Pokemon Brilliant Diamond

 Switch
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 917 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 322 out of 917
  2. Mixed: 214 out of 917
  3. Negative: 381 out of 917
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    0
    Trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. wemelchor
    Sep 2, 2023
    1
    I'm giving this a negative score because the game is so incredibly lazy. So much thought and care not put into this game. A small team of ONE PERSON, who isn't paid by Nintendo can make a Rom hack that looks way better than this game. I am also taking score off because this game is so poorly made, that you are forcing me to go look for a better pokemon game made by competent people. YouI'm giving this a negative score because the game is so incredibly lazy. So much thought and care not put into this game. A small team of ONE PERSON, who isn't paid by Nintendo can make a Rom hack that looks way better than this game. I am also taking score off because this game is so poorly made, that you are forcing me to go look for a better pokemon game made by competent people. You should be ashamed of yourself gamefreak. I want to play pokemon, I want to play pokemon for once in my life but I cannot touch anything you have put out since Generation 5 in 2012. Your programming and story writing is atrocious. Your level designs are forgettable, your content is shelf filler. AI can make a better game than you.… Expand
  3. eefeef
    Aug 31, 2023
    3
    Nothing about the story or gameplay of this game is different from the original, so we'll comply. But what's the point of a remake that adds low-quality graphics and bugs?
  4. Jazzparagus
    Aug 31, 2023
    0
    How do you make a remake of Pokemon DP, make the exact same mistakes that game made, ignore all of the improvements Pt made, and STILL remove features???

    It genuinely baffles me that Pokemon Contests have been reduced to only the rythm game section, you have to download the music because the company was too lazy to use bigger cartridges, the capture the flag minigame is gone, there's    How do you make a remake of Pokemon DP, make the exact same mistakes that game made, ignore all of the improvements Pt made, and STILL remove features???

    It genuinely baffles me that Pokemon Contests have been reduced to only the rythm game section, you have to download the music because the company was too lazy to use bigger cartridges, the capture the flag minigame is gone, there's godawful level scaling because they slapped the EXP share right on without editing trainer levels.
    It's not hard to imagine a game where all of DP's problems were fixed correctly because it EXISTS! It's called Pokemon Platinum and you should play it instead of this dumpster fire.

    This series has gotten to the point where I dont want gen 5 remakes anymore.    … Expand
  5. Xopomol
    Aug 30, 2023
    0
    There is no way to put this lightly, this game is utter garbage. From optimisation to visuals this abhorrent experience Game Freak tried to mask as a video game fails horribly. I am pretty much certain that it was created as a new more efficient way to torture Pokémon fans. It is filled to the brim with bugs and glitches and barely functions properly. Most of the content was missing onThere is no way to put this lightly, this game is utter garbage. From optimisation to visuals this abhorrent experience Game Freak tried to mask as a video game fails horribly. I am pretty much certain that it was created as a new more efficient way to torture Pokémon fans. It is filled to the brim with bugs and glitches and barely functions properly. Most of the content was missing on release together with the freaking soundtrack and people had to wait for a content update. Somehow instead of being a better version of two already buggy games, it ended up being worse than the originals. The return to the chibi art style was a terrible idea as it was translated terribly on 3D and it led to some of the worst visuals I've seen in the Pokémon series. The fricking pixelated games looked better than this. Finally, instead of following the plot line of Platinum, which is the superior Sinnoh game, they based BDSP entirely on Diamond and Pearl, unarguably inferior games, without adding any new content as they've done in previous remakes. The community had awaited for Sinnoh remakes for such a long time and it is seriously depressing that this is what we got.… Expand
  6. Kejoko
    Aug 23, 2023
    4
    I loved Diamond back when it came out. I was so obsessed that I've printed the whole pokedex before I could play the game. It is still to this day my favorite pokemon game.

    Then the remakes finally got announced after waiting for so long. I saw the presentation and I was shocked. I felt like these games deserved a way better presentation and a more Sword and Shiel or Sun and Moon like    I loved Diamond back when it came out. I was so obsessed that I've printed the whole pokedex before I could play the game. It is still to this day my favorite pokemon game.

