Gaming Pokemon DPP Vs BW(2)

[banzai200]

So i was playing Pokémon White last week and realized something
Alright, this may be kinda obvious now, but Pokémon BW/BW2 use the same formula of any core series Pokémon game launched in the last 20 years, and yet, has a different feeling of the rest of the games.
So i started comparing the game with the previous gen, specially platinum (which I'm helping to translate to my native language), so i started analyzing the games and reached a impasse, which one is better?
As i was developing this, i thought of some pros/cons i wanted to share here.

Pros:
DPP:
Cynthia (Do i even need to explain?)
Cyrus (NOT team galactic, they are just a bunch of weaklings, but fuck, Cyrus wanted to blow up the universe and create his own to be a god, how cool is that?)
Online Play (It was not perfect, but it was there, and it was good)
"3D" graphics (Wasn't X/Y but it was good)
You could literally catch GOD and SATAN (and the personification of time, space, dreams, nightmares, knowledge, willpower and emotion, all in little capsules)
Battles were hard and breathtaking

BW/BW2:
Character development
Non-Expiring TMs (Thank Heavens for that)
Fully animated sprites
A Darker Story (How darker, you ask? if you look at Ghetsis' team lineup compared to N's, he would utterly obliterate N, yes, Ghetsis would betray his own son, and in BW2, he tried to straight up kill you, yep, for kids)
PWT (DO I SERIOUSLY NEED TO EXPLAIN?)
Awesome Music (I still dance to Reshiram/Zekrom theme)

Cons:
DPP:
It became forgotten (no, seriously, is the least spoken game in the franchise, and don't pull that "everyone wants a remake now", everyone does that because Gamefreak did ORAS)
The Legendary scale (as cool it seems to catch God and Satan, you are still a ten year old, so that's kinda ridiculous)
The game speed (It was too slow, it bores fast)
The lack of more touchscreen action (THAT'S THE MAIN GIMMICK OF THE CONSOLE, HOW YOU CAN SCREW THAT UP?)

BW/BW2:
Team Plasma are Hypocrites
N is dumb
Gym battles felt too easy
Too many friends (SHUT UP CHEREN, I ALREADY KNOW IT)

I know there's some i didn't put, i will leave for discussion, and BTW, I don't care about Pokémon designs, you can catch some others after all

 

[Hking0036]

I'm replaying platinum and about to play gen v for the first time with pokemon black, but based on my few minutes of experience a con for me with gen v is the inability to set L=A. I like being able to play one-handed.

I'd qualify online play as a moot point by now. Also, 'becoming forgotten' seems relative. I've not seen any shortage of mention of it. The speed issue is a valid point, getting in and out of battles in platinum is a pain which is why I've been going back to play it in an emulator then injecting the save back into the cart for on the go.

The thing that really gets me going back is that I loved darkrai so much, but it's nigh on impossible to get him anymore. I cheated in a Member's Card but I wish nintendo would make event pokemon more accessible, which I suppose they've accomplished with the streetpass eon tickets in ORAS and the wifi support now. I'm sad to see the DS WFC go.

 

[froggestspirit]

The thing that really gets me going back is that I loved darkrai so much, but it's nigh on impossible to get him anymore.

You can still tweak into the void in D/P, google it.

Here's my pro list for DPPt:
-Music (probably my all-time favorite soundtrack)
-Characters and storyline
-Battle Frontier
-Underground (this thing was too fun for it's own good)
-Ball Capsules
-Poketch (my favorite "device" in all the games)
-POKE'RADAR! (This is what kept me playing for hours and hours after I completed everything)
-Tweaking/Void (I love glitching, and this was fun to explore)
-Introduced Physical/Special split
-Pokemon Constests
-Swarms, GBA Pokemon (when you plug in the cart, you can find extra pokemon on routes) And mr. backlot (mostly for chaining)

There's probably a few things I forgot, but DPPt is still my top favorite of the Pokemon series, followed closely by HG/SS and X/Y.
I know that B/W(2) felt like the black-sheep of the bunch (no pun intended), but I have to give it credit for being the game I probably spent the most time in when I played competitively. B/W(2) also had a very nice soundtrack, but then again, I'd say that about almost any of the main series pokemon games nowadays. I felt like Generation 4 had a lot of things going for it, but B/W(2) ditched them. I liked the contests, but they were replaced by musicals and movies (which I never got into). I loved the Poke'radar so much, but... B/W(2) sort of left it out, and who knows why? Same with the underground. The TMs being infinite in B/W(2) was a long overdue feature, and I'm glad that's a thing now.
As much as I hate to say it, These features are things that I hope for in the new Pokemon games. X/Y had the radar back, and berry fields added to my 250Hr.+ playtime.
I just hope Sun/Moon has the Radar. I didn't like dexnav chaining.

