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Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Review Thread
- Thread starter WrenchNinja
- Start date
A lot of the language in these reviews strikes me as extremely charitable. But whatever. I can't really come in to a topic and insist people who have played the game should feel how I want them to feel. I have not played the game and have no right.
But just like with SWSH reviews, a game I did play, I am left with the impression a lot of people are just so undemanding of Pokémon games that they are satisfied with almost anything. This is not something I can relate to or connect with and as someone who is unhappy with the trajectory of the brand I can't help but feel some resentment towards people who do not take the quality of the product as seriously as I do. This, in turn, makes me feel stupid. Because that is stupid.
For a lot of people, as long as "it's Pokémon" it's going to be fine. I'm not really one of those people anymore. I do not feel like modern Pokémon games satisfy the "it's Pokémon" criteria considering how much the content of the series has diminished. But I want to play Pokémon, I love Pokémon, my interaction with the brand is practically autobiographical at this point. There is nothing else that can take its place except for more Pokémon.
So here I am, reading positive reviews for a game I do not want to play, feeling bad that I can't seem to reconcile the products that come out with the products I wish they were. It's pathetic of me. But the sad thing is that this has become one of my only ways to relate to Pokémon anymore - to feel bad about it. And since this is all I've had for several years, I can't stop doing it. The alternative is nothing. I'm not really ready for the alternative to be nothing.
But just like with SWSH reviews, a game I did play, I am left with the impression a lot of people are just so undemanding of Pokémon games that they are satisfied with almost anything. This is not something I can relate to or connect with and as someone who is unhappy with the trajectory of the brand I can't help but feel some resentment towards people who do not take the quality of the product as seriously as I do. This, in turn, makes me feel stupid. Because that is stupid.
For a lot of people, as long as "it's Pokémon" it's going to be fine. I'm not really one of those people anymore. I do not feel like modern Pokémon games satisfy the "it's Pokémon" criteria considering how much the content of the series has diminished. But I want to play Pokémon, I love Pokémon, my interaction with the brand is practically autobiographical at this point. There is nothing else that can take its place except for more Pokémon.
So here I am, reading positive reviews for a game I do not want to play, feeling bad that I can't seem to reconcile the products that come out with the products I wish they were. It's pathetic of me. But the sad thing is that this has become one of my only ways to relate to Pokémon anymore - to feel bad about it. And since this is all I've had for several years, I can't stop doing it. The alternative is nothing. I'm not really ready for the alternative to be nothing.
The GBA games were legit awful relative to other games on the platform. Gen 3 is actually probably my favorite, but even at the time I thought it looked incredibly underwhelming coming from playing Golden Sun and the few SNES ports on the GBA.
The second bolded point is true, but it also my main issue. What it effectively means is that as long as they release a game that is 90% the same gameplay loop, it doesn't matter whatever else the game does, better or worse than its predecessors, it'll just get the same score anyway which seems like a terrible way to assess a longtime series. It's effectively praising it for being conservative and taking no risks.
But then again if you look at other long running franchises, like Fifa, GI basically comments that they don't change much then gives it more or less the same review scores year after year
It's kind of like Mario Party or Dynasty Warriors, the formula is so down to a science that unless you really fuck up (MP10, DW9) or really blow away people's expectations (Hyrule Warriors) you're probably going to get the 7.5-9 average review of "it's another X/10".
So what's a better first entry into this series?
Pokemon Let's Go, Pokemon Sword/Shield, or Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl?
Looking to get my kid one of these titles for Christmas. She's really into games but hasn't played Pokemon yet.
Pokemon Let's Go, Pokemon Sword/Shield, or Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl?
Looking to get my kid one of these titles for Christmas. She's really into games but hasn't played Pokemon yet.
Awful is waaaay too strong of a term to describe how the gba pokemon games looked then and now, even in a relative sense. They were graphically a huge step up from the gb games they were sequels too.
Lets go is my general recommendation for a first pokemon game. It allows 2 player coop and streamlines mechanics like catching pokemon to make it a very accessible game. Kanto is also a really small and simple region to explore compared to stuff like Sinnoh and Galar.
They were probably the smallest leap between games the series has seen IMO. Calling them a "huge step" is a lot
A kid will have no issue grasping any of them. These titles are as accessible and coddling as they get. I'd go with SwSh if only because they look the nicest and have a thriving online community if she's considering playing multiplayer at all. If you want to play with her co-op, then go with LGPE
Thanks guess we gonna have to wait for the "usual suspects" :D
It's the reason why they keep shitting out mediocrity. I hope Pokemon Legends Arceus delivers and isn't half baked shit like the series has been since 2018.
how old is your kid? how's her reading?
the pokemon can walk with you in this and let's go, which is a really big deal for a kid IMO. i loved that feature in Heart Gold when I was 10.
Let's Go, no question. It's not only the most kid friendly game, it's also the best Pokémon experience on the Switch.
Plus it's where it all started, it's nice that a new generation of kids are able to discover Pokémon through the magic of Kanto again.
Thank you!
For what it's worth though, I'm not interested in whether it's easy to grasp/easy for beginners. My daughter isn't a beginner with gaming so she'll grasp concepts/gameplay just fine no matter what with these games. I'm mostly looking for what the actual best / most fun / most interesting title is out of the three.
8 and she is an excellent reader and loves to read.
But that's probably because the playerbase enjoys Pokemon so much that they don't need the games to change things up at all.
I think the problem is that it did change, but for the worse, in many aspects.
