Pokemon is back for another romp in the Unova region. The first numbered sequels ever to grace the Pokemon world bring with them a number of changes that makes an experience in a world you've probably already played through seem new and exciting. There are enough changes made to these games to make a playthrough very worthwhile.
The first major change was that the map has been added to. There are quite a few new areas to discover and explore through. Players are given the option to pick from the same set of starters as the first Black and White games. Black 2/White 2 are set two years after the first games, so the world has changed a bit. Some areas have been altered or new places to visit have been added to them, such as the Castelia Sewers in Castelia City. Two new gyms have been added, and two have been removed, with the other ones receiving a makeover in order to keep familiar players from getting through them too easily.
The Pokedex has been updated as well. There are now 300 monsters to catch right from the start, making Black 2/White 2 (Hereby referred to as BW2) the games with the largest regional Pokedex ever. The online features are very functional. The Global Trade System is a fantastic way to get Pokemon from all over the world that may not be available in the games.
Graphically speaking, BW2 look amazing for DS games. Nintendo really pulled out the stops to make the environments pull the players in. The camera angle adjusts from time to time to bring some focus to the
environments or to emphasize the scope of wherever you may be. Offering an occasional sweeping vista, or a zoomed out shot while crossing a bridge. Everything runs smoothly, and the sprites look just like they should. Sprites look like they should, and move very well through the environments. The various Pokemon look fantastic and really pop on the screen. The added environments and modifications to familiar places help to keep the sense of exploration fresh. Route Four for instance, used to be a desert wasteland, now it's a semi-developed suburb between Nimbasa City and Castelia City. There are quite a few new cities and caves to visit through too, so make sure you're exploring everywhere.
The sound design is exactly what you would expect for a Pokemon game. Digitized audio tracks that are a couple minutes long and loop endlessly until you leave the area, Digitized monster cries during battle and interaction with them. No voice acting, just beeps and simplicity.
When playing a main series Pokemon most players know what they're getting into. Get a starter, go to different areas of the map, catch and train various monsters, beat the area gym and move on to the next one. Players end at the Elite Four and the Pokemon League Champion and upon victory become the champion themselves and are free to explore the world. There is a new starting area, which helps to really drive home the point that BW2 are not the same as the original games. Some areas are locked off until you become the League Champion, which is great, and allows you something to do after you beat the game. The story is pretty standard fare, nothing really remarkable comes from it. The expanded map and Pokedex allow the player a LOT more catching and exploring opportunities than in previous games.
Other than the standard catch/train/battle mechanics, there are some new additions to the formula. Pokestar Studios allows you to make short movies with your monsters and see how you do with an "audience". The Battle Subway returns, as does the music theater. There are a few more new additions like Join Avenue that allow the construction of shops and upgrade them depending on how social of a Pokemon player you may be.
All in all, Pokemon Black and White 2 are a fully realized version of what Pokemon should be on the DS. The developers put in a lot of work to make sure that these games keep the same mechanics in a similar land, but offered enough changes to make adopters not feel like they've played this exact game before with a few mild adjustments. Pokemon Black and White 2 have earned a perfect 10/10. See You Online.
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