 

[Hking0036]

You can still tweak into the void in D/P, google it.

Here's my pro list for DPPt:
-Music (probably my all-time favorite soundtrack)
-Characters and storyline
-Battle Frontier
-Underground (this thing was too fun for it's own good)
-Ball Capsules
-Poketch (my favorite "device" in all the games)
-POKE'RADAR! (This is what kept me playing for hours and hours after I completed everything)
-Tweaking/Void (I love glitching, and this was fun to explore)
-Introduced Physical/Special split
-Pokemon Constests
-Swarms, GBA Pokemon (when you plug in the cart, you can find extra pokemon on routes) And mr. backlot (mostly for chaining)

There's probably a few things I forgot, but DPPt is still my top favorite of the Pokemon series, followed closely by HG/SS and X/Y.

Having been going back and playing Platinum, a lot of this is noticable. I do like OR/AS's system a little better than the poketch, though the radar in it is still better to me than the dowsing machine, in showing you the exact no of steps in what direction the hidden item is. As for music, route 216 still sticks with me. The biggest downside so far going back are that defog seems like a tacked on HM, though I suppose you could say the same of flash it just seems like a move to waste a slot on a pokemon.

Personally, X/Y didn't really stick with me though, I don't know what it is but it just wasn't very memorable to me, the region seemed pretty homogeneous, the new pokemon really didn't stick with me (although that could be because they mixed gen V in there and I don't know those either), I still don't really know the new fairy typing, and honestly I hated Lumiose city.

After I'm done with all this, I need to take another crack at X/Y and see if I like it better the second time around. It just seemed like the concepts they introduced with that weren't refined enough until they put out OR/AS. Now though, I'm hopeful a remake of diamond or pearl comes with Gen VII around the corner. I feel like Diamond and Pearl were a good gen but held back by the pacing of the battles and minor features like bag sorting, and applying a bit of new gen touch to it would solidify it into something really strong.

Also, I have to ask, is there a code or something to sort the bag in Platinum?

 

[nxwing]

Gen V for the win!

Gen IV was nice but saving felt a bit slow and would cause me to look away and forget I had just saved my progress so, I saved again many times. Music was nice too and the route to Sunyshore was a beautiful one. I also liked Cynthia's battle theme.

Gen V was a BLAST. Almost everything was perfect. The rivals were boring and their music made me feel like I was battling clowns. But N changed it. N was like the real rival to me. The music was also PERFECT. Route 10 was one of the greatest route themes I've heard in a long time. The Elite 4 was also nice. I like Grimsly a lot. Alder felt like a mature Blue/Green.

 

[banzai200]

B/W(2) also had a very nice soundtrack, but then again, I'd say that about almost any of the main series pokemon games nowadays

Honestly, that's is true, it really doesn't matter which game you play, on the end, there's at least one music you will end up humming

Diamond and Pearl were a good gen but held back by the pacing of the battles and minor features like bag sorting, and applying a bit of new gen touch to it would solidify it into something really strong.

This.
If a remake of sinnoh is made, everyone will look at it with other eyes.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

The rivals were boring and their music made me feel like I was battling clowns.

Yeah, sure, but they were more friends than "rivals"
N felt like a real rival

 

[guisadop]

Gen IV all the way! Besides nostalgia (the DS was the first handheld I could afford), Sinnoh's music is still my favorite and the region was very comfy and easy to wear. Too bad it started the trend of adding a lot of legendaries and was SO GOD DAMN SLOW (but Platinum fixed this).

 

[ric.]

