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
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  1. katieelizabeth
    Nov 20, 2021
    5
    Pokemon BDSP are not bad games, but overall I'd say this is a pretty unambitious and mediocre remake of an average game for its time that is frankly too faithful for its own good.

    In terms of graphics, the game looks completely outdated. The chibi art style is not endearing, nor does it look very good. Fortunately, the character models and pokemon look much better in battle, but all    Pokemon BDSP are not bad games, but overall I'd say this is a pretty unambitious and mediocre remake of an average game for its time that is frankly too faithful for its own good.

    In terms of graphics, the game looks completely outdated. The chibi art style is not endearing, nor does it look very good. Fortunately, the character models and pokemon look much better in battle, but all this does is make me wish they were used throughout the entire game. The in-battle models frankly look so much better than the chibi stuff.

    The environments look bland and look worse than the original pixel graphics from 2006. I wish they didn't maintain the 2D tile aesthetic - it just looks fake/outdated to me. How do several indie games manage to look better than a game produced by a 105 billion dollar company?

    While the soundtrack is an improvement over the original version on the DS, it still falls way short of the live orchestrated soundtrack from Sword and Shield. Unfortunately, it sounds like this soundtrack is entirely midi-based, lacking any real recorded instruments of any kind.

    The story isn't all that interesting either. The original script came out around the same time as Mass Effect. The script wasn't good for its time, let alone holding up in 2021. It is a missed opportunity that the developers didn't modernize/reimagine the script to become more engaging and in line with modern RPGs or the very best of its anime. I wish the gym leaders were more fleshed out and part of the story. I wish team Galactic was given a lot more depth.

    The pacing of BDSP is incredibly slow, and the game finds ways to waste your time repeatedly. Random battles are extremely outdated and are annoying, especially in caves. I am so disappointed the game did not choose to have pokemon in the overworld like the modern games.

    Eggs take forever to hatch in BDSP and do not benefit from the increased hatching time found in Sword and Shield. I spent over 9000 steps to hatch the egg given to me in Hearthome City and it just wouldn't hatch for me. I got better things to do than rotate my L-stick riding a bike until it hatches. This is such an outdated game mechanic that did not need to be implemented "faithfully" in BDSP.

    Battles are also super slow to the point of them becoming grating. Essentially, Pokemon battles aren't "show don't tell" - BDSP verbosely tells yous everything in nauseating detail. When I faint a pokemon, it should fall immediately when I hit it - it should be obvious to anyone what has happened to that Pokemon by just looking at the animation and the health bar going to 0. Instead, the game's faint animation happens many seconds after the hit, and BDSP still insists on telling you the pokemon fainted with an additional textbox too. Even FF7 did this properly on the Playstation 1! Why is everything so verbose with text dialog boxes for?

    Before each combat round, BDSP also shows a textbox saying, "Your pokemon is awaiting directions." No kidding! Does anyone seriously need this textbox??? Stuff like "It's Raining" is also equally redundant - we can see it raining on the screen! And when using a move, there's no reason its name can't be displayed at the same time as the animation too. The amount of verbose and completely unnecessary text in this game is beyond ridiculous.

    And when a battle starts, can we finally have an option to remove the Pokeball fanfare and just have all pokemon come out immediately to save time? Why does starting every random battle have to be padded with 10 seconds of animations? Can the Switch not load these battles faster?

    Then there are weird control issues in BDSP, such as the L and R buttons not working in the menus like every other modern game, which tripped me up quite a bit. The d-pad is also unfortunately assigned to walking when it should have been assigned to your 4 registered items. Why did none of the QA staff say anything?

    Ultimately, BDSP needed to completely reimagine modern Sinnoh in full 3D (similar to Sword and Shield), modernize and polish the script, and increase the quality of life and production values across the board to justify its AAA price tag. Barring that, BDSP needed to be sold for $29.99 given what we got. Essentially, BDSP is a low-budget cash grab and it should not be praised or endorsed in any way. Pokemon fans need to be vocal and reject these cash grabs. Pokemon fans need to demand better for their hard-earned money because BDSP is an embarrassment for a full AAA-priced game, and is simply not competitive with other AAA games on the market.

    If you want to go back to the past - for all its problems - then you might enjoy BDSP. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this game. BDSP's archaic and overly-verbose design just doesn't interest me anymore. I would have much rather had a modern reimagining of modern Sinnoh with immersive 3D environments, a modern engaging story, and high production values. Modern Sinnoh deserved better.    … Expand
  2. Williamey
    Nov 21, 2021
    5
    The art style looks awful, going chibi was a bad choice.
    The biggest problem with the art style is that the Pokemon isn't chibi, so they look very out of place when they follow you around or exist in the overworld. Not only do they look incredible out of place, but they are also scaled down to the size of the Player, causing a Gyarados to look like a tiny blue worm.
    The animations have    The art style looks awful, going chibi was a bad choice.
    The biggest problem with the art style is that the Pokemon isn't chibi, so they look very out of place when they follow you around or exist in the overworld. Not only do they look incredible out of place, but they are also scaled down to the size of the Player, causing a Gyarados to look like a tiny blue worm.
    The animations have no improvements, and they didn't even bother adding a jumping animation to the Pokemon, so they just go back into their Pokéball every time you jump off a ledge etc.
    The XP share can't be turned off, so your pokemon are always way too overpowered, completely removing any challenge that you might have had.
    I have played through a decent amount of the game now, and it feels to me like they have cut every corner that they could. The game feels like a lazy cash grab, and nothing more. I would rather just have the Original Platinum be re-released on the Switch, that what we got.    … Expand
  3. bulba2020think
    Jan 9, 2022
    5
    There's really not much to say about this, it's just Diamond and Pearl to a T without any of the QOF improvements added in Platinum, not much good but nothing so bad to complain about.
  4. serphim7
    Jan 16, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I didn't play the original but the game is really kind of **** Yeah, the usual Pokemon mechanics are ok but it's way too easy (except for Cynthia). Also, the rest of the game is lacklustre, garbage story (even worse than usual), crappy mechanics (HMs) and way too many Geodudes, like WTF!?

    Edit: Had an insane last battle with Cynthia. Staraptor pulled it out of the bag when all seemed lost. That is the magic of Pokemon. Game is still the works Pokemon game I ever played    … Expand
  5. SplitMind
    Nov 26, 2021
    6
    Brilliant Diamond teeters the line between yet another lazy remaster and a breath of fresh air. For me, I find that the remaster does improve the game quite a bit but is still undermined by decades old mechanics and lacking in innovation.

    The graphics are the most noticeable difference here. They may even be divisive as the heads of the characters are absurdly enlarged compared to their    Brilliant Diamond teeters the line between yet another lazy remaster and a breath of fresh air. For me, I find that the remaster does improve the game quite a bit but is still undermined by decades old mechanics and lacking in innovation.

    The graphics are the most noticeable difference here. They may even be divisive as the heads of the characters are absurdly enlarged compared to their bodies. This was jarring at first for me but I got used to it. What made me sceptical was the similarities to the models in Miitopia. Anyway, it is quite nice seeing the game on a TV screen, but where the graphics do quite suffer is in the simplicity of the designs as some pokemon such as Scyther are mostly one block of colour. Having said that, the vivid colours in some areas do stand out and the game is still immediately recognisable as Pokemon.

    The gameplay is where Pokemon struggles/refuses to innovate. The core mechanics we all know and love are here, although many grow tired of them by now, myself included. They tried with Sun and Moon to shake up the formula a bit, with S+S attempting and failing at the open-world approach. BD reverts back to the tried-and-tested linear approach, for better or worse.

    What stands out to me are the gym battles and Elite 4, in that these were often quite a difficulty spike. I remember this always being the case with Pokemon but it's a flaw of the game to find you have been raising the 'wrong' Pokemon for the Elite 4 and a real faff to raise the one you need at the last hurdle. Having said that, I give kudos because the gym leaders and Elite 4 go outside the box from the usual rock-paper-scissors elemental approach Pokemon has always taken.

    The Underground is a new addition, and a peculiar one at that. The digging for treasure aspect resembles lootboxes too much for my liking, while the overall tunnels were a bit vacant and the rooms where you meet Pokemon I always found to contain the same handfuls I've already encountered.

    The game does seem to have some end-game content, however after 20+ hours and beating the Champion I had had enough and switched off at this point, but hardcore fans could spend dozens of hours here.

    The story of BD is probably Pokemon at its weakest and most formulaic. Obviously a remaster isn't a remake, but it really does show the aging concepts as the same story format is woven throughout the entire series. You won't be surprised by what you find here.

    It may be that Pokemon is in a strange epoch. I grew up with it and the simplicity was appropriate as a child, but now I'm older it feels like the games have aged too but not developed. Perhaps Pokemon is caught in a bind between appealing to children vs long-time followers like me, so I can appreciate that but perhaps a simple solution is to release two very different games instead of almost identical ones. This is an amazing con and I don't understand how Nintendo still get away with it, so I deduct points for that always.

    Overall, this is merely yet another Pokemon experience. It's nice to dive into for nostalgia but really they could have remade the first three generations instead as they are far more memorable for me. This game does show potential for when the effort is actually put it and makes me curious if Arceus will try stepping outside the box a bit. I'd recommend waiting for that rather than buying this.    … Expand
  6. m0th
    Nov 28, 2021
    5
    I'm not writing this to contribute to review bombing, but because the game feels rushed and lacks soul. Half these reviews are about how these games are horrible and irredeemable while the other half is mindlessly praising them for the bare minimum.

    No they aren't the worst games ever but they are unfinished. After FRLG, HGSS, and ORAS, the playerbase expected more content and can you    I'm not writing this to contribute to review bombing, but because the game feels rushed and lacks soul. Half these reviews are about how these games are horrible and irredeemable while the other half is mindlessly praising them for the bare minimum.

    No they aren't the worst games ever but they are unfinished. After FRLG, HGSS, and ORAS, the playerbase expected more content and can you blame them for that? Other than nostalgia what exactly makes these remakes anything more/less than average?

    The problem is The Pokemon Company no longer prioritizes the games. Being a multimedia franchise that earns the most profit from merchandise, the games are now pumped out every three years to match up with the anime. They're now side dishes to the main course rather than the other way around.
    Add in juggling so much work they decide upon outsourcing one of the most popular generations to a company that's only used to assisting game development, and this is what happens. I don't think devs are lazy. They're all working hard and clearly trying the best they can to salvage this. It's the higher ups who are to blame for the series decline in quality.

    If these games did not have "Pokemon" attached to them they most certainly would not be reviewed this high when other monster collecting games have surpassed the minuscule amount of content, and been scored lower.    … Expand
  7. Tubey
    Nov 24, 2021
    5
    Unlike most, I don't have a problem with the chibi art style, nor do I find it particularly strange when it swaps over during battle animations to more 'normal' anime sprites. This is fairly standard fare in Japanese animation, even in gaming (Link's Awakening, Animal Crossing etc. etc.) and I think the game looks pretty good overall.

