Plataform: Switch
Developer: ILCA
Publisher: Nintendo
Year: 2021
Players: 1
For the very first time, Nintendo chose a different team to develop a Pokémon main entry, and this team is ILCA instead of Game Freak.
Nintendo’s most famous RPG already had 3 remakes for the first 3 Generations, so it was quite predictable and logic they would continue this trend to bring Generation 4 (Diamond / Pearl) to the present. All of the properties pointed out in this article apply to both Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl as well, because the games are only different when it comes to available pokémon to catch, just as the original games they are based on.
In fact, these remakes are very faithful to the originals: combat is turn based and it brings the same set of mechanics: moves allow for attacking / buffing / debuffing / inflicting status ailment, and there is the effectiveness grid, passive skills, holdable items, etc. Thus, combat engine is essentially the same and it doesn’t include any feature created after Gen 4.
The game’s objective reamins unchanged too: we need to get all 8 gym badges and then clear the Pokémon League. In order to fulfill this we need to catch and train pokémon, and fight with strategy.
Graphics and presentation are quite similar to what was shown on Sword / Shield or Let’s Go remakes, but the only big difference may be that all the characters are depicted as chibis in the world map, and then these chibis are replaced for more realistic sprites during a combat.
All music is based on the original sountrack from Diamond / Pearl, but these are re-orchestraded tracks with real instruments, so the outcome is quite possitive.
Considering what was written until here, it may appear these games are more remasters than remakes. Fortunately this is not the case, so I’ll go with the details about innovation.
Remakes have completely expanded and refined the Grand Underground, an exclusive feature to Gen 4. In the original games, this area was used mainly to retrieve some items like fossils or shards, and to create secret bases. Nowadays, the remakes have added all this new possibilities:
-Pokémon Hideaways were created, these are special areas where many different pokemon can be caught. Some of them are exclusive to the Grand Underground.
-There are more different items to retrieve.
-Some items can be exchanged for TMs and other stuff.
-Secret bases can have statues, and statues allow for increasing the chances of specific pokemon types.
-Digletts appears, and they reward us with special items.
-Special shards may be obtained to exchange them on Ramanas Park.
In adittion to the new cool features on the Grand Underground, remakes have a lot of additional content for post-game thanks to the creation of Ramanas Park, a special site which main goal is to catch Legendary Pokémon. This site is unlocked after clearing the League and filling the Pokédex (filling for this quest just means watching all pokémon, it’s not required to catch them).
Summary
Pokémon Gen 4 remakes are specially recommended for all people who enjoyed the original Diamond / Pearl, mainly because they are very faithful but they also add new content that brings more hours of fun.
These games are proof that ILCA is a team capable of developing a good Pokémon entry, so, they may continue creating more games in the future.
Score: 8.5
Consoles Universe 