    Then the remakes finally got announced after waiting for so long. I saw the presentation and I was shocked. I felt like these games deserved a way better presentation and a more Sword and Shiel or Sun and Moon like artstyle. I get why did this, for the mechanics and HM stuff etc. But it feels like this series did not get the love it deserved. At least we got Legends Arceus to fill the Sinnoh gaps with some more adventureous stuff. But I feel like this is a big potential wasted and I pray they give Sinnoh another shot in a new generation. Don't do this with Black and White please.

    I feel like with Scarlot and Voilet, fans are getting robbed from a magical experience. Yes the games are still fun, but it feels like we miss that love of detail we got in previous games.

    I still played it, and still liked it for the nostalgic feels. But the framerate and overal artstyle made me enjoy it less than the actual original versions.    … Expand
  7. Eyean
    Aug 5, 2023
    4
    This game barely qualifies as a remake. The new content is very hit or miss, and the omission of Platinum content makes this 2021 game feel outdated compared to its 2008 predecessor.
  8. Derpcat
    Jun 26, 2023
    3
    My goodness. This game. I have a lot of problems with Brilliant Diamond. If you want my opinion, flat out, don't buy it. It's bad. But, I'll go into further detail, because the core Pokemon Diamond game is actually very good.

    So, the story is that you want to become a Pokemon master and catch em all or something. All of the Pokemon tropes are here, team led by a guy who wants to rule    My goodness. This game. I have a lot of problems with Brilliant Diamond. If you want my opinion, flat out, don't buy it. It's bad. But, I'll go into further detail, because the core Pokemon Diamond game is actually very good.

    So, the story is that you want to become a Pokemon master and catch em all or something. All of the Pokemon tropes are here, team led by a guy who wants to rule the world, it's all predictable. This is more of a problem now, because we've had 9 generations of this. But I never judge a game by plot.

    In Pokemon, you have to capture Pokemon to have in your team which you use in battles. Basically, if you have never played a Pokemon game before, it's an Rpg. In the last couple of Pokemon remakes, the core game is pretty similar, but there's Pokemon from future gens. This time though, in the main adventure, you only get up to gen 4. All of the cool changes made in future games, gone. Why? So it's "faithful"? The Super Mario 3D World remake added new moves so it was more in line with Odyssey. No one is angry about that. And the player character has full 360 degree movement, but in cutscenes the other characters are stuck on grids. TM's are broken, even though they were FIXED COMPLETELY in later games! Adding insult to injury, there's an underground minigame thing, where they added Pokemon FROM FUTURE GENERATIONS!! Not to mention these Pokemon aren't stuck in grass like everywhere else in the game. So why? Not to mention XP share is stuck on. This makes the early game way too easy, although the Elite 4 are at least bumped up in difficulty. Like, bumped up a lot. This is probably the only well-balanced thing in the game. And, if you've only played newer games, HMs are back. These are essential TMs you get from finishing off gym leaders. At least you don't have to put it on a Pokemon on your team. That's a good change. Gameplay is really bad. The game is probably a lost cause by this point, but we haven't gotten to the presentation.

    Let's start off with the good. The music is good. As good as subsequent Pokemon games. It sounds pleasing. And the sound effects are good as well. The in-battle sprites look pretty OK. Nothing amazing, but they look nice. Okay, no more beating around the bush, lets talk about the overworld. The characters adopt a gross Chibi style. It's hard to take the characters seriously when they're plotting to destroy the Pokemon world, but they have a compacted frown and their eyes are tiny. When it zooms in when a cutscene happens, they look dreadful, for lack of better word. Everything else in the world is just copy-and-pasted blocks. All of the trees look the same. And when something is supposed to appear cool, it never does. "Wow, this city has a giant electronic solar panel walkway!" Yeah, but it just looks like a standard sidewalk. The game has this style because the original on DS had to have this style. It was pixelated and the game would look bad without it. But it doesn't need this style anymore! This is just cheap.

    With content, not much to say here. The main adventure takes about 15 hours, but not much outside of that. You could shiny hunt, but it's incredibly cumbersome in this game. There's online trading and battling, and there's also a gauntlet with the Battle Tower that I haven't tried. The underground is a cool multiplayer collectible thing where you try to get treasures to decorate your secret base. So that's cool I guess. You can catch em all, but I've never really been into that. There's no Platinum content, which I don't understand. Why would you not include things from the superior version? They're losing nothing from including that. I guess some cool extra content is that you can glitch out of bounds? Yeah, it's not a super stable game, although it's not as bad as like Cyberpunk or S/V, but they are still there.