    As a faithful remaster (which it is, rather than a    Unlike most, I don't have a problem with the chibi art style, nor do I find it particularly strange when it swaps over during battle animations to more 'normal' anime sprites. This is fairly standard fare in Japanese animation, even in gaming (Link's Awakening, Animal Crossing etc. etc.) and I think the game looks pretty good overall.

    As a faithful remaster (which it is, rather than a remake in many ways), Brilliant Diamond is largely fine. Takes basically no risks, it's just the original with a coat of paint on. However, there are several glaring problems with it.

    First is the decision not to use Pokémon Platinum as the basis for this remaster - this was done for greed so they could release two versions in Diamond/Pearl instead of one, but Platinum is a series highpoint; arguably it's their greatest ever title, so to see it ignored is irritating.

    From a series veteran perspective, the second major drawback is just how much a fairly simple game in the first instance has been mechanically dumbed down. Specifically, the Experience Share system. This means every Pokémon in your party gains experience from every battle, even if they're not used. Which as an ease of use feature for younger players or those new to the series it would be fine... but it can't be turned off. At all. So if you play this 'normally', you'll be incredibly overlevelled, and you can wave goodbye to things like EV training with more than one Pokémon in your party.

    So it's just too easy throughout, and that kills the title for me. It's not a terrible game, but nor is it a masterpiece - in fact, it's bang average, hence the score. I hope Arceus is better than it, or at least more ambitious... and has a toggle switch for any Exp Share!    … Expand
  8. uhohreviewalert
    Nov 28, 2021
    5
    i love the fourth generation of pokemon. since i started with sapphire, diamond and pearl were the first new generation i was able to experience. despite the negativity within the community regarding brilliant diamond and shining pearl, i was still excited. i generally don’t care about graphics, but i thought it looked okay enough, and i would pay $100 dollars for diamond and pearl to bei love the fourth generation of pokemon. since i started with sapphire, diamond and pearl were the first new generation i was able to experience. despite the negativity within the community regarding brilliant diamond and shining pearl, i was still excited. i generally don’t care about graphics, but i thought it looked okay enough, and i would pay $100 dollars for diamond and pearl to be relevant again..

    ..but not like this.

    on some level (a really high one because always on exp share is back), i appreciate that ILCA changed basically nothing about the games. i can’t stand the terrible pokemon story and dialogue game freak always wants to shoehorn into the games, and the only thing that really bugs me about the originals (besides wasting a move slot on defog) is the slow performance, and they certainly are more optimized on switch. i’m not really sure if that’s a compliment or more like “well duh,” but beyond that not much is different. maybe even too much.

    for starters, the poketch is back and, while a little clunky to use, works well for the most part. however, it’s back down to one button for switching through apps. platinum added a back button so you didn’t have to flip through, like, thirty freaking apps just to get back to the one you accidentally skipped over. how could those drooling mobile developers nobody’s ever heard of not include such a simple and useful feature?

    the games struggle to decide between a grid based and full 360* control scheme, and they suffer a little for it. never before have i described a mainline pokemon game with the phrase “this controls bad,” but here we are. it really isn’t a big problem, but it may irk you from time to time, especially when using the bicycle.

    a few more quick positives! the updated soundtrack sounds quite nice. nothing is really re-imagined akin to what heartgold and soulsilver did for their base games, but diamond and pearl had great music to begin with and they’re done justice here. with Masuda in charge of the score, though, that isn’t really a surprise. the only track that’s seemingly missing is the wifi connection theme which, to me, is just tragic. also, the underground is pretty okay. it gets kinda old kinda fast, but it does allow you to capture pokemon outside of the sinnoh dex before you finish the game. now you can actually choose between more than, like, three fire types.

    a few quality of life improvements really help mitigate some old annoyances. HMs are, in modern pokemon fashion, no longer a problem. you can open the map and choose where to fly, talk to rocks and trees to remove them from your reality, and even defog need only be selected in the poketch. you can access your PC box from the menu, ball capsules and mystery gift are also both in the start menu, and battle screens display type effectiveness to assist new players. i realize these improvements are subjective, but they do help the games feel a bit more modern, i suppose.

    now for the big one. i can deal with all the other minor gripes, but the difficulty has been absolutely tanked. it’s that god. damn. exp share.

    game freak, and now ILCA, are hellbent on making you play the game the way they think is right. you can never disable it, so every pokemon in your party gains exp from every battle (unless they’re fainted). while this does mean you can switch up your party frequently without worrying about wasting too much exp, once you have your final team they will be overleveled so quickly you just press A to win for the rest of the game. and that’s the biggest shame, because the originals could be one of the tougher games in the series, even if you used strong pokemon.

    ultimately, the difficulty is where this game fails. this isn’t diamond and pearl anymore simply because you **** Cynthia without even looking at the screen. play platinum instead.    … Expand
  9. EasyGamerBoi
    Dec 4, 2021
    5
    These games (& Platinum) were such MASSIVE parts of my childhood that I still love Pokémon to this day, but that’s not to say they don’t try EXTREMELY hard to shake that love out of me with nearly every release this decade. These aren’t trainwrecks like Sword & Shield or LGPE, they’re quite literally the same games we played almost 20 years ago with a new coat of paint which is fine.. ButThese games (& Platinum) were such MASSIVE parts of my childhood that I still love Pokémon to this day, but that’s not to say they don’t try EXTREMELY hard to shake that love out of me with nearly every release this decade. These aren’t trainwrecks like Sword & Shield or LGPE, they’re quite literally the same games we played almost 20 years ago with a new coat of paint which is fine.. But to call these games remakes is a borderline insult, REMASTER is much more fitting but even then they really didn’t deliver in the way TPC has with the previous remakes. This is such a disappointment guys, my favorite Gen feels so.. hollow & soulless. The sad part is we all saw it coming since that abysmal reveal trailer back in February followed by a suspiciously long amount of radio silence on the game, what’s sadder is by being Gen 4 remasters they’re kinda the best Pokémon games to come out since the end of Gen 5 by default, remnants of a bygone era when TPC cared about their games. I can try to find positives.. if you liked Sinnoh then nothing changed, you’re still gonna love the region & all the Pokémon in it even though you’ll see the same ones 10 million times in the campaign. Things in Sinnoh don’t fully open up until the Post Game which is still one of the best in the series. The new OST is mostly good, a lot of hit or miss tracks thanks to a lower budget but the remixes that they got right, they KNOCKED out of the park (ex. Cynthia, Giratina, etc). Speaking of Cynthia, she’s as brutal as ever! I never had issues with her as a kid somehow (had a lot of trouble with Lucian instead) but this time she was on my NECK, I was genuinely shaking & sweating for my Pokémon’s lives. I literally can’t remember the last time I lost against an in-game trainer, it was EXHILARATING. For as heavily Pokémon uses nostalgia as a crutch for their stupid design choices, keeping everything the same here had me remembering things from playing these games in 2007 somehow! I would remember a different way to proceed through a route or a hidden item laying somewhere, all just coming to me naturally while exploring the world, I thought that was really neat. The graphics being at a smaller scale also look a lot better than they did in the sometimes hideous Sword & Shield. But for negatives we have a lot to unpack here. Firstly, this game is BUGGY as hell. It was very obviously rushed, the day 1 patch was over half the game but the level of bugginess is INEXCUSABLE from a billion dollar franchise like Pokémon. I’m talking over half the time you try to start the game from the Switch menu, you’ll get a “something went wrong” error & restart the very long wait time to get to the title screen, should I mention how many times this game has just randomly crashed in gameplay too? Despite an auto-save system, it can be wonky & not save for long stretches for some reason, leading to lost progress & anger. The chibi art style is lame too, I don’t care if that’s how it was in the original games, it was left in the past for a reason. It’s a bad sign when Cyrus is trying to destroy the universe & your immersion is shattered as it shows his tiny chibi model, expected to take any of this semi-seriously is impossible. Yes the game is still fun to play & I’d rather play it over the originals, but the general consensus around this game is that it should’ve been a PLATINUM remake, or at least have the enhancements brought by the Platinum re-release. This game is horribly unbalanced & retains so many of the asinine gameplay decisions that were weird & stupid even in 2006-7. BDSP REEKS of a lack of effort & passion, which is a blow to the gut for people like me who just watched their favorite Gen get the “who cares it’ll print money anyway” treatment that is indicative of every modern Pokémon release of the last 10 years, & I’d still defend Sun & Moon most days of the week! At this point I can’t be convinced otherwise that Pokémon is headed for a major crash, they’ll sell well regardless, but it will be tossed in with the likes of Call of Duty & other milked to the max franchises that even the developers don’t care about anymore, being crunched beyond what should be legal to deliver passionless projects year after year, & looking at Legends Arceus coming in the dump month of January… I doubt that can save it unless it completely reinvents the franchise, which we know Nintendo & TPC will probably never do until their wallets start to hurt. It’s a shame, compared to every remake we got from Pokémon before excluding LGPE, these remakes COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE like ORAS was, & we shouldn’t feel bad demanding more from a franchise that is comfortable doing less than the bare minimum. This isn’t “ungrateful” behavior, these games are not gifts. They are products. We deserve better.… Expand
  10. CloudXz
    Nov 24, 2021
    5
    This Game had good Moments but i don't know somehow i was bored a lot. I never played Gen 4 and was curious because some Peoble called it the best Generation ever. After playing it: Not even close to Gen 2.
  11. DSBM
    Dec 3, 2021
    5
    This game has huge issues.
    1. Content: The game locks content present in the original game behind a paywall in form of the GWS that you have to use GameFreak's subscription service Pokémon Home for(+Nintendo Switch Online for a total of $40/year).
    2. Far too slow: A Trainer's or wild Pokémon's introduction before battle takes about ten seconds. Every textbox in battle stops you for a    This game has huge issues.
    1. Content: The game locks content present in the original game behind a paywall in form of the GWS that you have to use GameFreak's subscription service Pokémon Home for(+Nintendo Switch Online for a total of $40/year).

    2. Far too slow: A Trainer's or wild Pokémon's introduction before battle takes about ten seconds. Every textbox in battle stops you for a whole second before you can proceed and literally every little change gets a textbox, some even get repeated (like when you use rain dance, or confuse an opponent).
    This, coupled with a way too low difficulty curve made me dread running into opponents.

    3. Difficulty: The game is so easy that I was always two levels ahead of trainers I used to be two levels under in the original, because you can't turn off the EXP-Share. I often started mashing A and looking on my phone, also because the game's so slow.
    But worst of all, it is so easy that you stop giving a sh*t about your own Pokémon and their attacks because the only thing that matters is the A-button.    … Expand
  12. Tabh88
    Nov 30, 2021
    6
    Graphics are mediocre. Not a fan of the chibi style. No major updates to the game, layout, style, mechanics. Feels a bit lacklustre. Literally hate the exp share being permanently on - cannot fathom why they didn’t make this optional, a simple on / off function would have saved this game for me. Now it feels like a drag to play as I am constantly trying keep my team under levelled to getGraphics are mediocre. Not a fan of the chibi style. No major updates to the game, layout, style, mechanics. Feels a bit lacklustre. Literally hate the exp share being permanently on - cannot fathom why they didn’t make this optional, a simple on / off function would have saved this game for me. Now it feels like a drag to play as I am constantly trying keep my team under levelled to get some challenge out of this. Pros are music is great, some gyms are still challenging and quite like the underground (however all the Pokemon are overlevelled and catch rate is really high depending on number of gym badges so can’t even get a lot of the good ones at present).

