Why Has Fan Opinion of Pokemons Fifth Generation Shifted So Greatly

Why Has Fan Opinion of Pokemon’s Fifth Generation Shifted So Greatly?

Upon its release, Pokémon’s fifth generation was incredibly controversial. However, today it is considered one of the series’ very best.

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Why Has Fan Opinion of Pokemons Fifth Generation Shifted So Greatly

When Pokémon’s fifth generation was announced for the Nintendo DS as opposed to the Nintendo 3DS, many fans were skeptical. Pokémon Black & White were released in 2011 to widespread critical acclaim but deep controversy within the fanbase. The games made the radical decision to exclude all old Pokémon from the regional Pokédex, making a limited number of them available in the post-game. This was the stem of the controversy, and of the games’ complex reputation.

This move would cause many to gloss over the titles, outright refusing to play the games if it meant utilizing all-new creatures. For a time, this led to the belief that generation five was one of the weakest that the series had to offer. Recently though, fan opinion on the games has completely reversed. What exactly happened to cause this change? And are these classic titles deserving of such praise?

Why Has Fan Opinion of Pokemons Fifth Generation Shifted So Greatly

Black & White introduced 156 new Pokémon to the series – the highest ever in a new generation. As these games required players to exclusively utilize these new Pokémon it was imperative that they captured players’ imaginations. Initially, the new monsters failed to do so. Early discussion on the game was dominated by bemused fans questioning the thought process behind creating a Pokémon that looks like ice cream or a garbage bag, completely glossing over the fact that the games contain some of the all-time best designs such as Hydreigon, Krookodile and Snivy. The use of entirely new creatures caused the games to feel fresh and different, something that newer titles need to learn from.

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Generation five would be the last time that the series used 2D sprites, and Game Freak gave the classic art style a truly memorable send-off. One benefit of producing the titles on the DS was that the studio was now very familiar with the hardware and knew exactly how to develop for it. As such, generation five has some of the smoothest, best-looking visuals in the series. In battle, Pokémon sprites are constantly in motion and feel entirely alive. The pixel art is the most beautiful it has ever been. The knowledge gleaned by the studio while developing generation four is on full display.

Why Has Fan Opinion of Pokemons Fifth Generation Shifted So Greatly

The area that the fifth generation is probably most fondly remembered for is, rather surprisingly, its story. Black & White tell a truly compelling tale about Pokémon well-being, truth versus ideals and growing up. The story centers on the villainous Team Plasma, who seem to champion Pokémon and their liberation from people while its leader Ghetsis secretly attempts to twist compassion for his own benefit. Team Plasma’s king, N, has become a fan-favorite character too. His tragic storyline remains unrivaled by any other in the series. For the first time, Game Freak elected to create direct sequels in the form of Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 as opposed to a third version, allowing players to continue the Unova region’s story and even import saves from the original game to further immersion and unlock secret flashbacks.

Black 2 & White 2 blend the Unova region with many past Pokémon, acting as a swan song for five generations of 2D games. The titles add a new post-game challenge in the form of the Pokémon World Tournament – where the player can do battle with every gym leader from every game, as well as every champion of each region. The titles revel in the history of the franchise. These games also feature difficulty settings for the first (and last) time in the series. Challenge Mode is a feature that many players would appreciate making a return in modern installments, where a lack of difficulty has been a huge point of contention for fans.

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Much of the criticism leveled at Black & White upon release was based on its removal of classic monsters until the post-game, and the fixation on a small handful of designs that the community found to be rather silly. How ironic that modern titles are lambasted for the complete opposite, repeatedly re-using Kanto nostalgia and ignoring the rest of the series.

Perception of Black & White slowly began to alter as time went on and fans were further removed from the initial release. Those that had avoided the titles decided to give them a try and were thoroughly impressed by how high-quality the games were. The hatred for some Unova creatures such as Vanilluxe has died down significantly, replaced by a disdain for Charizard and Kanto’s oversaturated classics.

What truly caused Unova’s popularity to explode however was the disappointing state of modern Pokémon games. As fans desperately pleaded for better stories, greater challenge, less focus on nostalgia and more visually appealing games filled with character and charm, they realized that the Unova adventures did all those things and more. Everything that the Unova titles accomplished still holds up impeccably today, and the games truly deserve their reputation as some of the best titles in the series.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/pokemon-black-white-best-modern-games/

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