Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Pokemon Shining Pearl Announced!

4th Gen Remakes have FINALLY arrived!!!

I'm seeing a ton of hate for the art style - but I kiiiiiiinda like it? I really didn't want it to look like SwSh, and this weird kind of chibi upscaled 3DS type thing is kinda cute. I think it's the most faithful thing they could've gone with if they weren't going to do it in the SwSh engine.

My main concern is that they'll be too faithful to D/P and won't bring over improvements from Platinum.

« Last edited by steelersrock01 on Feb 26th 2021 »

I don't mind the style. Sure, would I like high tech graphics? Of course. But it is reminiscent of what all Pokemon Games used to be. Nostalgic.

Yeah, exactly. I think it's a pretty faithful reimagining of the DS games. I'm a Pokemon boomer so I vastly prefer the sprite work of the GBA games but I'll take this.

I think it's a good balance between the sprites of the past and newer graphics. Also like how it's different than what we're used to seeing nowadays with Pokemon. Should be good. Can't wait to see what extras they put in the story.

I'm really not a fan of the Sw/Sh graphics at least on the switch. You can tell the games suffered from having to put out those graphics.

Yeah, a lot of extra work, main reason why they didn't include all of the Legacy Pokemon in Sword & Shield.

A lot of extra work to really not look great. The Switch after all is really just a kind of powerful tablet. I can appreciate the ambition but I hope with more development time and a deeper understanding of the hardware that they can clean up future games.

I completely agree.

It's really telling when you can look at models from Colosseum and XD an they look identical or even better than what was in Sword and Shield. You can see the same type of thing in shots from the Legends trailer too, compare it to screenshots from BOTW and it just looks barren. IDK if it's laziness or incompetence or just a focus on other things but the Pokemon games are lagging behind on a technical level. I can mostly overlook it because I'm not really a graphics snob, but it gets to a point where you're like "really, guys? This is the best you could do?"

« Last edited by steelersrock01 on Feb 27th 2021 »

I think it's because they're just trying to crank them out as quickly as possible, but I complete agree. I've never cared about the graphics either, especially considering I've played every single game and things are night and day compared to how they used to be two decades ago. I don't really play many other video games either, so it's not like I have much to compare to. I think most were willing to give them a pass on Sw/Sh since it was the first for Switch (not counting Let's Go), but they've got to improve moving forward. That or slow it down.

Right, and I don't even think Sw/Sh look bad artistically. They just lack a ton of polish. The draw distance is terrible and the models are so stiff and the animations are a joke. It must be some kind of pressure from Nintendo to have some kind of yearly Pokemon release because you have to think that with another year or even 6 months in the oven they could do much better.

That's not even mentioning the linearity of Sw/Sh, the plot, or the easiness of it. Just the graphics. Everything else is I think just a fundamental change in design philosophy.

I think it's a combination of pressure from Nintendo and the fact they know whatever they put out will sell. Pokemon players love to gripe, but they always buy the next game. I never have had any expectations, I just go with the flow of the game. My only diss on Sw/Sh was the somewhat limited storyline. Hours to get to the first gym, but after that, you roll through the first half of them in like an hour. And literally no antagonist group, just Leon constant taking care of any issues that arise so you can continue your journey. Suddenly you're at the end and Rose is destroying the region to prevent climate change; literally caused me to do a double take. Very disappointing story after one of the better plot twists in the franchise seen in Sun/Moon.

I also think constantly trying to think of something knew is hurting them. We got one gen of Megas. Then one of Regional Forms. And now Dynamax. Like don't they know they could continue one of those concepts over multiple generations and focus more on the games themselves?

« Last edited by Warrior13 on Feb 27th 2021 »

This is the picture I was looking for:


Genshin is a free phone game. I just think they should hit some sort of baseline.

Totally agreed on all your points. I know Pokemon is for kids, but there is a difference between being for kids and being enjoyable for everyone, and being aimed so hard at kids that it's babyish. And Sword/Shied is definitely in the later group.

The constant half-baked new mechanics are definitely hurting them. Just pick one and stick with it. I like the idea of Gigantamax but the animations are so slow and when you've seen them once you've seen them all. I think regional forms are a really cool idea.

