Black/White

I think LEGO Star Wars is going to be next up for review. I’ll need a couple more days to take that one on, so that means we might not have a review for tomorrow! I know, breaking the streak is a terrible thing to do, but it must be done! Fair reviews for all games, I say! You guys don’t want to spend your cash on crappy 3DS launch games, right?! I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction, but I need some sleep to make that happen. See you in a few, short hours!

I catch a lot of flack for my supposed lack of appreciation for the Pokemon series. I think that somewhere along the line, someone got the idea that I didn’t enjoy the series. From there on out, more and more people would ask me why I had something against the Pokemon series. This actually couldn’t be further from the truth. In actuality, the Pokemon franchise is one that I used to follow quite closely, but when I missed one of the main entries along the way, I ended up removing myself from Pokemon altogether.

While I thought missing one Pokemon game wouldn’t be a big deal, it quickly turned into a world where I didn’t know half of the Pokemon that existed. This made me feel like I was too far removed from the franchise to get back into it. I wouldn’t have a fighting chance, simply because my knowledge of Pokemon was dwarfed by what had happened in the series since I left. This feeling just kept growing with each new installment, and that pushed me further away from ever getting back into the world of Pokemon. That is, until someone at Nintendo or Game Freak caught onto lapsed Pokemon gamers like me.

Pokemon Black/White offers up the perfect solution for gamers that used to follow Pokemon, but have since long moved on for any number of reasons. This time around, every single gamer starts on a level playing field. Sure, gamers can read all the stats and information on Black/White online, but that’s still only going to help a small portion compared to what happens when you actually start up the game. There are absolutely zero familiar Pokemon until you wrap up your main quest, leaving nothing but new Pokemon and experiences for every single player. If there were ever an excuse to jump back into Pokemon, this was it.

I guess I’m coming from a pretty unique perspective with my review. I know that we have many, many Pokemon fans on the site. I often hear about how much love you guys have for the series, and now I can finally get back in on those feelings. I’ve missed out on Pokemon games since the original Game Boy days, so my return has been a very long time coming. Thankfully, Pokemon Black/White is familiar enough for me to jump back into my old shoes and know how to handle myself, but new and fresh enough to be ridiculously engaging.

Just as I was back in the day, I am still absolutely floored with the amount of depth that the Pokemon series offers when it comes to battling. There are hundreds upon hundreds of Pokemon to take under your wing, and then there are even more moves for you to learn. This results in what seems like an endless amount of combinations for battle tactics. Pokemon training can be an absolute art, and I’ll always be amazed at how in-tune some people are with their Pokemon and their attributes. I’ll never, ever be as good as those players, but I can definitely appreciate what they do.

The thing that’s even more amazing about Pokemon is the fact that the same battle system can be tackled by even the youngest of players. Pokemon Black/White does a great job of introducing the mechanics to a newcomer, as well as someone that needs a refresher course. While the battling can get very intense, the mechanics themselves play out almost like a rock/paper/scissors tournament. A good Pokemon trainer will know what Pokemon types are weak against what attacks, as this can be the key to survival in any number of situations. Thankfully, these ideas are easy to grasp no matter who you are. Learning them becomes much less a chore and more about pride as you move along.

Of course, applying certain moves to your Pokemon is going to be the key in Pokemon Black/White, as it has always been with the series. This time around, you’re going to see some of the wackiest Pokemon designs yet. Some people might say that the devs are scraping the bottom of the barrel with their ideas, while others may see some of these Pokemon as designs that let the developers really reach for some out-there concepts. Of course, there are some truly awesome designs that will wow you the first time they appear, but you won’t find a player that loves all the designs. Pokemon Black/White may be asking for more of an open mind from its players when bringing in Pokemon designs, but what shocks or disgusts at first will become second nature just a few months from now.

Whatever Pokemon you pick up along the way, you better be ready to take them on one hell of an engaging journey. I know that all Pokemon games bring you on a unique and adventurous journey across various regions, but I think Pokemon Black/White has really benefit from its relationship to NYC. The location designs in Black and White allow for some paths and architecture that we haven’t seen anything like in previous games. The first time you cross the main bridge into a major city is pretty awe-inspiring. The camera angles and city skyline is awesome sight, and really helps to set the tone for the rest of your mission. The further you get into the game, the more varied locations you’ll see. Right as you lead into the battle with the elite four, you’ll happen upon some futuristic locations, as well as a gate-crossing that really sets the tone for the major battle ahead.