    Overall would not rush out to buy this feels like a bit of a con.    … Expand
  13. Dej_9621
    Nov 27, 2021
    5
    Es un remake que no aporta nada nuevo o innovador desde los juegos originales, además que no agregan mecánicas, objetos u otras cosas que provienen de Pokémon Platinum y que facilmente pudieron haber agregado
  14. Porter333
    Nov 26, 2021
    7
    Good Game, the collision boxes when running around are frustrating but okay once you get used to it, a good remake of the original games, plenty of Pokémon to catch, the underground is a good highlight
  15. Koulapic
    Nov 26, 2021
    7
    as a remake it is good, but it just does not live up to the standards of this gen's Pokémon
  16. OctaneNitro
    Nov 25, 2021
    5
    Diamond & Pearl were the first Pokémon games I ever played, and yet these remakes sadly left me disappointed compared to both the originals, and the even better Pokémon Platinum.

    Before discussing the pros/cons of BDSP, let's compare them to previous remakes in the franchise: Firered/Leafgreen took graphically dated GB games and gave them an appealing GBA artstyle.    Diamond & Pearl were the first Pokémon games I ever played, and yet these remakes sadly left me disappointed compared to both the originals, and the even better Pokémon Platinum.

    Before discussing the pros/cons of BDSP, let's compare them to previous remakes in the franchise:

    Firered/Leafgreen took graphically dated GB games and gave them an appealing GBA artstyle. Heartgold/Soulsilver were also visual upgrades, fixing issues in the originals (such as fleshing out Kanto), and were arguably the most packed Pokémon games ever. Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire weren't AS content rich, but still gave their originals a brand new 3D perspective and reimagining.

    Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, in contrast, do none of the above, with an incredibly strict approach that harms the games overall.

    BDSP's graphics are a prime example of this. Technically, they do an ok job of translating the look of the originals to the Switch, yet still offer no significant utilisation of the platform's capabilities whatsoever. All hopes for a reimagined, fleshed out Sinnoh were immediately killed by the artstyle, with several fanmade mockups (e.g. Millenniumloops' on Youtube) showcasing this missed potential.

    Unfortunately, this general lack of ambition extends to the rest of these games.

    Pokémon Platinum, released twelve years ago, added an expanded post-game, a wider variety of Pokémon, and countless graphical details to Sinnoh. Meanwhile, BDSP leave out almost all of these objective enhancements in the name of "faithfulness". Diamond/Pearl are hardly the most gruelling, tricky games to remake today, yet ILCA couldn't even add back content from a decade old DS game.

    I'd be willing to forgive this approach, however, if BDSP were genuinely faithful remakes... but in line with Gamefreak's modern design philosophy (favouring simplicity), countless tweaks were made to the original games. BDSP, for example, work in Sword/Shield's EXP Share: an item you cannot turn off, despite being able to do so in the originals. Additionally, Sword/Shield's affection system is present, allowing Pokémon to cheat battles (e.g. by dodging attacks) if they have a high affection stat. Together, these features practically erase challenge.

    Even more bafflingly, many welcome quality of life changes WERE removed. Reusable TMs? Gone. The Underground and contests? Simplified. The Frontier Brain theme? Gone. ILCA were perfectly happy adding in unfaithful features to classic experiences, yet also cut modernisations that might've improved the games overall.

    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl simply don't live up to their originals, Platinum, or previous Pokémon remakes. Other than overworld Pokémon, recreating Gen 4's mythical events, and the rework of HMs, I struggle to find even the slightest hint of ambition in these games.

    BDSP aren't terrible games, but they ultimately deliver the bare minimum overall    … Expand
  17. LCBane
    Nov 22, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A safe recreation of the base games without addressing the real issues of the originals and the implementations Platinum put in order to combat them and create something special. BD struggles to find a foothold in the shadow of the incoming release of Legends: Arceus and is a disappointment compared to previous remakes.

    Gameplay:
    The game replicates all the nostalgia of the originals without including many of the quality of life changes that have been implemented in recent generations. Whether that be unlimited-use TM's
    mega evolutions, limited pokedex etc. The game also takes much the difficulty away as less and less trainers have the reinvigorated rosters they included in Platinum. Spare Cynthia and the EF who actually have properly spec'd teams EVs maxed and all. With a mandatory exp share your levels soon far exceed those you face as the Pokémon in your party passively gain more exp than ever before and this cannot be turned off. Without going into too much detail there are still many many glaring issues in the games code letting you surf across trainers and dry land, soft lock in unprecedented areas such as gym puzzles and even completing the game and becoming champion with 6 or 7 gym badges only. Many more issues come from not being able to pick up items, losing items or even the strange clerical issues like frame rate changes when you turn off all sounds the game just runs better.

    The return of older mechanics that were not properly updated sees many disappointed in this title as well. Honey trees having a small chance of any pokemon at all when activated and the rates on those pokemon are low already. The changes to the great marsh are also present with atrocious rates as well. All of the date and time mechanics are blocked behind a 24 hour cd if the system changes time when the game is started. Meaning if you got the game on friday and were looking to get your drifloon you would have to wait an entire week after you defeated team galactic. You could change the date and time to carry over to next week but still have a 24 hour cooldown in order to get your pokemon encounter.

    Story:
    The pacing of the story is still at a standstill removing even more of the difficulty from the originals with bugged/broken friendship and affection systems that multiplicatively stack granting your pokemon higher crit rates, first move regardless of being outsped, living on 1 hp over and over, even getting rid of status effects on a whim. Pair this with the omission of the changes platinum took to keep you moving and involved in the story it slugs on with its main story at a snails pace with zero post game offered.

    Graphics:
    Returning to something reminiscent of the original games was a good approach however the chibi art style does not mesh with the blocky tile system of old well. However the graphics in battles are some of the best we have seen of any switch title. Despite the lack of improvements in battle animations and move animations the overall feel and look of the pokemon, characters, and backgrounds is great in battle. A sharp contrast to the plastic, dead world outside of combat. Sadly however the rest of the game looks like a reskinned DS and the technologies age shows in the tile systems movement and feel around the world.

    Music:
    The music is a fresh take on the originals and brings life to where the graphics aren't to scratch. The new renditions are great reimagining's of their inspirations and provide a great feel when playing. The overall level of quality to the sound design and music is great but lacks some of the spark a full orchestra had with the music of sword and shield and other recent titles.

    Overall:
    Much more can be said about what I enjoyed or disliked about this game however the main points are clear. These games are simply a time sink for fans and the pokemon company and nintendo wanted a free money grab with zero effort and left it to a subsidiary licensed company. little to no imagination was brought to reinvigorate and improve these games from the original. including the bare minimum to keep the masses buying, Sitting in the shadow of what's to come with half baked Legends: Arceus, BDSP fails to create a rendition of the originals that stands up to previous remakes such as HGSS and ORAS let alone what Platinum accomplished to improve the generation.    … Expand
  18. SushiMess
    Nov 23, 2021
    6
    I honestly think the graphics and style looks great. The main issue with faithful remakes is that there isn't much new content that makes it really worth your money if you have already played the original. I really wish they added more platinum content and actual post game content. Great game if you never played the original but bad if you have already played it.
  19. imoviesreview
    Nov 24, 2021
    7
    This is nice, but feels somewhat lackluster as a remake. Pearl was the first Pokemon game I played. So it was kind of sad to see that a lot of the core design remains unchanged and somewhat outdated. Like online trading is exactly the same. None of the improvements brought by later games are here. At least shared EXP introduced in X and Y is here. That is nice at least. Core issues likeThis is nice, but feels somewhat lackluster as a remake. Pearl was the first Pokemon game I played. So it was kind of sad to see that a lot of the core design remains unchanged and somewhat outdated. Like online trading is exactly the same. None of the improvements brought by later games are here. At least shared EXP introduced in X and Y is here. That is nice at least. Core issues like slow battles and HM's were fixed. But they cheated to fix it. Like with HM's, they didn't redesign the game or add any major new features. It just simply allows you to use HM's without needing you to assign them to a Pokemon. It honestly just seems like the same game just in 3D. I'm okay with the graphics, there sort of doing it like in Link's Awakening. But what ultimately disappoints me is how this compares to Ruby and Sapphire Remake. I had no love for the original games since I didn't grow up with them. But I love the remakes of those games. Now 7 years later I finally get a remake of my first Pokemon game and, it feels lazy. With that said, there is plenty of enjoyment to be found here. But I won't expect something on par with Omega Ruby.… Expand
  20. domskoy88
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    We deserve better.
    First of all, the game is fine, just fine. It's ok if it was yet another indie title, but it is not what the pokemon community and especially gen 4 kids deserve. It's rather baffling how the pokemon company, gamefreak and associates think it's alright to just give us mediocrity. What's even more mysterious is how the fandom is willing to pay a whole 60 bucks for    We deserve better.
    First of all, the game is fine, just fine. It's ok if it was yet another indie title, but it is not what the pokemon community and especially gen 4 kids deserve. It's rather baffling how the pokemon company, gamefreak and associates think it's alright to just give us mediocrity. What's even more mysterious is how the fandom is willing to pay a whole 60 bucks for mediocrity. Pokemon D&P was basically my first conscious entry to the pokemon universe, It was the last game I have played with my elementary school friends, before we parted ways. So after hearing news of a remake, I was thrilled. Just to be let down by some android mobile game looking reskin. I wanted to get the ORAS treatment, which by far wasn't the best remake either, but it elevated the game onto a new level. They went the easy route. Gamefreak is too ambitious for their own good. They need to outsource projects, because they cannot handle them with their own resources. I honestly even doubt their resources are enough to handle the upcoming Legends Arceus title.
    It saddens me to know, that this one chance for a remake has been wasted so effortlessly. Now to add a few words towards the end: Please stop the review bombing, Your 10s and 0s don't help anyone. Give criticism, give your opinion, but please do not get irrational. The game is just ok, but "just ok" just isn't enough    … Expand
  21. ZeoN
    Feb 15, 2022
    7
    Nos encontramos ante un remake muy fiel al original y aunque es precioso y tiene un agradable diseño artístico unido a una buena banda sonora al igual que su entrega original se siente algo vago y sin aspiraciones. Es muy divertido y recomendable tanto para los fans clásicos como los nuevos jugadores, sin embargo su falta de ambición no lo puede llevar a cotas más altas
  22. Balearikus
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    After being in the middle of the game, I dare to make a review of this game.
    The beginning of the game well, like any other adventure, except that you level up too fast, my choice was to chimchar and not once weakened to the 3 medal, I did not need to go to a pokemon center, I did not have the need to change pokemon is It can only handle everything without any problem, also the graphic    After being in the middle of the game, I dare to make a review of this game.
    The beginning of the game well, like any other adventure, except that you level up too fast, my choice was to chimchar and not once weakened to the 3 medal, I did not need to go to a pokemon center, I did not have the need to change pokemon is It can only handle everything without any problem, also the graphic section has shocked me, being pleasant in some details and horrible in others, the worst thing is that on the way to my 2 medal with just over two hours, some npcs give me MEW AND JIRACHI as a gift as if they were pidgeys or caterpies or something simple, breaking all the initial immersion ... The next thing are Legendary initials? ... Many visual and programming errors, it looks like a 3DS game, very poor and pixelated textures, in tv many pixels are appreciated and it does not look like HD, chibi models look pixelated, eyes, eyebrows, mouth, as well as furniture inside the game that seems to be taken from a ds library, such as zooms that go back and forth wrongly programmed When should the zoom be removed? e the battle at the end of the combat, lights that blink at some point, npcs going through things and so on, the adventure is the same as in DS only they have added some platinum things to their will, the story is simple but full of Lore, making a remake we hope they take advantage of the game, the story, everything including the console, and they have not taken advantage in any way to innovate or give a quality product, after getting mew and jirachi as if they were nothing they took away my desire to play and here the question should I have spoiled in leaks to see that and not have so important pokemon at the beginning of the game ...?

