Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Reviews
These remakes of DS-era classics offer another round of Pok'mon catching, but its gameplays feels a bit burned out.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
As it stands, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes in terms of storyline and post-content material. However, there are real issues here with the game’s level balancing, pared down content and overall user experience that does not go unnoticed. There’s no denying that these games are still enjoyable, especially for youngsters that haven’t experienced the originals. But for veterans yearning for a polished remake, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a beautiful disaster.
Despite some rough edges, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the best of modern and classic Pokemon.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl refreshes the setting, eliminates some of the tiring elements, expands well-known systems, but... The time will come for revolutions. It's a nice, though far too easy, production.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Whether you’re a Pokémon fan who fondly remembers the original or a newcomer looking for a way in to the series, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is easy to recommend. It may seem a little bit costly for a remake that stays fairly close to the source material aside from a snazzy new look, but there’s still a lot of game here. Even better, it’s enjoyable no matter your age, gender or skill level. Once you’ve started playing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond you really will feel the urge to catch ’em all. And the improvements here mean it’s never been as easy or enjoyable.
It's a great alternative to relive Sinnoh. It is possible to spend hours searching for rare Pokemon in the underground sections. But even as a new Pokemon game, it seems more logical to wait for Pokemon Legends: Arceus for a more old-fashioned, more eccentric experience.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
I'm certainly not in a hurry to leave it any time soon; that's for sure. However, with Pokémon Legends on the horizon, this one-two punch of Pokémon titles could be a winning way to close out one year and welcome in another, with a blast from the past followed by something we haven't really seen before. That's a Jigglepuff double-slap I can get behind.
These gripes aside – and I realise that I’ve griped a lot in this review – Pokémon Pearl remains an excellent game, and the remake is of a very high quality. I’ve been able to reunite with Piplup, relive a very fondly-remembered adventure, and while there have been some tweaks that I’ve been less than amused by, on balance the developers have retained the qualities that made that game such a fondly remembered one.
If you're a Pokemon fan and haven't played the original Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum then you're missing out. The Sinnoh region is an absolute joy to explore and it's super-fun trying to catch as many Pokémon as you can.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are therefore slightly too faithful to the source remasters/remakes. They bring back the older game’s stories and modernize them for a nostalgic hardcore fanbase.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl is the return to a journey marked by happy memories, vivid colors and challenging battles. Combining the right mechanics with very well-designed graphics, it surprises and exceeds expectations. For the richness of content and the comfort it brings, it is more than recommended for old and new players alike.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Pokémon Shining Pearl effortlessly captures the essence of the classic handheld titles. And while there is plenty of new content and Pokémon to discover, it can’t help but seem stuck in the past somewhat. Frequent random encounters, a bland story structure and a low level of difficulty can quickly drag down the experience.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good remakes of an inherently flawed Pokemon game. The games lean a little hard into recapturing the experience of the originals, which is a detriment and somewhat negates the fantastic visual and quality-of-life improvements.
Pokémon is back with two fantastic remakes that are sure to act as comfort food for newer and older fans alike.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl straddle the line between old and new by giving two beloved heirlooms a polish that avoids tarnishing treasured memories. These are buoyant, accessible RPGs for fans and newcomers alike.
For all the flack Game Freak gets nowadays, it’s hard not to say that ILCA’s Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl can feel like a plunge backward when compared to the franchise’s prior nostalgic re-outings.
If you’re a newcomer or an existing Gen 4 fan, you’ll still have plenty of fun with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. There are noticeable quality-of-life improvements, the Grand Underground is enjoyable, battling against friends is always a joy and there remains an entertaining story. Personally, I just think there’s room for improvement.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of inconsistent quality, excellent in graphics and game system but lacking in content. Fans particularly fond of the series or the fourth generation will still find a good title that will surely satisfy them in its fidelity to the original titles.
Review in Italian | Read full review
"Better to be safe than something else."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
If you're in the mood to pick your Starter, defeat the eight gym leaders and then win the Pokémon League, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will scratch that itch of yours. But don't expect more than that. The introduction of Hideways in grand undeground expands pokédex, but lately they're a pain in the ass to cover the fact that these remakes virtually ignore all pokémon platinum enhancements and content.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review