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zmanrwks
#1

Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:08 am

zmanrwks
Moderator
Moderator
I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of the Pokemon franchise. If you haven't, it's time to come out from under your rock. The series has been going strong for 15 years, and the newest games, Pokemon Black and White, show the franchise isn't slowing down. Are these games worthy enough to be called the greatest, however?

First off, if you have played any Pokemon game before, then you should know how it plays. You catch these monsters called Pokemon and pit them against each other in somehow legal animal fights. By defeating a Pokemon, you gain experience, and once you gain enough, you level up. Leveling up increases the various stats a Pokemon can have and may give them a new move. You deal damage to the other Pokemon by using one of four attacks you can have at a time. Some attacks do damage (physical or special), and some do no damage but instead inflict statuses or alter stats. And there are some moves that can do both. There are 6 stats that affect how your attacks do. HP (Hit Points) allows you to take more damage. Attack affects how much physical damage an attack does. Defense helps protect you from physical attacks. Sp Attack and Sp Defense work the same as attack and defense but with special attacks. Stats can increase or decrease by the effect of items or certain moves. Status conditions can be afflicted by using items and attacks as well. Paralyze prevents your Pokemon from attacking sometimes, and makes them slower. Burn slowly does damage and lowers attack. Poison slowly does damage as well, but with no stat drawbacks. Sleep prevents your Pokemon from moving for a couple turns. Freeze works the same as sleep, but doesn't last as long. Battles this time around are animated, making the static cardboard cut-outs much more lively, and battles feel like they go much faster. This speeds up the pace of the game and battles, which is a nice improvement, and very needed.

Like all the previous games, there is an organization with (sometimes) evil intents. This time, we meet Team Plasma, who fight for Pokemon liberation (despite the fact they use Pokemon to fight. Ironic, isn't it?). This time around, the team acts a bit smarter then previously. Like IGN said, they aren't going to sit around in a building waiting for you to attack. They actually will act to complete their goals. N is the leader of Team Plasma, and keeps a close eye on you throughout the adventure. Then there the 7 sages of Plasma, who act as admins (although you don't fight them in your adventure). Ghetsis, who is pretty much the admin of the admins, and N's father. They are definitely better then the past evil organizations and whatever you want to call Team Aqua and Magma.

Unlike previous games, this game gives you 2 rivals throughout your journey (although they could be called your best friends). You don't name them this time though: when Professor Juniper (the professor of the game. Also a female this time around) introduces them, she just says "Let me introduce you to your best friends" and a few other things about them. Sorry, but naming your rival "Douche" isn't an option this time. Your rivals are named Cheren (a dude with a girl's name) and Bianca (a blond). Cheren wants to be a Pokemon Champion and needs to learn a lesson throughout his journey. You know, typical rival things, but less annoying and more worthy. Bianca is the foil of Cheren: more annoying, doesn't need to learn a lesson, and just wants to travel and doesn't care about badges and championship. And she's slightly dumber at some points and can get on your nerves. Other then that, the rivals are a slight improvement Juniper is, like I said previously, is female. She gives you your first Pokemon in the beginning and does all the other things a professor has to do. But, unlike the recent professors, she is more involved in the story.

The story, like the characters, is improved. Of course, you're a trainer who never speaks and collects badges to beat the champion. Of course, you have to deal with Plasma, who actually affect the story much more. You advance the plot by defeating the gyms and following the plot itself. The gym leaders play a more important role in the story as well. But it's still the same 8 gym formula we all love so much. This time, the rivals get involved in the struggle with Plasma, much more then some of the previous rivals who showed up once or twice. Maybe three times. Of course, like I said, you also must deal with Team PETA and their Pokemon liberation. The story offers some interest twists in the story, really adding some more greatness. In the beginning of the game, you are at your house, with Cheren and Bianca. Professor Juniper has delivered a gift for you and your frenemies: your first Pokemon. Since it is your house, Cheren says, you pick first. The three starters are the Grass-type Smugle... Snivy, The Fire-type Tepig, and the Water-type Oshawott. Cheren picks the Pokemon with the advantage over you, and Bianca takes the one with the disadvantage. Bianca is the first to challenge you to a fight (in your own room...), which results in your room getting screwed over. Cheren will then challenge you (not without healing your Pokemon though), but he won't make it worse. You and your friends then begin your journey after you get your Pokedex, and the story goes on from here. Once you beat the game, a new area opens up, where you can catch Pokemon from previous games. Yep, the only Pokemon you will encounter before you beat the story are new: no old standbys like Machop and Geodude. Hey, at least you won't run into the damn Zubats in every freaking cave. This actually makes the game more exciting. The aftergame has a lot of stuff to do, like the previous games, so you'll have plenty to do afterwards.

