[Review] Pokemon Black & White Versions · 5:12pm Apr 24th, 2016
Perfection absolute. Mostly.
I have mentioned many times in the past that the fourth generation is my favorite generation of all time. This is still true, but what some of you may not know that Diamond and Pearl are not my favorite games in the franchise. That honor would have to go to Pokemon Black and White for the Nintendo DS.
To me, this is about as good a Pokemon game as you can get. And maybe this claim will be scratched when Sun and Moon come out, but if so these two games will never stop being my favorite. But why? Why are these my favorite Pokemon games of all time? Well, if you'll give me a little bit of your time, allow me to explain why.
SuperKamek's back to reviewing, baby! Let's take those nostalgia goggles off and give you some true facts!
...okay, that last part was a lie, but I will try to give you facts instead of just my personal opinion, as so many reviewers do in the past. Let's see how fast I screw that up, eh?! So, without further ado, let's delve right into it! Also note that there may be SPOILERS to anyone who hasn't played the game yet, so just a head's up, alright?
Story
If you know Pokemon, you should know the scoop by now.
You're a young kid, officially aged 14+, who's about to go on their very own Pokemon adventure. You choose a starter Pokemon of either Fire, Water or Grass, and you, as well as your rival or rivals, step out into the world to battle, collect and train the Pokemon you meet on your journey to defeat the eight Gym Leaders of the region and become champion of the Pokemon League, all the while battling a criminal organization who aim to do something to the world.
Only this time it's different. This time, Team Plasma is here.
I personally really enjoy when an evil syndicate (y'know, the main goddamn villains of the game) are a prominent role in a Pokemon game, and Team Plasma just blows up in your face by how important they are to the story. They do petty things like theft, speeches on how great they are, more theft, and summoning of ancient gods from age's past. Y'know; the usual. But Team Plasma goes beyond that. Their motives are different from other teams; wanting to liberate Pokemon instead of trying to rule the world or whatever. They aren't just another team you deal with before facing the eight Gym Leader either! They are an actual threat that, whether people know it or not, have the region of Unova right in their fingertips. Even after you defeat the Elite Four, they're still going at you, what with having defeated the champion and beginning their reign over the world. And for the first time ever in handheld mainstream Pokemon game history, the final boss is not the champion, but rather the boss of Team Plasma.
This expanded also translates wonderfully with the characters within the game, but stick around a little longer and I'll explain about them very soon. Most are fleshed out and unforgettable. Well, almost unforgettable anyway. My one gripe with the story though? Team Plasma's true intentions. I won't spoil what they are, but trust me when I say you'll be disappointed, especially after the amazing build up the game has been doing ever since the beginning of the game.
Gameplay
Again, just as you remember it.
You have a team of six Pokemon that join you in your quest to be the best. Each can learn four moves to your liking, within the Pokemon's move pool of course, and each move has a type that can either greatly damage opponents or not really hurt them at all. Returning to the game are also STAB bonuses that occur when a Pokemon uses a move the same type as said Pokemon, as well as items that can aid you in battle. You have a total of 649 to use at your disposal, and each comes packing with power, variety, and awesomeness.
Okay, that last part was a bit of a lie. Not all Pokemon are really all that original, some of them are lacking serious variety in the sense some of them feel really alike, and some of them... well...
...are Luvdisc.
But other than that, there's still a lot of cool Pokemon to use! The fifth generation has been PANNED by some of it's choices, like Vanilluxe and Chandelure. However, I'm sorry to say that if you hate Pokemon just by their appearance, you're a moron. Vanilluxe and Chandelure are some of the greatest special attackers I've ever had the pleasure of using, what with their high special attacks (duh) and abilities. Same goes for stuff like Garboder! Don't hate it because it looks "dumb", hate it because it's a shit Pokemon with unforgivably low stats.
Sorry; rant over. 
Anyway, a few new things are added to the table here. First off, TMs are now unlimited. THANK THE FUCKING GODS!! This was an addition we needed in the Pokemon games. Being able to experiment with different moves and not having to worry about wasting money and time is a liberty we never had until now, and I'm glad it's here to stay since we also got it in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Two other additions I don't think were per-say necessary but definitely added a whole lot more strategy to Pokemon was the births of triple battles and rotation battles.
