It's fitting that the franchise typically relied upon to sell Nintendo handhelds is also the swansong that bids farewell to the mighty Nintendo DS. The enormously popular Pokémon series graces the highest-selling handheld console of all time for one last hurrah and the result is nothing short of excellence.
Pokémon Black and White 2 are the first direct sequels in the monster catching series. Traditionally after the primary paired versions have been out a while, an enhanced third version is released that adds some useful things but does little to chart new ground. This time around, however, the new additions are paired with a story that has you seeing and dealing with the repercussions of the storyline that unfolded in the original Black and White versions.
Pokémon Black and White set a new precedent for the series by placing a large emphasis on telling a compelling story. It was pleasantly surprising to see so much thought go into the plotline of a Pokémon game, especially one that challenged the very basis of what the games are about (and tying in perfectly with the “Black and White” title). While the sequels no longer have you questioning the morality of being a Pokémon trainer, it’s quite interesting to see how the world has been changed by N’s plight and how many people are still struggling to come to terms with things in the aftermath.
A neat feature is the Memory Link, which allows you to “link” your Black or White save file with the new games. This doesn’t affect your old save file in any way, but it does add interesting extra story scenes to the new games depending on what was accomplished in the originals. It’s nothing terribly groundbreaking, but they're neat asides for those invested in the lore of the world and definitely tie in with Generation V’s focus on story.
The slightly less interesting story aside, Black and White 2 improve on their predecessors in every conceivable way. There’s so much more to do this time around that it’s almost overwhelming, and Game Freak has added a lot of neat little touches that make the game much more enjoyable to play. It’s surprising that some things were added to these titles rather than saved them for the inevitable Generation VI Pokémon games for 3DS, but we're not going to look a gift Horsea in the mouth.
The first thing that’s immediately noticeable is the interface has been given a fresh coat of paint and looks fantastic. While the aesthetics of the HP and experience bars of your ‘mon seems like an insignificant detail, so much time is spent staring at it during play that it’s nice to see some care went into making it pleasant to look at. The colours actually change depending on which version is being played!
Other fancy touches are the eyecatches that pop up when entering a new area, the redesigned C-Gear and the fact that every Trainer battled now has a short animation. These are all small things taken at face value, but added together they help make Black and White 2 feel fresh even though the original games were released only a little over a year and a half ago.
One complaint about Black and White was that you had to actually complete the game before Pokémon from the first four generations would show up. While not a popular decision, it helped establish Unova as a distinct region in the Pokémon world with its own unique flavour. That goes out the window this time and you’re bombarded with familiar faces right from the get-go. Even some of the older legendary trios are included, making them much easier to obtain without having to go back to older games in the series.
Each of the gyms has been redesigned and they're all an absolute blast to experience. Long gone are the days of walking in a straight line to the gym leader; each one has a stylistic flair that represents the personality of the leader running it. As an early example, Roxie’s gym is a dingy grunge club where she and her band provide the entertainment. Defeating each band member removes a different stem from the backing music, taking away instruments until she's left singing by herself. They’re much more dynamic and interesting; gyms are no longer a chore that must be endured and are instead a joy to experience.
For those who always got a kick out of Pokémon Contests and Musicals, PokéStar Studios in Virbank City has you and your Pokémon taking on starring roles in various themed movies. The Pokémon and moves chosen, as well as script improvisations, all have an effect on the success of the film upon release. It’s actually quite engaging, and contextualising Pokémon and their moves in yet another way goes a long way to making the games feel more whole and thought out.
Hardcore battlers will be pleased once they stumble upon the Pokémon World Tournament in Driftveil City, which is similar in function to the Battle Frontier in previous games but with a larger scope. We don’t want to give too much away, but there’s a good chance you’ll run into quite a few familiar faces if you spend enough time there...
Players who tinkered with the social aspects of Black and White should also check out Join Avenue. It's a new area that allows you to employ the avatars of players you’ve tagged, via wireless communication, to populate a shopping mall with various useful shops. It’s not a very in-depth simulation by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s very fulfilling managing the Avenue and seeing representations of your friends managing shops in your game.
It's a friendly front to mess about with some of the series' most hidden factors, too: certain shops let you meddle with EV training far more simply than before, letting you pay to adjust your Pokémon's statistics. If that means little to you, don't worry too much: you can also use the Avenue for simpler purposes, such as speeding up egg hatching or entering lotteries to win wonderful prizes like Master Balls.
There are also a handful of other small additions, including an in-game achievement system. When you complete different tasks, a friendly chap will award you medals commemorating your accomplishments whenever you next visit a Pokémon Centre. It's not the smoothest implementation of such a system, but being able to peer at a case of shiny medals does add a little something.
Two new modes, Challenge Mode and Easy Mode, allow you to change the difficulty of the game for the first time in series history by raising or lowering the strength of opposing Trainer’s teams. The new move preview feature allows you to check the strength and effects of a Pokémon’s move by simply holding the L trigger when selecting it, a process that used to involve clicking through several different menus during battle. It’s clear that a lot of time and effort went into making Black and White 2 feel very fresh and easy to play.
