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In a game whose core gameplay mechanic is catching, collecting, and using long-adored monsters, it is not an invalid criticism that forcing people to exclusively use monsters they are unfamiliar with, and do not share a longstanding emotional bond is a bad design choice. Also please remember that Generation 5 did not have an amazing selection of monsters early on in one's first playthrough. Furthermore, widely embraced pokemon like the Litwick line, Volcarona, Mienshao, and ferrothorn were only available after much of the game had already been completed. Fans and casuals were rightly jarred when their first exposure to Generation 5 was the weakest starters in terms of aesthetics, and early route pokemon that had very jarring designs like purrloin, patrat, sawk and throh, and pidove, and munna. I remember on image boards during the game's release many people (myself included) were incredibly unmotivated to play past the first four gyms because of how unattractive many of the early monster designs were. It was not until Sandile was made available that I truly felt interested in playing the game.
