I've been replaying original Blue (Nuzlocke) and I really have to say just how fucking liberating it is to go wherever I want in this game whether it be take on Pokemon Tower Trainers, getting the Silph scope, or getting the 4th badge
Also there's some surprisingly good design choices for alluding players were to go in the region like even in Rocket hideout as you see the Rocket move offscreen before you press anything with the stairwell also being offscreen.
Without you being told in a cutscene to press a button or a random friend coming over to just do this one thing that's not even her talent from an unexplained friendship.
Don't know if this means I just have really lowered execptstions though