Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Reviews
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.
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.
Pokémon remains as unique as they come among RPGs—a monster collection game that effortlessly blends social gaming with deep battle mechanics. In returning to the series' third generation, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire bring back many of the elements that defined the originals while also being some of the most accessible entries to date. That said, they can be a little too easy at times, and the postgame content feels a bit lacking in light of what's come before. Regardless, they are enjoyable remakes that appropriately capture one of the more peculiar periods in the series' history.
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.
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.
This game has a ton of strong points and few weaknesses, with one of the weaknesses possible to fix in the form of DLC. It's a very solid title that deserves to be purchased if you enjoyed the previous versions. For sure one of the better games of the franchise, and could well be THE definitive game of the series if Game Freak plays its cards right.
Pokémon games have been around for almost two decades now, and whether it's an entirely new set of adventures or updated classics like Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, the core gameplay formula remains virtually untouched. More features are added to burst the seams of content, with extra activities from the originals carried over. Some may find much of them completely optional, but every Pokémon fan can find a way to lose dozens to hundreds of hours exploring the Hoenn region once again.
New features like DexNav and the soar ability add just enough new gameplay elements to the classic Pokémon formula to help make this decade-old adventure feel new again.
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.
Matthew O'Mara and Anand Ram team up to review the combo of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Exceptional entries in the series that include some great new mechanics.
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.
Many of the features, like Pokémon-Amie, return to the game, but they managed to make extra subtle tweaks in this remake. Locations and situations have been changed up, capturing monsters is delightfully tweaked with the sneak mechanic, and the pace of the adventure is nice and brisk. While getting Mega Stones is a chore and presentation is still somewhat inconsistent, Game Freak knows once again how to pull off a remake in style.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are pretty solid entries into the series. Players who missed going through the Hoenn Region the first time through but enjoyed Pokemon X and Y will likely enjoy this outing as X and Ys' mechanics carry over. While I wish a few things were done differently and the difficulty increased a little bit, these are still two very enjoyable outings.
Perfect for long time fans and new ones. This is the definitive Pokémon title (until the next one at least).