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Pokemon Black

Reviewed by: limimi
11:28am 25/03/11
1 member comments

Genre: Role Playing
Developer:
Publisher:
Classification: PG
Release Date: 10th Mar 2011
Platforms:

MEMBER RATING:

Pok�mon Black - along with Pok�mon White - begins what will be the fifth generation of Pok�mon games to be released since the series first came to Australia back in 1998. If this fifth generation follows the formula, Pok�mon Black will no doubt be followed by a third title, a remake of a previous generation and a variety of spin-offs in the puzzle, action-rpg and roguelike genres.

It�s tough to see how Game Freak will improve on Pok�mon Black and Pok�mon White however - and for two very different reasons. Looking at it positively, Black has been crammed to the hilt with features - including social media aspects, updated graphics, new battle options, web based mini-games and 150 new pok�mon.

Looking at it negatively, you will exhaust the goodwill of your market if you never fix the annoying aspects of your game. Ok I know history doesn�t support this argument in any way, shape or form - but the fact is in thirteen years we have had sixteen 'main' Pok�mon games and yet you still don�t get access to running shoes until you reach the first town. And for some bizarre reason - perhaps primarily to upset me - the auto-run feature is no longer available.

Pok�mon Black was built with those who haven�t played other Pok�mon games in mind - both those who left the series behind and those completely new to it. The new features are all proof of this commitment, and a lot of effort has gone towards balancing between the two markets. To this end, while previous generations have had a mix of brand new pok�mon and older favourites, Pok�mon Black introduces 150 entirely new pok�mon - with pok�mon from older games only available after completion of the story.

The 150 new pok�mon are probably my biggest problem with Pok�mon Black however. As I mentioned in my HeartGold review, I am a big fan of cute things - and Pok�mon Black is sorely lacking in that area. Even the starting pok�mon are an unattractive bunch - a choice between a snooty lizard, an orange pig and a depressed bear. Things don�t get much better throughout the game either - for every Tympole there are ten Pawniards looking �cool�.

If you prefer the �cool� looking pok�mon however - or just don�t care - the single player aspects of Pok�mon Black are a big step up from the other Pok�mon games on the DS. Little things make big improvements - like the use of speech bubbles for conversations - common in some other series, they allow multiple people to talk at once.

Things like the dark grass indicating double battles with wild pok�mon and shaking grass indicating a battle with a rare pok�mon add some variety to your random encounters, but the most significant differences - and really the game - begin once you reach Skyarrow Bridge and Castelia City.

The Skyarrow Bridge changes the camera angle to emphasize its length, following from an elevated distance as you run down the walkway while cars and trucks whiz past. Castelia City is a large metropolis, with people walking around at break neck speeds and back alleys with shady gentlemen. These differences are only cosmetic, but they add a lot to the atmosphere of the game and are a testament to Game Freak�s commitment to advance the series.

The story is... uncomfortable. While initially you begin your journey the same way everybody does - the generous scientist Professor Juniper gives you a very expensive piece of equipment and tells you to catalogue every single pok�mon - things take a turn when you meet Team Plasma.

Team Plasma are on a quest to free pok�mon from their human slavers - which anyone who has given it some thought would consider a noble sentiment. Your friends and colleagues all shout about how Pok�mon love to fight each other for people's amusement and then spend every other second in a pok�ball - although there is plenty of proof that pok�mon are emotional, sentient creatures - some with intelligence eclipsing that of humans.

Pok�mon is a multi-million dollar franchise however and you are the good guy, so Team Plasma learn the error of their ways and come to understand how Pok�mon and humans can live in harmony as long as Pok�mon remain subservient. Like I said - uncomfortable.

Single player is not the focus of the game - readily evident with the replacement of the Poketch with C-gear. If you haven�t played the previous generation titles, the Poketch was displayed on the touch screen of your DS and gave you access to your menu as well as a variety of other gear which you picked up along the way - displaying stats, berries, the radio and special items.

C-gear gives you access to your wireless options instead - allowing you easy access to trading and battling through Infra-Red, Ad-hoc Wifi chat via the xtransciever (video chat for those with a DSi, although I�ve still yet to see the benefits of audio or visual chat with someone in the same room as you) and Pass By mode - which functions in standby mode and can net you items if you pass by enough other players using it. Like Dragon Quest IX, this function is sadly more limited in Australia than it would be in other parts of the world

The C-gear also syncs your game with the Pok�mon Global Link - which ranks you globally based on various stats. You can battle random players and also upload your save game - giving you access to the Dream World.

Putting one of your pok�mon to sleep in a special bed sends them to the Pok�mon Dream World - a web based environment similar to the Pokewalker which came with HeartGold and SoulSilver. Your Pok�mon can play mini-games, gain experience and ready other Pok�mon to be captured - Pok�mon with different abilities to their counterparts in the normal world. It�s a big improvement over the aforementioned Pokewalker, with better graphics and games - and of course being web based means it doesn�t need you to carry a plastic ball with you everywhere you go.

