Shixx
04-10-2010, 10:22 AM
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1755/pokemonheartgoldandsoul.jpg
Intro-
Pokemon Heart Gold and Pokemon Soul Silver were released on March 14th, 2010 in North America. Both games are enhanced remakes of the original titles Pokemon Gold and Silver. The games are developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. Heart Gold/Soul Silver are adventure RPG games, where the player collects, trains, breeds, and battles with Pokemon that they find on their adventure.
There are many avid Pokemon fans that are chatting it up about the game, and others that refuse to even speak the word Pokemon. With both sides of the spectrum noted, this review is intended to give the "Pokemon Haters" a fresh new perspective of the series, and hopefully allow them to realize that there is something for everyone in a Pokemon game. Additionally, I hope that this review gives Pokemon fans that were hesitant to pick up HG/SS, a reason to want to buy the game as soon as possible.
Story-
The story of most Pokemon games is fairly straightforward. HG/SS doesn't deviate from this method. HG/SS takes place 3 years after the events of Pokemon Red and Blue. The region the player is now located is known as the Johto Region, and in this region new Pokemon species have been discovered, and new gym battles are ready to be challenged. The game kicks off with the protagonist, whose name is chosen by the player, visiting Professor Elm's Lab to deliver a special gift to the neighboring Mr. Pokemon. To do this task, Professor Elm allows the player to choose from one of the three starter Pokemon to take with him/her on their travels.
Soon into the game, a mysterious character breaks into Professor Elm's Lab and steals a Pokemon for himself. You have now got yourself a rival, who will challenge you to battles throughout the course of the game. Events unfold, and you soon interact with the nefarious Team Rocket. Team Rocket has a scheme, as usual, to try to control Pokemon from wrongdoings, it's your job to stop them, all the while trying to become the Pokemon Master.
Plot and Story isn't really Pokemon's strong point, the game really shines with the collecting, training, and adventure aspect of the game. Along with trying to stop Team Rocket and their evil plans, the player's main goal is to collect all 8 gym badges and conquer the Elite 4.
Gameplay-
Along the way, players will travel from town to town, talking to people, completing small missions in order to progress, and battling wild Pokemon in caves, grass, or water. The game is in third person while the player is traveling. They are able to visit houses, heal their Pokemon at PokeCenters, or even buy stuff at the local Pokemon Mart. When the player is en route to go to the next town, they have a higher chance to battle wild Pokemon.
The game uses real time to make the appearance to the game differ. If you are playing during the morning, the scenery will look drastically different than when you are playing your game during the night. Along with this, the Pokemon you can catch are affected by the time of day. Some only appearing during the day, and others only at night.
Gym Battles are a special point in the game, where the gym tests the players skill and the Gym Leader awards the player a shiny badge for being victorious. Each gym badge is spread throughout the game, and can really be used as a checkpoint of sorts to allow the player to note their progress in the game. Each gym consists of a mini puzzle the player must solve, with trainers to challenge them along the way. Once this is all done, the player has the opportunity to face the Gym Leader for the Gym Badge. Each Gym is unique in the fact that it focuses on one particular Pokemon type. For instance, you could be battling a gym where their forte is Electric Pokemon. That means it wouldn't be wise to bring in a bunch of Water type Pokemon, because you know you have a higher chance of being defeated.
There are 8 gym badges in all and once all 8 have been collected, the player can then tackle the real challenge. The Pokemon League. It has been your goal from the beginning to vs these 4, best of the best, trainers. The Elite 4 tests your training skill and battling skill, forcing to prove whether or not you truly are a Pokemon Master.
The wild Pokemon vary from area to area, so collecting them all isn't as easy as simply staying in area and completing battle after battle. The player must explore, and adventure throughout the land of Johto in order to further complete their Pokedex. In order to add a Pokemon to his/her Pokedex, the player must battle the wild Pokemon and then catch it using a Pokeball, and its other variations.
