Parents' Guide to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl

While these adventures bring players back to a classic adventure in the franchise, the modern enhancements take away some of the challenge that made them so noteworthy. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl are remasters of 15-year-old games, providing a new generation of gamers a chance to explore the Sinnoh region. But this isn't just a basic retread of the older stories. A number of enhancements have been made to freshen the gameplay for a new audience, not counting the cute new visuals. These include an auto-save feature as you enter buildings or routes, and directions whenever you access your menu screen in case you're ever lost about what to do next. These are supported by massive enhancements, such as the option to use hidden moves to bypass barriers such as rocks and trees, instead of taking a precious skill slot that isn't necessarily useful in battle. Similarly, the option to always access Pokémon from anywhere you are, instead of having to trek back to town to remake your party, is a huge time-saver, and all Pokémon in your party share experience at the end of a battle, even if they've never been deployed in the match itself. These features are paired with improved connection options to help you trade Pokémon or battle with friends nearby or with other players around the world, as well as an improved Grand Underground that feels like you're getting a second massive area you can explore for hours.

All that being said, the largest issue with these two games is that while the enhancements make the game feel more responsive and updated, it also makes the gameplay incredibly easy. This is clearly tied to the experience-sharing feature, which can make your Pokémon so incredibly powerful that you won't have an issue taking on random creatures or opponents that you run into along each route. When you realize that you can also instantly swap out your party for other captured creatures without ever having to retreat to town (aside from resting your creatures), you'll breeze through gyms and opponents alike unless you send out creatures that are clearly weak to specific attacks. If these games had harder difficulty levels, or if it took these new enhancements into effect to scale the challenge, it would be more engaging, especially since these games are basically the same as they were 15 years ago. But the simplicity of the game doesn't ruin the fun, especially if you're a Pokémon fan or want to explore the Sinnoh region for the first time.