Originally posted April 24th, 2007.
Using the industry standard DB review system.
Graphics - 9/10
The graphics are pretty impressive for a Pokemon game, the 3D environment is a nice change, and the scaling effects are really cool. Even though the towns are now in 3D, they still have the same look as old Pokemon games, which is a good thing. My only complaint here is a that there is still a lot of 2D sprites.
Sound - 9/10
As usual, the music is top notch for a Pokemon game. Some of the tunes are average, but most of them are phenomenal, especially the music in towns. The sound effects are also great. My only complaint here is that some of the remixes of the old tunes aren't as good as the originals and leaves you wondering why they changed it.
Gameplay - 10/10
This is where, as always, Pokemon games shine. Everything is there from the previous Pokemon games, and there is some additions to to keep it from getting old. You can't really complain that it's the same game again, because they can't change it. If they changed any part of the main gameplay, it just wouldn't be like Pokemon. There are a lot of new Pokemon and some interesting new moves. The storyline is pretty good too for how simplistic it is. The battles have been greatly improved by the touchscreen; it makes it much easier to select moves and use the items. The amount the touch screen is used is just right, they didn't make you use it all of the time just because it's on the DS. Also, this is one of the few games where you can usually figure out what to do without the use of a guide. Many RPGs I play, I get completely stuck with no idea what to do, and I end up looking online for what to do next. The game is still hard, it's just a little less randomly searching around everywhere waiting for a trigger to happen so you can continue the story.
Replay - 9.5/10
The addition of wi-fi battles is great, and encourages you to keep playing because you'll always want to top your friends. If this is anything like the previous Pokemon games, once you beat it, you'll want to beat it over and over again, trying different things each time. And there's also plenty of strategy involved in making the perfect team that will keep you busy.
X Factor - 10/10
This game is like crack, you just want to keep coming back to it. So make sure that you don't play this when you have other things to do.
Overall - 9.5/10
It might not have changed much from the original formula, but they execute it so well it's still fun to this day.
Topic: REVIEW: (DS) Pokemon Diamond/Pearl (Read 6506 times)