>>55303751>is because it actually encourages exploration and gathering monsAnd that's not what Pokemon is about, it's the battles.
Think of it this way: you remove the open world out of Pokemon and you still have a game that you can have plenty of fun with, like with Showdown.
You remove the battles and all you have left is running around an empty open world with Pokemons throwing out cries.
And that's completely fine, that's just how Pokemon is, the open world has always been just a tutorial for the combat system, and not even a good one.
>there's a reason PLA, the one game in the series that made it the biggest focus, is the best received pokemon game in over a decadeAnd PLA is absolute cancer and would be a contender for one of the worst Pokemon games ever made if it wasn't because Ranger game exist.
PLA just butchers the combat system, removes the online features, turns the game into a Pokeball spam simulator, has absolute retardation like having you yourself attacking the Pokemons, and has the audacity of demanding you complete the Pokedex to finish the game.
Literally the only thing I would grab out of PLA is getting rid of trade evolutions.