Well future games would look and play closer to SWSH, so it'd prolly be best to give that to her since she has no nostalgia for previous gens (unless she has a preference for the newest games in general)
It also has the best sense of "epicness" due to the Dynamax feature making gym battles more thrilling to experience
Honestly you really can't go wrong with any of them, though I dunno how she'd feel about Let's Go's catching mechanic
I personally think Lets Go is "the best" Switch Pokemon game (that isn't new snap), though in your case I guess there's an argument for getting sw/sh since that's what the current cartoons and movies focus on so if your child becomes an addict it'll be easier for them to expand beyond the games.
In your opinion that is, but many of the playerbae would disagree with that.
Probably gonna pass on this release, at least for the time being. Was originally looking forward to it, but I haven't been that impressed by what we've been seeing from trailers, and I replayed the original Pearl not too long ago anyway.
A consistant thing I am reading in all the reviews is the reviewers finding the game easy due to the EXP Changes. So despite the modifications to the gym leaders movesets, the Always-on EXP Share and much harder to avoid Friendship Buffs seem to nudge the wheel to the easier side of things.
Boy, would really be nice if you could toggle the EXP Share to match the old games, wouldn't it?
Boy, would really be nice if you could toggle the EXP Share to match the old games, wouldn't it?
I always find this as an odd take, like children had trouble grasping other generations of Pokémon.
There's a physical Pokemon Sword/Shield + Expansion Pass combo. Probably would be your best value there (though it's expensive). Probably will have the most staying power, has the most amount of content, etc.
The player base can enjoy the game, I just expect professional reviewers to be a bit more discerning. Like if you look at the Game Informer scores I posted, based on them, this remake could've gotten a full SwSh style update and there's a high chance it would get the exact same review score which should say something about how it's being assessed
But anyway, I'm interested in seeing what average ends up as. It's already reviewing in line with other remakes and if it sells well, they don't have much reason to do more expansive remakes again
I have already downloaded Pokemon brilliant diamond and I can't wait to play through sinnoh with the modern exp share (finally) though I am sad that there's no toggle for the people who hate the modern exp share.
Imo I don't think Pokemon needs to change at all, it's perfectly fine as it is, I have enjoyed and loved all games released since XY, which were my first games and think they are all fantastic games.
Imo I don't think Pokemon needs to change at all, it's perfectly fine as it is, I have enjoyed and loved all games released since XY, which were my first games and think they are all fantastic games.
For a game suggestion I would not suggest Let's Go mainly due to it's catching mini-game being arse (It uses Motion Controls and those motion controls are bad). It's also got by far the smallest pokedex too. Go with either Sw/Sh or BDSP. Sw/Sh has the most active online userbase at the moment, though we need to see how well Grand Underground does for BDSP.
But as always, best suggestion is to ask them what they want, and also ask what games their friends have. The multiplayer is the best part of pokemon so get the one that lets them play with their friends.
Maybe I'm just a burnt and jaded Pokémon fan, but after the disappointment of sword/shield, I'm hoping, perhaps stubbornly, that these Gen 4 remakes scratch the classic Pokémon itch for me. I actually like the art style I've seen, and I don't put much time into the post game other than catching whatever legendaries are available, so reports of post game cuts doesn't concern me much. Here's to hoping I'll enjoy the experience
Yeah that's true, they could make the remake you have dreamed of for gen 4 and I don't really expect most of these reviews to change much at all
The polygon review is so.... strange
I can't even exactly formulate why, they explain their viewpoint enough but I guess it just strikes me as so different to the reality of the series that I'm just left completely lost by their entire angle
Well, at least they enjoyed it I guess?
I can't even exactly formulate why, they explain their viewpoint enough but I guess it just strikes me as so different to the reality of the series that I'm just left completely lost by their entire angle
Well, at least they enjoyed it I guess?
Weird, the Nintendo Life review doesn't seem to mention much about the post game at all, which is something I'm quite excited for.
I know some are being critical of how faithful and unoriginal these remakes are, but for me honestly it pairs well with Legends Arceus doing something more innovative in a couple months time. I'm hyped.
I know some are being critical of how faithful and unoriginal these remakes are, but for me honestly it pairs well with Legends Arceus doing something more innovative in a couple months time. I'm hyped.
I've never seen someone use "simple, derivative, and basic" as positives before
It's a Pokemon game so it will score in the mid 80s like always.
It's like Pokemon Legends without--
Yea, lol
It's like Pokemon Legends without--
Yea, lol
Not surprising. The patch and postgame leaks really improved my perception of the game. There's a lot of good in there.
Only really for the Mystery Dungeon games consistently getting robbed.
You don't use Derivative in that case, you use Iterative.
I can kinda get that megas, z moves and gigantamax fluff could maybe feel like it gets in the way of just playing your basic Pokémon battles without dramatic cutscenes and stuff.
But then the review is basically celebrating that at last the series is back to going on a basic journey for gym badges with a well rounded team of six Pokémon solving "elemental puzzles" in battle...
Pokémon changes so slowly that each small wrinkle must feel earth shattering to some lol
I see these games as a nice primer for PL:A, something to tide me over until January. I probably wouldn't get the titles if I wasn't so nostalgic for the generation.
The idea that reviewers are saying these have less content than Platinum even though they have more is wild to me. I've seen people around Era say the same thing. Opinions are understandable, but some things are quantifiable and BDSP being more content rich than Platinum is one of them.
But content is not actually quantifiable as a whole. You can say something like "having 251 Pokémon is more than having 151", but you cannot quantify aesthetic changes, added storylines, etc.