I think just about everyone was hoping Megas would continue, and I was a little shocked they didn't continue after how big of a success they were (not to mention how much they hyped them going in the 6th Gen).

When Alolan Forms were first announced, I really thought they would be doing them for each and every Kanto Pokemon. But no, we got like ten. Would've been amazing to change all the types and abilities of the original 151 and give them each a fresh alternative, especially when the Alola Dex was so very small. They could've then flipped that and given each of the Alolan Pokemon a Kantoian Form. But that was just my thought.

I think most fans would love to see Shadow Pokemon. Seen in Colosseum, Pokken and now GO. Can't believe they haven't brought them to the Mainstream Games. Distortion Forms would've been cool for the 4th Gen Remakes, especially since Giratina is the god of this alternative universe, but that's obviously not coming.

More regional mons would be great. Especially if they did something like a Lets Go Johto where Gen 2 doesn't have as many new Pokemon. Take 100 from the other regions and give them Johto forms. Cashes in on nostalgia, adds more content, and saves the team from having to come up with all new ideas.

Shadow pokes would be really cool. Make it a whole subplot in Gen 9 or give us a mainline game in the Orre region from Colosseum/XD. It's hard to believe they haven't thought of ideas like this but they seem pretty set on doing the new gen every 3 years and doing a remake of a gen, with some weird spin offs like Snap in between.

I am really interested in what they do with BD/SP. They usually throw in certain differences with the remakes, and I cannot wait to see what they do this time around. Primal Forms would work if they wanted to bring them back since this is the creation trio after all, but I do not see that happening. Hopefully it is not just the same old same old.

Yeah, every three years at this point. Could always stretch that since DLCs seem here to stay, that could buy them an extra year each cycle. If they are going to do BD/SP DLCs, I hope they revolve around the extra legends. This would mean post game is really just battle frontier, but I think it would be better overall. DLC 1 could be like Crown Tundra: various quests for Sinnoh Legends (Darkrai & Cresselia Moons Story, Heatran Volcano Story, Regigigas Story with perhaps another new Regi or two, Red Chain Guardians Trio). Would not even have to make new areas since they already exit. DLC 2: Return of Galatic Leader & Distortion World Story.

I'm really against having DLC in a remake that's already more expensive than the original, especially if it's going to be content that was included in Platinum. But if they can come up with some new stuff that makes sense I'd be interested. I never bought the DLC for Sw/Sh but I might if it ever goes on sale.

I am not for it either, but I think the franchise clearly is moving in that direction. Easier to do two small additions rather than a whole new game (even if said game is like ninety percent the original).

Sw/Sh expansions were good, but far too easy if you had already completed the games. I think they waited too long. I finished the first one in about an hour since I could raise Kubfu in the matter of seconds with exp candy. Basically all you do with a few battles. Crown Tundra took a little longer, but it actually had story to it. Again, very easy to beat with Level 100 Competitive Pokes. lol

As I told my friend, I hope they release a DLC with conjunction with the release of the game (sort of like 5th Gen Victini Event). Shaymin makes sense since it isn?t the strongest thing in its regular form. Could travel through Sinnoh with Starter and Shaymin. Just a thought.

I finished Sw/Sh with my whole team around level 60-70, with absolutely no grinding which is nuts for me with pokemon games. Usually I'm around 50 at the elite 4. So I'll probably pass on the DLC if it's dumb easy.

Agreed on having a smaller DLC, or a drip-feed of content. There's plenty of ways to do it. Make it a season pass where every month there are event Pokemon or mini-dungeons or little side stories. Add a small mystery dungeon mode where on the last floor you can capture a special Pokemon. Add a cruise ship storyline where it makes stops in other regions and lets you explore a port city like Slateport. Add the Orange Islands. Not all of this is necessarily applicable to D/P but there are so many ideas they can add just from the existing lore that haven't made it into the games. Steal plots from the anime. Just be creative. Plenty of people will pay for smaller scale original content.

I understand from a business side that it's much easier to pump out remakes and half-baked new Gens, it just hurts when there's so much untapped potential. Pokemon might be a top 3 favorite series for me and it's a shame that I'm only half interested in the new games.