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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall, I do not like this game. The whole game is a missed opportunity. If you want Pokemon, play Legends: Arceus. It's much more interesting, it looks much better, it has TONS of content, and it plays like a dream. Original Diamond and Pearl could be argued to be the better version!    … Expand
  10. plumberlol
    Jun 23, 2023
    3
    Literally platinum with new graphics and a few extra features, not even mentioning how they butchered the new features and removed some from platinum too. All priced at $60 even to this day. The only silver lining is that its easy to mod. Maybe we can get a good romhack instead of a good game someday
  11. Silph48
    Jun 21, 2023
    8
    This game gets way too much hate for what it is. I don’t think it’s a great game even compared to legends: Arceus, but it’s a nostalgic trip for those of us who played gen 4. Not a great game to start the series but I think if you’re a Pokémon fan looking to spend some time in a fun game this is definitely it.
  12. Matetoss
    Jun 17, 2023
    8
    Écris le 30/01/22

    Quel délice à chaque instant ! Etant un 2001 diamant et perle a été une extension qui a marqué ma vie de joueur, c'est pour moi des souvenirs inoubliables sur ce jeu avec mon cousin, xp pokemon toute la nuit pour s'affronter le lendemain au repas de famille, mon premier pokemon et celui qui m'a fait aimer la série Autant dire que le remaster, je l'attendais au    Écris le 30/01/22

    Quel délice à chaque instant !

    Etant un 2001 diamant et perle a été une extension qui a marqué ma vie de joueur, c'est pour moi des souvenirs inoubliables sur ce jeu avec mon cousin, xp pokemon toute la nuit pour s'affronter le lendemain au repas de famille, mon premier pokemon et celui qui m'a fait aimer la série
    Autant dire que le remaster, je l'attendais au tournant. Et je n'ai pas été déçu tout est exactement comme je m'en souviens en plus beau

    C'est vrai que les interactions sont un peu longues, les dialogues assez dérangeants et que les combats coupent trop le jeu
    Mais c'est finalement bien, car c'est fidèle au jeu de base sorti sur DS, et je pense que ce remaster en est le parfait exemple : remettre un jeu au goût du jour sans le dénaturer. Le multijoueur dans l'underground est parfaitement inutile mais c'est un prétexte pour se retrouver entre amis et partager de bons moments, et se créer des souvenirs...

    Je suis par nature extrêmement sensible à la nostalgie et ce jeu l'exploite parfaitement !
    J'aurais mis 10, mais c'est vrai que si tu n'as pas joué à la version ds à sa sortie, tu peux être insensible à pas mal de choses symboliques dans ce jeu.

    Merci Nintendo pour cette incroyable madeleine de Proust !    … Expand
  13. 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
  14. ScreenS
    Jun 5, 2023
    10
    The hate in this game feels completely random and unwarranted. Every criticism aside from a lack of a battle frontier is an example of moving the goalposts.

    Excepts for a few overworld human models this is the best looking game not just in the franchise but on the Switch itself. This is also objectively the hardest game in the franchise as well. Anyone saying otherwise didn’t play the    The hate in this game feels completely random and unwarranted. Every criticism aside from a lack of a battle frontier is an example of moving the goalposts.

    Excepts for a few overworld human models this is the best looking game not just in the franchise but on the Switch itself.

    This is also objectively the hardest game in the franchise as well. Anyone saying otherwise didn’t play the game. (Level 100 on the champion rematch)

