>>53991931This argument doesn't hold up considering we know Gen 2's designs were explicitly made to be turned into merch as confirmed by the devs, you can't bash other gens for making designs to pander to groups while also saying Gen 2 was when the series had soul.
Not to mention games past Gen 2 can and have been made with passion as well, HGSS is the shining example imo, chock full of content for no other reason than because it was fun to have.
I love Gen 2, it's my favorite alongside Unova but seeing a post like this makes me embarrassed, either you think pandering = soulless therefore Gen 2 is soulless, or you concede and admit games past Gen 2 still have some "soul".
The fact of the matter is Pokemon is a product and always has been since day 1, rather than try to quantify your personal nostalgia and taste with SOUL vs SOULLESS like a fucking sheep, you should look at it for what it is (an interactive toy) and appreciate that said toy could give you a good experience, make friends, inspire your creativity, etc, something you can still get out of Pokemon today as long as you remember these games are products first and foremost.
Having a healthy separation from the media you consume can only do you good, otherwise you turn into Mistah Merriku.