Along with the occasional different Pok�mon, the most significant difference between Pok�mon Black and White comes near the end of the game, with Black giving you access to Black City and White giving you the White Forest. Black City is great if you enjoy battling trainers and it looks and feels like nothing in any other game. Having only played Black I can�t comment on the White Forest, although promotional material suggests it is a place where humans and pok�mon live in harmony - which is code for �dull.�

Game Freak wanted to reel people back in with Pok�mon Black, and they have made an outstanding new addition to the series. If you have even the slightest desire to play Pok�mon you would be mad to choose any other game in the series - since even if you don�t want to battle against human opponents the world of Unova and Dream World will provide hours of entertainment. Although, if there were any games in the Pok�mon series where I personally would have specifically avoided the �Slavery is OK' message, it would be the ones titled Pok�mon Black and Pok�mon White.

Comments

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Game Comment by killeringa

I remember the year 1998. I was young and naive, combing through my local Toys R Us store, contemplating what I was going to experience if I found the awesome new game I had heard all about. The original Pokemon Blue version, which totally blew me away. So much so that I, even now to this day still like to insert the old and dusty cartridge into my ancient Gameboy Pocket. The feeling I got when I played the night away catching monsters of all sorts was rivalled by any other game. Pokemon had me hooked like a Magikarp on land, I couldn't leave. Fast track to the present day and the Pokemon series has enjoyed a healthy growth, spawning 4 more generations of games and entertaining millions the world over. While past iterations were always good, they never captured the spark that the originals had. That is, until the latest instalment, Pokemon Black and White on the Nintendo DS.

The template for a Pokemon game is simple, you are a teenager whom sets out on an adventure into the wilderness to pit your monsters against others, proving your mettle by earning Pokemon League badges at gyms. Along the way an organisation is disrupted in their evil ways by your journey, fortunately you are the hero of the day in these games. While generic, it works. The fifth generation, however, actually has a story, while not true RPG quality it is a step forward. I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that there are darker, more mature themes involved than in previous games. Any Pokemon trainer will gladly admit though, that story is not where the addiction lies.

The game play itself is an upgrade on Diamond, Pearl and Emerald, with new additions to the battle mechanics, such as new moves and abilities which allow for a wider range in strategies. In truth, the series is built on �if it aint broke, don't fix it�. This is painfully clear, with the controls being copied and pasted throughout the series, but it works. It allows veterans to jump right back in yet it's a simple layout for all newcomers.

The visuals remind me of stepping into that sand dune on a hot summers day overlooking the ocean. I can see where they are headed but they aren't quite there yet and right now they are suffering for it, much like my red raw feet that day. While it is nice to see the attempts at bringing the series into a true 3d environment, unless pre-rendered, it creates scenes in which you can't help but notice each singular pixel. A great example of this is the revamped battle sequences, while the camera is moving much like an action film, zooming in and out with each attack, it causes the Pokemon or the attacks to become a blur of pixels. Instead of the clear avatars of each Pokemon that has become a staple of the series, we are given what sometimes looks amazing, and other times looks like a heap of watermarked garbage. The backgrounds in the over world, however are something to behold, from the 3d sky scrapers of Hiun City to the unpredictable rain drenched lands of Route 7, the environment is colourful and full of life.

The vibrant sounds of a Pokemon game always delivers, engrossing the player into the universe, Black and White being no exception. From the frenetic chorus of battle through to the peaceful town ambience the music captures each situation. Never mind the fact that there's over five hundred different Pokemon cries heard throughout the game. There isn't much I can say to fault the music, however, some may take the sudden change of music with a grain of salt once your Pokemon's health becomes critical. It is a feature I really enjoyed though as it created a sense of urgency through the fights.

The main draw card of the series over the years has been the implementation and improvement of connectivity and multi player aspects. While the ability to communicate over Wi-Fi was introduced in the previous set of games, it was limited to scrolling through forum after forum for a persons friend code unless you knew them in real life. Gamefreak have found the solution for all the lonely souls who are technically too old for Pokemon. With the introduction of random battling, something which fans believe should have been in Diamond and Pearl anyway the casual gamer is now able to sign onto Wi-Fi and easily start a battle. The Global Trade System returns, but is still plagued by people asking for impossible trades (level 9 Dialga???). There is also a new feature called �Dream World� where you place one of your Pokemon �to sleep� and play various mini-games for special abilities, items and even sometimes new Pokemon.

Gamefreak pretty much pioneered this sub-genre in RPG gaming and have, as a result, become fluent in the creation of their games. There aren't many qualms I have, or at least none that ruin the overall experience. The multi player aspect has been taken to a new level as has the graphical aspect of the games. If I was to point out a certain aspect which does need work on it would be the pixelated game play through the battles. Being such a minor problem in such a beautifully polished game though, we can let it slide.

What Gamefreak have done superb with the fifth generation of Pokemon games is add just enough nuances to recapture the original feel of the games. I enjoyed my journey through earning my badges, and I plan to do even more adventuring as I discover what might be awaiting for me. For a Pokemon fan I strongly recommend that you give this game a chance.

Rating

Story: 7
Game Play: 9
Visuals:8
Audio:10
Multi Player: 8

Overall: 8