I was so disappointed with Chocobo Racing's aggressive over-monetization... I didn't even properly play the "Lite" version.

I wouldn't call it aggressive, unless you're insistent on unlocking every little thing. Nothing about the monetization though actually helps you win in any way, so it's more like progressive DLC that you can choose to either get or not, but you'll still be able to play the game just as well regardless.

I have an issue with full priced games that still shoehorn in a bunch of microtransactions. Sure, there's a free version, that's cool, but you need the full priced one in order to be allowed to purchase the season pass and access a bunch of other features, plus it took someone a whole day to reach level 7, when you need level 60 to obtain Cloud. So, just to get Cloud, which a LOT of people, including myself, would want, you'd have to pay $50 for the game along with the price of the Season Pass, plus whatever you need to make the goal of getting Cloud faster, and even then, there's no guarantee of getting him. Also, changing the annoying theme on the main menu costs money too and some of the in-game currency you get will expire depending on how it is obtained. IDK, seems pretty aggressively monetized to me, or at least it caters exclusively to the upper class that can actually afford it. Even if I did try to give the game a chance, how much money would I have to fork over just for the chance to get other characters I might want, like Mecha Chocobo, Cactuar, or any Moogle characters that might show up?

If these microtransactions were for a free to play game, I wouldn't hate on it so hard, since that's how those games make money. The free version adds insult to injury because you need the $50 version for a big portion of the features and access to the microtransactions.

Well to be fair, most characters at present are acquired through playing Story Mode, not spending money. The only character that requires spending money at all is Cloud for the season pass, as even Squall can be acquired without, albeit it would be tougher to do since you're not acquiring as much gil due to not having the pass. As for the difficulty of acquiring Cloud, it was only extremely difficult on the first day before Square drastically reduced how difficult it is to gain levels (prior to breaching level 100, at which point it gets tough again). Although it could still take a long while if you're not playing well in the online matches, and therefore gaining less experience. Not to mention that, at present anyway, they offer a weekly log-in bonus of 50 mithril (the currency that requires real money to buy), which isn't much, but it's something to help alleviate any costs a little bit; however, since I bought the cheap, basic battle pass right away, I have no idea if that's connected to it at all.

I can agree with the problem of it being on top of the game already costing $50, but a lot of games do the same with their DLC. The only real difference here is that you're having to then also play the game to unlock the stuff, which if you're invested in the game you'd probably already be doing anyway.

As for the Lite version, that's just an overly glorified demo.

Of course, I'm not saying any of your points are wrong. I just don't see the monetization as aggressive unless, as I said, one is obsessed with getting all the cosmetics and such. Or if they just don't have much time to play the game, and therefore have to spend extra money to get things like Cloud, although it's hard to say on that front at this time given there is a good amount of time provided by the battle pass's duration, assuming you've been playing roughly from the start.

Chocobo!

Ahaha, perfect.