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Never played V generation games.

PinkThunder

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I never played the fifth generation, skip the 4 to 3ds, teenage stuff I guess ... Should I take a look at it?
 
Yup. Gen. V pushes the limits on Nintendo DS, has some great locations, themes and most importantly, Pkmn.
If you want to have a mostly "new" Pkmn-only experience, you'd better play B/W, but if you don't mind having older Pkmn available, then go for B2/W2.
I started Gen. V with B2 and I think I made the right choice because of the expanded Isshu but then I bought White and it was nice going backwards.
 
It's funny how writing "play" instead of "played" changes the meaning of the sentence.

The games are worth playing for the sole fact that they give a different experience to generations 4 & 6, both in graphics and story. However, remember that online functions are no longer available so it would be hard to complete the Pokedex and the C-Gear will be mostly useless, but the game can work fine without it.
 
It's funny how writing "play" instead of "played" changes the meaning of the sentence.

aha I thought the same, I was almost worried this thread was telling people not to play gen v...!

but yes, definitely worth it. this is my favorite generation and the story in bw (not bw2, sadly) were absolutely fantastic in my opinion. Pokémon peaked with these games to me, and sometimes I miss when they were new dearly. the game as a whole felt very fluid. even if bw2 didn't have the best story, they had a better post game and were still a lot of fun. I definitely recommend trying out all the DS Pokémon games you missed, since they were all good in their own ways!
 
It's funny how writing "play" instead of "played" changes the meaning of the sentence.
It's like "let's eat grandma" vs "let's eat, grandma." Originally I thought this thread was disparaging gen V, and I was comin' in ready to debate. Turns out it's almost the exact opposite of what I thought. At any rate, I agree with a lot of the other posters in this thread, I definitely recommend checking out gen V. The games certainly have their flaws, but they're also highly enjoyable as well in my opinion, even if they are stunted by a lack of online connectivity.
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I think you should try them. Aside from all the things people have mentioned, I like the Memory Link. It's nice to have characters in B2W2 mentioning the PC from BW by name. It also unlocks extra battles with your (ex) rivals.

In other words, more or less what they should have done with HGSS.
 
I strongly agree that you play Gen 5. The original BW are praised for having a very well thought out story, something that is very rare in a Pokemon game. While BW2 a genuine sequel with a completely different plot, not a 3rd version.
All the fifth generation games are great! I highly recommend playing Black or White first, though, because the story in those games is the best that the Pokemon series has ever done, in my opinion. Like Sheep said, the story in Black 2 and White 2 isn't as good.
Perhaps in story yes, but BW2 are praised with having some of the best side/post game content in the series.
 
It's like "let's eat grandma" vs "let's eat, grandma." Originally I thought this thread was disparaging gen V, and I was comin' in ready to debate. Turns out it's almost the exact opposite of what I thought.

I was wondering if OP had been spurned by a bad Nuzlocke! I've tweaked it very slightly @PinkThunder :)

I may have games that rank higher on my subjective favourites list (namely Gen 2 and the remakes), but taking a step back and trying to be objective about it, I'd say Gen V (particularly the sequels) is probably the 'optimum' Pokemon experience. The species variety is excellent and the designs are solid, the battle mechanics are yet to be sullied by gimmicks, the map is appropriately large, the grid-based overworld looks about as detailed as it could ever reasonably be, the story isn't condescending... yeah, it's about as good as a Pokémon game can get under the 'old' formula.
 
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Yes, most definitely. I agree with everyone in this thread. Gen 5 was the absolute peak of the franchise and it's my personal favorite gen. It was nearly perfect, with only some minor gripes here and there. The only real problem you'll probably run into is the games can no longer connect to the internet, which would make completing the dex a bit more difficult (unless you buy both versions of each game and trade between yourself), which also hampers some of B2W2's functions, too. Start with BW first, as not only does it have the absolute best plot for the games, but it'll also help you piece together the other story elements from B2W2 more clearly. While B2W2 is a downgrade in terms of story, it does have a lot of neat stuff in it like Joint Avenue, PokeStar Studio, an expanded dex, and so on. Gen 5 is very much the best gen in the series, so I highly recommend you play it.
 
Yes. Just yes.

While B2W2 is a downgrade in terms of story, it does have a lot of neat stuff in it like Joint Avenue, PokeStar Studio, an expanded dex, and so on. Gen 5 is very much the best gen in the series, so I highly recommend you play it.

I wouldn't really call it a downgrade. It's more so the fact that it jumps out less because it builds upon/continues with what BW laid down, where as BW laid down the very foundation of everything.
 
Yes. Just yes.



I wouldn't really call it a downgrade. It's more so the fact that it jumps out less because it builds upon/continues with what BW laid down, where as BW laid down the very foundation of everything.

It is a downgrade because it goes back to the standard "new trainer collects badges and defeats evil team along the way" thinking that most games had prior and afterward. BW had the story integrated within the entire game starting as early as the second town instead of the evil team being sort of an afterthought like most games portrayed them. BW also shook up the formula further by having the climax overtake the E4 challenge, where the "final boss" of the main game wasn't the Champion, but Team Plasma instead. B2W2 is a downgrade in story because it that reused a lot of assets from BW and returning to a more formulaic story setup after their predecessors' deeper, more integrated storyline.

