So... why does anyone still open-world bad for Pokémon? I think the formula can work great, if routes were turned into miniature Wild Areas with their own unique climates and habitats so you get an actual reason to revisit the early ones late and post-game.

And to spice things up, why not add side-quest chains with journal entries, as well as trainer attributes? You know, something like charisma so you can command pokemon better or make a fool out of evil team grunts obstructing your way. Perhaps side jobs to earn money, which may or may not translate into minigames that pay handsomely if done well.