Nintendo and Game Freak recently released three new Pokémon games for the Nintendo Switch: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but which should players purchase? While the choice is entirely personal and based on the individual’s tastes and preferences, mechanics, gameplay loops and systems, and general improvements on the baseline formula can influence a player's perception of quality for each title. Unfortunately, while each has its strengths, an equal price doesn’t guarantee equal enjoyment.
Pokémon games have almost always been released in pairs, but Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the only core series exception. Selling different versions is a method Nintendo uses to make the most money from each new region. Each version may feature unique legendaries or exclusive monsters, like Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl isolating Dialga and Palkia. However, Pokémon Legends: Arceus didn’t ship with a version companion and is an original product instead of a remake.
In an age where gamers are steadily losing confidence in AAA game developers, even those from storied franchises with long histories, it’s important to show support with the almighty dollar. Catastrophes like EA’s Battlefield 2042 represent a loss of consumer support and trust, boding poorly for the company and the IP. With two Pokémon games released so close to one another, it’s vital to prove which formula better serves the community. The beloved monster-catching franchise has suffered harsh criticism for its recent DLC model and refusal to improve baseline systems. Still, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl improve on series norms while Pokémon Legends: Arceus changes the franchise formula compared to other games.
What Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Offer
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of Pokémon’s fourth generation, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Players can explore the Sinnoh region with revamped graphics and updated gameplay systems to make the experience smoother and more enjoyable. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl follow the standard series formula, introducing a now-customizable player character embarking on their adventure through the Pokémon League. Alongside Barry and Lucas or Dawn, they battle Gym Leaders and Team Galactic as ancient prophecies bubble to the surface. Thankfully, revamped gameplay activities make the journey less repetitive and provide alternate ways to spend time in chibi Sinnoh.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remake activities present in the original games with updates to modernize various features. Pokémon Contests provide an alternative to battling Gym Leaders and other trainers, rewarding unique monster combinations with species that may not be suited to excelling on the battlefield. The game’s most significant improvement is the Grand Underground which features overworld Pokémon spawns, mining, base building, and more. Unfortunately, even with competitive builds in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s Gyms, there aren’t enough changes to make this game feel like anything more than a remaster.
Unfortunately, between Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, players are likely to get more out of their dollar by purchasing the latter. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer an old experience with the same traditional formula. There aren’t enough changes and new additions to warrant its $60 price, and players actually receive less content than the original game. According to Inverse, the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl games took over forty hours to complete, while Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl only take twenty to thirty hours.
What Pokémon Legends: Arceus Offers
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a mainline prequel that takes players to the Hisui region, also known as ancient Sinnoh. After being sent back in time by Arceus, players are given the task to catch every known Pokémon of the time period. They join the Galaxy Expedition Team as a member of the Survey Corps and assist their fellow Galaxy Team members and the local Diamond and Pearl Clans with time-space distortions. The game is a significant departure from the standard Pokémon game formula. Instead of adapting the usual gameplay loop, it introduces new features and updates to traditional activities like battling and catching. While there is some debate over Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ graphics, critics and fans have left many positive reviews. PokémonGoHub has reported that the free-roaming title has already sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide.
The most significant change to Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the ability to free-roam throughout different areas and explore the series’ natural environments. Players can use their Pokémon more freely and collect resources scattered throughout the world. Players can use these resources to make money from vendors or craft items like Poké Balls, potions, smoke bombs, cakes, and more. Additionally, Pokémon Legends: Arceus offers players significantly more freedom when it concerns game progression, allowing for a wider field of travel and exploration. Traditional Pokémon games lock progress through Gym Leaders and battles, but Pokémon Legends: Arceus judges players with Star Ranks and story progression. Once players complete a certain number of research tasks by catching or interacting with different species, they can level up and receive bonuses and increased Pokémon obedience levels. This increased freedom bodes exceptionally well for the Pokémon franchise if it adapts this formula to later titles.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an entirely new experience in the franchise that features dozens of new changes that implements requests the community has frequently requested. It offers plenty of improvements on the basic Pokémon formula without a price increase and promises over thirty hours of content. Though Legends: Arceus takes place in the Sinnoh region, it offers a unique experience than Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and could promise a significant change to the Pokémon franchise.
Both Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus are strong entries and cater to different community members, but one is more deserving of the $60 price. Players eager to encourage Game Freak to explore changes to the franchise’s formula should turn their sights towards Legends: Arceus instead of the remakes. While players won’t experience a Pokémon League, they’ll experience a new storyline and way to enjoy the world. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus are both available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
Source: Inverse, PokémonGoHub