Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire arrived last week, the latest in a line of Pokemon remakes and the second 3DS title in the series. X and Y were the first handheld Pokemon games to use 3D graphics--offering an original story and new characters--and the developers have now applied the advancements to previous titles.
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Do Ruby and Sapphire hold up, and are the new additions and features worthwhile? Here's what some early reviews from around the web had to say:
Gamespot, 8/10: "From the modern presentation to the new mega evolutions and side content, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are greater than their progenitors, but they're still very similar to every Pokemon game that's come before. I'm OK with that, because at the end of the day, these are enjoyable games with a large number of cute combatants to capture and train, and near-infinite competitive multiplayer potential. As you delve into the world of battling other trainers, losses and close calls motivate you to search for more viable Pokemon and master the art of raising a strong and versatile team. Yes, there are some minor elements that need fixing, but it's all about hunting, training, and battling Pokemon, and those elements are as strong and engaging as ever."
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Polygon, 8/10: "Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire's story is--as it almost always is with this franchise--the biggest downfall. It's a threadbare plot (even for a Pokémon title) about beating gyms, learning about Mega Evolution, stopping your respective version's big bad team, facing off against an apocalyptic legendary Pokémon and conquering the Elite Four. Nothing about it, including its barely-developed characters and steady stream of MacGuffins, is exciting or memorable."
"...As it stands, your biggest motivation for progressing through Pokémon ORAS is the same as it's always been: To collect and train stronger and stronger Pokémon. Thanks to the multitude of monsters and increasingly complex type-matching strategies, that pursuit is still worthwhile and engaging, despite Pokémon ORAS's baby-steps approach to iteration."
Kotaku, No Score: "The soul of the game, exploration, is what lends legendaries so much potency in ORAS. I mentioned this before-what I loved about the original games is the sense of awe and wonder I got while hunting legendary Pokémon. The newer games nail this, too. While I think that Pokémon games have added too many legendaries over the years, the ones in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remain stand-outs.
"If you want to get all of the legendaries included in the original games, you're going to have to work for it. You're going to have to explore and become well-acquainted with the world. You're going to have to pull a notebook out and decipher some puzzles. You're going to talk to everyone, in the hopes that you get some clues about a legendary you're hunting. The world of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire feels rich with mysteries and things to discover, and this is why I cherish them so much."
IGN, 7.8/10: "As a 3D remake, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby do a fantastic job of reintroducing Hoenn. Little details, like characters turning their heads to look as you pass or flocks of Wingulls flying overhead, make the region really come to life, and small updates and tweaks help make the journey smoother. Still, a few of its flaws are even more glaring in 3D, especially the excess water Pokémon and often dull navigation of their habitats. The added online features could help mitigate some of the type imbalances - I'm a huge fan of Wonder Trade - and there are even a few post-game surprises to encourage you to keep training well beyond the 25-hour main story."