    Overall, I do not like this game. The whole game is a missed opportunity. If you want Pokemon, play Legends: Arceus. It's much more interesting, it looks much better, it has TONS of content, and it plays like a dream. Original Diamond and Pearl could be argued to be the better version!    … Expand
  9. plumberlol
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    Literally platinum with new graphics and a few extra features, not even mentioning how they butchered the new features and removed some from platinum too. All priced at $60 even to this day. The only silver lining is that its easy to mod. Maybe we can get a good romhack instead of a good game someday
  10. RatingRating
    May 27, 2023
    0
    Wow these games are bad.
    1. The Pokemon are way too slow to follow you.
    2. These are not re-makes, these are re-skins
    3. They used the Diamond and Pearl dex and then made some Platinum Pokemon available in the Grand Underground, which is very confusing.
    4. The game is way too easy, and then they create the hardest league and champion ever out of the blue.
  11. AlexBlasio
    May 21, 2023
    0
    It is a game made with little effort and love, for the new consumers it was a great disappointment, let's hope that a misfortune does not happen again as it is.
  12. DeadSmack
    May 17, 2023
    2
    So, if you have played the originals, this is the same. It's not a remake, it's just a visual update. And to my taste, the chibi style is horrible. I wonder if 5-10 yrs old Pokemon fans are really the main audience for the franchise. Can't recommend it, you better get the originals and play them.
  13. PokeMunkPresto
    May 12, 2023
    0
    Worst remakes ever! Looks stupid for a modern game, no later generation pokemon, no special gimmicks/for legendary or starter... I dreamt for gen 4 remakes and this is the result!! I've never been so disappointed in my life
  14. Reshiban
    Apr 29, 2023
    3
    This remake has no reasons to exist.

    It's exactly the same game as before, almost nothing new, and one of the poor news things is really stupid (legendary pokemon at Amity Square). Gameplay is weird, your character can be moved out of the case center in some case with NPC, feel like a fangame on Unity. Musics are not all bad, but many of them are weird and not adapted to the    This remake has no reasons to exist.

    It's exactly the same game as before, almost nothing new, and one of the poor news things is really stupid (legendary pokemon at Amity Square).

    Gameplay is weird, your character can be moved out of the case center in some case with NPC, feel like a fangame on Unity.

    Musics are not all bad, but many of them are weird and not adapted to the situation (orchestration sounds too weird when the game is poor like this).

    I appreciate the efforts put into the underground, and maybe the contest as well.

    Few poor things are out, but pokemon remakes always used the latest pokemon core to bring an old region with an other look (that's why people loved the previous remake, it had something new). Here, it's explicitly not new, but it sounds stupid to me. A remake like the original game ? Just put a DS emulator on Switch, it would be the same thing, or maybe better.    … Expand
  15. SuperSonic95
    Apr 7, 2023
    0
    It's worst remake pokemon !!! It's just remaster of pokemon diamond !!! Why doesn't this remake have platinum content or any original content!!?!
  16. JusticeServed
    Jan 17, 2023
    0
    This game is a scam. It delivered nothing that could remotely qualifies as a remake game.
  17. Black_Mullet
    Dec 29, 2022
    4
    Feels like a cheap indie game, I regret getting it, worst part is that it could have been the best game of it's kind (top down rpg) but the pokemon company didn't care at all. The game is just made badly, movement is bad, chibis aren't even cute, following pokemon plainly suck. I'm very disappointed with the way they massacared that remake. Worst part is that the modding community hasFeels like a cheap indie game, I regret getting it, worst part is that it could have been the best game of it's kind (top down rpg) but the pokemon company didn't care at all. The game is just made badly, movement is bad, chibis aren't even cute, following pokemon plainly suck. I'm very disappointed with the way they massacared that remake. Worst part is that the modding community has actually made the game a 9/10 with mods. I suggest to anyone that may want to play this game, find a good pc and play it on an emulator with some mods and you aren't gonna regret it. Don't spend money on this like I did.… Expand
  18. Pyrrha51
    Dec 9, 2022
    1
    I like Pokemon and I like Sinnoh but this remake just wasn’t it. It was basically a carbon copy of the original Diamond with a weird hybrid of Pokémon’s modern artstyle and a chibi artstyle that... is a little odd. There’s nothing from Platinum in the game outside of a few minor things like the early purchase outfits, and given that Platinum was the definitive Sinnoh game... that justI like Pokemon and I like Sinnoh but this remake just wasn’t it. It was basically a carbon copy of the original Diamond with a weird hybrid of Pokémon’s modern artstyle and a chibi artstyle that... is a little odd. There’s nothing from Platinum in the game outside of a few minor things like the early purchase outfits, and given that Platinum was the definitive Sinnoh game... that just means it’s a downgrade of an existing game. Every other remake added to itself in some way - new Pokémon from the generations that had come out after the original set of games, new features, content from or homaging the third, enhanced version of the games... BDSP falls flat on its face on delivering new features. Just go buy Legends Arceus instead for the true Sinnoh remake.… Expand
  19. Alebernard
    Dec 8, 2022
    0
    The worst remake i ever seen. Just dumb things and children stuffs. I sold my, Thank god
  20. zagger999
    Dec 6, 2022
    0
    I don't like rating a game like this, but I had some problems with BDSP. This was not a balanced game, and the bugs it came out when it launched were as numerous as SV, and it still gets praised.

