Pokémon's fourth generation of RPGs arrived on the Nintendo DS with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The concept of these games is the same as the previous versions: capture Pokémon, then use them in battle, fighting and defeating wild Pokémon as well as Pokémon owned by other trainers. This you already know. The question really is: does Pokémon Pearl (and Diamond) improve on its predecessors, or is it more of the same old, same old? The answer, as it always seems to be in my Reviews, is a lot more complicated than it would seem.
This Review is on a 0-4 star scale. A "no stars" rating is of course as bad as it gets, and a **** rating is the best that I give out.
Graphics: *
The graphics aren't anything to be excited about. While there are some small 3D effects when you're climbing mountains and the like, the game is otherwise very bland visually. The battles are boring; while you may hope for some nice visuals now that the series has moved to the DS, all you'll get is the same stuff you saw on the GBA. This game could easily be mistaken for a GBA game with its visuals.
Sound: ½
Remember those 8-bit sounds Pokémon made back on the original Gameboy? They're still making the same sounds now. On the other hand, remember those catchy 8-bit songs from the original games? They're gone now, replaced by rather boring tunes. Even the gym music, one of the best tunes in the Pokémon series, has been remixed and lowered in quality. In short, Pokémon Pearl is sorely lacking in aesthetics.
Characters: **½
With every new Pokémon game comes a bunch of new Pokémon, and this game's selection is fairly good. My favorite of the new Pokémon is Torterra, which reminds me of a Koopa Troopa. Pokémon such as Lucario and Mime Jr. have been in the anime before this game's release, so they aren't entirely new, though most you've never seen before this game, such as the new Pikachu, the electric squirrel Pachirisu. I think they're a fairly decent collection of Pokémon. Maybe they can't touch the originals, but they still aren't a bad selection. And besides, all the original Pokémon are still around.
As for the gym leaders, for the first time, they are a pretty forgettable collection. The gym leaders had always been quite memorable to me, but the only interesting one in my opinion is Hearthome Gym Leader Fantina.
Controls: ****
Pokémon's controls have been improved greatly with the addition of the touch screen. The touch screen allows you to skip some of the menu screens that made some things take a lot longer to do. It also makes naming Pokémon really easy. There is nothing to complain about here, that's for sure.
Story: no stars
Same old, same old. It's as if the storyline from previous games was just copied and pasted, with the names changed. Team Galactic is no different from Teams Magma and Aqua from the GBA games, and likewise not much different from Team Rocket. The main character is still a 10-year-old brat, and he/she has a 10-year-old bratty rival always ahead of him/her. I could go on and on about how many things from this game are just ripped right out of previous games. Seriously, when will Pokémon get a new storyline in one of their RPGs? Or are they just going to follow the same money-making formula forever?
Gameplay: ***½
The gameplay may be the same. You may know it by heart, how to catch Pokémon, how to win battles. Yet if you've enjoyed it as much as I have, you still want more, and you'll still love it again. It's still incredibly addicting, and it'll waste 100+ hours of your life, as it has with mine. Yet I still find it so enjoyable, even though it's the same formula as before. Maybe it's the different Pokémon and different moves that make the experience refreshing to me. Certainly it wouldn't be as enjoyable if it were the same Pokémon and the same moves, as the GBA remakes of the originals proved. If you like Pokémon battling, then you'll still enjoy this game, even though you've done it before.
Replayability: ****
The thing about Pokémon RPGs is that if you really care, you can keep on playing and playing and playing. In this case, you can even import Pokémon from previous games (the GBA games) to this game, thus allowing you to expand your collection more and more (plus it's a reward for having collected so many Pokémon in the past). This game will be more enjoyable if you have those GBA games and thus can add to your collection after you win the Pokémon League championship. It certainly offers a lot for you to collect, which could keep you playing for a while.
Fun Factor!: **½
Winning the big, hard battles is always fun. Collecting the legendary Pokémon that cost you tons of Ultra Balls- that's a real thrill. And certainly adding to your collection of Pokémon can be a lot of fun. Yet it isn't quite as fun as it has been in the past, maybe because I've done it all before, so it's not as much of an accomplishment.
OVERALL: ***
Pokémon Pearl is still successful at what the other Pokémon games have been able to do: get a player hooked on trying to make a collection of powerful Pokémon. Yet at the same time, while following the same formula, it makes the entire experience feel like you've been there, done that. And while you may be enjoying the ride, you also realize that it's the fourth time you've ridden it, and it's starting to not be as fun as before. Sure, I play the game a lot, but it isn't like it's a ton of fun. It is enjoyable, but it isn't the brand-new exciting experience you'd like to have with a video game. And when it comes to the DS, with the exception of a mini-game, the touch screen doesn't revolutionize the playing experience, although it does make it simpler.
So is it worth buying? That depends; certainly you'd better be a Pokémon fan. If you've already become bored with the Pokémon series, then it's probably going to bore you more; on the other hand, if you still enjoy the Pokémon RPG concept, this one will hook you again. So if you want something new out of Pokémon, this isn't what you're looking for; at the same time, it is a very solid game, one that still delivers an enjoyable gaming experience in the Pokémon world.
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