Surprisingly, I would have to name the story of Pokemon Black/White as the most interesting feature in the game. Believe it or not, the story offers up a very adult tone for players that are willing to really focus in on the tale that’s being told. Younger players are sure to skim through the text and get into battles, but older players will really appreciate what is being discussed. The entire idea of Pokemon and trainers working together is brought to task, with a certain group of people saying that Pokemon should be liberated from their trainers. Is it right for people to own Pokemon and have them fight in battles? You may actually find yourself become sympathetic to the game’s main opposing force as you play through. I know that I thought about all sorts of things that never came to mind during previous Pokemon games, and I’m not too sure the bad guys are all that bad in this situation.

It’s this kind of content that definitely speaks to the Pokemon players that have been around since the series’ start. It’s pretty surprising to see this much time and attention put into the storyline, and we can only hope that future Pokemon titles will continue to break barriers with older players. While it’s extremely important to reach out to new Pokemon fans, actions like these need to take place in order to keep around the older crew. It’s not often that we see companies willing to take such big strides with their bread-and-butter series’, which makes me appreciate what Game Freak has done even more.

Unfortunately, for a gamer like me, there are still some RPG elements that don’t sit too well. For example, the random battles start off quite fine earlier in the game, but later on they really start to pile up. I went from thinking how fair the game was being with battles, but the last third of the game had me groaning every time I took a step. Taking on trainers that I can see on screen is no problem with me. Walking through caverns, grass or mountains just to have a random Pokemon battle pop up every couple of seconds really started to wear on my nerves. I should be able to walk more than a single step before leaving one random battle and entering into another. Sure, I loved getting the experience from battles, but did I really need to have them spring up so often?

Also, and this could definitely stem from my lack of skill as a Pokemon trainer, but I felt the last few hours leading into the Elite Four were really posing some tough battles. You were taking on trainers with some pretty tough Pokemon, as well as a lot of random encounters with strong wild Pokemon. I guess this could all have something to do with not having the best team to tackle the Pokemon ahead, but even with the perfect set of 6 Pokemon, you’re sure to come across some issues now and again. Moving through later game portions like the marsh/swamp, the mountain maze and caves sure put my skills to the test. I managed to come out alive, but not without a few revives and health items.

Thankfully the game gives you plenty of opportunities to heal up. You can always stop and shop for items to take with you while you’re travelling, and these will definitely come in handy when you’re hit with a particularly tough battle. It’s also nice to find doctors and nurses out on the path that will be willing to heal you up…after a battle, of course. For the Pokemon trainer that has enough scratch, you shouldn’t be left in a situation where you can’t take care of yourself. The only issue is, you might end up spending a lot of money on items that get spent within the span of a few minutes. Mix the wrong Pokemon in a battle, and you, your Pokemon and your in-game wallet will be left hurting!

Hopefully your battles with various gym leaders will help train you to become a better Pokemon master overall. I remember taking on gym leaders in my very first days with the original Pokemon games, and I felt like an absolute star when I’d earn a gym badge. All these years later, I still feel the exact same way. There’s just something so invigorating about these battles! When you hear that victory music kick in in the last few minutes of a battle, you start to feel like you’ve really accomplished something! The gym leaders become less like digital characters and more like a real opponent. There’s truly something special about these battles, and its a magic that hasn’t been lost over all these years.

I’ve barely even scratched the surface when it comes to Pokemon Black/White. How in the world do you review a game that can literally be played for years to come? Some say that the game truly begins when you take on the Elite Four! There’s just so much content here to tackle, it’s hard not to find something that will get you hooked. The game’s main story and adventure is a great one to take on, but there’s a ton of other content just waiting for you to take on. You can battle online, watch replays, perform in musicals, video chat, co-op missions, catch every single Pokemon, grind until there’s no more levels to gain, and so much more. Some content like the Pokemon Global Link isn’t even available yet! The world of Pokemon was never more alive than with Pokemon Black/White.

It’s truly hard for me to review a game like this when I know that so many of you are long-time fans of the series. There’s really nothing I can say or do that will fall into categories of Pokemon discussion that you don’t already know. I’m mostly speaking to the gamer out there that has never tried a Pokemon game, or the one that gave up on the series long ago. Playing Pokemon Black/White really makes you feel like you’re part of something special. The journey itself is full of satisfying moments, as well as a great feeling of accomplishment. The battle mechanics and Pokemon training really test your ability to dedicate yourself to a game’s mechanics. The millions upon millions of Pokemon fans out there make this experience that much more engaging as you roll on. You’re taking the first step into a world that is filled with Pokemon fans, and you’re going to be hard-pressed to come out of Pokemon Black/White not becoming a fan yourself.

Source: GoNintendo

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