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I don't think an emotionally complex Pokémon game would work, because it's impossible to tell a complex story without sidelining the Pokémon themselves (i.e., focusing on human characters).

Have you played Pokemon Mystery Dungeon?

But yeah I get what you're saying. The thing is though, Nintendo appears to be all about formulas and repetitions. Pokemon isn't the only franchise that exhibits that. Look at the Legend of Zelda series. Heck, look at the Mario series.

Actually, the Mario series is a pretty good example, because I know there have been complaints (from myself as well) about the same-y approach the series tends to have. But then again, there's Paper Mario, and Mario & Luigi. Both are different, and breaks away from that mold, while also telling a good story (Mario's dullness as a protagonist notwithstanding).

I mean, it'd be nice to just kind of toss aside the norm, yes, but that simply isn't the way Nintendo does it, for better or for worse. Sad as it is to say, money matters.

The above is not an argument, just a thing that I'm putting out there.

Anyways, re: Pokemon, there are still plenty of ways they could pragmatically adapt the core idea. For example: Pokemon need to trust you, or they will simply break out of their Pokeballs and run away. Being trained holds a certain sort of honor within the "wild pokemon society", as it will certainly make you stronger, plus you will be taken care of. Survival instincts, and all that. Hence the whole battling to catch them thing. Show 'em you're strong, and they will grow to like you. Just an example, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "evidence" within the canon games are loose enough to allow for plenty of interpretation. I say this mostly as a Pokemon fanfic reader/writer.

The kind of games you're talking about would be cool, but they would also certainly be branded as a spinoff, to protect the tradition/formula. Like I said, I'm okay with that! Sometimes spinoffs can form their own series, and become a mainstay.

(i dont think the 8 leaders thing is boring at all. its pretty much a given at this point that a main pokemon game will have the same story/layout, and i dont think abolishing the system would be guaranteed to improve the game. fans WILL complain that it's too different therefore it sucks, regardless of whether the game is any good.)