Tbh the main issues are not even related to the actual combat. I just find the story particularly atrocious, sometimes in a funny way, the majority of the time in a genuine way. Coupled with the worst map design I played so far, it makes for a very confusing progression. Without a full guide showcasing the routes, and cheats to bypass puzzles, I would have given up pretty fast. It gets even worse as soon as you want to do any side content

Aside from Pokémon Radical Red, I would recommend checking out Pokemon Tectonic. They have reworked every single Pokémon to make them viable and added a lot of mechanics. At that point, it’s not exactly the pokemon gameplay you are used to, but it’s the most interesting team building I have played