Battling in Pokemon is fairly straightforward. When a battle is initiated, the view switches from a third person perspective to a battle screen, in which the player sees their Pokemon and HP on one side of the screen, and their opponents Pokemon and HP on the other. The bottom screen of the DS consists of 4 options that the player can choose from in order to finish a battle. Fight, Bag, Run, and Pokemon are all four options from which the player can choose.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8934/pokemonbattle.png
Depending on the type of Pokemon, the Fight option allows the player to select from four moves, some of which will deal damage to their opponent. Other moves, however, can raise your Pokemon's stats during the battle, or lower your opponents. If the player is battling a trainer, then their goal will be to make their opponents Pokemon faint. But if they are battling a wild Pokemon, the player has a chance to throw a Pokeball at it to catch it. The chance of catching a wild Pokemon differentiates according to a variety of factors. HP, Level, Pokeball strength, etc. all play a factor in whether or not the Pokemon will be caught.
The Bag option is similar to the Bag that the player can access from the menu screen when they are not in battle. It allows the player to use items they have collected throughout the game to heal their own pokemon, raise their stats, or throw a Pokeball at their opponent. Items can be used strategically in order to win battles.
The third and fourth option are to switch out your Pokemon for one that is better suited to win the battle, and to Run from a wild Pokemon.
Pokemon come in a variety of types. These types include Fire, Water, Grass, Psychic, Electric, Rock, etc. and most combination's thereof. It is vital to capture and train Pokemon with varying types, so you are not weak against any certain type of Pokemon. This is because the battling aspect of the game is essentially a complex Rock-Paper-Scissors. For example, a Fire Pokemon will be stronger against a Grass Pokemon. Grass is better against Water. Water is better against Fire.
However, the complexities arise because there are not only three options to work into this web. There are nearly 20 different types of Pokemon, all with their strengths and weaknesses. Another example would be how a Ghost Pokemon is strong against other Ghost Pokemon, and Psychic Pokemon. However Psychic Pokemon aren't strong against it. The combination's of types, strengths and weaknesses, may be a bit overwhelming at first, but you will have the basics down in no time, and you will begin to realize the importance of knowing which Pokemon are good against which Pokemon.
Pokemon types aren't the only thing that play an important role in winning a Pokemon Battle. A Pokemon's stats and level also play a key part in finding yourself victorious. A Pokemon's level is determined by earning experience by battling against Pokemon in the wild or those owned by trainers. Once you have earned enough experience, your Pokemon will grow another level where it has the chance to learn a new move, or potentially evolve. The higher the Pokemon's level, the easier it is to take down a Pokemon of lower level, regardless of type.
Training and evolving Pokemon is one of the highlights of the game to me. As your Pokemon grow in level, not only do they become stronger, some also have the chance to change appearance slightly. By doing this, your Pokemon is still the same Pokemon, just in a different, usually stronger form. These Pokemon are including in the "Gotta Catch Them All" phrase, so if you really want to be the Pokemon master you are going to have to collect, train, and evolve all the various types of Pokemon in the game.
Breading is another aspect of the game that people seem to enjoy. Some stop trying to be Pokemon Trainers, and would rather be known as Pokemon Breeders. That is fine. Breeding consists of giving two of your Pokemon to the day care, and allowing them to produce an egg version of the female Pokemon. Breeding is beneficial because you can produce multiple copies of a certain Pokemon, and bargain them off for trading. Breeding also can improve the Pokemon's base stats, essentially making them stronger than they would be later on. Or allowing them the ability to learn specific moves that they wouldn't have been able to learn if you hadn't bred them.
Pokemon HG/SS is a real nostalgia trip for some players. Because the game is more or less a replica of the original Pokemon Gold and Silver games, players will be familiar with the towns, adventure, and story of the game. However, HG/SS isn't just a simple copy and paste with updated graphics. The game goes a long way to try to make it stand out from the original title.
Similar to the mechanic in the Yellow version of Pokemon, where Pikachu followed behind you, HG/SS allows the first Pokemon in your party to follow behind you wherever you go. This may seem like a simple feature, however you don't realize how much you enjoy seeing your "buddy's" following behind you, until they don't any longer. Going back and playing previous versions of Pokemon will no longer be the same, because you won't have the guy you're training by your side at all times.
