Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version

In 1994 Nintendo struck gold when Satori Tajiri proposed his idea for a game where kids could capture monsters, train them, battle them, and trade them. At first they didn't think it would sell, but eventually Pokémon became the world's number two selling franchise in just a few months. It's 2011 and we have had four great generations of Pokémon, now it's time for the fifth. Is this game good or just a big disappointment? This is Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version for the Nintendo DS.

Graphics

Even though this game is using the same engine of the generation IV Pokémon games there has never been a better looking Pokémon game. The change of camera really adds a dynamic view of the new and impressive Unova region. The change of camera makes things like bridges, skyscrapers, and towers look simply beautiful. This adds a very nice effect and makes the 3D graphics really stand out. It's simply the best looking Pokémon to date.

Gameplay

The Pokémon formula hasn't changed much in the last seventeen years or so because it works; there's no point in messing with a near perfect formula. What GameFreak did do, though, was add a couple new elements to the formula. There is Triple Battles, Rotation Battles, Double Wild Battles, CGear, and the Global Link.

First off, Triple Battles and Rotation Battles add a nice mix into the already solid Pokémon battle formula. I was worried that these were just going to be gimicky but they're actually my favorite types of battle now. Triple Battles are just battles with three Pokémon on each side, but depending on where your Pokémon is positioned, it can only attack certain Pokémon on you opponent's side. Rotation Battles are three Pokémon per side except, unlike in Triple Battles, only one Pokémon is active at each turn and you have to rotate and try to predict your opponent's moves because he might rotate also and try to gain the advantage. These two are really nice modes, the only complaint I can find is that they didn't appear enough in the game for me to enjoy them. The Double Wild Battles are just fighting two wild Pokémon at a time and to catch one you must KO the other one first.

Now on to the CGear. The CGear is great, it lets you connect to other players instantly allowing you to jump into a battle or trade right away instead of having to go to the Union Room. Not only that but you can now trade straight from your PC allowing you for a smoother experience. Another thing it lets you do is enter the Entralink. The Entralink allows you to go into another player's game and do missions which will give some bonuses in your game if you complete them. For example there might be a mission to hand your friend an item and if you complete that mission everything in the shop is at reduced price for thirty minutes. The CGear is a great multiplayer experience that lets you do this plus more, like taking surveys, messaging, voice and video chat, and a connection to the Global Link.

Now the the Global Link is one of the coolest things in this game. What this lets you do is it allows you to upload your save file into the Global Link website and it allows you to do random battles, see rankings, and enter the Dream World where they have minigames and allow you to catch some rare Pokémon. It's simply the most emersive and the most complete Pokémon game yet.

Story

Pokémon has never been known for its stories because they pretty much consist of a kid who sets out on a journey to battle eight gym leaders, make it to the Pokémon league and finally become champion. Of course, there were always some things getting in the way that provided some kind of story but really no reason to continue through it. You knew you were going to end up having to go to an organization's building, not because you have to stop them but because there is either something in there you need to continue or someone asked you to. In this game, the story takes center stage and it is very good. This time the gym leaders are given bigger roles that help you throughout your journey.

Another change of pace is the organization Team Plasma. This organization actually doesn't want to rule the world like in previous games but it wants to release Pokémon from their captivity. They believe that the world would be better if trainers didn't try to exploit Pokémon for their own needs and I like this because I can actually agree with them. This creates conflict in the game, is it really wrong that people force Pokémon to battle? This game also allows for some good character development, they actually go into the backstory of some main characters. Overall the story is nothing like I expected it to be. It was amazing and the ending is something that Pokémon fans won't see coming. It wraps up pretty nicely too, so the story is really good.

Presentation

I'm one of those fans who think that the farther the series goes the worse the Pokémon seem to get, and this is true in this game to some degree. I love that throughout the game you meet nothing but new Pokémon, this makes the game feel like a new region entirely, unlike other games where you would find a Zubat every couple of steps. Everything about this region is new and I love seeing unknown Pokémon at every turn. Now as for the Pokémon themselves they are a mixed bag. There are definitely some pretty cool Pokémon in this region but there a couple that have some pretty weird names and designs. Either way, whether you love or hate the new Pokémon they will provide a nice breath of fresh into the series.

Another thing that helps this game is its aesthetics. Unova is a beautiful place filled with unique places and people, this allows for the game to be very emersive. The seasons change, it goes from day to night. Every day and every week there are special events and tasks that you can take up later in the game. There are plenty of Pokémon to catch. It is a game that you will spend many hours on that's for sure.
The battles all look very nice. The Pokémon sprites are actually animated in battle, adding a nice touch to the game, not only that, new move animations make battles in this game faster than in any other game.

Overall

I'm a Pokémon fan, so my opinion might not suit everyone. If you have never liked Pokémon, this game won't change your mind, but if you're a die hard fan like me then it gives you another reason to pick up your DS again. All in all, this game exceeded all my expectations. There were barely any complaints or any problems with the game. This is definitely the best Pokémon game to date. I will very gladly give Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version a 10/10.