>>38045179No we didn't. You were just a kid and you're filtering things through nostalgia. Gen 2 was the last generation where tutorials were The only major hit to Pokemon is single player post-game and that's entirely a result of Gamefreak re-balancing with a focus towards online multiplayer vs single player. They also shifted away from CPU battle-post game to a catching-based post game but since so many older players import their dex that doesn't matter to them because it's not designed for them it's made for younger players aka the game's target audience
The routes were always linear with short pathway breaks to grab items and HMs for example. Just like they are in SM, just like they are in XY. There are optional areas in all 7 gens too. SM had plenty of locations like Kala'e Bay that are entirely optional and the are routes like route 8 where a third of the route is optional but they get ignored most of the time because /vp/ was too busy rushing to get to the postgame instead of taking their time and exploring. And yeah I think SM's routes are a bit cramped personally but they're still designed with the same ideas as all the previous regions.
The games have been railroading you since day fucking one too (The oldman, the guy that drags you to the gym, the crossing guard, Snorlax, the cop in Cerulean, and of course HMs and their badge requirements). The writing is just as intrusive and trite as ever too. Nothing has actually changed when it comes to the main game and while to a degree that might be an issue the only real shift is a focus on an online post-game.
