Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have the potential to create a lucrative foundation of remakes for Game Freak and Nintendo, with plenty of other entries in both the main franchise and its spin-offs awaiting modernization. While even during the preview session the games don't completely dazzle, they're certainly compelling, and a more up-to-date Diamond and Pearl journey is one that will make for yet another exciting entry into a series that's had no shortage of them during its storied history.
During a private preview presentation Screen Rant attended, a guided walkthrough of some of the Diamond and Pearl remakes' design was provided. The basics of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl appear to be the same, but the trappings are certainly different. Most noticeably, the graphics have been quite obviously improved, with the leap from 2D to 3D remaining faithful to the original games in terms of scale and placements. The squished character models and bright atmosphere make Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl even more cute than Sword and Shield's aesthetic, and while nothing pushes the graphics beyond being pleasant, they don't appear out of place or awkward alongside the designs of the Pokémon and the world around them.
The bulk of the presentation's display of innovation came in the revamped underground area of the map, returning as the Grand Underground. It's clear that this is where a lot of fan feedback was taken into account; the original underground was a pleasant side excursion but failed to really stick out amidst the more tried-and-true elements of the series' formula. The Grand Underground, on the other hand, looks primed to make itself relevant for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl players with different interests.
The Grand Underground's exploration and excavation mechanics return largely unchanged save for massive graphical overhauls, but the introduction of new biomes will give players much more to do. Secret areas of the Grand Underground will open up into several cool-looking biomes, which can include volcanic or more desert-looking areas as seen during the preview. The exact number is unknown, but there will be options available for trainers, and these areas will also have Pokémon roaming the map like in Sword & Shield. This will help players customize their teams and avoid battles with creatures they have no interest in.
Secret Bases are also returning, and they'll have different items that can influence the type of Pokémon that show up in the new areas. It's a nice take on an element that has made more modern Pokémon titles that much more palpable - the ability to control, at least somewhat, the types of encounters a given trainer is experiencing while grinding to either expand their Pokédex or level specific team members.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl contests will be a bit more interesting than their previous iterations too, with a rhythm game set to make these more interactive. That, combined with 3D graphics, does a lot of work to make contests feel like more of a fun distraction than a slog, so much of what was on display during the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl indicated games that will vastly improve the player experience throughout. A remade Amity Square further strengthens that notion.
Ultimately, the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl preview demonstrated a strong proof of concept for the Diamond and Pearl remakes. It's not just improved graphics and the exact same game; some strong innovations to side content and quality-of-life upgrades like HM use being far easier makes for a better, more complete package. More Pokémon titles would benefit from this sort of treatment, and provided the final product is as engaging as what was on display during its preview, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will feature more than enough reasons for trainers to return to Sinnoh this November.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release on November 19, 2021 for Nintendo Switch. Screen Rant attended a private presentation for the purpose of this preview article.