Conclusion
Those who would brush Pokémon Black and White Versions 2 off as more of the same are sorely mistaken. On a superficial level the Pokémon games have not changed much, and for good reason; the foundation that was placed way back in Pokémon Red and Blue was solid and engaging. By adding more around it and tweaking things under the hood for each release the series has grown and evolved — pun intended — far beyond its humble monochromatic origins. The latest release adds so much to the formula and breaks so much new ground that writing it off as a rehash is doing it a massive disservice. Pokémon Black and White 2 are easily the best in the series to date and an absolute must-buy for fans. Even if it's been ages since you've picked up a Poké Ball, there's no better time to jump back in and start catching them all.
Comments 72
Wish they brought back the Battle Frontier, I miss the Arcade. :c
Anyways I was against it (kinda figured it wasn't worth it), but it looks like I'm getting it now. xD
It's awesome!!!! My superpower bunny and I snagged our copy today, two days early!!!! http://tinyurl.com/8veccl3
Still undecided, but it's becoming more likely that I might buy it.
I still don't understand why it's called evolving, since it looks more like they are getting older. most of them anyways.
I'm going to get Black 2 at launch. :3
It's not Black & White 2, it's Black 2 & White 2 </PetPeeve>
Oh wow, its release its soon? I guess not giving notice to this game worked so I didnt felt the time passing by.
Cant wait to play the official english version (since the fan translation was limited)
Digimon Gray was better
@AlanEdgeHead Agreed! It's terribly annoying. It's like they're always talking about Black 1 and White 2.
Great review! Already knew it was good, but it's nice to hear such positive reviews. Hurry up and be the 7th already!
@stuffedmushroom indeed that is quite a super bunny
I'll pass on this one. Maybe Nintendo will reveal a 3DS title next E3. Here's to hoping for something that is a bit easier on the eyes. Cheers!
Okay, i went from extremely excited to meter broken excited.
@TOMBOY25 Thanks!!! He has special magical powers so that I can track down games before official release dates ;D
Great review!
I'm very excited for this, at first I was skeptical since it's a "Squeal" But now that I've learned more about it the more I Like it.
Is it worth getting the first Black and White before this one? Or is it not necessary. Pokemon sequels! Where should I jump in?
Great review! I can't wait to pick up White 2 on the 7th. When you get your copy, don't forget to pick up Genesect.
Excellent, well-written review! Although, I was expecting 10 glorious stars at the end, but I'm sure it was a significantly high-leaning 9.
@stuffedmushroom hmmm interesting could he do it with (deep breath) professor layton and the miracle mask(exhale) looking forward to it but would like to know what a normal person thinks of it first (or what a super magic powered bunny thinks)
@TOMBOY25 I'll have to ask him later.... he's all magicked out for today and needs some sleep to restore his great powers.
How's the story compared to B/W? I'm not into the Pokemon series but B/W had a pretty interesting story so it was interesting to read about and watch some videos of the games story. Is the story in this game good enough for that?
So what you are saying is...The pokemon series has had some major changes for the first time in ever? I still wish the graphics looked a bit better but I am slightly impressed. For a sequel, this seems a lot less lazy then the other pokemon DS games. I imagine my sister will pick it up and let me play when she's all done with it though so I doubt I'll be getting it with my money.
I am super excited to see what they do with the series on the 3DS though.
is pokemon dream radar free? Then I'll definitely get it!
So, they basically killed EV training.
@turtlelink: Huh?...
the pokemon dream radar is 2.99
http://ca.ign.com/wikis/pokemon-black-white-version-2/Pokemon_Dream_Radar
according to ign.com
he means that they have made it easier to EV train in these games
I am getting Black 2 but I you can get White forest on it by trading a White 2 owner a key.
@DavidRY
I would reccomend skipping right into Black 2 / White 2, Pokemon games are NOT about the story so don't be concerned with continuity.
The way this review sounds, this could be the perfect entry point for you.
I don't know where the "no EV training" thing comes from, but rest assured it's still in there.
I don't know where the "no EV training" thing comes from, but rest assured it's still in there.
Great review Joe!
Joe. He gets it.
@SPAAAAAACEKappa They charge an arm and a leg to change the EVs don't they? D:
Super excited for this game. Hopefully getting it on launch, if I can't, It's a wait for christmas.
@Onett So you´ll have to wait a little bit longer...
Anyways this is the best pokemon gamer ever no doubt anout it, at least it´s my opinion
Why does everyone forget about Gold and Silver?! >: (
I mean, they were originally called Pocket Monsters 2, and were intended to be the final games in the series.
You can't get more sequel-ish than that.
I'll have to look into this one later on,i liked White version,although i still need to buy Platinum and one of the Gen 2 remakes
I'm liking that challenge and easy mode options,more games should have that,great review!
