Pokemon Shining Pearl

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl are a worthy return to Sinnoh, respectful remakes that seek to offer exactly the same experience as the original Nintendo DS works; albeit with new conveniences that help the pace of the adventure while borrowing quality-of-life details already established in the series. On the other hand, they are also much more permissive releases, with facilities during the adventure that cannot be turned off and that help too much in once-challenging situations. They are very conformist titles. The return of the random encounters did not convince us, especially after seeing how well the ability to see creatures in the environment worked. With plenty of content thanks to the Grand Underground and a generous endgame, it will provide plenty of hours of gameplay even though they are limited to the first four Pokémon generations. All of this, coupled with a beautiful art style despite being low-key on a graphical level, makes for an unmissable trip to Sinnoh for fans; especially those planning to play Pokémon Legends Arceus in a couple of months.

Pokemon Shining Pearl is a good remake that honors the original release, but they could have added more to make the experience even better.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl contain a variety of classic designs, enough to make people feel the charm of the Pokemon series. For players who have never been involved in the Pokemon series, it is a good entry game. However, from the perspective of long-time fans of the series, the current form of this work is undoubtedly unqualified and disappointing.

On the flip side, I'm not sure who this release is for. If you've never played Diamond and Pearl, you'll probably love these games. Assuming you don't mind a couple of tiny steps backwards in terms of mechanics. If you're familiar with the old games, this will be a mostly pleasant nostalgia trip. Especially if you've forgotten everything that happens, like me. The only hitch is the baffling visual and audio design. More than anything, these choices suggest that the Pokemon Company isn't exactly sure what fans want out of these games. Brilliant Pearl feels well-crafted yet confused, like they pursued several disparate visions at once. If you can see past these strange decisions, you'll find a set of pretty respectable Pokemon games.

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.

Fans of the DS originals will enjoy the remake, but for people who got into Pokémon franchise only recently, the game would probably feel empty and repetitive. There are considerably fewer Pokémon too. So unless you’re ready for a trip down vintage lane, you should opt for Pokemon Legend: Arceus. [Issue#258, p.50]

These remakes are totally serviceable and a very good time for any Pokémon fan out there. There is however a nagging sense that more perhaps could have been done, especially for fully priced releases. The Pokémon franchise is big, the company behind these games makes millions off of these and yet there is a feeling time and time again that we're not getting the full AAA experience that such selling numbers should warrant, and this is seen very plainly in how technically dated these games look, even if artistically speaking they are still super cute. We are pleased with these remakes for sure, they're jolly good fun... but we're not impressed and this has to change in the future for the franchise!

These two new remakes will likely be remembered as the weakest, especially considering that they are stuck in the middle of Sword & Shield, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus which is only due out in a few months.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remake the original Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo Switch. They're still lengthy, fun Pokemon adventures, but not much has been added, and even the remade graphics are showing their age.

When a remake strives to remain faithful to the original only on the surface, yet degrades deeper systems that previously made it great, it can never be good news. Upgrades to the original may not be that “brilliant” nor “shining”, but at its core, this game still manages to remain a fun Pokémon title. Compared to what the games were back in the day, this remake may be inferior, but still has plenty to offer to old and especially new players.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl bring the fourth generation of the Pokémon series to the Nintendo Switch and they might perhaps take this job too seriously, in the sense that these remakes demonstrate a lack of creative freedoms taken in the conversion process. While many of the elements that made the original games popular are still here, it would have been very positive to take a few steps forward to make the experience more in line with contemporary standards. As it is, it's still a great game, and one that fans will appreciate for being able to enjoy in a new, more immersive format.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl is a trip down memory lane – just as the developers intended. Admittedly, players can have a good time in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl, however, this good time feels more like a deja-vu rather than a refreshing experience that previous Pokémon titles remakes used to provide.

In the end, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are remakes which are bound to pass without impact. They do a fine job at bringing the fourth generation of Pokémon into a new era, but fall short when it comes to being the definitive version of Sinnoh. It's fine that it's a faithful recreation, but I wish ILCA had gone the extra mile by daring to add things we saw in Platinum. After all, it's not a good thing that a remake leave us yearning for things that a 2009 game did.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are good remakes of good games. The changes implemented are small yet effective, however, there’s a lingering sense throughout the experience that this all could have been so much more.

All in all, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl provide a great way to experience the Sinnoh region for first-timers, complete with quality of life features that keep the game from feeling dated. For long-time fans, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl provide an accessible, no-frills version of the original Diamond & Pearl with a few minor feature updates and a lovely fresh coat of paint. For me, the improved presentation was enough to make for an enjoyable playthrough, but players looking for the definitive version of fourth generation Pokémon, a content-rich postgame, or a well-balanced experience, may just want to dust off their old copy of Platinum.

