While it continues to make incomprehensible amounts of money, thePokémongames are in a bit of an odd spot, suffering from a run of games with relatively lukewarm reception. This has proved even more confusing after Game Freak unveiled its non-Pokémontitle,Beast of Reincarnation, which looks visually stunning, something that can’t be said for any recentPokémongame, not even the soon-to-be-releasedLegends: Z-A. 3D visuals have been a problem for Game Freak when it comes toPokémon,and it seems like trying to remake its old pixel art titles with 3D graphics isn’t working all too well.
Pokémonhas made a myriad of remakes of its older titles, and for the most part they have worked well.Heartgold & Soulsilver, remakes of Gen 2’sGold and Silver, are some of the franchise’s most beloved titles, whileLet’s Go, Eevee!andLet’s Go, Pikachu!worked as great Switch editions for Gen 1’sRed and Blue.Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphirecontinued this trend of solid remakes for Gen 3, but then Game Freak hit a bit of a snag when it got to Gen 4:Brilliant Diamond and Shinning Pearlhad mixed receptions.
A Mixture Of 3D Assets And Pixel Graphics
Pokémonhas never had great, high-poly 3D assets, and whenthe series left the 3DS for the Switch, it began to struggle with its 3D graphics, unable to match anything likeZelda: Breath of the WildandSuperMario: Odessey. While the series' first attempt with full 3D,X & Yworked well, it has struggled since, and it has never been shown-off more evidently than withBrilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl.The Gen 4 remakes and their 3D chibi-style visuals were poorly received, as was the remake as a whole, and Game Freak should probably change its approach.
Although not comparable on the surface, bothPokémonandDragon Questare relatively simple turn-based JRPGs that haven’t changed all that much considering their age, and whilePokémon’s quality has been questioned, this isn’t the case forDragon Quest.Dragon Questhas also begun an era of remakes, and the visual style could be something thatPokémonuses for its next remake. TheDragon Questremakescombine some stunning lighting with simple, yet effective 3D assets, and pixel art graphics that still remain true to the originals, and this could be somethingPokémoncan copy.
WhilePokémonbegan in 1996 withRed and Blue,Dragon Questbegan all the way back in 1986.
Pokémonhad a period of time when it combined simple 3D assets with pixel graphics, specifically on the DS with Gen 4 and 5, and theDragon Questremakes prove that this is something that people like. This shouldn’t necessarily be an option for a brand-newPokémongame, especially withBeast of Reincarnationshowing what Game Freakcan really do, but it could be perfect for the next remake, especially considering the generation next up to receive a remake.Gen 5 should be next, and withBlack & Whiteusing pixel graphics, theDragon Questremake style should be perfect.
Black And White Will Probably Be Remastered Next
It Is The Next Generation On The Remake To-Do List
After remaking every generation up to Gen 4,it reasons that Gen 5’sBlack & White, and maybe evenBlack 2 & White 2,will be next up. The thing that’s most interesting of all is what approach Game Freak will choose for a Gen 5 remake, since the 3D chibi style of Gen 4 was so poorly received. It could repeat this style again, which would be foolish but still relatively true to the style of the originals, or go for the 3DLet’s Gotitles, or even go fullyopen-world like withScarletandViolet.
The nextPokémongeneration will be the series' tenth.
But withBlack & Whiteusing a combination of pixel graphics and simple 3D assets,it is perfect for theDragon QuestHD 2D style, and it could be a way to finally get some impressive lighting into aPokémongamedespite the hardware limitations. The system requirements forDragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remakeare very low, and this artstyle should run very easily on the Switch 2, even with the fancy lighting. Gen 5 is the last generation that this art style will work for too, considering that Gen 6 onward does away with the pixel graphics.
Black & Whitespecifically has developed a bit of a cult following among more hardcore fans of the games and a remake has to be just right to get these fans on side again, especially after some of the struggles thePokémonIP has had with its games. This way, aBlack & Whiteremake can stay true to the original, use 2D sprites andstill look modern with more detailed pixel art and gorgeous lightingwithout struggling against theSwitch 2’s hardware. It has proven to already work with a series as storied asDragon Quest.
Pokémon Needs To Do Better With Remakes
And Earn Back Some Of The Good Grace It Has Lost
It’s clear that Game Freak at least tried to stay true to theoriginal with the Gen 4 remakes, but the problem was that the artstyle didn’t translate all that well into purely 3D assets. It ultimately depends onwhether Game Freak wants to make the Gen 5 remakes like its modern games, which have had lukewarm receptions, or true to the original while offering some impressive visuals. Trying to make everything 3D has never made aPokémongame look amazing, and perhaps still using pixel graphics is a valid option.
Keeping with pixel graphics seems unlikely, however, given that Game Freak is going all-in with 3D graphics forPokémonand has shown that it can make stunning visuals withBeast of Reincarnation. Still, taking inspiration from series that have done well, likeDragon Questis not a bad thing, and it is clear thatPokémonneeds some help finding its identity in the modern age of gaming.The games have the luxury of leaning on everything else thePokémonIP is doing, so experimenting should be a priority for Game Freak.
