>>41511550If you want to play competitive go on Showdown. Simple as. No need to breed and no need to grind.
Raid battles also get repetitive and boring as shit. You just stand there and chip away at the Pokemon's health. It's a regular battle, but against a damage sponge this time.
Story does matter because you're forced to play through it. If the story isn't compelling then the games are a fucking slog.
People should stop justifying mediocrity because of one or two things it does right and because of brand loyalty. Like some already pointed out, fun doesn't equate good and you definitely will stop having fun quickly when there's nothing to do.