Pokémon 5 (InstanceTopic, 17)

From Compile Worlds

Pokémon 5 is the latest generation of Pokémon games, and is known as Black and White. Despite being released for the DS, they kick the previous generation in the gut as far as both quality and quantity are concerned. If you care, they are also the first Pokémon games to receive a perfect score from a certain prestigious Japanese panel of judges. It brings about a variety of new innovations, and is set to re-establish the series and franchise after it's minor setbacks in its previous generations.

New Pokémon

As with previous generations, a ridiculous number of new Pokémon were added, bringing the total up to 649. However, none of these new Pokémon are evolutions (let alone Eeveelutions), egg Pokémon, or new formes of existing Pokémon; they all all original; and a vast majority of them are Dark, Psychic, Fighting or Ghost type. The variety ranges from the cute sea otter Oshawott, to the fearsome Reshiram. Like games before them though, the quality of these designs is mixed and open to debate, depending on your interpretation.

New Material

Black and White feature the most new innovations in the games to date; namely the inclusion of several new styles of battling the poor critters. Double Wild Pokémon, Rotation, and Triple battles were all included, and the kind of battles you encounter actual vary between versions. The battles themselves have also been redone, with gorgeous animated sprites and a dynamic battle camera which ruins the viewing pleasure of said sprites, and a pointless little clock. Other visual changes include actual dialogue balloons in conversations, and full 3D and 2D anime cutscenes at various points of importance. Black and White also advance the real time aspect of the game further by including seasons, which alter wild Pokémon catch rates in certain areas even further. Replacing the contests are Pokémon Musicals, which are still similar in function, and are another cute way to flash the beautiful animation and awkward 3D scenery.

Characters and Plot

Main article: N Harmonia

The character design for the game, like the rest of the game itself, pays much homage to it's predecessors. Hilbert and Hilda, the protagonist(s), are reminiscent of Red and Leaf thanks to their spiky hair and baseball caps. The mysterious N Harmonia, a central plot character, is also reminiscent of the baseball-capped protagonists, but is, in fact, an attractive antagonist. Ghetsis (AKA Gaycheese), a sage (how appropriate) in the insane Team Plasma, is one of the most out-landish and down right diabolical characters in the series by far, surpassing even the leader of his own team, maybe even the resident villains of the horror that is Orre! Professor Juniper breaks yet another mold by being the first female professor, and being the first to be actively involved in your quest.

The game's plot, for once, actually consists of something other than becoming the champion while fighting an evil team on the side; instead rather, the focus eventually becomes stopping the insane Team Plasma, with the help of the Gym Leaders, your Rivals, and that idiot champion Alder. And instead of being in Japan, it's in America! Anyway, while it starts innocently enough with a battle with your rivals and your first new Pokémon, the first town throws you right into the thick of it when you stumble upon Team Plasma's attempts to pep rally the town into releasing their Pokémon, and the mysterious N, whom, despite his naive beliefs that Pokémon aren't made for battle, battles you anyway. Eventually, as you collect Gym badges, the Gym Leaders reveal to you legends of Yin and Yang Pokémon, and eventually N actually seizes control of one of them. Later on, rather than battling the Champion, the ending boils down to a climatic battle against Team Plasma in N's very own castle!

Oh, yeah. And once that's done with, you can now keep filling up your Pokédex (If you haven't yet), find the six other sages for Looker, and battle said Champion for the Hall of Fame, as you intended to a while ago. You can also battle Cynthia in a villa and the mastermind of Pokémon himself. No, really!

Musical Genius

Go Ichinose returns; and he's better than ever! While some of the battle themes are a hit and miss affair, everything else is spot on, from the bagpipes in White Forest, to the eerie choir of Geechisu's battle theme, and the emotional prologue music. The OST is probably capable of even blowing Pokémon 2 and its remakes out of the water (Hah! Keiji would like to see that!) with some of the more outstanding pieces, not to mention the inclusion of real event music, and a tucked away little remix of Blue/Green's theme.

A MOTHER Reference?

Pokémon games in general can be quite notorious for their MOTHER/Earthbound references, obvious or obscure, but this game beats every other game. One example would be N's Farewell theme, which sounds like that tear jerking theme from MOTHER 3. With all the MOTHER-iness of the game (Taking place in America, etc.), one would feel like they're playing a Pokémon version of MOTHER...