In the latest versions of the franchise, the Pokemon Company has taken a refreshing turn from the norm. Other than adding a fifth generation of Pokemon to the mix, there are several new embellishments to the decade old video game series.
You start out as a young trainer embarking on a journey to explore the Unova region. After being presented a choice of three new fifth generation Pokemon: Snivy, Oshawott, or Tepig, you will be able to travel, battle trainers, and obtain gym badges. Yet while this may sound like the same old gig as before, in reality several aspects of the games have changed. Though staying true to the basic mechanics, Pokemon versions Black and White boast an entirely re-made battling and leveling system.
It was apparent as I started playing that leveling up was not anywhere near as easy as it had always been. There is a harsh new cutoff of how many experience points you gain when defeating a weaker opponent. The higher the opponent’s level, the more experience you gain and vice versa. This may seem insignificant at first, but it goes on to affect the entire style of game play. One can no longer simply rely on powering enemies. Thus, strategy becomes a key component where it was negligible before.
What this really showed me is a dynamic change in the focus of the Pokemon franchise. Instead of continuing to appeal only to younger audiences, the added challenge is intended draw in older fans of the series as well. Frankly, there has always been a stigma attached to the older gamers who play Pokemon. Over the years it has accumulated the reputation of being for younger kids only, making it the guilty pleasure of patrons like myself. Therefore it is nice to know that the Pokemon Company is still trying to include the old fans in the picture. Of course, I’m not under the illusion that all those who ridicule the game series will go away, but it’s the thought that counts.
Aside from all this though, Pokemon Black and White have received a digital “face lift”. The designers have incorporated numerous three dimensional landscapes, in-game camera shifts, and fully animated sprites to give a more vibrant visual experience than any of their past projects. Some new features of the game such as the “Dream World” and “C-gear” also incorporate new online aspects to connect with other players and unlock special features.
One thing that admittedly has me upset is the dynamics of transferring pokemon from the older series games such as Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Pearl
I’m a fawning Pokemon fan for life, so there’s no way I could hate these games unless they were blatantly inferior to the rest, which they aren’t, but admittedly I’m not totally sold on the new direction. The plot and villains this time around were interesting and asked a lot of big questions that made the game seem deeper as a whole, but I don’t know that I ever got really attached to any of the characters. One thing the games could strive to do better is create more complex character relationships to make the whole storyline more endearing rather than just an in-flight movie on your way to the elite four. In spite of this, I would like if possible to see more of the character N in the saga. Out of all the characters, he boasts the most of the kind of complexity I want to see. Part of what is supposed to make these games interesting is the story after all. I don’t think (or at least I hope this isn’t the case) that people play these games just to level up Pokemon and battle them until they’ve beaten every person.
While remaining an appealing installment in a decade old franchise, Black and White can stand to be built upon. In the future I hope to see the series evolve just like the creatures it portrays.
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