Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Reviews
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are extremely faithful remakes that provide a great entry point to the Sinnoh region for new players and a trip down memory lane for established fans, but a lack of new features or content will leave some players wanting more.
Pokemon Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond, despite ignoring some of the original's issues, is a great remake that runs remarkably well and sports excellent visuals.
Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl bring Generation IV to Switch, warts and all - along with a new set of strengths and weaknesses.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are fine enough remakes for reliving some memories and sharing them with the next generation. But beneath the glow of nostalgia, there's a carelessness about their build that makes them fall short of expectations.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful recreations of the 2008 DS title. While leaving most content untouched the Quality of Life upgrades and enhanced features make this the best way to experience Sinnoh.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are faithful recreations of the classic DS titles, updated with plenty of small, ease-of-life changes. While some fans might feel alienated by the features that have been added to make the game easier, the changes are a net positive that make the game a smoother experience all-round. The upgraded Underground is more involved and offers more things to do, and the remade music tracks sound beautiful. Although a lot more could have been done to make these remakes truly special, what’s here will make Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl a worthwhile experience for returning fans and new ones alike.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are exactly what you think of what a remake to a Pokémon game. Story unchanged, newer assets and more quality of life upgrades that make it fit in the modern era of gaming. It is still very much Pokémon.
The only real downside to these remakes is that anything that used the touch screen in the originals feels like an afterthought here. They're still the same amazing, if a little formulaic, Pokémon games they were back in the day. And we may not be the same people we were back then, but we can at least remember how it felt when we first visited Sinnoh as we make our return today.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are no revolutions, nor do they alter the idea behind the originals. They, however, have managed to give me lots of fun. Maybe it’s the sentiment, or, maybe, this old-school DS gameplay is just better for me? I recommend Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl to all newcomers wanting to start their adventure in this vast world.
Review in Polish | Read full review
By eschewing the increasingly controversial design sensibilities that modern Pokemon games have imbibed, and sticking close to the design and spirit of a beloved, 15 year old game, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl deliver the most fulfilling and satisfying outing this series has had in a very long time.
What we have here is a very similar, yet different, version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in high definition on Switch, but it’s not definitively the best version to play today, as was the case with FireRed/LeafGreen, HeartGold/SoulSilver and Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby when they launched. While it’s not a stunningly brilliant or shining remake, it is a very faithful one that plays it safe and is a welcome return to Sinnoh for those with fond memories of visiting on the DS — but I’m more excited to see what’s new in the region with Pokémon Legends Arceus.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl show that not all remakes are worth playing if you have the originals on hand.
While it feels like Game Freak have been trying to find their footing with Pokémon over the last few years, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a confident showing by ILCA that proves the series is far from dead. The classic formula is unchanged here, and still holds up, which will no doubt please long-time fans and newcomers alike. Smart new additions that feel like natural additions to the base game, coupled with a visual overhaul that captures the feel of the originals make for an experience that's as nostalgic and comforting, as it is fresh and reinvigorating for the franchise.
Pokemon fun for younger and older fans. A remake that gives the old game a fresh feel for veterans and a great way to jump into the world for younger fans.
As far as what a remake/remaster should accomplish, it's hard to view Brilliant Diamond as anything short of an absolute failure.
Although highly requested and competently made, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl prove the franchise is in serious need of a new vision. This faithful remake fails to interest or excite for a majority of the 40-hour campaign.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are not the best games of the series nor the bravest, but they strongly respect the original games and the ones who played them, and they do everything they can to show that.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Represents the absence of many years of meaningful evolution.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl take me back to a simpler time in Pokémon where Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, and Dynamaxing didn’t exist. It’s a wonderful reminder of how far Pokémon has come and it feels like a love letter to arguably the most formative generation of Pokémon.
Despite some rough edges, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the best of modern and classic Pokemon.