    In summary, completely wasted remakes, with new mechanics that break the immersion and the difficulty of the game, like mythical pokemon at the beginning of the game.

    PS: A Pokemon adventure ride where it gets interesting after half the game, but at the same time it is too easy and without any challenge.

    Just as you complain about those who do BOMBING, they complained about those who give a high score to a poor quality product for $ 60.
    Be realistic.

    Graphics 4/10
    Music 9/10
    Gameplay 7/10
    Duration 7/10    … Expand
  23. Hubliterate
    Nov 23, 2021
    7
    Not bad, not great. Nintendo really need to step up their game/lower their prices or they will lose their fanbase. Wait for a price drop... oh wait no... Nintendo never drop their prices.
  24. TheHonestMan
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    Not so Brilliant or Shining. There's things to like here such as the faster pacing and streamlined HM system, but otherwise this is a real mixed bag. The new additions like revamped contests feel hollow compared to how they were, and following pokemon are bothced compared to how they were done in past entries like HGSS and even LGPE. So what you're left with is an indentical game to theNot so Brilliant or Shining. There's things to like here such as the faster pacing and streamlined HM system, but otherwise this is a real mixed bag. The new additions like revamped contests feel hollow compared to how they were, and following pokemon are bothced compared to how they were done in past entries like HGSS and even LGPE. So what you're left with is an indentical game to the originals, with a divisive super-chibi art stytle, and none of the improvements Platinum brought to the table.
    Oh, and the amie battle bonuses, which used to be optional and out of the way, are now forced on you through regular gameplay. This is a big design flaw imo as it further trivialiizes an already easier game. Overall, I see little reason to buy these games if you've experienced the originals since it removes or waters down features and introduces flaws of it's own. What little new there is does not make up for what was lost.    … Expand
  25. Testudinate
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    This game is not bad, but it is pretty lackluster. It does not have a distortion world, it has a forced exp. Share (making the game really easy), it only has pokemon up to generation 4 (not even any of the 'mons from SW/SH). But putting all of that aside, I wouldn't reality call this a remake, more of a remaster in my opinion. If you are returning to the pokemon franchise, you should justThis game is not bad, but it is pretty lackluster. It does not have a distortion world, it has a forced exp. Share (making the game really easy), it only has pokemon up to generation 4 (not even any of the 'mons from SW/SH). But putting all of that aside, I wouldn't reality call this a remake, more of a remaster in my opinion. If you are returning to the pokemon franchise, you should just get pokemon sword and shield or the let's go games.… Expand
  26. cpeacock87
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    I can't agree with all the zero's I'm seeing here. That's just ridiculous review bombing. The game isn't perfect. It's not what everyone dreamed of. But it functions perfectly fine so no major bugs. So a 5 is pretty much automatic. After that the new art style can be subjective (I like it but I understand) and the lack of new content can be disappointing. But a perfectly serviceableI can't agree with all the zero's I'm seeing here. That's just ridiculous review bombing. The game isn't perfect. It's not what everyone dreamed of. But it functions perfectly fine so no major bugs. So a 5 is pretty much automatic. After that the new art style can be subjective (I like it but I understand) and the lack of new content can be disappointing. But a perfectly serviceable functioning game is not a zero. Let's be real.… Expand
  27. PokeMaester
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    I absolutely love this remake, opening the game gave me goosebumps and playing it gives me flashbacks of playing this game with groups of friends in high school. So many fond memories. However I only have 1 real complaint which took away quite a bit of my personal rating which are the flash animations that pokemon make during an attack even when animations are shut off. Normally theseI absolutely love this remake, opening the game gave me goosebumps and playing it gives me flashbacks of playing this game with groups of friends in high school. So many fond memories. However I only have 1 real complaint which took away quite a bit of my personal rating which are the flash animations that pokemon make during an attack even when animations are shut off. Normally these flashes do nothing to me; I can't say the same for others. But for me, if I'm in a Team Galactic fight the flashes can trigger seizure auras. I remember pokemon would blink in the DS version; in this one the moves make brilliant tiny flashes. I quickly took some medication before it got serious, but it would be very nice to be able to shut the flashes off and I would give it a 10.… Expand
  28. Anonbby
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    While these remakes don't do anything spectacular, they are better than Sword and Shield. Unfortunately the fanbase surrounding this IP has begun to change for the worst since the release of generation 8. The Nintendo Switch has one of if not the largest playerbase in the company's history. There are several people who have never played these games before. There are also people who playedWhile these remakes don't do anything spectacular, they are better than Sword and Shield. Unfortunately the fanbase surrounding this IP has begun to change for the worst since the release of generation 8. The Nintendo Switch has one of if not the largest playerbase in the company's history. There are several people who have never played these games before. There are also people who played the originals and sold or lost them when they were younger. Certain players also wish to play on home consoles versus emulating elsewhere. This release will have it fans, but it will unfortunately also have its detractors due to its lack of Platinum content as well as how criticisms of IP have increase over the years. I rate this release a 7/10 not as bad as Sword and Shield with or without its dlc.… Expand
  29. MadMiddy
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    Brilliant Diamond is a solid remake of a very slow, outdated game. The experience of playing Brilliant versus the original game is simply faster, snappier, with a much better UI than even Sword/Shield. However, the choice not to implement any platinum content at launch is fairly disappointing, as well as things like the persistence of mandatory affection mechanics and experience shareBrilliant Diamond is a solid remake of a very slow, outdated game. The experience of playing Brilliant versus the original game is simply faster, snappier, with a much better UI than even Sword/Shield. However, the choice not to implement any platinum content at launch is fairly disappointing, as well as things like the persistence of mandatory affection mechanics and experience share boosting. The overworld is much more beautiful, even with the questionable choice for the style of the overworld human models. The battles where you spend most of your time look fantastic. I just wish TPC and ILCA had cared enough to put in the little extra work that might have elevated this from just a slightly above average game to something really worth getting excited about.… Expand
  30. Alvillas
    Nov 21, 2021
    7
    Buen remake pero falta novedades y el motor grafico podrian haber utilizado el del Let's Go
  31. denisferro
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    O jogo é divertido, a história é até legal (para o padrão de jogos da franquia), o underground ficou bom, as lutas estão ótimas... Porém, mais uma vez, perderam a oportunidade de fazer um jogo épico! Não existem monstros no mapa (tem apenas no undergroud), as animações continuam estranhas e pobres, a visão 2D vista de cima, apesar de nostálgica, poderia ser adaptada ao menos para o estiloO jogo é divertido, a história é até legal (para o padrão de jogos da franquia), o underground ficou bom, as lutas estão ótimas... Porém, mais uma vez, perderam a oportunidade de fazer um jogo épico! Não existem monstros no mapa (tem apenas no undergroud), as animações continuam estranhas e pobres, a visão 2D vista de cima, apesar de nostálgica, poderia ser adaptada ao menos para o estilo de swsh, os pokemons seguindo estão estranhos, principalmente os maiores... Não é um jogo ruim, mas não é excelente...… Expand
  32. iMustang
    Dec 3, 2021
    7
    Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is not a bad game by any means, but the sad truth is that it's also not a great game. Gamefreak contracted a separate company for this remake, and advertised it as a faithful top-down style remake. Another sad truth is, it's not faithful, leaving it in an odd middle ground that makes you ask "Then what sort of remake is it?" or "Who was this made for?"

    A vast    Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is not a bad game by any means, but the sad truth is that it's also not a great game. Gamefreak contracted a separate company for this remake, and advertised it as a faithful top-down style remake. Another sad truth is, it's not faithful, leaving it in an odd middle ground that makes you ask "Then what sort of remake is it?" or "Who was this made for?"

    A vast majority of this game is identical to it's original counterpart with the sprites being replaced with chibi character models who, while looking jarring at times, do offer a unique approach. The choice to zoom in on character faces in this style is odd when they lack expression, though even odder is when they immediately zoom back out without a transition. In spite of this, the world itself does often look very good, and when character models are shown (like Gym Leader battles), it can look good sometimes. The game quickly separates itself from the original with some quality of life improvements (boxes anywhere, exp share, etc), but some that are just rather odd. HMs were removed, in favor of stacks of TMs. You can also use the HM moves without teaching them, but then the original obstructions of the game are little more than minor inconveniences as you explore. It was like they improved what you could do, without balancing what you can't do, so the entire game is more or less a straight path forward.

    The two major changes found in the main story at the making or breaking point for many - Contests and The Underground. The contest system in generally considered ruined by most people who enjoyed the original, gutting the battle system with unique factors in favor of a mini game instead. Yes you still make poffins and teach moves for the contest, but it's nothing like original fans will remember. On the flip side, The Underground has been overhauled to be more of a Wild Area with easier (and sometimes earlier) access to Pokemon and endless hours you can explore. This element is a wonderful break from the linear story and is perfect if you like hunting certain Pokemon (including shiny ones).