    The underground is also one of the best side features ever added. It’s gen 4 but better, the lack of QoL sucks for competitive and made it feel like a community never gathered around the game, but it took me a year to beat the battle tower. Did I mention how hard this game is?    … Expand
  15. miguellopez99
    Jun 1, 2023
    5
    45/100 half-assed remake .
  16. GioLaBot
    May 29, 2023
    8
    good game also because i do not play the original 2007 game but i watch a yt walkthrough and i think is a good remake
  17. RatingRating
    May 27, 2023
    0
    Wow these games are bad.
    1. The Pokemon are way too slow to follow you.
    2. These are not re-makes, these are re-skins
    3. They used the Diamond and Pearl dex and then made some Platinum Pokemon available in the Grand Underground, which is very confusing.
    4. The game is way too easy, and then they create the hardest league and champion ever out of the blue.
  18. 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
  19. AlexBlasio
    May 21, 2023
    0
    It is a game made with little effort and love, for the new consumers it was a great disappointment, let's hope that a misfortune does not happen again as it is.
  20. 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.
  21. DeadSmack
    May 17, 2023
    2
    So, if you have played the originals, this is the same. It's not a remake, it's just a visual update. And to my taste, the chibi style is horrible. I wonder if 5-10 yrs old Pokemon fans are really the main audience for the franchise. Can't recommend it, you better get the originals and play them.
  22. PokeMunkPresto
    May 12, 2023
    0
    Worst remakes ever! Looks stupid for a modern game, no later generation pokemon, no special gimmicks/for legendary or starter... I dreamt for gen 4 remakes and this is the result!! I've never been so disappointed in my life
  23. 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.
  24. Reshiban
    Apr 29, 2023
    3
    This remake has no reasons to exist.

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

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

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

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

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

    Few poor things are out, but pokemon remakes always used the latest pokemon core to bring an old region with an other look (that's why people loved the previous remake, it had something new). Here, it's explicitly not new, but it sounds stupid to me. A remake like the original game ? Just put a DS emulator on Switch, it would be the same thing, or maybe better.    … Expand
  25. JediShow
    Apr 16, 2023
    8
    Como remake o jogo está ótimo, ele trás a experiência de jogar a versão do DS
  26. 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.
  27. Renoxious
    Apr 9, 2023
    9
    When I was a kid, I got Pokemon Diamond to get through my sister's never-ending haircut. At the moment I started my DS, the world around me started to fade away.
    I played other Pokemon before, but man, I never thought how long and where this edition would accompany me. Many years have passed since I was this deeply immersed in a Nintendo game.
    When a remake for exactly this edition was    When I was a kid, I got Pokemon Diamond to get through my sister's never-ending haircut. At the moment I started my DS, the world around me started to fade away.
    I played other Pokemon before, but man, I never thought how long and where this edition would accompany me. Many years have passed since I was this deeply immersed in a Nintendo game.

    When a remake for exactly this edition was supposed to appear, buying a Switch was a no-brainer for me. I can understand some criticism of this remake. You can't please everyone.
    But some reviews degenerate into hate speech.
    The game is currently in very good shape. Technically as well as playfully I see it as a full-fledged remake.

    Many QoL features from previous editions have been implemented without changing the actual character of that generation.
    The only thing that annoys me a bit is that you can't turn off the XP divider and attack assist.
    Providing such an option would not have meant much additional effort.
    Now Pokemon is even easier than it already is.

    I deduct a star for that. But that's about it. Everything else - the graphics, the music, everything is just right. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is - in my opinion - one of the best Pokemon games ever released.

    I think it's a shame that this game has upset so many players. Many - it seems to me - are literally looking for points of criticism. Some people don't like the top-down gameplay, others think the graphics suck, others denounce bugs that I haven't even experienced in the 400 hours of play so far. Some even seem like they haven't played the game at all and just want to give bad reviews.

    I can tell you, if you loved the original as much as I did, you're going to love this remake too.    … Expand
  28. SuperSonic95
    Apr 7, 2023
    0
    It's worst remake pokemon !!! It's just remaster of pokemon diamond !!! Why doesn't this remake have platinum content or any original content!!?!
  29. 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
  30. Degia24
    Feb 12, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not bad at all.
    They could do it better (for example, with more special content and without omitting mega evos, new Pokémon and regional forms) but the Grand Underground partly compensate for these lacks.
    Anyway, these games (both BD and SP) are a good way to approach the Sinnoh experience - since they are very similar to the original ones.
    Someone could despise the chibi style of the characters in the overworld...but in the end nobody should argue what the other ones like or dislike.

    Buono.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

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