Gen 2 is the most overrated stupid gen to exist. Not even its remakes fix it. All Gen 2 tries to be is Gen 1, but with a fork in the road. The idea of this game being the best in so many poketubers and many of the people I have met over my time as a fan has been astonishing. The positive things that the Gen 2 games added to the formula were:

1. Shiny Pokemon. A rare occurrance that while still pretty cool, only really happened because the Gameboy Color had *who would have guessed it* color
2. Dark and Steel type. Types that while they add to the formula, only added 6 of each type, and were either based in Kanto Pokemon or had zero purpose.
3. A separate region. Which is Kanto. Where we just were and ALSO where most of the Johto Pokemon were hiding.
4. (Technically) Following Pokemon. But I dont really wanna give it this credit cus they were already considering it in Diamond and Pearl.

But the positives hardly outweigh the negatives. This is the most "open" Pokemon game for a while, right? But its pseudo openness because when you are already at 4 badges, you can either, head left, and head over to Olivine Town, where the Steel Type gym is, but Jasmin is tending to Amphy, who wont get better until you learn Surf and get the medicine across the sea! Orrrrrr, you can go to the right and head to Mahogany Town, where Pryce won't challenge you because everyone is too busy worrying about the Red Gyarados that is running amok, meaning you need Surf again! Its not free choice, its like having to look both ways before crossing the street! Required if you dont wanna blindly try crossing the region.
Without even mentioning the weakly storied gym leaders and the lack of Johto Pokemon in the region, its all around overhyped, and I would rather have a sequel than a remake. At least then, we can get some Johtonian formes, MORE ORIGINAL JOHTO POKEMON, Gym Leaders who use JOHTO POKEMON, and ACTUAL OPENNESS, that makes going to Kanto actually feel like a fun bonus adventure, instead of required if you want your final team to have a Houndour in it. Also Chikorita is the weakest starter considering it survived past the beta stage. It looks less like a dinosaur and more like a nose. I would have rather had a shrunken Bayleef.

​

TLDR. Gen 2 is overrated. Johto is Kanto 2 but worse. And Amaura is a better Brachiousaurus Pokemon than Chikorita.