    Overall I did end up finishing this game with a good amount of fun being had, which I do take as a personal victory since I did not start off with much joy to be found. This game doesn't feel like an innovative remake with new ideas, nor does it feel like a faithful rendition of a classic, but I do feel like some effort was made by the developers. You can tell some thought and love was put into this game, which almost makes it even sadder when you stop to wonder how great it could have been if they could have been bolder, or if Gamefreak would have just made it themselves. This generation could have had a much better remake, but for what we got I'll say it one last time - It's not bad at all, but it's just not great either.    … Expand
  33. OjGamer90s
    Dec 2, 2021
    7
    Amazing reimagining of the classic diamond and pearl that orginally released on Nintendo DS
    Shot for Shot remakes are ok but that not what I was expecting for this remake I was hoping for an ORAS type game where certain things were changed and added and made it feel new and fresh and not the same exact thing for example primal version of legendaries or the added mega evolution to    Amazing reimagining of the classic diamond and pearl that orginally released on Nintendo DS
    Shot for Shot remakes are ok but that not what I was expecting for this remake I was hoping for an ORAS type game where certain things were changed and added and made it feel new and fresh and not the same exact thing for example primal version of legendaries or the added mega evolution to some pokemon including all the gen 3 starters The Delta episode took an amazing story from emerald and managed to add to it platinum story is not here and it sad because that was the best part of the gen 4
    Overall though BD/SP it a good game if you haven't played the original before definitely give it a try it a fun experience for everyone but if you were hoping for something new and not exactly the same game but upscale wait for legends Arceus What I was expecting was a Sword and shield Style remake for Diamond and pearl but that definitely wasn't what we got    … Expand
  34. KadentheKitsune
    Dec 17, 2021
    7
    Overall a solid game you can enjoy, if you havent played the original
    Unfortunatly its not using any of the improvents that where made with platinum and with its prize tag its quite expensive. I recommend buying when its o sale.
  35. Kenmei
    Dec 2, 2021
    6
    For anyone hoping to see a major upgrade for the 4th generation, you're going to be majorly disappointed with the results here. It feels like this was built entirely on the nostalgia from the people who once played it on the DS. There's very little changed here, and even some quality of life changes from later games arent here, like putting the store and poke center together in oneFor anyone hoping to see a major upgrade for the 4th generation, you're going to be majorly disappointed with the results here. It feels like this was built entirely on the nostalgia from the people who once played it on the DS. There's very little changed here, and even some quality of life changes from later games arent here, like putting the store and poke center together in one building and making the move tutor free and in the same building. There's really only 3 major changes that people will recognize. The first is the graphics style, which you'll either love or hate and I really hated it. Mostly because all character models are rendered in full 3D during battle so not having them in 3D in the over world seems like a waste since the work was already done. Next is the HM being basically automated by "wild" pokemon in the area, even if the same 3 pokemon who use the HM's arent in the area you're using them. However the biggest change is the Grand Underground, where you'll be spending the majority of your time, especially during the end game. Frankly it doesnt hold a candle to alot of the options that Sword and Shield offered players. It becomes extremely repetitive and very boring after awhile but you have to grind out the mining system if you want to have a chance of getting the previous games legendaries. Which will already be out of date once the game gets access to Pokemon Home next month. Its fairly hard for me to recommend this game to anyone who may never have played the 4th generation. Especially since its not a remake of Platinum, one of the biggest and best "3rd" games of the generation in all of Pokemon. It just feels like not a ton of work went into trying to update this to modern day standards. And I can't figure if that was done on purpose, so that the game doesnt over shadow the Legends Arceus game next month, or if there was another reason involved. At this point I'd really only recommend it to those who grew up with this generation, like I did, and want to replay it on Switch. Outside of that, I'd say to just wait till next month when the main game comes out from Game Freak themselves.… Expand
  36. TheMegaGodz
    Mar 13, 2022
    7
    In terms of story, I think it's one of the weaker Pokemon games, but it's still classic Pokemon, so I still enjoyed it for the most part. I liked the art style, and the environments are really nice.
  37. frederik1478
    Dec 17, 2021
    6
    It is nice going back to the old Pokémon formula efter sword and shield and a XP sharing is nice but it does make the game so easy dead it Almost require you play a permadeath run of the game to Have fun. Music and graphics what you would expect from a 3d pokemon game looks kind of boring I found the Stripes games have more personality, but if you need an old school pokemon game get for cheap
  38. PizzaW0lf
    Mar 19, 2022
    6
    This is a blatant cash grab that barely did anything better than the original and even got rid of some good stuff.

    Playing it safe really hurt this game. Not awful or unplayable and still has that Sinnoh experience but it's something that us fans just aren't happy with game freak.
  39. StrickenLoki92
    Feb 8, 2022
    6
    The most important aspect to know before acquiring (or playing it) this game is that this is NOT a remake it's a REMASTER and worst of all is a diamond and pearl remaster almost all of platinum's extra content is absent apart from that since this is a remaster BDSP lacks the following: GTS (Now GWS that at the moment of review is still not active), competitive play (Not a big deal for meThe most important aspect to know before acquiring (or playing it) this game is that this is NOT a remake it's a REMASTER and worst of all is a diamond and pearl remaster almost all of platinum's extra content is absent apart from that since this is a remaster BDSP lacks the following: GTS (Now GWS that at the moment of review is still not active), competitive play (Not a big deal for me personally), Platinum dex, battle frontier, dynamax among other things. Even though I had no bugs and did not took advantage of any exploit I do know that those were or are still present.
    The game looks pretty at a certain extent, there's character customization (not much but it's there) and the grand underground is very fun (even when they removed the secret bases feature); If you already played pokemon platinum in the past you are going to get bored really quick (Personally I only played 100 ish hours), you already know the story, characters, pokemons, locations, etc.. This game is not even developed by gamefreak they were very busy working on legends arceus AKA the better game (and it shows) In conclusion a very unnecessary remaster I would've preferred a platinum port for 20dlls to be honest than a diamond and pearl remaster, if you already played platinum and you are expecting a remake I would advise to not get this game or get it just for the nostalgia of it.    … Expand
  40. aSkorm
    Nov 2, 2022
    7
    First of all, this is my first playthrough of gen 4 so I'm not comparing this to the original game.

    So, far I'm about 8 hours in and I enjoying myself quite a bit. It has the usual charm that you'd expect from a Pokemon game. I'm glad we have some quality of life improvements that I'm pretty sure were not there before but this game is also a pretty big downgrade when compared with    First of all, this is my first playthrough of gen 4 so I'm not comparing this to the original game.

    So, far I'm about 8 hours in and I enjoying myself quite a bit.
    It has the usual charm that you'd expect from a Pokemon game.

    I'm glad we have some quality of life improvements that I'm pretty sure were not there before but this game is also a pretty big downgrade when compared with Sword and Shield.

    The graphics are not great. The chiby aesthetic is pretty ugly. It's annoying how the game constantly switches between regular, big models and chiby stuff during play.
    When gen 3 got a remake, it looked like latest gen games, not something much older.

    There are also no more pokemon roaming in the overworld, sadly. When Let's go introduced that, I was expecting it to stick for all future titles.

    Needless to say, it has all the usual issues of pokemon games. Easy, boring training battles, repetitive models, predictable story, etc.

    All in all, I'm still finding it fun but if you've played gen 4 already or if you didn't like any of the previous games, I'd stay away from it.    … Expand
  41. Alvz9
    Dec 27, 2021
    6
    Mis sensaciones al jugar este remake del clásico de DS son algo contradictorias. Por una parte me parece que el estilo artístico es un acierto, así como el espíritu de mantener gran parte de los elementos básicos del juego intactos (un remake visual, pero conservador en lo jugable). Pero me parece que ese es precisamente su cuchillo de doble filo: el mantener ciertos elementos que inclusoMis sensaciones al jugar este remake del clásico de DS son algo contradictorias. Por una parte me parece que el estilo artístico es un acierto, así como el espíritu de mantener gran parte de los elementos básicos del juego intactos (un remake visual, pero conservador en lo jugable). Pero me parece que ese es precisamente su cuchillo de doble filo: el mantener ciertos elementos que incluso en nuestros tiempos se antojan anticuados y contra "las mejoras de calidad de vida". Esta es una decisión muy arriesgada dentro de los remakes que ha sufrido la franquicia, ya que si consideramos VerdeHoja/Rojo Fuego, Lets go, Alma Plateada/Corazón de Oro, Omega Ruby/Safiro Alfa, todos tienen en común el lavado visual y la implementación de nuevas mecánicas que facilitan y vuelven aún más placentera la experiencia de juego. Diamante Brillante es tosco a nivel de diseño RPG, los pokémon salvajes son repetitivos y extramadamente pocos, los enemigos suelen utilizar entre 3 y 4 pokémon del mismo tipo y especie (muchas veces me encontré la situación de enfrentarme a un tipo con 4 Machop, otro con 3 Pikachu, y otro con 5 Wurmple). Las batallas no tienen elementos dinamizadores de entregas más reciente de la franquicia como las mega evoluciones, la posibilidad de conseguir otros pokémon distintos a los originales, o la renovación de ciertos combates legendarios. De hecho, el volver a luchar contra Cintia no se sintió de la misma forma que en DS, pues en parte ya casi todo el mundo sabía su estrategia principal; por ejemplo, un mega-Garchomp podría haber vuelto complicada la cosa. No hay giros de guión, todo está tal cuál; y los elementos nuevos (como por ejemplo las grutas), y parte del postgame la verdad es repetitivo y bastante soso. La inexplicable decisión de no conectar el juego con Pokémon Home tampoco ayuda mucho. Por último, a nivel visual si bien defiendo el estilo artístico, me parece que este se luce más de día que de noche, ya que de noche desaparece ese efecto más plastilina o brillante de juegos como el remake de Zelda Links Awakening. En conclusión: a mi juicio una oportunidad desperdicia, con un remake visual que en términos jugables es muy conservador. Se podría haber apostado a más como en los otros remakes, pero se optó por una decisión que me parece vuelve menos fresca la vuelta a Sinnoh.… Expand
  42. Skinnytub
    Oct 22, 2022
    6
    This game is exactly what it says it is, a remake of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. However, what makes this game disappointing is that it is missing all the great features from Pokemon Platinum. While the game is a good remake of Diamond & Pearl, it felt very rushed. For example the remake only includes pokemon up to generation 4, when we are up to generation 8. Also the game has a weird artThis game is exactly what it says it is, a remake of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. However, what makes this game disappointing is that it is missing all the great features from Pokemon Platinum. While the game is a good remake of Diamond & Pearl, it felt very rushed. For example the remake only includes pokemon up to generation 4, when we are up to generation 8. Also the game has a weird art style which kinda suits the game but also makes it feel cheap, which I was not a fan of.

    This game is not a bad game at all, but it could have been a 10/10 if it had the features from Pokemon Platinum and included new pokemon past Gen 4. While i enjoyed playing the game and have over 100 hours in it, i'm left annoyed knowing that the game didn't get the remake it deserved.    … Expand
  43. GreenMenace
    Jun 13, 2022
    6
    Pokemon BDSP shouldn’t be your first Pokemon experience—it offers a greater challenge than other games, yes, but it fails to provide the quality of life changes seen by recent Pokemon games. Pokemon BDSP is a mixed bag. On one hand, the game looks good. On the other, it reverts back to problematic, out of date issues.

    Pros Game looks good Access to Mythical Pokemon Difficulty Cons    Pokemon BDSP shouldn’t be your first Pokemon experience—it offers a greater challenge than other games, yes, but it fails to provide the quality of life changes seen by recent Pokemon games. Pokemon BDSP is a mixed bag. On one hand, the game looks good. On the other, it reverts back to problematic, out of date issues.

    Pros
    Game looks good
    Access to Mythical Pokemon
    Difficulty

    Cons
    Shiny Hunting
    Time Clock
    Based on Platinum version, but doesn’t contain all of Platinum’s features
    Nothing New

    I enjoyed BDSP. It looks bland, but it certainly looks better than many recent Pokemon games. And yes, I usually hate the chibi art style. I probably would have given Link’s Awakening a 9 and played it more than once if not for the chibi art style. It’s a little too cute for me to want to spend hours in it. But the Chibi art style doesn't bother me in this game--it doesn't feel like its crammed down my throat since the main action part of the game is in Pokemon battles.