Triple battles have three Pokemon on the field this time, but depending on where your Pokemon are they can or cannot hit Pokemon on certain positions of combat. I actually really like this, as it makes me really think before sending my Pokemon into battle. Rotation battles are sweet though! They're like a combination of triple battles and single battles, in a way; three Pokemon are out on the field, but only the lead can attack. The player can rotate the field and switch the lead whenever they want, which thankfully doesn't cost a move. Having two Pokemon in defense mode which you can switch to without losing a move is amazing and adds even more strategy to the game.
Stepping away from main battle mechanics for a moment, I won't deny there are some things that don't allow me to fully appreciate the gameplay. For one, what the hell happened to berries? I mean, yeah they're still in the game, but you can't grow them on your own. I get not too many people liked growing berries, so why not have a berry shop then? Y'know what? I bet there is one and I completely forgot about it, so this is just an early game nitpick. However, one thing I definitely don't like, and I'm sure many people can agree with me, is how you only have access to about 140 Pokemon pre-national-dex. And they're all new! Here's a bit of biased opinion sprouting up, I know, but hear me out. I get GameFreak wanted to have a game where you had all these brand new toys to play with like the first game, but it's because of this that the game feels like it's trying to be Red and Blue, when it's clearly also trying to be it's own thing. It's a confusing mess that always made me a little concerned, now as a young adult and then as a kid. Why not have some variety in generations? Ruby and Sapphire had that down; X and Y had that down; hell, even Diamond and Pearl, two of the most forced 150-Pokemon-only games ever to be made had Pokemon from other generations! Why not here?
Both these flaws are nitpicks though, so I wouldn't really look too into them unless it gets really bad. Thankfully, it doesn't
Characters
Beautiful and wonderful in every sense of the word! Mostly...
The characters from Black and White are some of the most unforgettable people you may ever meet in the Pokemon world. It is very clear that a lot of care and EFFORT on GameFreak's part went into crafting these guys, as most of them have their own set personalities, strengths and flaws. It really is nice to see a game so attached to it's characters like this.
For starters, your rivals, Cheren and Bianca. Cheren is a boy who wants to learn more about Pokemon, but doesn't fully understand how. It's because of this that he keeps pushing himself and his Pokemon further then he and they can go, eventually reaching their breaking point. He can be a little rude sometimes, but his intentions are pure as snow. He's always there to help a friend in need. Bianca is a flighty girl who doesn't fully understand Pokemon either, but on a whole different way than Cheren. It's not that she's bad at caring for her Pokemon like her friend (actually, she's extremely kind to anyone who doesn't upset her), it's just that she really, actually, seriously doesn't get it, which is why she feels as if she keeps losing. However, she's always confident and happy, and fully believes in her Pokemon the whole way through.
Of course, there's N, arguably one of the most interesting characters in the entire franchise. You first meet him in Accumula Town where he points out the legitimacy of Team Plasma's speech. You battle him a few times before he reveals himself to be the leader of Team Plasma, and he aims to liberate Pokemon from their "abusive" trainers. However, throughout the course of the game, he begins to question the legitimacy of his OWN beliefs, wondering if he's fighting for the hard truth, or just his own selfish ideals. This goes on for a while, but it isn't until the very end of the game when he's betrayed by his father Ghetsis and finally understands the wrong he's done, realizing that Pokemon and People are MEANT to be together to grow stronger. It's honestly one of the most beautiful scenes in the game, and it further enforces how good a character N is. He's philosophical, straight to the point and serious, but is still just a kid and thus doesn't really understand everything yet. All of his actions are what he believes is the right thing to do, and I think that is simply amazing.