EDIT: Almost forgot to mention that Team Plasma went from interesting and threatening villains who targeted the very core of the franchise to generic "take over the region" villains.
 
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I'm going to give voice to some heresy and say that the Gen V story... wasn't that good. I certainly don't remember the majority of the game's events differing significantly from those of almost every other game, and for the most part I wouldn't say the characters undergo substantial growth, or have an arc. N is a very interesting flavour of rival, but functionally little different from Blue. Team Plasma has a smidge of depth but is still obviously 'the' evil team. Bianca and Cheren have very distinct personalities, but I was never particularly attached to them and wasn't moved by their personal situations. There's some great subversive sections in the late game, certainly, but that's the only section that sticks in my mind.

For me, the reigning monarchs of story are Sun and Moon, easily. It could just be the 3D graphics but I was much more invested in the trajectories of Guzma, Lusamine and especially Lillie - all of them have distinct arcs that leave them in a very different place at the end of the story, and their hang-ups and development revolve around self-perception and interactions with other characters. I felt Gen VII did well to have the plot's focus be almost entirely on humans, rather than the Pokémon.
 
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Team Plasma has a smidge of depth but is still obviously 'the' evil team.
This is a great point. I think my main issue with Plasma is that most of the time they act and behave like your run of the mill evil team. See, for example, how the Team Plasma members mistreat Munna in the Dream Yard.
 
I'm going to give voice to some heresy and say that the Gen V story... wasn't that good. I certainly don't remember the majority of the game's events differing significantly from those of almost every other game, and for the most part I wouldn't say the characters undergo substantial growth, or have an arc. N is a very interesting flavour of rival, but functionally little different from Blue. Team Plasma has a smidge of depth but is still obviously 'the' evil team. Bianca ad Cheren have very distinct personalities, but I was never particularly attached to them and wasn't moved by their personal situations. There's some great subversive sections in the late game, certainly, but that's the only section that sticks in my mind.

For me, the reigning monarchs of story are Sun and Moon, easily. It could just be the 3D graphics but I was much more invested in the trajectories of Guzma, Lusamine and especially Lillie - all of them have distinct arcs that leave them in a very different place at the end of the story, and their hang-ups and development revolve around self-perception and interactions with other characters. I felt Gen VII did well to have the plot's focus be almost entirely on humans, rather than the Pokémon.

Because you aren't moved by their personal situations doesn't mean they don't have substantial growth. Cheren and Bianca both go through this and for N, throughout the entire game, it's a clash of ideals. His growth happens in the 2-years timeskip and subsequent BW2 events.

It's so sad to see that people need/want to downplay Gen 5 at every turn just to upplay their favorite(s). I know it must be annoying for people to see it being brought up so much, but people just talk a lot about the stuff that's good and there where's credit due.

Also I don't see how you can go with SM for 'reigning monarchs' of story. Like any other gen bar Gen 5, there is no real story and the one thing that is going on with the legends is just an awful reskin of Kyurem. Only positive thing is the characterization of some characters.
 
It's so sad to see that people need/want to downplay Gen 5 at every turn just to upplay their favorite(s). I know it must be annoying for people to see it being brought up so much, but people just talk a lot about the stuff that's good and there where's credit due.

Well, I did say that Gen V is probably the objectively best Pokémon experience. It has one of the better stories, but I do sometimes wonder if memories are so fond largely because of a rock-solid ending.

Also I don't see how you can go with SM for 'reigning monarchs' of story. Like any other gen bar Gen 5, there is no real story and the one thing that is going on with the legends is just an awful reskin of Kyurem. Only positive thing is the characterization of some characters.

The story is the characters. It's Lusamine's devolution and rescue, Guzma overcoming his rage at his own self-perceived inadequacies, and Lillie learning to step out of her mother's shadow and gain independence with the help of the player character. It's quite small and personal, and I get it may not carry the world-ending weight of other plotlines, but it was extremely emotionally satisfying for me.
 
I know it's been said multiple times in this thread already lol but YES. These games are not to be missed. Black and White (and BW2 by extension) are my absolute favorite games in the entire series so I'm biased, but the story, characters, music, region etc. all reign supreme in my eyes even nearly a decade later. I love them dearly.
 
For me, the reigning monarchs of story are Sun and Moon, easily. It could just be the 3D graphics but I was much more invested in the trajectories of Guzma, Lusamine and especially Lillie - all of them have distinct arcs that leave them in a very different place at the end of the story, and their hang-ups and development revolve around self-perception and interactions with other characters. I felt Gen VII did well to have the plot's focus be almost entirely on humans, rather than the Pokémon.
This is kinda why I feel those are my second favorite games. Sure, they had their problems (like a certain red gadget), but they came at a moment where I was unsure if I should stay in the fandom, and you can see how well that went.
 
Please note: The thread is from 4 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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