    The battles in BDSP feature Pokemon that utilize strategies used by competitive Pokemon players, which means that this game contained the most challenging and rewarding standard Pokemon battles. Pokemon contests make a return, allowing the player to train and use their Pokemon for something other than battling. The Underground is like a wannabe Wild Area, but also offers some mini games for players to participate in. To give the game more oomph, players who own other Pokemon games can obtain a Mew and Jirachi which are not catchable. Arceus, Shaymin, and Darkrai became available for a time as well so that was another plus. But I don’t think they’re available anymore, so that probably won’t affect the person reading this review.

    The final pro of this game worth mentioning is the fact that it allows you to customize your Pokeball. You can’t change the exterior, but you can apply stickers to change the animation when your Pokemon comes out. There’s some worthwhile animations there.

    People were disappointed that the game didn’t contain everything that Platinum offered, but that isn’t what bummed me out the most. What bummed me out the most is the shiny hunting. The game’s load times are longer than Sword/Shield’s. And the odds of finding a shiny Pokemon are 1 in 4000 even with the shiny charm. Yes, you can do Pokeradar (something I haven’t bothered with since it sounds really annoying how easy it is to break a streak), and they haven’t changed the Masuda method. But shiny hunting a legendary or through straight encounters will have a person hunting a long, long time. People who like hunting with full odds aren’t forced to increase their odds with the shiny charm. People who don’t like hunting with full odds are out of luck. Even though it is compatible with home now, it took almost a year for that to happen.

    What has really irked me as of late is the Time Clock penalty. Change the time, and time related events (ones you have to do over and over again) don’t spawn for 24 hours irl. That’s what the rule says. However, I have waited for DAYS, and still there’s been no change. With some research, I’ve seen that the time penalty can take 24 IN-GAME hours to reset. That’s absurd. As far as remakes go, Skyward Sword HD gets a bad wrap, but it does a heck of a lot more to make the game more convenient (and consequently more immersive) than faithfully repeat the same mistakes and then some.

    In summary of the cons, I don’t feel like BDSP respects a player’s time. My opinion is that the greatest appeal to the game is playing through the main story as its ai presents a greater challenge than other mainline Pokemon games I’ve played on the Switch. I liked it, but I can’t recommend it.    … Expand
  44. Irorieh
    Dec 10, 2021
    6
    A fun, if lazy game.

    I've had a lot of fun playing this game, and I'd definitely consider it worth buying IF you are a fan of the series, but it's hard not to see the negatives. The confusing design really feels like a downgrade from even Shield and Sword which itself wasn't exactly the most stunning game on Switch. That said, going into this everyone knew what the game looked like, so    A fun, if lazy game.

    I've had a lot of fun playing this game, and I'd definitely consider it worth buying IF you are a fan of the series, but it's hard not to see the negatives. The confusing design really feels like a downgrade from even Shield and Sword which itself wasn't exactly the most stunning game on Switch. That said, going into this everyone knew what the game looked like, so it's not as though we were misled about the design, but still, they could have done a lot more.

    In terms of things like in battle animations, not much has changed between SwSh, and this. Animations are the same as ever, for better or worse. It would be nice to see some effort put into these, to give different moves, abilities or reactions from different Pokémon a more unique appearance, although it's not as though I went into this expecting such. If nothing else, the game met my relatively low expectations.

    The game has more than enough charm for me to enjoy it, but lacks anything that really defines the game among a series that has became increasingly (and disappointingly) known for its lacklustre releases. They're still fun, but it's hard to see that they could be so much more.    … Expand
  45. Aranashi
    Jan 21, 2022
    5
    Puede ser que estemos hablando del peor remake de pokemon hasta la fecha. Los remakes siempre han estado graciosos porque disfrutabas las antiguas regiones con los motores gráficos y mecánicas actuales! Lo de este “remake” es lamentable. Si no has jugado nunca a Pokemon Diamante pues puede tener un pase ya que la historia no está mal, pero sinceramente jugaría antes a Pokemon Platino que aPuede ser que estemos hablando del peor remake de pokemon hasta la fecha. Los remakes siempre han estado graciosos porque disfrutabas las antiguas regiones con los motores gráficos y mecánicas actuales! Lo de este “remake” es lamentable. Si no has jugado nunca a Pokemon Diamante pues puede tener un pase ya que la historia no está mal, pero sinceramente jugaría antes a Pokemon Platino que a este remake. Espero que el rumbo de los remakes tome el rumbo de antes. Con lo que me alegré cuando pokemon abandonó ese aspecto chibi van y ponen a la venta esto… No gastaría más de 20€ en este juego sinceramente.… Expand
  46. fanmadeendings
    Feb 15, 2022
    6
    Diamond and pearl aren't bad games, so this isn't bad - It's just not much better than the games it is based on, and that's a shame, as HeartGold and SoulSilver were essentially remaking the definitive Crystal version, but this is just a remake of the base games instead of Platinum. It's also visually inconsistent and buggy - For better and for worse. All in all, minus the glitches, it'sDiamond and pearl aren't bad games, so this isn't bad - It's just not much better than the games it is based on, and that's a shame, as HeartGold and SoulSilver were essentially remaking the definitive Crystal version, but this is just a remake of the base games instead of Platinum. It's also visually inconsistent and buggy - For better and for worse. All in all, minus the glitches, it's probably the most uninteresting pokemon experience so far.… Expand
  47. marvsfontanilla
    Jan 13, 2022
    7
    Story: 7
    Graphics: 7
    Sound: 8
    Gameplay: 7
    Game Time: 25 Hours (Main Story + Extra)
  48. ElSmasher
    Dec 17, 2022
    6
    Pokemon Brillant Diamond and Shining Pearl are just remakes to be sold. We still keep the very good luck of the fourth generation with graphics updated at the end of the day. Unfortunately it’s not enough, the game only innovates with a falcultative cave system and graphics that are in mode (chibi) without any real effort. Unlike ROSA, the game does the strict minimum and it’s a shame,Pokemon Brillant Diamond and Shining Pearl are just remakes to be sold. We still keep the very good luck of the fourth generation with graphics updated at the end of the day. Unfortunately it’s not enough, the game only innovates with a falcultative cave system and graphics that are in mode (chibi) without any real effort. Unlike ROSA, the game does the strict minimum and it’s a shame, because in itself, the basic game is excellent...… Expand
  49. CrisSonic_Drago
    Feb 2, 2022
    5
    Me ha encantado revivir mí infancia con este juego. Es un calco total o casi a lo que juegue hace 15 años casi con mí hermano. Le doy un 5 raspado por el esfuerzo de ILKA, pero es un juego que no ha inovando nada y como he dicho es un copia y pega del juego original, además de fallos que tiene.

    Lo único que destaco es que va aumentando la dificultad con el pago de las batallas y lo bien    Me ha encantado revivir mí infancia con este juego. Es un calco total o casi a lo que juegue hace 15 años casi con mí hermano. Le doy un 5 raspado por el esfuerzo de ILKA, pero es un juego que no ha inovando nada y como he dicho es un copia y pega del juego original, además de fallos que tiene.

    Lo único que destaco es que va aumentando la dificultad con el pago de las batallas y lo bien echo que esta gráficamente.    … Expand
  50. MANXMAN76
    Dec 6, 2021
    7
    It's a nice remake but its more of a remaster, everything just felt the same but it was nice to play one of my favourite pokemon games again and it has more mechanics and love put into it than SW/SH this is what we should have gotten back in 2019.
  51. Napior
    May 20, 2023
    7
    There are definitely improvements on the original to keep up in this fast-paced world. Image quality is only okay.
  52. JonaSCX
    Jan 17, 2022
    7
    Desafortunadamente yo no jugue a la primera edicion de este juego, pero fueron las buenas reviews que he leido de ellos que decidi jugar este remake, y me tope de frente con algo que ya sabia pero no me gustaba aceptar, Pokemon siempre ha sido un juego con el fin de vender figuras, cartas, o cualquier cosa externa a videojuegos para el publico mas chico, si no porque la decision deDesafortunadamente yo no jugue a la primera edicion de este juego, pero fueron las buenas reviews que he leido de ellos que decidi jugar este remake, y me tope de frente con algo que ya sabia pero no me gustaba aceptar, Pokemon siempre ha sido un juego con el fin de vender figuras, cartas, o cualquier cosa externa a videojuegos para el publico mas chico, si no porque la decision de mantener la tematica chibi fuera de los combates? Esto, junto a muchos de los combates en donde los entrenadores tienen 5 copias del mismo pokemon para enfrentarte, me parece una muestra clara de lo que piensa Nintendo sobre los jugadores de Pokemon, y es que siempre a sido enfocado a este publico infantil. Fuera de este desenfoque de ideas, la region de Sinnoh es bastante bonita, llena de rincones que explorar, con 30 horas de juego me converti en campeon de la region y solamente me falta un Pokemon para terminar la pokedex nacional, ademas de que las grutas del subsuelo son una buena adicion para encontrar diferentes pokemons e items para nuestra aventura, un pokemon al igual que el de los años anteriores, nada para sorprenderse.… Expand
  53. Parco8
    Mar 5, 2022
    6
    As a non 4th gen fan I can say I'm not actually nostalgia affected. This game is a mediocre remake, it shows everything the 2006 games trying to renew it with some little features. Some of these actually don't work very well, others are a great implementation. Anyway this new features can't make this game a masterpiece but they can make it a solid sufficiency.
  54. FlexosuarousRex
    Feb 20, 2022
    7
    My background as a pokemon player: I have been breeding and competitively battling since gen 5, crystal version, was my first ever pokemon experience, and gen 4 is my favorite era of pokemon bar none.

    Pros: excellent music, fires on all nostalgic cylinders, HM fixes, legendary pokemon availability, first 4 gens of pokemon available, the underground improvements, faithful remake (may be    My background as a pokemon player: I have been breeding and competitively battling since gen 5, crystal version, was my first ever pokemon experience, and gen 4 is my favorite era of pokemon bar none.

    Pros: excellent music, fires on all nostalgic cylinders, HM fixes, legendary pokemon availability, first 4 gens of pokemon available, the underground improvements, faithful remake (may be a con depending on who you ask), mons follow you, excellent music, new clothing choices for protagonist, access to certain mythical pokemon, and this game actually retains a bit of the difficulty from the original titles which is something that I really appreciate.

    Cons: The graphics aren't great, especially in docked mode, (currently) no connectivity to SS, no platinum content, no ranked competitive, no connection with SS (currently) means no using mons in any ranked format period, battle tower instead of battle frontier, the underground "bases" are literally just a messy set of statues and pedestals, and competitive teambuilding isn't necessary at all due to a lack of ranked gameplay.