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1742/pokemonfollowing.jpg
Along with the new following Pokemon mechanic of the game, Pokemon HG/SS is brought up to the 4th Generation standard of Pokemon. With battle moves, and graphics alike, the game shows a resemblance to how Pokemon Diamond and Pearl feel in regards to gameplay. In addition, the game follows more closely to the Pokemon Crystal adventure, where the entire game you are trailing the Legendary Pokemon Suicuine, but only coming ever so close to battling it. New areas are also present in this remake, including a brand new layout for the Safari Zone, and new Gym puzzles and appearances.
In addition to all the added feature the game, all old locations and mechanics make a reappearance for this title. The annoying phone calls from previous trainers are still around. The Bug Catching is still here, and better than ever. As well as many things that any long time Pokemon fan will remember from the original games.
Pokemon HG/SS is compatible with all previous generations of the game, making it possible to train, and collect all the Pokemon available from the game. Some involve trading with other versions, however they are still able to be present in the game.
The Pokemon local and internet WFC, allows you to trade, battle, or participate in various minigames against other trainers. There is a lot to do over the WFC, but most features added into HG/SS are the same features that were present in Diamond and Pearl. Connecting your game to WiFi only further enhances the Pokemon experience, making it more accessible to collect and train any Pokemon you desire.
The game isn't over once the Pokemon League is defeated. Like the original game, you soon realize after being crowned the Pokemon Champion, there is a lot more to do in the game than was initially presented. Some of this includes revisiting the old world of Kanto and collecting the 8 badges there. Working your way up the ranks, training your Pokemon, and seeing if you have what it takes to vs the ultimate trainer, Red. Participating in the Pokemon Battle Frontier, where different game modes are set up to shake up the way you play the game a bit. The re-playability in this game is astounding, and you won't be playing for a mere couple of hours and finish it. The game will take you multiple, if not over 100 hours, depending on how dedicated you are, to finish everything this game has to offer.
Pokewalker-
Included with your purchase of HG/SS is the brand new Pokewalker peripheral that really personalizes the Pokemon experience, allowing you to take with you one of your Pokemon wherever you go. The Pokewalker allows you to level up your Pokemon one level according to how many steps you take while your guy is in there. Also, you can play simple minigames that give you the opportunity to spend your Watts, points you earn in accordance to how many steps you take, on trying to find items, or battling random wild Pokemon. The Pokewalker isn't really meant to revolutionize the way of Pokemon, however it is a nice little gimmick that allows you to "Play Pokemon" when you aren't really "Playing Pokemon".
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/2750/pokewalker1.gif
Conclusion-
In conclusion, Pokemon HG/SS is any Pokemon fans wet dream. You won't be disappointed with what this game has to offer from the collecting, training, battling, breeding, or adventuring aspects of the game, this game has a little something for everyone. For those fans that are hesitant to pick this game up because they think it's just a simple remake of the game they have already played, for the most part it is. But it's so much more than that as well, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed if you pick this game up now. For those that are completely against the idea of anything Pokemon, don't think of it as some childish game. Think of it as a wonderful experience where you get to train, and grow closer to the Pokemon you collect. They are with you from the very beginning, you'd be hard pressed if you were indifferent to them by the end of your adventure.
I can't exactly pin point the exact reason why I, personally enjoy Pokemon so much. Maybe its for the nostalgia of the game, it's what I grew up playing. Maybe it's the collecting, training or adventure aspects that I really enjoy. If I were to try to explain what is so great about the series to someone completely against the idea, the honest truth of it all is I can't even put it into words. All I can say is, just try it! If you still absolutely hate it after putting in some real time into the game, then come talk to me. But I'm sure after a few badges under your belt, and maybe even after a Pokemon League Championship won, you'll think of the game a little differently.
Final Thoughts-
You get many hours of Entertainment for only $40
it is a Remake (but they make enough changes to make worth playing again)
Pokewalker is pretty cool
Pokemon really is E for Everyone.
