We started very hard. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is not the remake that many people expected. The fourth generation of Pokémon was my favorite when I was growing up, so the idea of ​​coming back from this generation is very exciting for me and many other fans, whose childhood coincided with their debut in the Shinno area. At first, I was not impressed.

Undeniably, my time in "Pokémon Pearl" and "Platinum" gave people a strong sense of nostalgia. This is inevitable. Piplup and I walked out of Futaba for the first time, and it was very special to have adventures with the pesky blond kid who kept bumping into me. It is impossible to separate feeling from experience.

These days I can frankly admit that these games are far from perfect. I miss the carefree youth, not because I forgot to bring the climbing Pokémon and trekking back and forth in Crown Mountain.

When I started playing the game in 2006, I began to feel the inconvenience of the game. Fifteen years later, I didn’t have the patience to walk around without running shoes, nor did I have the patience to watch the tutorials of playing dead games in my childhood.

Pokémon brilliant diamonds. Credit: Nintendo

This is where Brilliant Diamond started to lose me. It didn't last long, but Pokémon games have changed in many ways in recent years, some are positive and some are not. Quality of life adjustment is my favorite thing about modern Pokémon, such as running and helping the professor without going through a few routes. I have fear. Perhaps Brilliant Diamond has changed too little and went down in history as a tedious attempt to capture its original magic.

This was further confirmed by taking control from the player several times early in the game. Of course, new players need to be introduced as much as possible, so it is completely understandable that NPC will lead the way to the first gym. For those of us who just want to beat the Galaxy and turn our starter into a penguin with a fork in the face, there should also be an option to refuse this service.

Speaking of Brilliant Diamond, artistic style cannot be ignored. This is not really "like it or hate it" either. From the first trailer to the moment I started the game, I despised the appearance of the world's characters in the game. The giant avatar on the character makes me feel silly. Compared with the classic pixel style of DS games and the new cartoon atmosphere like sword and shield, I am not impressed. The whole game feels like taking a step back from the 3D Wild Area of ​​the newer Pokémon game, which is far from enough compared to the original pixel art.

Pokémon brilliant diamonds. Credit: Nintendo.

Although it grows on me. Although the style is cute, it does add personality to the characters in the story. You will see the boss of the Galaxy team getting more and more drunk at the climax of his story. Professor Rowan and Dawn react to terrible events with facial expressions. Although away from the movie, it is exactly what they need to do. . The presentation made me care about the characters in the story, at least a little bit. The angry Galaxy boss, with a huge head and a grumpy little frown, is really a treat.

I also like some other changes. From different trainers with different Pokéball throwing animations (hikers quietly throw them under the armpits, and young people absolutely love them) to earth-shattering overhauls, which means you no longer need to keep designated HM users (if that’s the case , I won’t forgive the game) for not making changes), Brilliant Diamond did make some very good adjustments to benefit the overall experience.

The Underground is another feature that Brilliant Diamond has received a major update, and I really appreciate it. Catching and fighting Pokémon is the name of the game. Among diamonds, pearls, and platinum, the underground is where you can't do these things. You can dig fossils, create a secret base, and play capture the flag game with friends-all of which are quite fun-but none of these have entered the core of Pokémon.

Pokémon brilliant diamonds. Credit: Nintendo

Fortunately, new features have been added to the place now called Grand Underground, making it a place where more trainers really want to go. The secret base and fossils are still hidden in the walls, but the Pokémon hideout now exists in the depths of the gods. You can enter these small themed rooms and capture Pokémon that you could not easily obtain before-I have prepared a Togepi for my team here. Their level will also be proportional to your current total number of badges, so you will be able to easily add new team members to fill out your picture book a bit or get some type coverage.

However, this does reveal a disappointing lack of change. There is still not enough type diversity available for trainers. Things will not be completely balanced, but I found that my team was completely overwhelmed by water Pokémon. I chose Piplup as my starter, and then I have Marill, Wooper, Tentacool, Gastrodon and Buizel. On the contrary, before accessing the post-game content, only some Pokémon with fire attributes can be selected. If you did not choose Chimchar, if you plan to use the fire type, you need to choose and stick to it. This is also an unnecessary problem. There are mountains of fire Pokémon in the world of Pokémon-players should not have to defeat the elite four to get them. It just makes the game more monotonous in team building.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond really made me grow a lot. Due to the way the new version bypasses the use of HM, it is difficult for me to go back to the old version. If you desire it, this is definitely the way to play the fourth generation of Pokémon. The tougher trainer actually feels harder, using berries and some superficial strategies to deal with you, although the relics of the old Pokémon game stick to this game like a limpet, this is the best that this generation can provide OK. Just don't expect miracles.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond can be used on Nintendo Switch. The publisher provided a copy of the review.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is a surprise. Although there are some initial problems, it is a good performance for fans of the fourth-generation Pokémon game, if there is no inspiration, and it is a pleasant return to the Shinno area. Some problems could have been better solved, but for new and old players, this may be an ideal way to experience Pokémon diamonds and pearls.

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