>>53821470First of all, when did we specifically isolate gen 9?
There's a lot wrng with gen 9 but from a pure writing/plot/lore level, I'll address your post:
>Arven and his parents and his pet.This wasn't half bad, as it implied death, but then everything worked out just fine. There was no sacrifice, no price to pay. I'm not saying MABOSSTIFF HAS TO DIE DEAD DOG SAD AND EDGY I'm just saying they basically teased the ending. I actually teared up a little when doing the herba mystica quests because I thought the (obvious) ending was going to be no matter how hopeful arven was for his magical plants to work that it wasnt just injury but age that was taking mabosstiff. That one of his only companions since he was a lonely neglected kid was dying and he was growing up and had to become strong/stronger now.
>The whole area zero and final battleFrom a gameplay perspective the final battle with the profs in the time machine or whatever the fuck the core thing was was terrible, but it was a pretty hype moment.
Again both of these things IMPLY, flirt with, dark ideas or themes, but tonally never really commit all the way. I'd be happy to have mabosstiff survive if it was a happy ending bait and switch where you're depressed the entire time, the herbs arent working, but then something about the energy from area zero or all the HMs combined does work and mabosstiff is healed. Or commit to the dog dying instead of the most shallow implication
