesting landmark or location here but, oh sorry, you can't go there until you reach this point in the story" or "Hey, here's your favorite gym leader, but you can't fight them until the story says it's time to fight them" can be very irritating and upsetting to players. Restricting exploration based on story and/or player strength is just too off-putting, having a more flexible system where the exploration is driven solely by the player's natural curiosity and preferences would be ideal for allowing players to adventure the way they want to. SV is a good start in this direction, but they need to go a little further to truly realize this kind of experience.

 

[KOT0NE]

customization my beloved... <33 also very glad that victory road seems 2 be gone in the recent games because im gonna be real it was such a drag 4 me it was just boring. its liek 99% of the reason i havent bothered finishing platinum and white2 yet. especially when the storys majorly wrapped up by the time u reach it which makes me even Less inclined 2 wanna bother