1. While this has certainly been my least favorite generation as far as new Pokemon go, uncreative they certainly are not. Besides for the obligatory clones (Pachirisu, Starly, Bidoof, Kricketot, and the like), and the unimpressive, if welcome, addition of a ton of evolutions for pokemon like Sneasel, Electabuzz, Magmar, and Roselia that shine during the midgame but are outclassed by fully evolved pokemon like Charizard, Alakazam or Aggron, this generation brought a breath of fresh air into the relatively stale Pokemon environment as of generation III. Beedrill and Combee are both bees, but they're very different and you wouldn't mistake the two, like you might, perhaps, Pidgey and Starly. There are also really creative, unexpected ones like Croagunk and Drifloon. (As a side note, is anyone else kind of frustrated that yet again, two of the starters feel rehashed? Props for Infernape, but, starting from Gen I, we have a dino (Bulbasaur), turtle (Squirtle), and lizard (Charmander). Then we get a dino (Chikorita), a "mouse"/dino (Cyndaquil, although Typhlosion's really the only one that fits the dino bill), and a lizard (Totodile). Gen III gives us yet another lizard (Treecko), a chicken (Torchic), and a ...mudfish? Looks like a dino to me (Swampert). Gen IV, another turtle, another chicken, and a monkey. At least we get a monkey.)
What really disappointed me about Generation IV was the legendaries. Put simply, I find them hideously ugly. Except for perhaps Shaymin, who's an inoffensive little hedgehog. Really, I feel like there hasn't been a really great legendary since GSC, which provided a limited, but creative and fun batch of legendaries. Sure, Mewtwo was weird, and I wasn't crazy about Lugia, but the legendary birds and the legendary dogs are a lot of fun. Celebi and Ho-oh are two of my favorite because of their connection with real myths (heh, oxymoron).
But Arceus? Dialga? Giratina? PALKIA? They make me want to reach for the brain bleach. A creative generation, to be sure, but -especially when it comes to the legendaries- unsuccessful with regards to the Pokemon themselves.
2. This is what I've been waiting for for ten years! Crunch was special. Shadow Ball was physical.
...what
3. I've never liked any of the subsequent teams after Team Rocket. One mafia's enough for me. Four's pushing it. It's mostly prejudice, really, but aside from that, the stories get more and more outlandish. Gen III was pushing it. Causing worldwide drought or endless rainstorms? That's a little crazy already, even with some willing suspension of disbelief, but Team Galactic jumps the shark.
4. Easy Elite Four? I think appropriately challenging is more accurate. I've never thought that any games had excessively difficult trainers, and Generation IV continues a trend of relatively well-planned difficulty. Only Generation II was completely a joke, and only Red presents any real challenge (and even then, he's not really that hard: I've done an Umbreon solo run at level 70 and I beat him on the first try...). The only truly challenging Pokemon game I've played is probably Shiny Gold X, and it is quite difficult.
5. I HATE WATER ROUTES.
I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANOTHER TENTACOOL IN MY LIFE.
I'll always have a soft spot for Johto, but Sinnoh's okay. Certainly beats Hoenn, and I'd place it about on par with Kanto. I do wish cities would have a little more character, though, like in Hoenn.
What really disappointed me about Generation IV was the legendaries. Put simply, I find them hideously ugly. Except for perhaps Shaymin, who's an inoffensive little hedgehog. Really, I feel like there hasn't been a really great legendary since GSC, which provided a limited, but creative and fun batch of legendaries. Sure, Mewtwo was weird, and I wasn't crazy about Lugia, but the legendary birds and the legendary dogs are a lot of fun. Celebi and Ho-oh are two of my favorite because of their connection with real myths (heh, oxymoron).
But Arceus? Dialga? Giratina? PALKIA? They make me want to reach for the brain bleach. A creative generation, to be sure, but -especially when it comes to the legendaries- unsuccessful with regards to the Pokemon themselves.
2. This is what I've been waiting for for ten years! Crunch was special. Shadow Ball was physical.
...what
3. I've never liked any of the subsequent teams after Team Rocket. One mafia's enough for me. Four's pushing it. It's mostly prejudice, really, but aside from that, the stories get more and more outlandish. Gen III was pushing it. Causing worldwide drought or endless rainstorms? That's a little crazy already, even with some willing suspension of disbelief, but Team Galactic jumps the shark.
4. Easy Elite Four? I think appropriately challenging is more accurate. I've never thought that any games had excessively difficult trainers, and Generation IV continues a trend of relatively well-planned difficulty. Only Generation II was completely a joke, and only Red presents any real challenge (and even then, he's not really that hard: I've done an Umbreon solo run at level 70 and I beat him on the first try...). The only truly challenging Pokemon game I've played is probably Shiny Gold X, and it is quite difficult.
5. I HATE WATER ROUTES.
I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANOTHER TENTACOOL IN MY LIFE.
I'll always have a soft spot for Johto, but Sinnoh's okay. Certainly beats Hoenn, and I'd place it about on par with Kanto. I do wish cities would have a little more character, though, like in Hoenn.
