I'm replaying Platinum for the first time in like 6 years, and something interesting happened.

I beat the Snowpoint Gym, and I went up to Lake Acuity, and I'm sure the dialogue told me what to do but I was half-paying attention/mashing A so I missed it. For the first time I can remember in a long time while playing a Pokemon game, I didn't know what I was supposed to do next. I tried talking to Rowan, nothing. The last town was still blocked off. I went to the other two lakes and found nothing. I explored Mt. Coronet trying from each entrance for a while and eventually found a door that was still blocked. I spent like an hour and a half fucking around before I realized I was supposed to go back to Galactic HQ in Veilstone. And when I got to where I needed to go it was really satisfying.

My point being, with the new games no one will ever have an experience like that again. The two most recent gens especially have been one big hallway where it's impossible to get lost and NPCs pop up every 10 feet to tell you what to do anyway. No exploration. No adventure. No thought required. Just keep walking and pressing A til you win.

RIP Pokemon.