And then there's Ghetsis, the true tyrannical ruler of Team Plasma. Man, I love to hate this guy! He's cold, calculating, and really, really hates it when a plan of his turns to shit. All throughout the game, he has been there just one step ahead of you, mocking you as you fruitlessly try to stop him and his plans. He toys with every single one of his pawns and finds pure enjoyment in watching people suffer. You may think he's just another bland, uninteresting villain to Pokemon, and while that is a very valid argument, Ghetsis is different; he has true colors. When you defeat N at the end of the game, that's it. He's played all of his cards and you have trumped them all. In a last-ditch effort to regain what he's lost, he reveals his true batshit insane personality and goes at you and your team with full-force in an attempt to end your life! His battle theme also reflects his personality. Many have joked the choir is saying "Dennis", but the leading theory is that it's actually saying Penance. For those not in the know, Penance is a word often used in religious context, meaning a collection of your sins. Ghetsis wants you to repent for your sins to the god he believes he is. Absolutely astonishing how just one word can describe an entire character.
Even some of the side characters get some personality. For one, the champion is pushed to the side a bit this game, but he still has a great personality. Having lost his partner Pokemon to sickness years ago, his heart has since been shattered and he roams the land in a false happy attitude, hiding away his sadness and fear. The Gym Leaders also had more contributions to the story; now you can learn more about them and make their battles all the more interesting and fun. Hell, even Bianca's father gets a bit of spotlight! He's an overprotective dad who wants to keep his daughter safe the only way he knows how; by taking her home and away from her adventure. After a stern talking from one of the Gym Leaders though, his character develops and he changes his mind, allowing Bianca to continue her journey. It's a sweet moment for sure!
And then... there's the Seven Sages, six of the most useless, unnecessary characters in the games. All they are is bark and no bite, clearly trying to be threatening, but unable to be with their lack of ANY BATTLES. And the worst part is, you can literally remove them from the game and NOTHING would be different. Simply replace all their encounters with Ghetsis (which would actually enforce Ghetsis even more, funnily enough) and six grunts at the end, and nothing would change. Sure, there's the post game where you search the region in a side quest, but that's it! Thankfully, one of them, named Zinzolin, had his character greatly improved in the second games. But here and now, they're completely useless.
There are other characters in the game, but I don't want to be here forever, so... yeah...
Music
Masterpieces all the way.
No, I'm serious! This may be arguably the best Pokemon soundtrack in the entire series! There is not a single track in these games I dislike. I am so very, VERY happy GameFreak's composers put a lot of effort into this one part of the game that means everything in a scene. From happy tunes, to sad melodies, to even epic beats that give a sense of power and strength to the player, I can't find a single bad track in these games.
The adventure-filled upbeat tone of Skyarrow Bridge:
The feeling of being close to home with Nuvema Town:
The mysteriousness of the Abyssal Ruins:
The triumphant sound you hear when you're about to defeat a Gym Leader:
The frantic and threatening theme of Team Plasma:
The dark tone and hopelessness of Ghetsis's battle:
The feeling of approaching certain doom with N's Castle:
And how could we forget the final N battle?
There are way more tracks than just these, but if I were to go through them all, we would be here forever. Long story short, the music is really awesome. My personal favorite for sure, but I'm sure if you have a soundtrack that tops this one then it probably sounds better to you than it does to me. I'm just being biased, lol.
But yeah, either way, it's an excellent soundtrack. 
Final Verdict
Pokemon Black and White are amazing games.
From the two unique new styles of battling, to the incredibly fleshed out characters, to the interesting and vastly different-from-the-others story, they're games you certainly don't want to miss out on if you're a Pokemon fan. If you somehow haven't played them already, I would recommend them to hell and back! I will be the first here to admit they are not perfect by any means. Some characters are boring, the twist at the end sucks, and didn't mention this before, but the colors and lighting in the game are bleak and boring most of the time. If you're more comfortable sticking with the more brightly-colored Gens 1-4 or the newer X and Y, then by all means stay with them! But if you want a few game with some newer restrictions and an interesting story to boot, then these are the games for you!
Pokemon Black and White earns...
9/10
If SuperKamek was IGN...