Score-
8.5/10 -It's a Remake done well of an already great Game.
Intro-
Pokemon Heart Gold and Pokemon Soul Silver were released on March 14th, 2010 in North America. Both games are enhanced remakes of the original titles Pokemon Gold and Silver. The games are developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. Heart Gold/Soul Silver are adventure RPG games, where the player collects, trains, breeds, and battles with Pokemon that they find on their adventure.
There are many avid Pokemon fans that are chatting it up about the game, and others that refuse to even speak the word Pokemon. With both sides of the spectrum noted, this review is intended to give the "Pokemon Haters" a fresh new perspective of the series, and hopefully allow them to realize that there is something for everyone in a Pokemon game. Additionally, I hope that this review gives Pokemon fans that were hesitant to pick up HG/SS, a reason to want to buy the game as soon as possible.
Story-
The story of most Pokemon games is fairly straightforward. HG/SS doesn't deviate from this method. HG/SS takes place 3 years after the events of Pokemon Red and Blue. The region the player is now located is known as the Johto Region, and in this region new Pokemon species have been discovered, and new gym battles are ready to be challenged. The game kicks off with the protagonist, whose name is chosen by the player, visiting Professor Elm's Lab to deliver a special gift to the neighboring Mr. Pokemon. To do this task, Professor Elm allows the player to choose from one of the three starter Pokemon to take with him/her on their travels.
Soon into the game, a mysterious character breaks into Professor Elm's Lab and steals a Pokemon for himself. You have now got yourself a rival, who will challenge you to battles throughout the course of the game. Events unfold, and you soon interact with the nefarious Team Rocket. Team Rocket has a scheme, as usual, to try to control Pokemon from wrongdoings, it's your job to stop them, all the while trying to become the Pokemon Master.
Plot and Story isn't really Pokemon's strong point, the game really shines with the collecting, training, and adventure aspect of the game. Along with trying to stop Team Rocket and their evil plans, the player's main goal is to collect all 8 gym badges and conquer the Elite 4.
Gameplay-
Along the way, players will travel from town to town, talking to people, completing small missions in order to progress, and battling wild Pokemon in caves, grass, or water. The game is in third person while the player is traveling. They are able to visit houses, heal their Pokemon at PokeCenters, or even buy stuff at the local Pokemon Mart. When the player is en route to go to the next town, they have a higher chance to battle wild Pokemon.
The game uses real time to make the appearance to the game differ. If you are playing during the morning, the scenery will look drastically different than when you are playing your game during the night. Along with this, the Pokemon you can catch are affected by the time of day. Some only appearing during the day, and others only at night.
Gym Battles are a special point in the game, where the gym tests the players skill and the Gym Leader awards the player a shiny badge for being victorious. Each gym badge is spread throughout the game, and can really be used as a checkpoint of sorts to allow the player to note their progress in the game. Each gym consists of a mini puzzle the player must solve, with trainers to challenge them along the way. Once this is all done, the player has the opportunity to face the Gym Leader for the Gym Badge. Each Gym is unique in the fact that it focuses on one particular Pokemon type. For instance, you could be battling a gym where their forte is Electric Pokemon. That means it wouldn't be wise to bring in a bunch of Water type Pokemon, because you know you have a higher chance of being defeated.
There are 8 gym badges in all and once all 8 have been collected, the player can then tackle the real challenge. The Pokemon League. It has been your goal from the beginning to vs these 4, best of the best, trainers. The Elite 4 tests your training skill and battling skill, forcing to prove whether or not you truly are a Pokemon Master.
The wild Pokemon vary from area to area, so collecting them all isn't as easy as simply staying in area and completing battle after battle. The player must explore, and adventure throughout the land of Johto in order to further complete their Pokedex. In order to add a Pokemon to his/her Pokedex, the player must battle the wild Pokemon and then catch it using a Pokeball, and its other variations.
Battling in Pokemon is fairly straightforward. When a battle is initiated, the view switches from a third person perspective to a battle screen, in which the player sees their Pokemon and HP on one side of the screen, and their opponents Pokemon and HP on the other. The bottom screen of the DS consists of 4 options that the player can choose from in order to finish a battle. Fight, Bag, Run, and Pokemon are all four options from which the player can choose.