    Ultimately, the games aren't terrible. I genuinely had a good time going through the story and revisitng old routes and mons alike. If you have never experienced gen 4, this is a great way to check the games out. However, I really can only recommend this game to players who have not experienced gen 4 yet. For those of us that played through gen four multiple times on the DS and experienced platinum version, I would say your are better off revisiting the original titles. This game will offer connectivity with the other switch pokemon titles in the future and that in and of itself may be all the reason some players need in order to jump in, but honestly I would suggest sword and shield for those of us that don't care about completing the pokemon home pokedex, there is simply more to do in Sword and Shield and the game will certainly have a longer lifespan due its superior multiplayer options. If ranked gameplay is added to BDSP OR if all BDSP pokemon become available to use in competitive gameplay in sword and shield I will bump my score up a point and a half, but currently I feel that the game does deserve a 7, not lower and not higher.

    I'm not trying to take away anyone's enjoyment of these titles because, like I said in the beginning, I did enjoy going through the story again and there is certainly fun to be had with diamond and pearl. However, after all of the dust settles, the fact of the matter is that these games have less content than a DS game did when it launched back in 2008.    … Expand
  55. MasterV777
    Mar 21, 2022
    6
    By far one of the most disappointing parts of this game was the day 1 patch. While most of the day 1 patches in games just fix some things, BDSP's day 1 patched in most of the game, including the opening cinematic, closing cinematic, post game, and soundtrack etc. Without the day 1 patch, instead of the new soundtrack, you get these placeholder sounds. This means without the day 1 patch,By far one of the most disappointing parts of this game was the day 1 patch. While most of the day 1 patches in games just fix some things, BDSP's day 1 patched in most of the game, including the opening cinematic, closing cinematic, post game, and soundtrack etc. Without the day 1 patch, instead of the new soundtrack, you get these placeholder sounds. This means without the day 1 patch, the original diamond and pearl are better than these games, which is unacceptable for a Pokémon remake. This was likely done so they can use the cartridges with less memory, so they can save money.… Expand
  56. Quilly89
    Feb 1, 2022
    6
    It’s a copy paste of the originals. Which isn’t horrible I guess but it’s not great. They could’ve done a lot more with it but for whatever reason didn’t. Kindof disappointing. Still the best way to experience ‘diamond and Pearl’ though.
  57. MunhozMCM
    Jul 28, 2022
    5
    My Score:

    (5) - Average.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pretty average, I personally would say it is pretty uninspired.
  58. Bigchowfan
    Jan 10, 2022
    6
    This game is ok because it is just a graphical upgrade and almost nothing new and this game doesn't deserved to be called a remake this is more of a Demaster but even if I am disappointed I still liked it a little bit .
  59. sunny_rip
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a decent game in the series, it's not stunning and jaw dropping, but it's a fun time that many Pokemon Fans will enjoy

    Pros:
    -Really charming art style and pretty nice graphics, with some really nice looking battle backgrounds and great looking environments.
    -Uses the expanded Pokémon Platinum Dex, which has much more Pokémon for the player to use.
    -The Underground was upgraded very well with the Grand Underground, and Pokémon Hideaways are super fun to explore.
    -You don't need to use HMs on your team members, instead Wild Pokémon will use them for you when you need to by being selected on the Poketch.

    Cons:
    -TMs are breakable
    -Post Game content can be a bit underwhelming, and the lack of a Battle Frontier is pretty sad.
    -It's a bit easier for my liking, but you can make it more difficult by using set battle style, no healing items, etc.
    -Exp. Share is mandatory
    -No Battle Frontier
    -Minimal Post Game Content
    -Wonky Following Pokemon

    Overall, a solid 7/10. Good job ILCA.    … Expand
  60. JacobTheToadMan
    Dec 9, 2021
    6
    Bidoof is cool, he's a big man, big man is awesome, big man gonna go places lets go big man
  61. Zu343
    Dec 8, 2021
    6
    Every Team Pokemon gets Points in your team and this function makes the Game too easy. The Game has not a Casino and the Pokémon Conquests are better in the original for Nintendo Ds.
  62. Khristian5
    Dec 11, 2021
    6
    Una pena que la saga tenga puesta la marcha automática y que ofrezca simplemente un juego que está bien. Pero simplemente eso, bien… Demasiado sencillo en todos los aspectos y creo que bajo mi humilde opinión necesitan alguna novedad en la saga. Sencillo, fácil y cuando llevas unas horas por desgracia se hace un poco repetitivo y no me consiguió enganchar como anteriores juegos de la saga.Una pena que la saga tenga puesta la marcha automática y que ofrezca simplemente un juego que está bien. Pero simplemente eso, bien… Demasiado sencillo en todos los aspectos y creo que bajo mi humilde opinión necesitan alguna novedad en la saga. Sencillo, fácil y cuando llevas unas horas por desgracia se hace un poco repetitivo y no me consiguió enganchar como anteriores juegos de la saga. Un juego que gustara a los fans y sobretodo muy recomendable para los pequeñ@s de la casa. Para los que busquen algo más en este estilo, este no será su juego.… Expand
  63. Tetz420
    Dec 20, 2021
    7
    Hello good, I am finishing the game today, and I leave my analysis after collecting the 8 badges, the game itself brings the conventional proposal of Pokemon, without taking or for, the formula follows the same as other games, you will have fun in your adventure for sinnoh but do not expect anything too much of this game, is a remake completely faithful to their versions Diamond and Pearl,Hello good, I am finishing the game today, and I leave my analysis after collecting the 8 badges, the game itself brings the conventional proposal of Pokemon, without taking or for, the formula follows the same as other games, you will have fun in your adventure for sinnoh but do not expect anything too much of this game, is a remake completely faithful to their versions Diamond and Pearl, without taking or for, which makes it a game "DS" but with graphical improvements, which are not so good, a big negative point would be the chibi style, which does not please many people including me, in second the color palette chosen is weird, comes to give headache from so much blur that the game has, the animations are well locked, in short, if you have 300 real (Brazil) to spend, you can buy, will be a cool adventure, but do not expect much nor new mechanics, now if you are a little tight on money I suggest waiting for the legend of Arceus.… Expand
  64. DeltaZ
    Feb 1, 2022
    5
    Story: Unverändert, keine Neuerungen.
    Grafik: Gut, oftmals zu unscharf und schlechter Auflösung, Artstyle ist in Ordnung.
    Soundtrack: Sehr gut. Gameplay: Naja, viel zu Einfach durch den OP Teiler. Features: Gut. besonders der Untergrund, leider keine Geheimbasen mehr. Following Pokemon hat schlechte Proportionen und technische/animierte fehler. Postgame: Sehr gut. Wieso haben die    Story: Unverändert, keine Neuerungen.
    Grafik: Gut, oftmals zu unscharf und schlechter Auflösung, Artstyle ist in Ordnung.
    Soundtrack: Sehr gut.
    Gameplay: Naja, viel zu Einfach durch den OP Teiler.
    Features: Gut. besonders der Untergrund, leider keine Geheimbasen mehr. Following Pokemon hat
    schlechte Proportionen und technische/animierte fehler.
    Postgame: Sehr gut. Wieso haben die alten Legis nicht ihr Battle theme?
    Sonstiges: 0% Platin Content, wieso nicht die Regi kammern übernommen? Ab der Mitte wird es
    langweilig, weil man Overlevelt ist. Steuerung ist sehr schwammig und ungenau. Viele
    Bugs. keine Langzeitmotivation.

    Story: Unchanged, no innovations.
    Graphics: Good, often too fuzzy and poor resolution, art style is okay.
    Soundtrack: Very good.
    Gameplay: Well, way too easy by the OP divider.
    Features: Good. especially the underground, unfortunately no more secret bases. Following
    Pokemon has bad proportions and technical/animated errors.
    Postgame: Very good. Why don't the old Legis have their Battle theme?
    Miscellaneous: 0% platinum content, why not take over the regis chambers? From the middle it will
    boring because you're overleveled. Control is very spongy and imprecise. Lots bugs
    no long-term motivation.    … Expand
  65. Why_username
    Jan 23, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its not a bad game, its just TOO much faithful… i mean: EVERYTHING on Diamond & Pearl will be on Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, even bad things like the **** trade mechanic (Union Room). Another problem is the VERY LOW FPS… seriously, why 15-30 FPS in a 2021/2022 game? Why not 60-120 FPS? I hope the game get a patch to “fix” the FPS. And another thing is the Battle Tower… it’s boring because you can’t use Mythical or Major Legendary Pokémon and its just take a Shell Smash Focus Sash Blastoise and you will win every battle.

