Pokémon Not-so-Brilliant Diamond: A Faithful But Safe Remake

Today I’ll be reviewing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, which I’ll frequently refer to as BDSP throughout this review since, per tradition, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are essentially the exact same game. BDSP is the latest Pokémon remake, revisiting the classic Diamond and Pearl games 15 years later. With the remakes being handled by ICLA rather than GameFreak, the focus was on preserving the nostalgic feel of the originals. While BDSP offers faithful recreations of the Sinnoh region and its Pokémon, I think this focus actually works to BDSP’s detriment. Despite some strong elements, BDSP ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to expand and enhance the original experience, offering very minimal innovation.

GRAPHICS: 6

The graphics of BDSP fall into a bit of a nostalgia trap. ICLA opted for a chibi toy-like look for the overworld, which accurately mimics the look of the original Nintendo DS games, but doesn’t fully take advantage of 13 years' worth of improved technology and hardware. Fortunately, the character models in battle look good with proportionally accurate designs. I think the greatest accomplishment of previous Pokémon remakes Like FireRed/LeafGreen, HeartGold/SoulSilver, and Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire is their ability to recreate their respective worlds using current engines and hardware. They bring the region to life beyond the confines of the technical limitations of the original games. Unfortunately, BDSP does not. The lack of any real graphical improvements or any significant visual flair leaves the world feeling flat.

SOUND: 8

On the audio front, BDSP shines. The remastered soundtracks for BDSP faithfully enhance the iconic Diamond and Pearl soundtrack with orchestral style instrumentation that make each track sound richer and fuller while staying true to the original compositions. Standout tracks like Cynthia’s Battle Theme and the Spear Pillar Theme both feature upgraded sound that enhance the weight and intensity of these key story moments. Pokémon cries and battle sound effects also sound cleaner thanks to improved audio quality, but remain largely the same as in the original. Overall, the sound design and music in BDSP are one of its stronger elements, providing a wave of nostalgia with a modern touch. While I would’ve gladly welcomed a few new tracks, I’m happy with the enhancements BDSP made to the original Diamond and Pearl soundtrack I know and love.

ADDICTIVENESS: 6

For fans of the original Diamond and Pearl, and Pokémon in general, BDSP offers a fun, engaging experience, though it doesn’t add much to the formula. The core Pokémon loop of catching, battling, and training Pokémon remains addictive, with a fair amount of stuff to keep you busy after beating the main game. In addition to online trading, battling, shiny hunting, and catching legendaries, you can also enjoy postgame rematches against all 8 Gym Leaders, the Elite 4, and Cynthia. BDSP’s newly revamped Grand Underground also offers a nice change of pace with treasure and rare Pokémon you can’t encounter in the overworld. Outside of these additions, BDSP doesn’t do much to innovate compared to previous remakes.

STORY: 6

The story is basically a 1:1 faithful retelling of the original Diamond and Pearl plot, which is fairly straightforward. You start your journey in Twinleaf Town, obtain the Pokédex from Professor Rowan, battle Barry every so often, and prevent Cyrus and Team Galactic from using legendary Pokémon for their evil ambitions. After you finally put an end to Team Galactic, you take on the Elite 4, Cynthia, and then the credits roll. For fans of the original games, the plot is nearly identical to Diamond and Ruby with very slight dialogue adjustments here and there, complete with modern visuals. Again, I can't help but feel like this remake played it too safe and missed an opportunity to expand on the story of Diamond and Pearl with additional lore or side content like the Delta Episode in ORAS. For fans of the original, the story is a nostalgic trip, but for those hoping for a little more, BDSP falls short once again.

DEPTH: 5

While Brilliant Diamond includes many classic Pokémon mechanics, it plays it safe and doesn’t expand on them significantly. While You can enjoy filling out the National Dex and exploring the new and improved Grand Underground, BDSP doesn’t really introduce anything new or exciting, which makes the experience seem somewhat limited compared to other remakes like ORAS, which offered substantial gameplay innovations. As far as the main game goes, I beat Brilliant Diamond in 22 hours, a fraction of the time it took for me to beat the original Diamond. This can partly be chalked up to the EXP Share splitting exp across the entire party and the game engine obviously being much faster, but I also imposed certain restrictions on myself to circumvent the EXP Share since it can’t be turned off. After beating the main game, I spent an additional 16 hours collecting and training my favorite Pokémon in the Grand Underground, which put me at just under 40 total hours of playtime. I could’ve easily spent more time trying to complete the Pokédex, but didn’t feel compelled to do so. Your mileage may vary of course, but for me, BDSP was definitely a missed opportunity to expand on the Sinnoh region.

DIFFICULTY: 5

BDSP is a relatively easy game due to the mandatory EXP share, which makes leveling up a full team completely effortless. While this is a convenient quality-of-life feature for casual players, it makes leveling up far too easy and removes the challenge from battling. Since the EXP Share can't be turned off, I had to find my own workaround. I countered this problem by skipping some of the trainers along each route and where possible, I avoided friendship boosting activities to prevent my Pokémon from randomly living on 1 HP, getting critical hits nonstop, or shaking off status conditions left and right. Having played most modern Pokémon games, I knew this feature would dumb down battles and dilute my experience, which is why I steered clear of it from the start.

One thing I will give BDSP full credit for is the decision to give important trainers, gym leaders, the Elite 4, and Cynthia EVs (effort values), unique hold items, and more competitive movesets. By the time you get to the Elite 4, movesets start resembling sets you'd see on Pokémon Showdown, which was a welcome surprise. If you were worried that Cynthia's battle would be watered down, fear not as her Garchomp is stronger than ever with the inclusion of Swords Dance in its moveset. Unfortunately, despite the enhancements made to certain trainers and their Pokémon, the average player will likely max out the friendship level of their Pokémon and battle every trainer they encounter, which negates a lot of these subtle changes. Overall, for better or worse, Brilliant Diamond offers the quality of life conveniences of modern Pokémon games. For the players seeking more of a challenge, I’d recommend a similar approach to what I did in my playthrough–avoid battling every trainer and restrict your use of friendship boosting mechanics whenever possible.

FINAL THOUGHTS

For me, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond is a remake that offers a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but little in terms of innovation. The game sticks too closely to the original formula and doesn't take full advantage of modern hardware (there's a 13 year leap in hardware from the DS to Switch) or the opportunity to expand the story and mechanics. Some fans of the original games will find comfort in the faithfulness of these remakes, but for others like me, BDSP may feel too safe and unambitious. In the end, it's a remake that could've shone much more brilliantly, but instead leaves players wishing for more.

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