Of the many generations of Pokemon games, the 5th generation is the most controversial in the quality of the games. While Pokemon Black and White are generally considered a solid game, the sequel is often up to further debate. 

The game design of Pokemon Black and White 2 closely resembles the prequel and is based on the same region two years after the events of the first game. The game contains the amazing sprites and animations that made the first games so visually appealing to the player while continuing to develop the established story. The game also includes earlier access to many of the Pokemon from older games, giving those fans another chance to use some of their favorites. Overall, the game maintains some of the good aspects, although has some glaring issues in the context of a sequel. 

One major complaint of the game is that it feels too similar to the first. About half of the game has you progressing through the same general locations as the first game, and while some minor changes were made, it still detracts from the experience overall. Another major drop in quality was the integration of the story and evil team. While the prequel had a fleshed out story with interesting ideals, the sequel lacks some of the fundamentals of good lore-building. The story was generally empty and did little to improve or change any of the story that was already established, making the evil team battles and story quests feel completely pointless, leading to a game that doesn’t feel up to par with the previous game. 

In general, I personally feel as if the game isn’t worth playing compared to the prequel. The game, although it is a Pokemon game, still lacks many qualities that make it an enjoyable experience when compared to the first. The game could still be a worthwhile play if you enjoy the outlandish lore of the game but I would personally rather recommend other games such as the prequel or the previous generation of DS games. My rating for this game would be a 6/10 as the game is still very visually appealing and maintains core design concepts. The game had potential but the lapses in story development and similarities to the first significantly worsen the overarching experience.

-Benjamin L.

In recent times, in light of the pandemic, many people have fallen back on their hobbies and favorite franchises. One of the most common franchises is Pokemon as many people grew up with video games and collecting trading cards. In general, the quality of recent Pokemon games has severely declined, leaving the GBA and DS games as the pinnacle. One such DS game that I would recommend is Pokemon Black and White, often one of the most contentious games in the series.

For those who want a great Pokemon game to play during the breaks and wind down, this game is amazing for not only beginners but also experienced players. The game is based on the region of North America and contains 151 original Pokemon. The story of the game is well built and delves into interesting concepts not explored in previous Pokemon games. One major aspect of the game is not only the great, new Pokemon that were introduced but also the sprite animations that make it stand out over all the games in the other series. The game is sleek while still having the classic Nintendo aesthetic. Each Pokemon sprite is lively and animated, just adding to the visual appeal of the game. The pacing of the game is also exceptional compared to other games. The game still follows the traditional gym badge system and various new environments are well distributed and it never feels too elongated or quick. As a result, the game is a satisfying experience that is generally above the rest of the options.

One of the most common complaints for the game is the Pokemon design and overall concept of the evil team. While certain designs are lacking, they are still unique and not every new pokemon, especially the large batch of 151 can be perfect. The evil team may also be goofy to people who base their opinions on the traditional Team Rocket and nostalgia, however, the differentiation is something fresh for the game that helps it more than it hurts it. In addition, the ideals of the team are actually integrated into character development which is something unprecedented for Pokemon. Overall, most of the criticisms for this game come from the high expectations for traditional Pokemon fans and the lack of nostalgic appeal, which is something that I would rather applaud the game for. 

In general, I would rate this game a 10/10 experience for the average Pokémon fan. The game does have its flaws but overall, in the grand scheme of Pokémon games, it is a must-play and a worthwhile experience for those who want something different from the current direction of the Pokémon franchise.

-Benjamin L.

Pokemon Conquest is a Pokemon spin-off game, a game that uses different gameplay mechanics from the normal games that were released during the 5th generation. The game is effectively a tactical role playing game which functions similarly to a chess board. Conquest is generally a different experience compared to the average Pokemon games since it also draws from traditional Japanese lore and designs. 

One thing that draws players in is the unique gameplay and visual design compared to the normal games. The grid based battle system and large map makes gameplay and battling a fresh experience and the different moves of each pokemon allows for hundreds of different ways to play. The game also includes traditional japanese influences which spice up the game as it is something that is less commonly seen in western games. The game also still maintains many things about what makes pokemon great in the pokemon themselves and how they interact and battle with others.

While the game is solid overall, there still are many issues with the game as a whole. One major complaint is the post game after the main story. While the main story is still hours of content, much of what happens after the main story is effectively the same thing but from the perspectives of different characters. This devalues the game for me as not having much to look forward to after is a disappointment given the potential of a game like this. Another complaint is the general access and pool of pokemon. The way pokemon level up and their upwards potential is based on the characters as well, meaning that each character is limited to a specific pokemon which and inhibit the potential of teambuilding and gameplay as you would need to obtain hard to get characters just to use 1 singular pokemon at the maximum potential.

Overall, I would rate the game a 7/10. I would recommend it if you enjoy rpg games and Pokemon, although the many fundamental issues and inherent lack of a post game make it hard to justify over the other great games out there. 

-Benjamin L.