The Definitive Pokemon Experience
It isn't often that a single game can shape an entire generation. For some, it was Pac Man or Pong. For others it might have been Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda. I grew up when Pokemon was that game. We were the target demographic, the legions of Pokemaniacs who would eat up every bit of merchandising, rave about the cartoon, and spend all of our parent's money in the process. Looking back however, I realize how many left their experience after Red and Blue, never venturing past their initial dose of the franchise. I played Pokemon Silver mostly alone, having only a few friends to share the experience with. It speaks volumes then, to say that I remembered Pokemon Silver as a vastly superior experience, one that Red and Blue could never touch. But these memories come from almost a decade ago, and gaming has evolved by leaps and bounds in that span. Have my childhood favorites evolved with it, or was I looking through rose-tinted glasses?
After seeing both the last generation Fire Red and the current Heart Gold, it's very clear that Game Freak is very faithful to their remakes. Every song, piece of dialogue, route, and gym battle is, for the most part, exactly how you remember it. Gyms have been drastically revamped, taking advantage of the DS' capabilities, giving players some new eye candy apart from countless grassy routes. The visuals, in fact, are stellar all around. About half of the Pokemon in the game have been given new artwork and, in some cases, color paletes. To an undiscerning eye this may seem like a minor change, but the oversaturated colors of the past few games will be missed by few.
In terms of gameplay, Pokemon is the same as it's ever been. You battle monsters, sometimes catch them, and harbor hopes of one day catching all 498 of them. While there have been some minor changes in menus, battle mechanics and other side content, If you've already had your fill of Pokemon, the game alone probably won't do much to change your mind. The world is abuzz with whisperings of the Pokewalker, a pedometer that allows you to train Pokemon outside of the game, but don't bridge your purchase on the Pokewalker alone. It serves more as a means of collecting rare Pokemon and interacting with friends, and is by no means a full game experience by itself.
For those of us who aren't sick of the Pokemon franchise, Heart Gold and Soul Silver are your masterpieces, the games that got everything right back then, and continue to now. The world of Johto is big and colorful, and each city has a distinct feel that sets it apart from others. The day-night cycle, though included in Diamond and Pearl, is utilized to its very fullest, with optional daily events that not only convince you of their relevance, but draw you back in over and over. Daily events aren't new to the series, but it's never been better executed than in HGSS.
Throughout my time with the game, I only found one major problem. The game is divided into two halves, one per continent, and as a result the level balance can be a little screwy. I found myself consistently unprepared for battles, but surrounding areas weren't viable training grounds. I would need a Pokemon to be level 20, but found only level 5 Pokemon in the surrounding areas. The second continent is even worse about this, with other trainers being the only viable source of levelling up your team. I wouldn't call this a game breaker, but it's definitely a frustration, and casts a shadow on the experience as a whole.
As much as I want to bitch and complain about how Pokemon isn't innovating or moving forward, I can't. Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver are everything I remember, and show exactly what makes the franchise so endearing. It's the characters, and the monster designs. The tension in battles, and the lust for rare items. If you're an active critic of Pokemon, don't expect this game to change your mind. But If you've ever held any sort of affection for the series, you can't go wrong with Heart Gold and Soul Silver.