    The fact that I had to reset twice as I got caught in game-breaking bugs spoiled this game, not to mention how brutal the ending is. Is it a faithful remake, for the most part? Then the ending    I don't like rating a game like this, but I had some problems with BDSP. This was not a balanced game, and the bugs it came out when it launched were as numerous as SV, and it still gets praised.

    The fact that I had to reset twice as I got caught in game-breaking bugs spoiled this game, not to mention how brutal the ending is. Is it a faithful remake, for the most part? Then the ending happens. Pokemon is meant for kids, right? I had to EV train and IV breed and hunt down specific Pokemon to defeat the elite 4 and Cynthia! What kid is going to know immediately know how to do that? And you don't have most of the tools to do it, so guess what? You have to do it the hard way!

    And then still get lucky because of MF Flint's stupid Driblim MINIMIZING BATON PASSING TO A FOCUS SASH INFERNAPE! I am salty due to what this game did to me, and I have not forgiven it.    … Expand
  21. mimikyuu
    Dec 6, 2022
    1
    Essentially removed everything from Platinum that made it good. Didn’t prefer the chibi graphics. Hard to stay interested in enough to fully play through. Probably good for people who haven’t played the original Diamond/Pearl/Platinum games, or for diehard gen 4 fans.
  22. LeGabrielUrbano
    Nov 21, 2022
    3
    To make such a bad remake, they better not have done anything, that is, it's not terrible, but, the graphics are an insult and the artistic style is almost always inferior to that of the original game whose synergy made it attractive, on the other hand, here it just misplaces.
  23. GamingGuy25
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    **** game

    This one eps hurts since Sinnoh had a ton of potential (platinum is actually pretty good)
    But this "remake" just decides to remove all the things that made Sinnoh good (aka all the **** from platinum) and keep all the bad and add even worse things to it
    Pokecucks are mentally ill
  24. rdantasb
    Nov 3, 2022
    0
    Um remake de péssimo gosto. Nunca vi a Pokémon Company ser capaz de desenvolver algo de tamanha baixa qualidade.
  25. ZangBang
    Oct 24, 2022
    3
    37/100
    Brilliant Diamond is a surprisingly modest remake, compared to the two previous ones, as it doesn't add or change the plot of the original game in any way, which thus remains the same lackluster script that disappointed in 2006. As far as gameplay, the untouched level design of the original experience offers a rewarding exploration with a branching, layered map structure, but aside    37/100
    Brilliant Diamond is a surprisingly modest remake, compared to the two previous ones, as it doesn't add or change the plot of the original game in any way, which thus remains the same lackluster script that disappointed in 2006. As far as gameplay, the untouched level design of the original experience offers a rewarding exploration with a branching, layered map structure, but aside from that many changes have been made, which ultimately end up making Brilliant Diamond significantly worse than the original. The new Grand Underground areas are the only addition to the experience: they offer a surprisingly entertaining Dungeon Crawling side-activity with varied environments and treasures to find, but on the other hand the Super Contests and Underground Secret Bases have been dramatically simplified and dumbed down becoming shallow, hollow shells of their former selves. The challenge, one of the original game's strongest points, is completely shattered by enemies with levels that are increasingly inferior to the player's and a forced friendship mechanic that gratuitously gives the player an awkward unearned advantage, leaving only the overly simplistic, dull gameplay of the series. Only the postgame content offers a meaningful challenge, but even then it's extremely contained.    … Expand
  26. zycore718
    Oct 12, 2022
    0
    There is absolutely no reason to buy this if you still have a copy of Platinum. BDSP offers less than a 10-year-old game for more money. Every other remake added a wealth of new stuff to the base game - yes, even ORAS. BDSP on the other hand got a slightly better Underground and that's it. It can't seriously call itself a remake on the same level as HGSS or even FRLG, the most basic remakeThere is absolutely no reason to buy this if you still have a copy of Platinum. BDSP offers less than a 10-year-old game for more money. Every other remake added a wealth of new stuff to the base game - yes, even ORAS. BDSP on the other hand got a slightly better Underground and that's it. It can't seriously call itself a remake on the same level as HGSS or even FRLG, the most basic remake which STILL at the very least added a brand new area to explore.

