Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are just two days shy of their release on the Nintendo Switch. The original iterations of these games are much-beloved by fans of the series, who have been clamoring for remakes of the Sinnoh titles for some time. Now, many are wondering if Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can live up to the high standard set by their Nintendo DS counterparts.
With their release just around the corner, critics can finally share their thoughts on these highly-anticipated remakes. Initial impressions are mostly positive, noting that the games feel very safe in their presentation. So far, it seems that the newest entries in the main series of Pokemon games are simply faithful, one-to-one reimaginings of Diamond and Pearl. While they have Nintendo's seal of high quality, they do little to change an already decades-old formula.
Here's what some of the biggest news publications in gaming have to say about Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
GameSpot (Steve Watts)
"So far, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl keep enough classic elements to feel like a comfy nostalgia trip, while smoothing over enough of the rough edges that they feel relatively contemporary with other recent Pokemon games. It can't be easy for a storied franchise to pay homage to its legacy while also modernizing in this way, but in my experience so far, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl strike the right balance."
Score: 7/10
Game Informer (John Carson)
"While Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl don’t move the needle in terms of what Pokémon games will look and play like moving forward, they mostly hit the mark in being faithful to the originals. I’ve really enjoyed my time re-exploring Sinnoh, despite my qualms with the lack of critical path difficulty. They’re a welcome throwback to a simpler time when I felt completing a Pokédex was a somewhat realistic task to undertake. Veteran trainers will find plenty here to scratch a nostalgic itch, and new trainers who missed out the first time around have a solid adventure to embark on."
Score: 8.5/10
VGC (Chris Scullion)
"The quality of life improvements made to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl make it a worthy remake of what was already a great installment in the series.Its new features may not be truly revolutionary, and it may still have its fair share of repetitive and time-consuming moments, but it’s a faithful take on a well-loved game, and should certainly keep players busy until Pokémon Legends: Arceus arrives in January."
Nintendo Life (Jordan Middler)
"While some of the slower elements of the original games have been fixed, and The Grand Underground makes up for the comparatively weak Pokédex, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s new art style and a few other stumbles make this pair of games a somewhat disappointing retread of Generation 4...Aside from The Grand Underground – and the connectivity with the current games in the series – there’s very little reason to play Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl over your original DS copies."
Score: 6/10
The Gamer (Ryan Craddock)
"The problem is that these are very good remakes of Diamond & Pearl and excellent games in and of themselves - they’re just nowhere near the best Gen 4 remake. Given that Platinum is still superior to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl in almost every conceivable way, it’s difficult to comprehend why these games even exist aside from making them available on a modern console, in which case… just port Platinum."
Score: 3.5/5
In all, it seems that Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are very much enjoyable in their own right. ILCA – the studio behind the remakes – has gone to lengths to recreate the original versions of the Sinnoh titles, and it seems that they've succeeded in doing so. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl include all the same fun features as their 2006 counterparts, while also showcasing some new quality-of-life changes like trainer customization, a revamped Underground, a universal XP share, and alternatives for HM moves.
Pokemon has caught some backlash from fans for making newer titles in the series easier, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are no different. The XP share once again affects all members of a trainer's party, granting bonus experience after each defeated enemy Pokemon. This feature practically eliminates the need for grinding, and makes raising underleveled Pokemon a breeze.
The art style is another point of contention, with some critics noting that intimidating characters-such as the games' primary antagonist-are much less intimidating in their chibi-like designs. However, the art style apparently switches to a more traditional look in-battle, though the change may be jarring. Some players might enjoy these adorable designs, while others might not appreciate such a drastic change in what is otherwise a faithful remake.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl currently have a 77 on Metacritic, though this may change as more reviews come out before the games' release. Overall, critics mostly seem to agree that the remakes are improvements on the titles that inspired them, a good sign for the legions of Sinnoh fans looking forward to revisiting their favorite region. Still, it remains to be seen what the fans' consensus will be when Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl come out this Friday.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl launch for the Nintendo Switch on November 19, 2021.
Source: Metacritic