Pokemon Black and White feature differences between each version. Of course, we have the version exclusive Pokemon, including the legendary Pokemon Reshiram and Zekrom. This time, however, some places will have a different look then that of the other version. This is most noticeable in Opeclucid City. Each version also boasts its own version exclusive area. Pokemon White gets White Forest, a place for you to catch Pokemon that can't be found anywhere else, and Pokemon Black contains Black City, a city full of trainers itching for a fight and big buildings.

This game introduces over 150 new Pokemon. Some of them are pretty awesome and some of the best in the series, like Krookodile and Volcarona. But there are also a lot of rather crappy ones. Some like Trubbish and Ducklett are awful. This is mainly an aesthetic complaint, but still, it would be nice to have some better Pokemon to look at. The music, on the other hand, is truly great: these are some of the greatest songs I've heard in a video game. The music is incredibly epic and some you will have stuck in your head for days on end. And last but not least, the graphics. While the game uses the same graphics engine of Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, but they put more effort and work into it. The 3D and camera were made so the graphics are better. However, they aren't impressive enough to make you go "WHOA!". And the 2D sprite in a 3D world can sometimes look awkward. But the game did what it could to make the most of the graphics, and it worked out well.

Pros:
Same Pokemon formula still seems to work
Battles go at a faster pace
Animated battles are also impressive
Team Plasma is an improvement of previous teams
Rivals are also an improvement
Story is better
Large aftergame
Only new Pokemon in story make things more interesting
Version exclusives are enhanced and improved
Incredible soundtrack
Graphics look nice
No more Zubats


Cons:
Same Pokemon formula is also getting old
Bianca is a bimbo
Not everyone will like only encountering new Pokemon
Some Pokemon are atrocious
2D sprites can look awkward in the overworld occasionally


Gameplay: 9.5
Replay: 9.5
Fun: 9.5
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 9.0
Story: 9.0


Final Score: 9.3

Pokemon Black and White is great. Calling it the best Pokemon game isn't over exaggerating. It gives plenty of enhancements that make it stand out from the previous games. This isn't just the best Pokemon game: it's one of the best DS games, and it's a great way to end the DS era and usher in the 3DS. If you are a fan of Pokemon and haven't bought it yet, I recommend you do. Even those not as big a fan may want to check it out.

Hydrocannon2727
#2

Mon Jun 27, 2011 12:15 pm

Hydrocannon2727
Zoroark
Zoroark
I say this intriguing, and slightly humorous, review does this game justice.

syduck98
#3

Mon Jun 27, 2011 12:28 pm

syduck98
Ezlo
Ezlo
hmmm.. Good job with the review zman Smile

Skochko
#4

Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:16 pm

Skochko
Administrator
Administrator
Ducklett is awful? Shut up, Zman! Nobody cares about your opinion. Stupid review!

No, really, it's a good review, but how can you not like ducks?

Hydrocannon2727
#5

Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:21 am

Hydrocannon2727
Zoroark
Zoroark
Lolz. I don't like Ducklett either, but Swanna dominates.

Smash
#6

Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:34 am

Smash
Zekrom & Reshiram
Zekrom & Reshiram
I haven't seen a review in here yet. Good work Zman

Skochko
#7

Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:35 am

Skochko
Administrator
Administrator
That's because we added this section yesterday Wink

roshipower
#8

Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:09 pm

roshipower
Zekrom & Reshiram
Zekrom & Reshiram
zman, doing some hardcore reviewing, i is impressed, although 9.3 is kind of a random number Smile

https://www.youtube.com/roshipower
CartoonLink
#9

Tue Jun 28, 2011 5:22 pm

CartoonLink
Zekrom & Reshiram
Zekrom & Reshiram
My review:

The graphics are ugly and overused.

The story is cliche and full of non-connecting stories.

The gameplay is abysmal.

The music just fucking sucks.

I'll never replay it again.

Graphics : -22
Story : -28
Gameplay : -100
Music : -25
Replay Value : -325

Overall : -500

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