With a saga with as many titles as it has Pokémon It is not uncommon to see that fans have their personal favorites. For me it was the red version, since I grew up with it, but for many more it was the Diamond and Pearl. The titles that started the fourth generation of this beloved franchise.
At the time, these were very well received and earned very high marks. In addition, they took advantage of the double screen of the Nintendo DS to add new mechanics to its gameplay. Now that we’ve had a chance to test the remake of Pokémon Shining Pearl, we will tell you if he managed to overcome the onslaught of the years.
The story you expect from any Pokémon
If they have played a title of Pokémon in the past they already know more or less how things are going. You take control of a young man who sets out on his own to explore the world and capture as many Pokémon as possible. In addition to that you will face several gym leaders to prove that you have what it takes to become a master.
Of course, the path will not be easy, because you will run into a large number of wild pokémon, trainers who seek to challenge you and a mysterious organization. I do not intend to enter into spoilers, but the latter and their misdeeds are closely related to the legendary creatures of this installment.
Along the Pokémon Shining Pearl there are some small changes with the formula. For example, you do not go with the tranquility of the world to have the teacher in turn give you your initial. Here you choose it in the heat of battle, while being attacked by some wild animals. In addition to the fact that the new rival team has some ‘galactic’ overtones.
The story will certainly not win any awards for the most engaging, but I found that it serves as a very good incentive to keep playing with some variety. Of course, the heart of these games is trying to fill the pokedex, which you can do on your way from one objective to another.
Also, I think this title has a lot more to do between each gym, so it seemed a bit long to me. This ensures that you will keep busy with Shining Pearl. That is if we only tell the story, since you could spend hours looking for new captures to fill your pokedex
Catch them now!
After that in Pokémon Sword and Shield they will show us worlds where we could see the creatures loose out there, Shining Pearl go back to the past. Again you will meet the little monsters while you are walking calmly in the grass or in a cavern. While this is good for nostalgia, it seemed more useful to see in advance the opponent that I am going to face.
Nevertheless, Pokémon Shining Pearl borrows from Sword and Shield in a new section called Grand Underground. You will have access to it once you advance a little in the game and here you will see the creatures in freedom again. You can fight with the one you want to capture, but be careful, they are stronger here than on the surface.
He also added some more modern things that make the journey easier. Sharing experience among your team is something that was implemented in titles after the originals, but is making a comeback. Even if one of your Pokémon does not participate in combat as such, it will gain experience. This makes it less tedious to keep everyone in shape, since previously you had to fight several times with each one.
The poketch is also back and allows you to use some movements without having to have a pokémon that has learned them. Now you just have to go to the tree you want to cut or the stone you want to destroy, press a button and that’s it. Unfortunately something that did not change was the bicycle, because you constantly have to open a menu to get on or off it.
A pokémon with a pretty nice presentation
Although at the time many people complained about the visual style they would have Pokémon Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond, it seemed fine to me. The characters, while in the open world, have a ‘chibi’ look reminiscent of the original titles. Once you enter combat, the models change for ones more similar to those seen in Sword and Shield.
The visual style did not seem bad in general, but there were times when I looked closely at the models and they were noticeable a bit pixelated, especially the chibis versions. However, this issue did not affect its playability at all. I never ran into any kind of programming error in my playtime.
In addition to the visual presentation, which I do not doubt was made to generate nostalgia, the musical section is very good. Each town and road has its themes, which on several occasions put me in a state of mind where I just wanted to stop playing, and listen.
Should you go back to Sinnoh?
Pokémon Shining Pearl seems like a good remake of the beloved adventure. The most modern changes to its gameplay make it easier to jump back, or for the first time to these stories. Although I also feel like they were able to add more changes to improve the experience.
Any fan of the franchise will undoubtedly enjoy this installment, but the truth is that it does not do much to differentiate itself from the rest. What cannot be denied is that it is a fairly respectful remake of the source material, unlike other more recent ones. It may not redefine a franchise, but it will surely remind you of its origins.
I played Pokémon Shining Pearl en Nintendo Switch
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