Pokémon is a franchise that either brings up fond memories or utter confusion in people. It has that good old nostalgia factor that produces memories of childhood. This is especially true because the current iteration is a remake of Pokémon Gold and Silver for the Gameboy and Gameboy Color. Nostalgia factor aside, these games are what remakes should be. They take all of the elements of the old, expand them and add some entirely new content.
Pokémon, for the uninformed, is a blend of the words "pocket" and "monster." In this universe, monsters roam the world and people known as Pokémon trainers can trap them in balls, train them to fight, assemble them into teams and fight with other Pokémon trainers. Each Pokémon has one or two types such as fire, water or psychic and these types are ineffective or super effective against other types. Where the game shines is in the creation of a balanced team that can offset each other's weaknesses. This game really appeals to a wide variety of audiences. Children will enjoy collecting cool-looking or cute creatures while the more advanced gamers will have fun balancing teams and selecting individual attacks in order to offset weaknesses and magnify strengths.
The battles themselves are the classic turn based RPG-style with two Pokémon battling each other at a time. This is definitely the deal-breaker for the game. Some gamers enjoy turn based battle systems, while others simply do not. Sometimes each trainer has two Pokémon out at once in what is called a double battle. This adds a new dimension of complexity because some attacks hit both the opponents or everyone on the field and certain special abilities can inadvertently affect an ally's attack. The battle formula has remained relatively unchanged since the beginning, but the as the old adage says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
This iteration of Pokémon may be a remake, but it is so vastly expanded that it is almost an entirely new game. This game can eat up time because there is just so much to do. Some elements can be annoying, however. An example would be the phone. You are given the option to collect the phone numbers of certain trainers for the opportunity to face them in a rematch. This sounds good on paper, but they end up just calling you and talking about nothing. This may add a level of immersion for a few, but ends up being an annoyance for most. Like the original Gold and Silver, there are some events and Pokémon appearances that are triggered by the time and day of the week, making it a somewhat different experience depending on when it is played. Gamers will find joy in just the sheer exploration of the game world and seeing what little surprises are in store.
This game is a definite buy if one has fond memories of playing Pokémon Gold or Silver in the past. Those new to the series might want to do more before they make the purchase. It is a solid game that deserves a trial shot from newbies and a return for the old players.
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