Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Reviews
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire may not be perfect, but they're an exciting step forward for the long-running franchise.
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.
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.
You can't shake the feeling that it's also an unending gyre of game loops.
As tired as the series can often seem, these games still shine.
Far more than a simple remake, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire returns players to the past, with all the new bells and whistles intact in this latest installment.
After only fourteen hours playing through Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, I was stunned to see the credits rolling down the screen. After all, the Hoenn region had always been my favorite, and I recalled spending at least thirty hours reaching the end of Emerald the last time I had played it. I figured that since I was tasked to review the newest Pokémon title, I would want to get the review out in a timely manner. As such, I sped through the game trying to get the review up as fast as possible. I was stalled in my mission, however, as after completing the game I began engaging in all the extra content hidden within the Generation III remakes. This is where the Pokémon games have always shined, and continue to shine: Not the content on the surface of the game, although that too is still incredibly addicting, but all the extra content layered underneath.
Clever updating of familiar favourites makes them feel like new adventures.
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.
They succeed, with soaring colours.
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.
Much like the previous remakes; it separates itself from the rest of the games in the series, and has allowed the developers to truly experiment. It's not perfect - it's not even my favorite remake - but it is one of the distinguished Pokemon games that I have played in years.
These little quirks and irritants don't make it a bad game. It is, in fact, good. But without them, it could have been great.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for the Nintendo 3DS update the classic Gen III Ruby/Sapphire games with 3D graphics and polished mechanics worthy of a modern Pokemon title.
Exceptional entries in the series that include some great new mechanics.
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire looks great and is a lot of fun to play, with just the right blend of old and new, as well as a much more in-depth game environment. It does seem to be easier than the original, but overall is a very successful remake.
Remaking one of the lesser appreciated entries to the Pokémon juggernaut could have been a risky endeavour, yet with adding all the improvements to the mainline games since to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire makes even the preserved negatives of the originals seem smaller in hindsight. A worthy choice for people new to the series, yet providing enough new functionality for fans, as well, these jewels are worth preserving.
Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby don't break the mold, but as remakes they improve the experience in every way.
Game Freak takes Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire into the third dimension, but the remakes lack the polish to make them truly glimmer.
It's mostly more of the same, but when 'the same' is more Pokemon, that's not necessarily a bad thing.