The Pokemon franchise as a whole seems to take one step forward and two steps backwards with every gen. Every time GameFreak manages to include a feature everyone loves they just take it out the next game. As such there's really no "definitive" Pokemon game - they all have good stuff and bad stuff.
That said, in my personal opinion BW and by extension, BW2 are probably the best games in the franchise. They're essentially the swan song to sprite-based Pokemon games and it shows - the games are just pouring with care and detail. It's obvious a lot of effort was put into them. They might be lacking certain features other games had (like the PokeRadar), but in my opinion it makes up for it with the intuitive interface, replay value, character design, and overall polished feeling you get from the game.

 

[ShadowOne333]

DDP without a doubt.
Gen V had pretty meh Pokemon, including legendaries. Only the three main legends were appealing to me (Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem), while the weather trio were... just awful. Thankfully they added alternate forms that made them different from each other.

Gen 4 on the other hand had way better Pokemon and the new evolutions for old gen Pkms were quite good. Legends were also incredibly well designed to my eyes.

I could care less about the enemy Teams really.
Only N was good from V, but in terms of main Trainer to fight, Cynthia blows anyone out of the water.

 

[banzai200]

(but Platinum fixed this)

KINDA fixed this, it's still dragging itself when compared to 3th/5th gen ones

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Gen V had pretty meh Pokemon

That's actually why i put on the post "I don't care about Pokémon designs"
I actually think that should be too much of a discussion, after all, you can have all the other ones in-game, so didn't like Emboar? Well, let me get a Typhlosion then, it is in this game after all, i just have to pick it on HG/SS

 

[ric.]

KINDA fixed this, it's still dragging itself when compared to 3th/5th gen ones

They all feel slow as molasses to me. Partly the reason I can only play Platinum on an emulator - thank god for the fast forward feature. I tried replaying it on my DS a couple months ago and it was incredibly tedious.

Also why does everyone seem to fawn over Cynthia so much? Sure her design is cool and so is her theme, and yaay female champion, but what's the big deal about her? Her fight wasn't particularly difficult.

 

[guisadop]

They all feel slow as molasses to me. Partly the reason I can only play Platinum on an emulator - thank god for the fast forward feature. I tried replaying it on my DS a couple months ago and it was incredibly tedious.

Also why does everyone seem to fawn over Cynthia so much? Sure her design is cool and so is her theme, and yaay female champion, but what's the big deal about her? Her fight wasn't particularly difficult.

It was the most difficult fight in the series so far, at least to me (and I think it still kinda is).

 

[banzai200]

It was the most difficult fight in the series so far, at least to me (and I think it still kinda is).

Tbh, i think her battle in black/white is harder than the one in DPP

 

[Flame]

I like both; DPP And B2W2.

but HGSS was creme da la creme

 

[ric.]

I like both; DPP And B2W2.

but HGSS was creme da la creme

HGSS is definitely one of the best games, but it barely improved on the original GSC's shrunk down maps (Johto is still tiny, Kanto is still empty - though not as empty as it originally was).
Also the level scaling was whack - the highest leveled wild Pokemon were lvl40 at most. That's way too low.

 

[Hking0036]

HGSS is definitely one of the best games, but it barely improved on the original GSC's shrunk down maps (Johto is still tiny, Kanto is still empty - though not as empty as it originally was).
Also the level scaling was whack - the highest leveled wild Pokemon were lvl40 at most. That's way too low.

I've not played HG/SS but Black/White so far (4 badges in) seems to be doing something similar, and if you look at the listing of the Gym Leader's pokemon you can see it, too:

B/W: http://serebii.net/blackwhite/gyms.shtml
HG/SS: http://serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/gym.shtml

The 8th Gym Leader in both games is barely pushing 40's, but if you look at platinum, the 8th was reaching 50's, and even in X/Y pushing to level 60:

D/P: http://serebii.net/diamondpearl/gymleaders.shtml
Pt: http://serebii.net/platinum/gyms.shtml
X/Y: http://serebii.net/xy/gyms.shtml

 

[ric.]