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8934/pokemonbattle.png
Depending on the type of Pokemon, the Fight option allows the player to select from four moves, some of which will deal damage to their opponent. Other moves, however, can raise your Pokemon's stats during the battle, or lower your opponents. If the player is battling a trainer, then their goal will be to make their opponents Pokemon faint. But if they are battling a wild Pokemon, the player has a chance to throw a Pokeball at it to catch it. The chance of catching a wild Pokemon differentiates according to a variety of factors. HP, Level, Pokeball strength, etc. all play a factor in whether or not the Pokemon will be caught.
The Bag option is similar to the Bag that the player can access from the menu screen when they are not in battle. It allows the player to use items they have collected throughout the game to heal their own pokemon, raise their stats, or throw a Pokeball at their opponent. Items can be used strategically in order to win battles.
The third and fourth option are to switch out your Pokemon for one that is better suited to win the battle, and to Run from a wild Pokemon.
Pokemon come in a variety of types. These types include Fire, Water, Grass, Psychic, Electric, Rock, etc. and most combination's thereof. It is vital to capture and train Pokemon with varying types, so you are not weak against any certain type of Pokemon. This is because the battling aspect of the game is essentially a complex Rock-Paper-Scissors. For example, a Fire Pokemon will be stronger against a Grass Pokemon. Grass is better against Water. Water is better against Fire.
However, the complexities arise because there are not only three options to work into this web. There are nearly 20 different types of Pokemon, all with their strengths and weaknesses. Another example would be how a Ghost Pokemon is strong against other Ghost Pokemon, and Psychic Pokemon. However Psychic Pokemon aren't strong against it. The combination's of types, strengths and weaknesses, may be a bit overwhelming at first, but you will have the basics down in no time, and you will begin to realize the importance of knowing which Pokemon are good against which Pokemon.
Pokemon types aren't the only thing that play an important role in winning a Pokemon Battle. A Pokemon's stats and level also play a key part in finding yourself victorious. A Pokemon's level is determined by earning experience by battling against Pokemon in the wild or those owned by trainers. Once you have earned enough experience, your Pokemon will grow another level where it has the chance to learn a new move, or potentially evolve. The higher the Pokemon's level, the easier it is to take down a Pokemon of lower level, regardless of type.
Training and evolving Pokemon is one of the highlights of the game to me. As your Pokemon grow in level, not only do they become stronger, some also have the chance to change appearance slightly. By doing this, your Pokemon is still the same Pokemon, just in a different, usually stronger form. These Pokemon are including in the "Gotta Catch Them All" phrase, so if you really want to be the Pokemon master you are going to have to collect, train, and evolve all the various types of Pokemon in the game.
Breading is another aspect of the game that people seem to enjoy. Some stop trying to be Pokemon Trainers, and would rather be known as Pokemon Breeders. That is fine. Breeding consists of giving two of your Pokemon to the day care, and allowing them to produce an egg version of the female Pokemon. Breeding is beneficial because you can produce multiple copies of a certain Pokemon, and bargain them off for trading. Breeding also can improve the Pokemon's base stats, essentially making them stronger than they would be later on. Or allowing them the ability to learn specific moves that they wouldn't have been able to learn if you hadn't bred them.
Pokemon HG/SS is a real nostalgia trip for some players. Because the game is more or less a replica of the original Pokemon Gold and Silver games, players will be familiar with the towns, adventure, and story of the game. However, HG/SS isn't just a simple copy and paste with updated graphics. The game goes a long way to try to make it stand out from the original title.
Similar to the mechanic in the Yellow version of Pokemon, where Pikachu followed behind you, HG/SS allows the first Pokemon in your party to follow behind you wherever you go. This may seem like a simple feature, however you don't realize how much you enjoy seeing your "buddy's" following behind you, until they don't any longer. Going back and playing previous versions of Pokemon will no longer be the same, because you won't have the guy you're training by your side at all times.