I think ILCA did an excellent job on recreating the originals, but Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl aren’t great remakes. My gold standard for a game remake is Resident Evil 2. It brought almost every aspect of the original into a modern framework, improved upon it, and added new content. In contrast, these games got a (very) slight graphical upgrade and some quality of life changes. With how closely they follow the originals, these games are more recreations than remakes.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl does little new, but therefore also little wrong. The atmospheric remakes offer a faithful Pokémon experience with some subtle (and less subtle) changes to the formula. You should not expect more from it.

There remains about Pokémon Brilliant Diamond the glint of something far gone, and there is something warmly reassuring about the place.

At the end of the day, I can't help but feel that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer a bit of a disjointed experience - and while some parts make sense (I'm sure the buggy nature of the release comes due to the double-whammy of this both being ILCA's first attempt at a Pokemon release, as well as a direct result of the pandemic), I'm still left wondering why they chose to keep things so rigidly close to the originals. A more liberal reinterpretation of the game's map would've done wonders for the game feel on its own, for example. Were the games held back in scope to not step on Arceus: Legends' toes? I don't know, and I doubt we ever truly will. It's a shame either way - when it's firing on all cylinders, ILCA's first outing shows loads of promise and offers one of the most engaging Pokemon releases in years. I just wish the game itself didn't feel like it was constantly running up against limitations of its own design. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good, but they could've been so much more.

If you’re a newcomer or existing Gen 4 fan, you’ll still have plenty of fun with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. There's noticeable quality-of-life improvements, the Grand Underground is enjoyable, battling against friends is always a joy and there remains an entertaining story. Personally, I just think there’s room for improvement.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have their flaws and are not particularly ambitious remakes, but they’re somehow still fun. I don’t regret the 25 hours I spent with the main story of Brilliant Diamond, and there is enough post-game content to keep me interested for a while longer. I just can’t help but wish that these gems shined just a little bit more brilliantly.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes that stick closely to the original works, which turns out to be their worst mistake.

A nice tribute for the older fans and an accessible entrance for the youngest. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are still a good experience thanks to their strong DNA, but suffer from not taking any risks and from a globally questionable production.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl keep enough classic elements to feel like a comfy nostalgia trip, while smoothing over enough of the rough edges that they feel relatively contemporary with other recent Pokemon games. It can't be easy for a storied franchise to pay homage to its legacy while also modernizing in this way, but Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl strike the right balance. It's the classic Pokemon you remember, without most of the little annoyances you've forgotten.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is a fun adventure, and the Grand Underground is bound to keep you busy. However, it fails to reach the heights of Pokémon Platinum, with a limited Pokédex that excludes several great Pokémon unnecessarily.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl show that not all remakes are worth playing if you have the originals on hand.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl play it safe, faithfully remaking two classic DS games -- at times to a fault.

These games bring back the classics with beautiful new graphics, but even with its new features, there isn’t any innovation, but a step backwards for the series.

There are some much-needed quality of life improvements, and the games are well polished and run really smoothly on the Switch. It’s hard to see newer fans finding much to appreciate here, but those that have fond memories of the original Diamond and Pearl will have a lot to love about Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl lead us to rediscover the fascinating Sinnoh region fourteen years after the original. Too bad that many of the improvements introduced by the Platinum version have been removed and that these remakes do not present any substantial upgrade, except for a renewed visual aspect.

The problem is that these are very good remakes of Diamond & Pearl and excellent games in and of themselves - they’re just nowhere near the best Gen 4 remake. Given that Platinum is still superior to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl in almost every conceivable way, it’s difficult to comprehend why these games even exist aside from making them available on a modern console, in which case… just port Platinum. That’s the main takeaway I have from my time with Shining Pearl: it’s brilliant and it shines, but not quite as brilliantly bright as a game that came out 13 years ago.

Long-time Pokemon fans that don't mind the repetitive nature of these games will have a lot to look forward to here. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is by no means a bad Pokemon game. It's competently developed, but some of the decisions made prevent this entry in the franchise from standing out. The lack of changes from the original titles further bogs down this otherwise solid addition.

If you haven’t experienced Pokemon Diamond or Pearl yet and don’t have access to Platinum, then the Gen 4 remakes on Switch might be worth exploring. Sinnoh has its own charm to it, and completionists will likely enjoy the endgame that is Grand Underground collecting. I just hope that when the time comes to remake Black and White, whatever team handles it is a lot less conservative.

