Okay, so the first review for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver is now online... and damn, will you look at that!
The game had earned a 100/100 from GameObserver, the first time that the site has ever awarded a perfect score... and I don't know about you guys, but man, this review has me totally pumped for the game now...
Some excerpts from the review:
"There can be no two questions about it: Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are indisputably the best looking Pokémon titles to date, and that includes all the console versions. Game Freak opted to ditch the realistic look in favor of Diamond/Pearl/Platinum's 3D cartoony visual style, further refining the graphics, and notching them up by several gears.
What we have as a result is a beautifully rendered overworld that is incredibly atmospheric through neat little touches that are absolutely unheard of in handheld games -- the way the smoke wafts out of the chimneys, the way Ecruteak City is perennially strewn with golden leaves, the way small water bodies have water lilies on the surface, the plant life that grows on the cliffs, the way the Magnet Train's overhead bridge track can often be seen in the distance…
The original Pokémon Gold and Silver were among the most atmospheric and immersive games of their time, in spite of being on severely limited and inferior hardware, and their DS progeny look set to replicate the feat on a much more massive scale...
Many a time, the game abandons all pretenses, and presents us with full 3D graphics, N64 styl This is mostly limited to specific areas, like the gyms, but it certainly is a delight to see old favorites recreated with such loving and tender care. For newcomers, these areas present tangible proof of exactly what the DS is capable of, and they make you wonder why, six years into the system's lifespan, we are yet to see other games that can match up to what Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver provide visually.
The old music has been remixed and redone wonderfully, unlike in FireRed and LeafGreen, where many old fan favorites were downright butchered, and even though all tunes may not appeal to all, most tunes will be to everybody's taste. However, foreseeing the possibility of a really nitpicky gamer, Nintendo has even included the option to switch over to the original Gold and Silver's chip tune, in an effort to ensure that everybody will be pleased.
And that's not even all. Like with the game's graphics, Game Freak has gone all out to ensure that the game's world totally immerses you. So you'll be able to hear the sound of your footsteps as you walk, which actually varies as per the terrain you're walking on. You'll be able to hear the wind as it blows through the windmills in New Bark Town, you'll be able to hear the soft sigh of the sea, you'll be able to hear the twigs cracking under your feet… they're all minor details, that, when added together, lend unprecedented depth and believability to the game...
Ultimately, there really is no other way, so I'll just come out here and say it: Pokémon Gold and Silver is the single greatest handheld game ever created. It not only trumps the originals in every way possible, but it also retains their charm, and paradoxically, their very spirit of innovation, by adding a spate of never before seen features to the franchise.
Yeah, sure, there are a few niggles along the way, and there is no escaping the fact that the game has that "kiddy" vibe to it all along, but look beneath the juvenile dialog and the vibrant and colorful graphics, and what you'll have is not only the deepest and most addictive title you'll ever play, but also one that trumps its esteemed predecessors in every way possible, and is, without any doubt, the greatest handheld game ever created...
Ultimately, there really is no other way, so I'll just come out here and say it: Pokémon Gold and Silver is the single greatest handheld game ever created. It not only trumps the originals in every way possible, but it also retains their charm, and paradoxically, their very spirit of innovation, by adding a spate of never before seen features to the franchise.
Yeah, sure, there are a few niggles along the way, and there is no escaping the fact that the game has that "kiddy" vibe to it all along, but look beneath the juvenile dialog and the vibrant and colorful graphics, and what you'll have is not only the deepest and most addictive title you'll ever play, but also one that trumps its esteemed predecessors in every way possible, and is, without any doubt, the greatest handheld game ever created."
You can check the original review out here!
Now I don't know about you guys, but this has just sealed the deal. The 'Greatest Handheld Game Ever Created,' huh? Man, I so want this!
What about you guys?
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