    Edit: FINALLY BD&SP got the GTS via Pokémon Home.    … Expand
  66. AldoBaran
    Jun 13, 2023
    6
    This game is a pretty good representation of its original version of 2006. When a Pokémon game is launched expectations are very high, however in this specific situation the marketing campaign did what he had to do: it represented a game that wanted to be nothing more and nothing less than the game of 2006. The graphic rendering is rewarding and clean and, in my personal opinion,This game is a pretty good representation of its original version of 2006. When a Pokémon game is launched expectations are very high, however in this specific situation the marketing campaign did what he had to do: it represented a game that wanted to be nothing more and nothing less than the game of 2006. The graphic rendering is rewarding and clean and, in my personal opinion, represents a plus that must necessarily contextualized in a chibi style of NPC. Therefore I believe that despite this chibi style is not completely elegant, I think that the overall view it is pleasant. Do I recommend to play this game? My answer is yes if you want to relive a somewhat nostalgic experience. My answer is yes if you want to see why this brand is so successful (as it contains all the strengths of Pokémon games). Grand underground: necessary but at the same time annoying. Compared to Swsh raids this part of the game becomes obsolete very quickly. For the same reason I do not recommend the game for its "online part". Overall, therefore, ILCA needed to "pull the trigger" for those elements in the post game and for those elements that needed to be modified compared to 2006 (online is the best example). On the other hand the game is satisfactory. The initial selling price does not, however, represent its true value.… Expand
  67. Franc15
    Jan 30, 2022
    7
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond (and by extension Shining Pearl) is a decent Pokémon game. It's not without its flaws like only having the first 4 generations of Pokémon (compared to Omega Ruby which had every Pokémon available at the time obtainable via transfers or trades), but every Pokémon is obtainable in the pair of games except for some event only/Mythical Pokémon like Celebi and Deoxys.Pokémon Brilliant Diamond (and by extension Shining Pearl) is a decent Pokémon game. It's not without its flaws like only having the first 4 generations of Pokémon (compared to Omega Ruby which had every Pokémon available at the time obtainable via transfers or trades), but every Pokémon is obtainable in the pair of games except for some event only/Mythical Pokémon like Celebi and Deoxys. The Grand Underground is a great addition to the game, and while unfortunate that secret base customization is limited to placing statues to affect Pokémon spawn rates, it's more than made up for by being able to catch so every non-Sinnoh native Pokémon in the Grand Underground, except for the aforementioned Mythical Pokémon not included in events in Sinnoh. It's a shame that it doesn't include the Platinum version of the Battle Frontier and only includes the Battle Tower found in the original Diamond and Pearl. There are some improvements over the originals like improved difficulty in Trainer battles with tons of improved move sets compared to the DS games, and Gym Leader and Elite Four rematches are harder than ever.… Expand
  68. Lassr
    Feb 2, 2022
    6
    Just another Pokemon game with better graphic. There are no big different to the originals.
  69. Jd467
    Feb 3, 2022
    7
    This game felt like the game was ported to the switch with not enough new. I mean there is the grand underground but that was it. I get that people just want to play the game normally, but to returning fans there was nothing and to make it worse there was limited Pokémon to use with two fully evolved fire types. Must play if you played before
  70. albegres
    Feb 5, 2022
    6
    64/100
    Cute artstyle, but the developers needed to rethink the whole game to make it work properly. They added so many things to make easier to play the remake that they lost the soul of the original. Story and region are the same, so this is why this game is not completely mediocre
  71. BirdPs4
    Feb 4, 2023
    5
    This game was supposed to be amazing after we waited so many years for a remake...only to get this piece of **** that is just a money grab the devs copy pasted from the originals.
  72. Motoritz
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    The gameplay was a lot of fun as always and I loved the chibi artstyle. They just remade a game without changing anything about it except for the graphics tho...
  73. ezo2002
    Feb 19, 2022
    5
    Everything is slow, they excluded tons of platinum pokemon to make the game "feel like diamond and pearl you love" yet quality of life stuff, fairy types and how they let you access absol, houndoom and rhydon fairly early as if it were a modern gen 8 game. It can't decide whether it's excruciatingly faithful to the originals, as they retain the slowness and limited dex of those games, orEverything is slow, they excluded tons of platinum pokemon to make the game "feel like diamond and pearl you love" yet quality of life stuff, fairy types and how they let you access absol, houndoom and rhydon fairly early as if it were a modern gen 8 game. It can't decide whether it's excruciatingly faithful to the originals, as they retain the slowness and limited dex of those games, or an adaptation into the gen 8 style, one already prone to serious flaws in its standard game design, what with glitches, broken leveling system (that you cannot deactivate), and bumps in the road through its graphics all as a backdrop to a roster that is limited yet offer some evolved and wickedly high-leveled pokemon early on, after maybe an HOUR in the underground. I didn't know a gen 8 game would have to choose between frustrating and easy, yet I suppose it is on-brand for it to fumble the bag hard and devolve into a mindless, structure-less husk. After I beat the game I somehow managed to feel contempt for the original Sinnoh games, sadly, because despite their slowness, their I always came back to the story, the gyms and the pokemon whenever I reflected on their positives, which were pretty damn strong positives at that. The details of each gym leader's team, the sight of pokemon like gliscor and mamoswine, empoleon, carnivine, croagunk, bronzong and many others for the first time all for the first time, both were unforgettable and brought a genuine smile to my face. Evolutions were fun to complete, the pokedex was reasonably long, Cyrus gave the villain motivation with only maybe just an ounce of more grit and realism, but it was just fun to read his dialogue, the villain team too. This game took all of that, took the charm, took the fun and melted it into a thin laminate then stretched it to the point where it would just about give out over a white, soulless, dense and brittle brick of cement labeled formula then cut it down, stuck some wires into it and marketed it as a remake. I recently revisited pokemon platinum on my DS during a playthrough of White 2 and looked up palmer's fight and found myself floored. It was exciting, it looked fun, the music was catchy and upbeat and Palmer's animation, even if it was a couple of frames, it was emotive and pumped me up as it moved with the music. There was so much character in it too, I felt like Palmer was this extreme, energetic guy that also happened to father Barry. It was entertaining to watch and when I would go through it and the battle factory myself, I had the exact same experience, but a whole lot more excited since I was actually the one playing the battle this time. Yet BDSP reduces that experience to a mere single strand of 21 slow trainer battles and a looped close-up of a chibi animation that would transition to a stagnant frame of palmer standing there, his team feeling basically lifeless. I just don't get it. I understand the limitations of a COVID-era-production process, but it is easy to look at how well Fire Red and Leaf Green and Heart Gold and Soul Silver fared. Both were faithful to their games, sure, but you look to Fire Red and Leaf Green, more pokemon are available, biking is easier, Charmander had metal claw for the first gym, all starters received larger move pools, event pokemon and Sevii islands were easy to note from the start of the game and provided just a touch more incentive to complete the game and play out the post-game, link trading required fewer cables, TMs changed, trainer pokemon updated to gen 3 standards and the rematch with Gary included Tyranitar and Heracross on the team. Later on, came Heart Gold and Soul Silver, which kept Swinub and Tangela and Yanma for Sinnoh evolutions, remixed every single theme in the game, made several Hoenn and Sinnoh pokemon available, albeit through access to evolution items or late-game areas, to keep johto pokemon at the core of its gen 4 stylings. They implemented gen 4's physical-special split and updated practically every single johto pokemon's move set and learn set to encourage variety and allowed you to teach gen 4 tms like shadow claw and steel wing to your teammates that could learn it. Pokemon sprites were better looking and ALSO had the same animation as gym leaders, league champions and important trainers. Suicune had more of a story, as did the Kanto section. Both saw developers takes on the task of modernizing and re-energizing their games for a new gen and more powerful console, yet kept the pokemon, gameplay, and plot progression the same, if not more interesting. Even ORAS got that part right, Gen 6's emphasis on ease dried up the gameplay on occasion. Gen 8 meanwhile kept this ease and quality-of-life changes, Pokedex should still be bigger, the graphics better, and low difficulty was hit or miss. Yet saves, exp, and the menu was ultimately all that came of it. Like its secret base system, this game still feels empty for what it adds and should remain deep underground.… Expand
  74. LimitedGif
    Feb 27, 2022
    7
    If you never played Diamond and Pearl on the Nintendo DS you will enjoy this Pokémon game like all the others. But for others it feels like a downgrade they didn’t add all the content from the old games.
  75. kennydog
    Mar 22, 2022
    7
    This game is basically Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, with some improvements and features. The gameplay is essentially the same, which made my playthrough a little dull and boring. However, I do like the cutesy graphics. I also enjoyed exploring the underground, and the new music is great! Overall, it's an okay remake.
  76. Daniel1516
    Oct 8, 2022
    5
    La verdad en cierta forma esta bien . .
  77. SpeedCyber
    Apr 25, 2022
    6
    pokemon remakes have been good fire red, leaf green, heart gold, soul silver, omega ruby, alpha sapphire but this ain,t fun as the others they have the been taking stuff and it doesn't fun so it should have been less faithful and add stuff like Dynamax and give some Sinnoh and others gigantamax what they did oras they should have done here it might be because they ain't using the gen 8pokemon remakes have been good fire red, leaf green, heart gold, soul silver, omega ruby, alpha sapphire but this ain,t fun as the others they have the been taking stuff and it doesn't fun so it should have been less faithful and add stuff like Dynamax and give some Sinnoh and others gigantamax what they did oras they should have done here it might be because they ain't using the gen 8 engine but I hope the next remake doesn't make the same mistake… Expand
  78. Christian_TV
    Apr 15, 2023
    7
    For me, this is a remake done right.
    Sure, I would have liked ILCA to add more to the original game. But it's just a faithful remake that just rejuvenates the old product.
    Yes, the progression in the game is really fast. But in fact, like all pokemon games of the last 7 years.
  79. AShinyG1ratina
    Jun 21, 2022
    6
    WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too faithful of a remake for my tastes lmao
  80. Satsoku
    Jan 8, 2023
    6
    I feel like these remakes were a miss opportunity. They are faithful to the original Diamond and Pearl respectively, however, they felt soulless and forgettable compared to the originals, or Platinum even. Playable, but that's about it.
  81. xSpOokie
    Dec 2, 2022
    7
    People giving 0 rating just because they wanted the remake of pokemon platinum , stop crying , this game is really good , was a good remake , for every pokemon fan , This game is essential for your collection , however i recommend you buying first pokemon let's go , and sword/shield!
  82. DarthJ
    Aug 28, 2022
    6
    The game looks like a mobile grind free to play. The original game has a soul, but this ramake does not.
  83. Moustique
    Dec 22, 2022
    5
    Not a special remake. There are way better remakes like HGSS or ORAS. You better play Platinum than these remakes. They literally added nothing to me.
  84. r0haan
    Nov 20, 2022
    7
    Overall - 7/10
    Difficulty - Easy
    Platform - Nintendo Switch
    Replay Value - 7/10
    Gameplay - 6/10
    Hours Played - 15 hrs

    Extra Notes: I enjoyed it, some parts were too easy and I had to consciously not over level but other than that I had a fun time playing the game.
  85. LeJanman
    Nov 29, 2022
    6
    Man hätte mehr aus den Remakes rausholen können. Es ist nicht das was ich mir erträumt habe für meine zweit Lieblings Gen.
  86. dan_filthy
    Dec 16, 2022
    7
    Pokemon for quite a while has been a stagnate franchise. Refusing to make changes to a already proven formula. Obviously the nostalgia brought back by diamond is what got me to play it, and all in all it succeeds in repeating those same feelings back then when I played it as a child. If you like Pokemon, then you will probably like this game. If your hoping new ideas or even a challenge IPokemon for quite a while has been a stagnate franchise. Refusing to make changes to a already proven formula. Obviously the nostalgia brought back by diamond is what got me to play it, and all in all it succeeds in repeating those same feelings back then when I played it as a child. If you like Pokemon, then you will probably like this game. If your hoping new ideas or even a challenge I recommend giving up that notion, these games are for children.… Expand
  87. Mythycal6
    Jan 31, 2023
    5
    As someone who has not played a generation 4 game before, this experience was ok. nothing about it interested me. the experience for me was just another pokemon game, and certainly not an amazing one. just "meh."
  88. Mrpokemon
    Feb 25, 2023
    6
    This Pokémon game is not very fun my starter choice was easy chimchar is the only good one and this game is annoying and hard but there where no bugs
  89. proJRgamer
    May 10, 2023
    5
    No me gusta darle esta nota, pero creo que es justo. Hay un buen trabajo por detrás, pero creo que si en vez de que hubiera sido ILCA el que lo hubiera hecho, hubiera sido 100% de GameFreak no tendremos este mismo resultado. Me lo pasé y lo abandoné. No como el original.
  90. Marioipod13
    May 25, 2023
    5
    It's... a very good start but it is lacking extra features that were the reasons why I liked past remakes. The graphics don't bother me whatsoever but the fact they kept the dex cut since Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, and didn't add Platinum's content to the postgame, and removed several moves that balanced the game (Pursuit, Hidden Power [except on Unown which you shouldn't use anyway],It's... a very good start but it is lacking extra features that were the reasons why I liked past remakes. The graphics don't bother me whatsoever but the fact they kept the dex cut since Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, and didn't add Platinum's content to the postgame, and removed several moves that balanced the game (Pursuit, Hidden Power [except on Unown which you shouldn't use anyway], etc).... Play Platinum instead honestly. It's less than half the price, it has better content and storyline, and isn't on an overpriced console.… Expand
  91. miguellopez99
    Jun 1, 2023
    5
    45/100 half-assed remake .

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.
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  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.
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