+ New battle styles
+ Incredibly well-written characters and dialogue
+ Interesting different story
+ Amazing music
+ Wonderful post-game content
- Bleak, uninteresting colors most of the time
This has been SuperKamek saying thank you, have a great night, and to this day I have NEVER played Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. The funny thing was that I was so close to playing White 2, and then my copy broke and I could never play it again. Even funnier is that I'm too lazy to just get myself another copy of the game.
Black and White were the closest I had to the proper Pokémon experience - I played the game through, I traded, and I kept up with the events. It was awesome.
I liked how the seasons also infect the towns and cities. And how some items you can only reach if it is Autumn or Winter.
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I unfortunately couldn't do that at the time with my weak internet, but I'm enjoying some events with AS and X!
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Which was slightly annoying, but an interesting concept nonetheless.
What can I say about about Black&White:
+many strong pokemon (CHANDELURE, ELEKTROSS, HYDREIGON)
-with most evolving too late (Lv.54 for Braviary?!?)
+the idea of a gym final pokemon theme is great (theme is epic btw)
-instead they the kept gym leader 3 pokemon limit for the next games
+huge, varied region
-but you can only access half of it during the story
+seasons affect the world and the battles
-not enough water
+final N battle = best rival battle (legi vs legi)
-directly before the story gets ruined
+some of my favourite pokemon (SERPERIOR, HYDREIGON, BRAVIARY)
-and the question why ALOMOMOLA is not LUVDISCs evolution
Overall I like them, because they tried something new with the story, which worked in my opinion (like Colosseum and XD)
And strangely enough I also need to play Black2&White2 (well, and Emerald)
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Allow me to retort!
- I'm sad that people hate all these really awesome Pokemon just because of their designs!
- It's with all Pokemon games. They evolve closer to the level you first meet them.
- It keeps you on your toes and interested in the fight!
- To be fair though, GameFreak did compensate for this with higher-leveled Pokemon in BW and B2W2.
- As most regions usually are.
- I'll admit to the linearity, but it's nice to explore an entire other part of the world post-game.
- Which is a slightly annoying thing, but I was down with it.
- Just the right amount, actually.
- The final battle with N is epic, but it's really not all that interesting. The music's pretty good though!
- Pardon? I hope you mean the awful twist at the end and not the absolutely fantastic battle with Ghetsis.
- Some of my favorite Pokemon too, like Vanilluxe, Darmanitan, and Reuniclus!
- Because the game was trying way too hard to be earlier games, so it reused designs.
3893453 Let's see (now with numbers to keep track)
1. I love the designs of this gen, I mean we got a hydra, a " 'MURICA!!"-bird and a pringles-jellyfish
2. At the end of my White playthrough three of my pokemon weren't fully evolved
3.best main pokemon theme remix
4.... and then completely ruined everything in X&Y
5.nothing more here
6. At least it contained a Cynthia rematch (with BRAVIARY!)
7. But a nice gen-exclusive feature
8. There's always place for an IGN joke
9. Again: Legendary versus Legendary
10. Yes, yes I do
11. Already said everything in 1.
12. At least they gave us full 150 new pokemon
13. Why did I count so many things?!
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1. I "lol'd" at Pringles Jellyfish.
2. Well, that obviously means the game wanted you to enjoy Eviolite.
3. Oh, without a doubt!
4. No argument here.
5. K
6. And Kyurem. And the Abyssal Ruins. AND more Pokemon to collect.
7. Exactly!
8. Because IGN can eat my shit.
9. That's it? That's... not really all that interesting, sorry. Besides that, the rest of the battle is just "Okay".
10. Oh, okay, good! Because if not... hahaha... we'd have a problem.
11. K
12. 160+, to be exact, making it the largest Pokedex to date. Ironically enough followed by the shortest.
13. Because we're both morons?
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1. Either this or Mr. Monopoly
9. Well, not only that, but also that the battle itself is still a fair challenge, because N wants you two to fight on the same level and doesn't rely on cheap tactics. His battle basically represents the exact opposite of the battle against Ghetsis, who just wants to crush you.
13. I think I top you in regards to that, because for me it's already past midnight