No. EV training shouldn't be bought. It takes work and dedication.
@stuffedmushroom WE HAVE THE SAME KIND OF BUNNY!
Also, @SpaceKappa awesome review mate!! =D It's made me wanna pop back into the Pokéverse with Soul Silver to tide me over!
@Joe Walker - Will we see a review of the Pokemon Dream Radar?
I'll be getting black 2 sunday. The new EV training will help I hope.
Just 2 more days for me.
@Aqueous Yeah, it's written and in the pipeline.
I wasn't really interested in picking this up, but now that I've read the review, I can't wait for Sunday! Great job, @Joe
Preordering this Saturday and picking up on Sunday if possible.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!!!!!!!! finally! i have been waiting for so long... i've trained my pokemon, filled the pokedex to the brim, gotten a pre-order, and now i am 2 days away! WOOOWOWOHOOOO!
ahem... sorry. but you can tell i can't wait, right? XD
I'm actually getting chills, thank goodness theres no school on Monday so I'll have even MORE time to play! Gotta finish my homework tomorrow so I can play all Sunday & Monday!!!
HYPE! Although I most likely won't be getting this day one, since I'm still saving up for Wii U. Glad these sequels turned out great however. Gotta catch em all!
i have got to preorder this!!!runs to gamestop
EV training doesn't take skill. It just takes a lot of time and basic math.
Pre ordered last month. Only two more days...
It's funny. I'm actually playing through Pokemon Red right now. It brings back a lot of memories.
@Joe Walker - Thank you. I'm interested to hear about how it works.
Looking forward to it. I wasn't really all that enthusiastic until reviews started coming out - now I'll probably be picking up a copy on Sunday!
@zipmon Wow!!!! That is too cool!!!! What's yours named?? Mine is Simba.
yay!now i am one of the many people who will be getting this game in 2 days!!!
Good review, both my sons have it on pre-order so it seems like money well spent.
Looking forward to the Dream Radar review, though since its the weekend they'll probably both own it before I read it
@AlanEdgeHead @GameCube
I feel exactly the same way. Every time I see "Pokemon Black & White 2" I get so irritated. It's not hard to type an extra 2, after all.
I haven't played a Pokemon game in 5 years, but I just might pick theis one up.
Ive never understood the fascination with pokemon....
I foresee myself having a lot of fun in the future..
Lol @ the elitist pricks who don't like other people knowing about EVs and IVs D:
The ones who couldn't care less will still ignore them, it will be just a bit easier for the others. And btw, what's the harm in other people understanding the deep mechanics beneath the surface?
My paycheck (here in Italy we're usually paid on the 10th) was delayed of about a week, so as I'm already moneyless, I'll have to wait until the 15th or the 16th to buy this game :/
@stuffedmushroom Aww he totally looks like a Simba!! =D Mine's named Olivia but we call her Ollie. That's too cool!! Glad to see they both like Pokémon - Ollie's racked up quite a few watts for me on the PokéWalker by knocking it around the room when I'd leave it on my desk! =D
Wouah!!! That's something!!!
I found this game excellent until after finishing the main quest. After that it is pretty much like the first one. Still the best out of the two though.
Can't wait to pick this up tomorrow. itz gonna be awesome. and i cant wait for the next line of pokemon games for the 3DS
I was expecting a 10.
Lets be honest. Even if this game got a 1, most people would still buy it.
Looking forward to this game but I wont be getting it tomorrow on Sunday but I will eventually.
I'm burnt out when it comes to Pokémon. Soul Silver was the last hurah for me. Good ol' Johto...
Looking forward to seeing the 3DS versions though. They just might rekindle my interest in the series. Only time will tell.
OHHHHH BOOOY
I got the game! Its a really good game the rating is perfect
Can you trade pokemon between B/W and B/W 2 easily? I'm still not far in the first, but am thinking of just skipping to 2.
I'm with @Blizzinga - I got the game on release even though I vowed not to at one time...
My exact reaction... "Meh."
The story is particularly bad for a Pokemon game, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it didn't come after the wonderful one Black and White had. It's deeper than gen-under-V, to be sure, but it's just bad. I liked Hugh's backstory about Purrloin(I don't want to spoil it), but while I was actually playing and battling I forgot about it. It just felt so... Something about it felt off. I don't know what, but something did.
Story aside, the gameplay is as good as ever. All the graphical and overworld changes are gorgeously welcome.
But my praise about it in particular just ends there. I don't know why. I'm still playing SoulSilver. Maybe that's it and it's just because I know I will go back to SoulSilver at the end, but right now I'm hanging in limbo at the spot just before Victory Road with the game still remaining unfinished in my library. (I allocated a slot for it in my 3DS bag, but I don't think it will be empty that often.)
White 2 certainly isn't bad and on the contrary it fixes a lot of issues- mainly replay issues- that White, a fantastic game, had for me. But it can't hold a Litwick to SoulSilver in my opinion. I'm just not motivated to complete it again.
Tap here to load 72 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...