Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Plays It Safe – But Critics Still Enjoyed It

While they won’t please every Pokémon fan, critics agree that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a cozy nostalgia trip back to Sinnoh.

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Pokémon fans have long been anticipating Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, remakes of the Nintendo DS game that some fans view as the highpoint of the series. The originals were praised for the design of the Sinnoh region, their powerful Legendary Pokémon and the surprising level of difficulty. The original Diamond and Pearl are also some of the most content-rich main-series Pokémon games, giving fans more reasons to look forwards to their remakes.

While excitement and anticipation for the Generation IV remakes were certainly there, there was also a fair amount of concern over a few key design decisions. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the first main-series Pokémon games that weren’t developed by Game Freak itself, with Japanese support studio ILCA taking the helm. Early critical reviews are out, and ILCA’s first outing with Pokémon is being seen by enjoyable, though safe, remakes of a classic.

The Remakes are a Nostalgia Trip for Fans

While there’s certainly new and reworked content in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, one of the biggest points of praise is just how familiar the remakes feel. While familiarity can sometimes mean a lack of innovation, it can also lead to a return to basics, something that Polygon writer Ryan Gilliam pointed out. He states “Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are low-frills remakes that take players back to that original, simple journey, and they’re the first Pokémon games I’ve enjoyed battling through for nearly a decade.”

One thing that many of the reviews touch on is the removal of most of the extra systems introduced in later Pokémon games. While some players may miss the ability to Mega Evolve or Gigantamax, others have criticized the series’ reliance on battle gimmicks, making these games a breath of fresh air that goes back to basics.

There’s Still a Touch of Modern Pokémon

That isn’t to say that there are no modern-day Pokémon features in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as things like the removal of HMs and the reworked EXP Share, are present. These changes were praised by a good amount of critics. Nintendo Life’s Jordan Middler notes that “Some smart quality of life changes include the new HM system, which means that Surf, Fly and other moves that were relegated to the lone Bidoof in your party are now handled by…a Bidoof — but this time it’ll just appear when you need it, and no longer take up a party slot.”

Gamespot’s Steve Watts also praises the reworked EXP share, saying “Borrowing a page from Sword and Shield, EXP Share is on by default and distributes experience across all the Pokemon currently in your party, which makes grinding out levels much less of a chore.” The end result is a Pokémon remake that lacks some of the RPG quirks that the older games struggled with. While these smaller changes are certainly welcomed by critics, many note that they would’ve liked to see more content from Pokémon Platinum.

Fans will Either Love or Hate the New Art Style

While the games certainly leaning into nostalgia, there are still some key areas that have been revamped. The Sinnoh Underground, for example, now has miniature biomes that feature unique Pokémon for trainers to catch. While critics universally praise the new Underground, not all are happy with the way ILCA handled the game’s new art style, something that’s been a point of contention with fans as well.

NintendoLife’s Middler notes that the chibi-style overworld sprites, “…robs some NPCs — who were intimidating and serious in the original 2D games — of their tone completely.” In contrast, Gamespot’s Watts praised the art direction by saying, “Your character looks appropriately retro while simply exploring in the tall grass or walking around town, but the style looks especially great when the camera zooms in closer during dialogue sequences. At those points, the artwork really shines because you get to see the depth and vibrancy of the characters.”

Critics are Split on if Familiarity Is a Good Thing

Critics generally agree that ILCA played things extremely safe with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, though they disagree on whether that was the right call. Andrew Webster of The Verge wrote “In a world where remakes, remasters, and reboots are both ubiquitous and often quite bad, it’s nice to have a game that doesn’t mess with things too much.” However, others were disappointed by the lack of significant changes, like Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire’s Delta Episode.

While some praise the game’s nostalgic familiarity, The Gamer’s Cian Maher notes that “Given that Platinum is still superior to Brilliant Diamond and 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.”

Do Critics Like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?

There’s plenty that critics enjoyed in the Generation IV remakes, though there’s also a lot that seems to have missed the mark. While the revamped Underground updates a classic feature incredibly well, the game’s new art style is more divisive. The quality-of-life changes were incredibly well-received, but critics feel there just isn’t enough new content to please fans expecting something more than straight remakes of Diamond and Pearl.

In short, critics say there’s a lot to enjoy in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but they’re split on certain creative choices. The art style and lack of Platinum content are major points of criticism, though some say the art style contributes to the nostalgic and cozy feel of the remakes. While the Generation IV remakes may not be for everyone, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will, at the very least, be a fun nostalgia trip for those who have waited over a decade to explore Sinnoh one more time.

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