smoothest pokemon has been maybe ever. game freak actually made concrete improvements over the last game in terms of the games engine? colour me shocked or something. but wow, does this game build of the beauty displayed by the gen 4 games and then some. probably the best pokemon has and will ever look. the story too, whilst a bit basic and seen a million times before in rpgs, is somewhat fresh for pokemon, even today.

if i were to give some issues its that, triple and rotation battles as a concept SUCK and have no clue as to why game freak thought they were a good idea.

gorgeous game. understandable why its so beloved among pokemon fans. my first pokemon game too, so im a tad nostalgia biased for it. soundtrack is gorgeous, a really nice translation from the gbc ost to the ds soundfont. once again, really great looking game, especially areas such as bellchime trail.

my largest flaw with this game (and og gen 2 as well) is that this games level curve is maybe the worst in the series, and its evident in multiple places, such as the obvious 20+ level jump from beating blue to facing red at the end of the postgame, but also the segment in the main game between badges 5,6 and 7 where you are able to complete them in any order, as well as doing the the rocket hideout in mahogany at any point too. this section is horribly balanced in order to account for people doing it in any which order they please, potentially leaving all gym leaders in this section to be completely non-issues.

A wacky, simple, and satisfying western arcade shooter that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The soundtrack, weapon handling, and humorous elements add to its fast-paced, balls-to-the-wall nature. At the same time, the different upgrade paths add just enough variety to warrant an extra couple of playthroughs down the line. While the story is far from groundbreaking, it offers a unique little tale with some cheeky narrative devices afforded to it by the nature in which it’s told. Don’t expect anything too serious though, as it doesn’t shy away from poking fun at common tropes in Wild West media. It’s only around 4-5 hours, but I would say it’s well worth the purchase.