Video Game Review: Pokemon Black

Release Year: 2012
Reading Year: WI2024
Developer/Publisher: GameFreak/Nintendo
Time to Beat: XX Hours

Thoughts: I think this is the best Pokemon game. I get it. As someone who played every single of game in the main-series except this one, I had always heard that the Black and White games were different. Now, I can I say that I agree. So, I am mostly going to say what others have already said. The story is more nuanced, but more importantly is given space to breathe. The Team Rocket equivalent is muddied in a very refreshing way, especially with N as a character. It should be high praise that this game felt like i was present playing a Pokemon game and not just going through the motions. I will also say it was the first time since Sword and Shield that I felt wowed by the animation gimmicks. Every Pokemon game there some marginal animation improvement and it typically feels like a waste of resources. But here, I was genuinely excited with each gym to interact with the 3D space or see these magnificent bridges and cityscapes! This is the best of Pokemon in the classic handheld era hands down.