Update: Version 0.3 just released! There’s a whole bunch of new stuff in this update, including an expanded GMing section and unified language to make the game easier to understand. The game is available for sale in early access on itchio.
Original Post: I’ve been working on a Pokémon-inspired game for almost a month and I think I have it in a spot where I’m ready to share and playtest it. There’s still a lot missing (especially in the running the game section), so if you have any questions about something you think is missing, I can probably answer.
(could only include two links since I’m a new user so I deleted the old links, they were obsolete anyways)
My goal with this game was to recreate the feeling of Pokémon (or Digimon or any other monster befriending/capturing/battling game) without getting bogged down with numbers like Pokémon Tabletop United. I’m also planning on creating my own bestiary and setting for the game so you can play it without relying on existing intellectual properties, but for my first (and so far only) playtest I used Pokémon.
I got some valuable feedback from my playtest and have already altered a few things in v0.2 but I’m not ready to share that version just yet.
I skimmed your stuff a bit, and as a non-pokemon person playing with people who also aren’t interested in pokemon some thoughts came up. Take them for what they are 
Playing straight-up pokemon seems like it would be boring? Only one player can play a match and the others have to just watch?
At the same time, if you let three players have full pokemon rosters and they all fight in the same match it seems like it would be very messy?
Is the battle system meant to accomodate multiple players in one monster fight? From my quick reading of it I’m not sure but it sounds more like one-player vs GM/MM system?
Do multiple players act in sequence?
It seems to me the game would benefit from a setting. I know you can’t really just take Pokemon TM without risking a take-down notice or something from Nintendo, but still. 
I’m working on creating my own setting to go with the game, but I also want to leave it open enough for people to just play Pokemon if they want to. A partial version of the setting should be in the next version of the game, including some art by my friend.
I’m also working on expanding the parts about running the game, which should address many of your concerns. When I playtested the game, I ran a mix of solo battles and team battles, but when there were solo battles I made sure that each player had a battle going on and I’d jump between each of them so there wouldn’t be an instance of one playing battling and everyone else standing around doing nothing. As for team battles, I’ve only playtested them when the players had small parties but I balanced those by having their opponents have fewer but stronger monsters. Also, because each attack requires an action roll that could potentially result in a failure or a mixed result, multiple player monsters versus one monster isn’t necessarily as overpowered as you’d think.
Also, I want to prioritize the Pokemon-style adventure, not just the battling and catching. Explore a new world, make new friends, uncover plots by evil or misguided villains, encounter legendary monsters, and bond with your monsters! Battling is just a part of that, and I hope to make that more clear in future iterations of the game.
Hopefully this is helpful!
Version 0.3 just released! There’s a whole bunch of new stuff in this update, including an expanded GMing section and unified language to make the game easier to understand. Since last posting here, I released the game on itchio in early access, including The Commonwealth, an original setting made for the game. With this update, more details have been added to the setting and new beasts were added! Nothing about the game is 100% finished, but I’ve been making a lot of progress and I’m excited where the game is going.
Gave this a quick read. Seems like a very solid start.
The creatures you’ve made are all really good. I’d suggest adding tables so people can make their own monsters. Its both practical and more interesting.
Removing playbooks is a good move in my opinion.
Looking forward to seeing where you go with this!
Crazy idea, but I think it could be a great way to promote the game is if you added tools to allow the game to function GM-less, similar to how Ironsworn has a tight loop of mechanics. I think with forged in the dark, you’d need a handful of generic event tables.
Probably just:
Managing travel, probably using clocks
Random encounters
Things that happen in town
Generating quests