Except requiring HMs on your team members is something that people have vocalized annoyance with literally since gen 1, and ride pokemon is arguably quite a different solution than using tools to this problem.
Also, Delta's were literally something Insurgence took from the TCG, and type-swaps is something fans have also been doing for years and years, since before Insurgence even started.
With this, it's even more of a stretch to try and say this is the same thing, and we've seen giant pokemon way back in the early anime, and more recently, pokemon go raids (which is where the mechanic is actually coming from)
People are way too quick to point accusatory fingers.