    But then again that's what you get when the devs have literally only worked with 3D modelling before - you get essentially a port with pretty HD graphics but that is nearly identical in every way to Diamond and Pearl, which were screaming out for improvements.

    But because Masuda hates acknowledging that other directors made his base games better, everything that made Sinnoh actually good in Platinum - the superior graphics, the better wild encounter roster and Trainer teams, the Battle Frontier, the Distortion World, the extra story, even LOOKER who is a popular character and has had cameos in OTHER GAMES - gets the shaft.

    The sad legacy of BDSP will be a game that was given the middle finger by Game Freak, gutted by Masuda, sent out to die against the vastly superior Legends Arceus, and had to be completely modded by fans (thank you, Team Luminescent) to even get a somewhat decent final product.    … Expand
  27. MoCBallyhoo
    Oct 10, 2022
    4
    Bruh peep this one! No really, peep this one!
    Nooo more Platinum-exclusive Pokemon!
    No more reusable tms!
    No more cross-compatibility between gen 8 games!
  28. Necrozma
    Aug 23, 2022
    0
    Just bad Like rly bad like nothing new and it isnt platinum its just pearl and diamond
  29. OpenSauce04
    Aug 16, 2022
    0
    The most disappointing game I've ever played. Not only did it not add content from platinum like everyone expected, but it also straight up *removed* or heavily downgraded other aspects of the game that were in the original DP. The existence of this game makes me feel robbed of a real DPPt remake
  30. Erikjewish
    Jul 29, 2022
    0
    After sword and shield let’s give these arrogant man babies with there teddy bears in their lap another 60 dollars, all forgiven sir, give me more garbage with the yellow mouse, most overrated garbage company, if seen better phone games. It’s crazy dude. The card game is good, the video game department are absolute incompetent idiots, the dumbest people you can imagine. You can go on aAfter sword and shield let’s give these arrogant man babies with there teddy bears in their lap another 60 dollars, all forgiven sir, give me more garbage with the yellow mouse, most overrated garbage company, if seen better phone games. It’s crazy dude. The card game is good, the video game department are absolute incompetent idiots, the dumbest people you can imagine. You can go on a rant or a hour, unreal, better shut up before I get banned. I hope I see this corporate label crash and burn in this life time.… Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Sep 9, 2022
    70
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the 2006 Nintendo DS games. They probably lean too much on the safe side, not achieving an awful lot to improve on the originals other than a few quality-of-life improvements. The improved Underground sections are a welcome addition, but the missing features from Pokémon Platinum are a big let-down. All in all, though, the Sinnoh region offers just as brilliant of an adventure as it was 15 years ago and the formula that worked back then (and then some) is still as addictive to this day. If you are a fan of classic Pokémon titles, this is a no-brainer.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Mar 7, 2022
    65
    I honestly think ILCA's decision to play it safe was the biggest thing that hurt Brilliant Diamond. Maybe if it had included a few more of the story beats and improvements that were introduced in Platinum, I'd be giving it a higher grade. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 66]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 18, 2022
    60
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is a decent remaster transferring the fourth generation from Nintendo DS to Switch. The authors handled well the absence of the second screen, but in the case of game mechanics they could go a bit further.
See all critic reviews »