Topic: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

@VoidofLight Looks like I'm sticking with Pokémon sword.

is this a remaster or remake?

@Jarester : Remake.

A "remaster", at least in film terms, is when existing material is taken and optimised for modern consumer technology.

For example, Skyward Sword HD is a "remaster" (which looks to be a straight port of the Wii version with a few enhancements and additions). Link's Awakening on Switch, however, is a remake.

@Silly_G I barely would count Skyward Sword HD as a remaster honestly, since it's only frame rates improved and a better resolution. It's moreso a port than anything, even compared to the other Zelda remasters. Remasters usually take the older games and improve the lighting engine, and textures. Occasionally you have stuff like models getting reworked, like in Xenoblade's case.

@TitanDragon : With the Pokémon games, it's generally the case that you can move old Pokémon forward to new games, but it's one-way.

For example, you can move Gen IV to any other Gen IV game, but once they are transferred to a Gen V game (or beyond) they can't go back.

With currently available games, Pokémon from Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee can only be sent one-way to Sword/Shield, and I imagine that the same will be the case of Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl (where compatible Let's Go and Sword/Shield Pokémon can be transferred), and I have little doubt that this will be supported, especially as the same team also produced HOME.

Whether Pokémon can be transferred to Legends is another matter entirely, especially if it is considered to be a spin-off rather than a main series game. I'm thinking that it will be though.

@VoidofLight : "Remaster" is a term used for film and music, and if the same principles of remastering were to apply to games, then Skyward Sword is a remaster in that sense. "Port" and "remaster" are used interchangeably when the term "port" is more appropriate. If the developers retroactively produce enhanced textures and the like for a new-gen version of a game, I suppose that can be considered to be a "remaster" as a subcategory of a software port, but it seems that more often that not, developers will typically have higher quality assets produced and will degrade them appropriately for the intended hardware, which would still make such games ports, really.

For example, a PS5 version of a PS4 game can be considered to be a "remaster" even though it's really just a port.

@Silly_G True I guess. I generally just don't count it as a remaster, but by definition I feel like it probably is. I don't know anymore really, since the definition for what constitutes as a remaster or remake keeps changing constantly.

What I at least wanted from the remakes was for it to use the S&S engine but no It didn't even do that, It went with a chibi style just so it looked like the OG? No thats not what I wanted I wanted remakes not just updated visuals.

@Snaplocket I couldn't give my view on this bc I never played D&P before, so this will be my first time.

@Snaplocket actually, they remade a bunch of the enviornments, textures, and character models, which is more than what a remaster would normally do. Look at twilight princess HD. That game only has a texture fix. Look at skyward sword HD. That game is just a straight up port.

@Snaplocket Most of the textures looked fine. The game looks nearly like a remake more than just it being a remaster of the game itself. Sure it has resolution issues, but it still looks pretty good compared to how it used to look back on the Wii itself.

I wouldn't go as far saying Skyward Sword is a remake, but the textures seem to be improved in general, specially in the characters.

Edit: uh wait what game we talking about, exactly? It's kinda hard to figure out from the comments here.

After further investigation I think it's maybe Shining Xenoblade or Brilliant Sword.

@Eel Yeah, I said Xenoblade seems more like a remake than a remaster, since it improved models and textures.

Updating you guys. I got pokemon sword, didn't wait for those remakes. I just made my way to the fourth gym. I'm absolutely loving the game, though it started way too easy and slow, felt like it was made for little kids lol. But it's getting better, loved the big overworld wild areas, seeing other players, trading and teamming up with them to fight raids. I can't stop playing , the will area is giving me breath of the wild vibes and I love that game. Just can't wait to see how legends Arceus is gonna be.
I feel like I wouldn't have so much fun with the fourth gen remakes, mostly nostalgia.
Only cons I can think of is: the frame rate drops, the pop in and, some lame battle animations and textures. Game freak are basically amateurs on a HD console. Oh and not having cloud saves, I might have to send my switch to Nintendo for repairs and I might lose my pokemon saves...

You know that Pokémon since it's release was Kids game and still is? Even their usual Main Line games age rating is PEGI 7.

They use same animations now for ages even some animations for main Rival in Galar was used from main Rival in Alola.

Glad there is people still enjoying the Main Line Pokémon games even after 25 years of same formula.

@SViper Yeah I know, shame I grew up but the games didn't lol. But is used to be way harder than this.

Yeah I've had a real weird time with SwSh since it came out. First time through - thought it was... just okay, but the new bottom of my personal ranking of Pokémon games. Saw the credits and never loaded that file again, and I'm usually one to dive straight into the postgame. Just didn't really care.

Started a new game a couple times much later on to see if I could make it 'click', both times stopping 1 or 2 gyms in, liking it even less than the prior attempt.

Current attempt though... I'm enjoying it more than any of the other tries. 4 badges in and by keeping a very close eye on my party levels, I've so far managed to avoid becoming overlevelled (though I've had to almost altogether sacrifice catching anything other than stuff I want strictly for my party), which has allowed for a level of satisfying challenge to remain. Also, while the technical graphical implementation is fairly rough (yeah, reused models & animations, low res textures, **no not the trees!! the trees!!!**), I'm appreciating a lot more the overall design of Galar this time. Its a really pretty region with lots of impressive vistas and points of interest, and its really nice to see Pokémon finally fully shake off its old grid-based shackles (though there's still work to be done). I do wish there was more to actually interact with - a few too many doors that never open, for example - but it's a lot nicer looking than I remembered it being. I'm looking forward to finally seeing the postgame and then trying the DLC, which I hear is a solid step up.

Anyway, SDBP! Which this thread is allegedly about. Looking forward to it. Gen 4 is the gen I have the most personal attachment to, its the gen where I started hanging around on online Pokémon communities and playing competitive, so it has a special place in my heart. I actually like the chibi graphics personally. Only minor point of contention is the prior remakes added a lot of their own spin and flavour to the originals, whereas this looks to be going for a pure 1:1 remake, which is a bit of a shame. Would have liked to see it modernised a bit. But ah well, still looking forward to replaying em.

@RaphaBoss yeah, I know even when I learned about Pokémon trough Anime in my country's TV and after that browser games of Pokémon, but later my cousin introduced me to Main Line games at 3rd Generation, so I know.

@Snaplocket Well, I have played/replayed Pokémon games other than SwSh fairly recently, its a series I find myself consistently going back to play possibly more than any other, but sure if you've got anything else you'd like to project onto me, let's hear it.