Everything genuinely good about this game exists mostly because the original Diamond and Pearl games had a good story and interesting characters. This game takes all those and rehashes it only through the veil of basic 3D characters that have the mobility of Funko Pops. Boring textures and an almost purposeful lack of detail takes something that was originally served as a masterful dish and converts it into a repackaged microwaved TV dinner.

What we have here is a very similar, yet different, version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in high definition on Switch, but it’s not definitively the best version to play today, as was the case with FireRed/LeafGreen, HeartGold/SoulSilver and Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby when they launched. While it’s not a stunningly brilliant or shining remake, it is a very faithful one that plays it safe and is a welcome return to Sinnoh for those with fond memories of visiting on the DS — but I’m more excited to see what’s new in the region with Pokémon Legends Arceus.

If you're a Switch owner looking to play a Pokémon game, this pair should be your third choice after the Let's Go games and Sword & Shield. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 67]

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.

Games like HeartGold and SoulSilver, and the more recent Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, won over fans because they elevated the originals – either by adding engaging new features and areas, or by reimagining their visual style in order to capture the way players felt their beloved childhood games used to look. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl struggle on both these counts, meaning they can only really be recommended to die-hard fans of the originals. Luckily for any newer fans of the series, there are plenty of other, much better, Pokémon games to dig into.

With Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Pokémon Shining Pearl the fourth generation of pocket monsters received the most boring and uninspired remake in the history of Pokémon franchise. And this is a big shame given the cult status of Sinnoh region.

A new graphical style, the expansion of the Grand Underground and some quality-of-life adjustments cannot disguise the lack of ambition with this remake. This turns Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond into viewing boxes that show that Pokémon was a great game series even in 2006, but that we have moved on since then.

As it stands, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes in terms of storyline and post-content material. However, there are real issues here with the game’s level balancing, pared down content and overall user experience that does not go unnoticed. There’s no denying that these games are still enjoyable, especially for youngsters that haven’t experienced the originals. But for veterans yearning for a polished remake, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a beautiful disaster.

Overall, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are perfectly decent Pokémon games, but feel like a significant step back when compared to newer titles and the quality of previous Pokémon remakes. It relies too heavily on the Pokémon formula always providing a decent game, but doesn't bring much else to the table.

Despite the fresh coat of paint they feel stuck in the past, rolled off the factory line with seemingly little question as to why they’re doing it...Pokémon fans and newbies alike will love Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl because Diamond and Pearl were great. But there’s not enough brilliance or shine here to add the lustre they deserved.

A cheap-looking and unambitious remake of a generic Pokémon entry that seemed bereft of new ideas in 2006, let alone now.

While some of the slower elements of the original games have been fixed, and The Grand Underground makes up for the comparatively weak Pokédex, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s new art style and a few other stumbles make this pair of games a somewhat disappointing retread of Generation 4. They’re also very clearly in the shadow of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the upcoming open-world-like Pokemon game that has fans hoping it can take the series in exciting new directions beyond 20-year-old mechanics. If the remit of these remakes was to remain faithful to the original Gen 4 pair, we wish they’d also stuck to the pixel-art aesthetic. Aside from The Grand Underground – and the connectivity with the current games in the series – there’s very little reason to play Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl over your original DS copies.

ICLA had an opportunity to transform Pokémon Shining Pearl into a much more memorable experience. Having played the original, it’s disappointing to see that the Shining Pearl is the same game I played back in 2006, with nothing more than a pretty coat of paint. None of the balancing issues are fixed, the backtracking is still as much of a slog as ever, and the roaster of Pokémon is far from impressive. As much as I love Bidoof, even my favourite loaf of beaver bread couldn’t save the experience for me, and my hope is with the next remake is that it receives meaningful adjustments, instead of rehashing a mediocre Pokémon game that isn’t memorable in the slightest.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl may be the weakest entries in the series yet, and it’s a testament to the franchise’s solid foundations that I liked them at all. Their cheap graphical presentation is salvaged by a combat system that, despite its lack of innovation, has been steadily refined over twenty-five years. Thankfully, there are two other Pokemon games on the Nintendo Switch, so you can play one of those instead.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have definite improvements over Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. And while I did have fun, I was constantly reminded that I’ve played a better version of this game, Pokemon Platinum, and that’s been around for 13 years.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are fine enough remakes for reliving some memories and sharing them with the next generation. But beneath the glow of nostalgia, there’s a carelessness about their build that makes them fall short of expectations.