>>33398812Time to take the bait, though I haven't seen that image with that title in years.
Alola is extremely linear and railroaded. You can almost never go to a required area BEFORE you're required to. The only exceptions I can think of are Memorial Hill and Akala Outskirts on Akala, and Route 10 and Route 11 on Ula'ula. But there's always something blocking you from exploring any further than the story will allow.
Remember Tauros preventing you from going to the Pokémon Center when Kukui wants to do his catching tutorial? Kukui also won't let you go south or down the prior path you took to Iki Town either. That Tauros also prevents you from walking past the Trainer School later, and then prevents you from entering Route 2 from Hau'oli City.
Remember Lillie not letting you walk back to Iki Town when she comes to get you at your house, or go left? She didn't let you go further in Malie City until you went to Malie Garden. And once you're in Malie City, you can't take the bus to Mount Hokulani until after you speak to Lillie in the library.
Remember the painted fences in Hau'oli City preventing you from from exploring the city in a non-linear order? Instead, you have to walk up the main street and go through every cutscene along the way.
Remember the girl on the Stoutland preventing you from going right in Heahea City? And then preventing you from going to Hano Grand Resort until after the plot wants you to go there?
Remember Olivia preventing you from going through Diglett Tunnel until you beat Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, and met Professor Burnet?
Side areas are also completely uninteresting. Seaward Cave, Kala'e Bay, Ten Carat Hill, Blush Mountain, Secluded Shore, etc.
Alola is just a really boring region that's railroaded to hell and back and filled with cutscenes dictating your progress. There is no incentive to explore.
