I love how the 5th generation made monsters feel more like the animals they are supposed to be. You see that they aren't just lumps of health and parts for gear. They have lives of their own - they wander, they feed, they scratch itches, they mark their territory, they get hungry and thirsty on their own without being exhausted by combat, and some even just stop and relax. And the game rewards you for letting them do their business with a shiny drop.