Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Review

Pokémon has been one of the top-selling franchises in all of gaming history for the last 25 years. Due to the series popularity, fans now get to experience 2006 Diamond and Pearl entries in a whole new remake. In addition to getting these remakes, the game developers are an unknown group that actually handled this creation rather than Game Freak leaving fans hesitant on purchasing. However, I can confidently say that these remakes were a great revisit and only improved upon what was necessary to make the game feel a bit more modern.

The Same Galactic Weirdos

This gem still follows the same story we all fell in love with. You of course stumble upon that same rustic briefcase the professor leaves to defend yourself and explore the same towns in a whole new graphical setting that may or may not have a gym. Furthermore, you, of course, stumble upon the culty weirdos known as Team Galactic who of course harass you throughout the 40 hours of gameplay. It is a story that should remain untouched and features some of the most hilarious and fun battles in the franchise.

A Little More Spice

The few changes made to the game are subtle but rewarding. The hikes feature more obstacles and puzzles to get to your destination, such as requiring like Rock Climb, Rock Smash, and Surf to get to certain locations or rewards. Of course, these moves are saved beautifully with Pokétch, which makes the game more fun rather than feeling like a chore to get to hidden items. There is also just as much of the same fun end game as there was before with exploration and finding legendary Pokémon and trying to complete the classic pokédex.

A Classic Copy

Unfortunately, while the game has been glamoured up the core stays the same. This means yes, the same exact roster as the original which is heavily lacking in certain types of pokémon (a.k.a. Fire Type). This exceedingly becomes annoying early game due to having to fight the second grass type gym leader with little to no fire types. However the few fire types that are in the game can be a huge save, and the challenge makes the game a bit more fun when it comes to strategy due to the limitations.

A Remake to Revisit

While the game does feel like almost a copy and paste, it was a good remake to revisit for the nostalgia. Though the roster could have done with a few changes the game still allows players to revisit the same challenges as before. It would have been nice to see a few new bells and whistles to spice up the game but overall it’s a great classic to relax and relive. ILCA did a fantastic job remodeling one of the most popular entries in the franchise and brought back Sinnoh in a touching reunion.

DVS Score: 8/10