>>46492978Just replayed this game for the first time in about 4 years. I enjoyed it but it still felt like a step back from Plat and HGSS. I actually like the late evolution levels of lategame pokemon; my team was constantly changing throughout the game and I was able to find a new Pokemon that I wanted to use every city or two. Aesthetically, Plat/HGSS looks better, and the UI in BW is strictly a downgrade from both games in both looks and practicality. The C-Gear being a permanent feature of the lower screen is horrendous; having to press X to cancel the itemfinder, for example, to access the player menu to eventually open your bag or look at your pokemon list is really annoying. There are lots of 1-2 second long delays between menu transitions, entering buildings, and between the player being stopped in the grass before the wild pokemon sequence begins, which adds up to become irritating over the course of the entire game. Things were snappier in the games that came before. However, the battles themselves in BW are really nice and fast, especially with the animations turned off. There is no pause between text and actions, and the HP bars drain fast.
In terms of story, I felt N's plot wasn't well done until the climax of the story. Whenever he would stop me for a monologue about his ideals, I always felt myself asking, "Why should my character care about the thoughts and plans of this absolute stranger?" Cheren and Bianca weren't so bad as I remembered, but N's "relationship" with the player feels absolutely forced.
Overall I give it somewhere between 6.5-7/10. Games are fun but not as polished as the previous games. Using the new pokemon was fun. The story was just okay but the climax was well done.
