Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl sought to remake the classic Gen 4 Pokemon titles with an artistic approach that received mixed reception from fans. With Gen 5 being the next logical step for the Pokemon remake pattern, potential Black and White version reimaginings have a big decision to make when it comes to their graphics.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl followed The Pokemon Company's focus on nostalgia, as seeing Gen 4 brought back on the Nintendo Switch was a long-anticipated dream from older fans of the franchise. The remakes endeavored to strike a balance between 2D and 3D graphics, settling on a "chibi toy-like" art style that saw its characters shrunken-down in the overworld. While this decision leaned into the classic feel of older Pokemon titles with a modern twist, some were disappointed by the absence of a fully-realized 3D environment outside of battles, begging the question of where Gen 5 remakes might land.
Pokemon Gen 5 Remakes Could Utilize a 2.5D Style Similar to the Original Games
Pokemon Black and White were considered stand-outs of the franchise. The Unova region felt brimming with personality thanks to its unique Pokemon roster and environments evoking the diversity of New York state. The titles sought a hybrid graphical approach, with certain vistas like Castelia City and Skyarrow Bridge adding three-dimensional assets amid the more traditional, 2D pixel art used by its characters and Pokemon designs. The resulting art direction felt both highly detailed and innovative for its time, continuing into Black 2 and White 2 just two years after their predecessors.
Along with its 3D take on backdrops, the use of detailed animations for Pokemon Black and White's 2D battle sprites helped further liven up its pixel art. Add in the titles' dynamic music during battles, and Black and White's approach feels compelling even over a decade after the fact. With potential remakes, Game Freak will need to decide whether to channel the strengths of the art style present in the original games or go for a more modern rendition. A fully 3D world akin to players' most recent travels into Paldea may have its own merits, though a hybrid model could work to retain what made Gen 5 entries such special entries in the franchise.
An HD-2D approach wouldn't need to compromise on the ingenuity of what the Nintendo Switch can offer. Square Enix's Octopath Traveler series settled on a similar blend between 2D and 3D, garnering a lot of praise from players. The Octopath Traveler treatment for Pokemon remakes could be a strong avenue for both exploration and battle, allowing the 2D animated sprite work from the originals to shine in a more modern context. Focusing on 2D sprites for character and Pokemon designs could also help Gen 5 remakes avoid player issues with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl by sticking to something more traditional for the series.
While Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's art direction proved to be a bit divisive, newer generations of Pokemon are already innovating on what were once considered staples of the series, diverging from past titles' linearity by way of fully 3D, open-world designs. While the remake treatment can and should be used as an opportunity to modernize traits of the original source material, it shouldn't completely dismiss the charm of features that might be considered "outdated" by today's standards. Gen 5 remakes would do well to strike a balance between the past and the present, building upon what made the original Unova adventures so special in the first place.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now for the Nintendo Switch.