I have just replayed the blacksteep prison part, if the aim is to make you feel helpless. Then i guess they succeeded.
But the previous version felt more powerful, compared to the new version, the previous iteration of this chapter felt better.
It gave me a reason to hate Madame X, it gave a reason to not stay down and continue on. The Mawile felt like a last present from your mom, not an after thought.
It may be the music, not sure. But i remember searching for the song as soon the chapter ended. Is Feeling - Hopeful btw.
When i played that part i cried. Now it felt more empty, like doing the process on automatic, the mawile felt more like "here a new pokemon" Now, that emptiness is a valid thing to make feel the player if that is the aim. Just saying that i prefered the previous version.