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1742/pokemonfollowing.jpg
Along with the new following Pokemon mechanic of the game, Pokemon HG/SS is brought up to the 4th Generation standard of Pokemon. With battle moves, and graphics alike, the game shows a resemblance to how Pokemon Diamond and Pearl feel in regards to gameplay. In addition, the game follows more closely to the Pokemon Crystal adventure, where the entire game you are trailing the Legendary Pokemon Suicuine, but only coming ever so close to battling it. New areas are also present in this remake, including a brand new layout for the Safari Zone, and new Gym puzzles and appearances.
In addition to all the added feature the game, all old locations and mechanics make a reappearance for this title. The annoying phone calls from previous trainers are still around. The Bug Catching is still here, and better than ever. As well as many things that any long time Pokemon fan will remember from the original games.
Pokemon HG/SS is compatible with all previous generations of the game, making it possible to train, and collect all the Pokemon available from the game. Some involve trading with other versions, however they are still able to be present in the game.
The Pokemon local and internet WFC, allows you to trade, battle, or participate in various minigames against other trainers. There is a lot to do over the WFC, but most features added into HG/SS are the same features that were present in Diamond and Pearl. Connecting your game to WiFi only further enhances the Pokemon experience, making it more accessible to collect and train any Pokemon you desire.
The game isn't over once the Pokemon League is defeated. Like the original game, you soon realize after being crowned the Pokemon Champion, there is a lot more to do in the game than was initially presented. Some of this includes revisiting the old world of Kanto and collecting the 8 badges there. Working your way up the ranks, training your Pokemon, and seeing if you have what it takes to vs the ultimate trainer, Red. Participating in the Pokemon Battle Frontier, where different game modes are set up to shake up the way you play the game a bit. The re-playability in this game is astounding, and you won't be playing for a mere couple of hours and finish it. The game will take you multiple, if not over 100 hours, depending on how dedicated you are, to finish everything this game has to offer.
Pokewalker-
Included with your purchase of HG/SS is the brand new Pokewalker peripheral that really personalizes the Pokemon experience, allowing you to take with you one of your Pokemon wherever you go. The Pokewalker allows you to level up your Pokemon one level according to how many steps you take while your guy is in there. Also, you can play simple minigames that give you the opportunity to spend your Watts, points you earn in accordance to how many steps you take, on trying to find items, or battling random wild Pokemon. The Pokewalker isn't really meant to revolutionize the way of Pokemon, however it is a nice little gimmick that allows you to "Play Pokemon" when you aren't really "Playing Pokemon".
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/2750/pokewalker1.gif
Conclusion-
In conclusion, Pokemon HG/SS is any Pokemon fans wet dream. You won't be disappointed with what this game has to offer from the collecting, training, battling, breeding, or adventuring aspects of the game, this game has a little something for everyone. For those fans that are hesitant to pick this game up because they think it's just a simple remake of the game they have already played, for the most part it is. But it's so much more than that as well, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed if you pick this game up now. For those that are completely against the idea of anything Pokemon, don't think of it as some childish game. Think of it as a wonderful experience where you get to train, and grow closer to the Pokemon you collect. They are with you from the very beginning, you'd be hard pressed if you were indifferent to them by the end of your adventure.
I can't exactly pin point the exact reason why I, personally enjoy Pokemon so much. Maybe its for the nostalgia of the game, it's what I grew up playing. Maybe it's the collecting, training or adventure aspects that I really enjoy. If I were to try to explain what is so great about the series to someone completely against the idea, the honest truth of it all is I can't even put it into words. All I can say is, just try it! If you still absolutely hate it after putting in some real time into the game, then come talk to me. But I'm sure after a few badges under your belt, and maybe even after a Pokemon League Championship won, you'll think of the game a little differently.
Final Thoughts-
You get many hours of Entertainment for only $40
it is a Remake (but they make enough changes to make worth playing again)
Pokewalker is pretty cool
Pokemon really is E for Everyone.
Score-
8.5/10 -It's a Remake done well of an already great Game.