I've not played HG/SS but Black/White so far (4 badges in) seems to be doing something similar, and if you look at the listing of the Gym Leader's pokemon you can see it, too:

B/W: http://serebii.net/blackwhite/gyms.shtml
HG/SS: http://serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/gym.shtml

The 8th Gym Leader in both games is barely pushing 40's, but if you look at platinum, the 8th was reaching 50's, and even in X/Y pushing to level 60:

D/P: http://serebii.net/diamondpearl/gymleaders.shtml
Pt: http://serebii.net/platinum/gyms.shtml
X/Y: http://serebii.net/xy/gyms.shtml

You do have a point, but keep in mind HGSS has two regions while BW only has one (it's larger though, so it sort of evens out). Besides, in BW you can find wild Pokemon up to level 60 like Audino or Mamoswine, sometimes even 70 if you get lucky while fishing with a Super Rod. And considering the Pokemon League challenge is half of all there is to do in BW/B2W2, I'd say it's loads better than HGSS's level scaling.

Either way comparing those two games to XY is a little ridiculous because it's so easy to gain exp, and therefore levels in those games. Not to mention Gym Leaders never have more than 3 Pokemon, so there's that too.

 

[Lord M]

I finished few days ago the original Pokemon Red and now im currently playing Pokemon Sapphire (GBA)
The original first three gen-games will ever still the best, nothing more to say!

 

[Hking0036]

Having gone back now and playing Pokemon Black, I do like it, I don't know how to feel about it in comparison to platinum, though.

The first time on Skyarrow bridge was more funny than anything, they really wanted you to be impressed by it, I think, cutting to all those angles. Team Plasma seemed more interesting than Team Galactic, and N was a neat character, and I did love the bait-and-switch at the Elite Four. All that in consideration though, the post-game stuff (though it depends, where do you qualify post-game, post-e4 or post-champion) seemed tacked on, which I suppose is an argument that could be leveraged against any newer pokemon game, it just seemed better integrated in platinum in my opinion. The hunt for the 7 sages was sort of aimless, other than taking the eastern route that you're blocked off from. Which leads me to Black City, I liked the idea of Black having Black City and White having White Forest but it just feels like such an afterthought, Black City is so desolate. There's a few buildings, a couple trainers, and a single store and poke mart. In terms of actual content it's the smallest city in the game which is bizzare. I don't know how white forest is but I can see a forest being more sparse than Black City should be. I wish the Abyssal Ruins were more worked up in terms of lore rather than a thing that was just there with treasure in it. At least it wasn't full of Magikarps or something. They really tried to shove in the HMs at the end too, the Abyssal Ruins were the only dive spot I used and Waterfall I think I used a grand total of two times, to get to that area where Landorus is supposed to show up if you have both.

The real thing that made black for me were 2 big things: the pacing, and the fully-animated sprites. Going back now and playing Black, I'm a little wistful that X/Y/OR/AS didn't continue that tradition because the sprites in Black and White were amazingly animated and detailed. The pacing was a lot better than Platinum too, in terms of gameplay. Getting into a battle in platinum seems to drag on and on, but in black even a random encounter in a cave doesn't feel like that big of a nuisance (as a matter of fact, the amount of time I spent on black was more on the actual DS Lite than on an emulator versus Platinum, which to me is a pretty good indicator). Stuff like this makes me wish there were more platinum romhacks less interested in adding all the pokemon to catch or making the difficulty really steep, etc, etc to instead take the game that's already there, and polish it mechanically with what's come from newer gens. Not to dump on those kinds of romhacks of course, they have their place and a lot of them are very well put together (certainly better than anything I could), but after playing black I found myself searching for a platinum 'patch' that never was. I can still hope for the remakes, at least.

Also, the Dowsing Machine in both of these games were done pretty well, but I liked the one in black for the fact I could have it open all the time except when I was using the menu, since the C-Gear is kaput it's a way better occupation of the space down there. The time and battery were a nice touch too. The whole of Black seemed like a great flaunting of what the DS could do, it was a ton of fun to go through, I can't wait to play Black 2.

Now I need to play SS/HG for the first time and give X/Y another pass now I'm in pokemon fever. It didn't stick with me as well the first time, I want to see if looking at it fresh will help.

 

[banzai200]

but HGSS was creme da la creme

HGSS is definitely one of the best games, but it barely improved on the original GSC's shrunk down maps (Johto is still tiny, Kanto is still empty - though not as empty as it originally was).
Also the level scaling was whack - the highest leveled wild Pokemon were lvl40 at most. That's way too low.

I didn't put HG/SS in this thread on purpose, because even on Gen 4, those still were remakes,which means that the story, the pokémon variety, the gym leader and all the things that should be new were just recycled from Gen 2