Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Reviews
'Pokemon Omega Ruby' and 'Alpha Sapphire' make for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, while still keeping the games current with a number of new additions.
As tired as the series can often seem, these games still shine.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remain faithful to what made the GBA originals great. The new features are strong, but some of the progress made by Pokemon X&Y has also been undone.
In ORAS, your motivation for progress is the same as it ever was
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire resurrect two beloved games in style, and for better or worse, not much has changed.
One of the best Pokemon games in the franchise, with everything that makes the modern games good.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire may not be perfect, but they're an exciting step forward for the long-running franchise.
It's mostly more of the same, but when 'the same' is more Pokemon, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Overall, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire seem very similar to Pokémon X & Y, as you might expect, but the story and the environments you encounter feel – despite the fact that they are remakes – very fresh and unique. They're not an extensive upgrade from their other 3DS counterparts, but any Poké-fan who's played one of the series remakes in the past knows that expecting an enormous upgrade is a fool's errand. These titles should be considered as games that belong alongside X & Y, rather than successors. — they've successfully surpassed X & Y, however, by building on the tremendous features available on the 3DS and pushing new ideas such as the Soar ability. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are a must-buy for any Poké-fan, even if you already own X or Y.
Perfect for long time fans and new ones. This is the definitive Pokémon title (until the next one at least).
Why feeling largely familiar, Omega Ruby still offers a solid game of Pokémon with addictive online trading functionality to keep players obsessively catching 'em all.
Oddly enough, a game that made its debut almost 12 years ago is what it took to lure me back into Pokémania. Although X & Y did an admirable job when it came to transitioning the Pokémon series onto the 3DS, to me (other than the graphics) it seemed like the same formula from 1998 with a new coat of paint. However, this entry feels like a true next-gen title, with all the charm of the Pokémon franchise and just the right amount of features and complexities to have players journeying through Hoenn for years to come. Grab a Poké Ball and jump right in!
A perfectly good 3D remake of Ruby and Sapphire, the only problem being that Ruby and Sapphire were never that great – and this is still not as good as the recent X and Y.
Once I made my way to Slateport City and entered myself and Barkley, my Grovyle, in the Contest Spectacular, it wasn't hard to recall exactly what has endeared me to Pokémon over the years. I eventually walked away with third place, though satisfying gameplay loops often wind up leaving even aspiring Pokémon masters like myself with room to grow. Hopefully, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give fans that opportunity, either in retreading steps worn throughout Hoenn or acting as if it were a brand new universe on 3DS.
The opportunity to re-explore Hoenn is a thrilling one, and there's more than enough new content and tweaks to the old to justify the return trip. Although there are some mechanical issues, Alpha Sapphire remains a smooth journey that doesn't just feel like retracing your steps in the sand.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire take players back to the beautiful Hoenn region, providing a story that feels not only nostalgic, but like a new experience entirely.
Matthew O'Mara and Anand Ram team up to review the combo of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Clever updating of familiar favourites makes them feel like new adventures.
Even with a more minimal story, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are still solid Pokémon games, and even very good turn-based RPGs. There's no denying the fact that these games require thought and strategy to beat, and there's always a ton of things to see and do in them. For Pokémon fans, of course you should pick this up. For people asking "will this get me into the series?" the answer is maybe.
This year's games have plucked the best functions and features from Pokemon games past and present, blending them into a package that ticks the right boxes, but doesn't think outside of them.