Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby review round-up

Welcome young trainer, to the world of Pokémon! I’m sure that you have many questions to ask, such as “Which is the best starter?”, “Are the Legendary Pokémon real?” and “Why are my Pokeballs oozing blood?”. But before I can answer any of those questions without incriminating myself any further, we need to take a look at the review scores for the latest Pokémon game, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Kotaku – Yes

But now, after re-experiencing the sense of wonder fostered by Ruby and Sapphire, and after having the opportunity to soar through the skies on the back of a legendary Pokémon, I get it. The spirit ofOmega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire can be heard in the trumpets, the trumpets sound a hell of a lot like triumph.

CVG – 8/10

It may not be the greatest Pokémon game, but it’s still a strong one: as far as remakes go, this is more Clooney and Pitt in Ocean’s Eleven than Nicolas Cage in The Wicker Man.

Videogamer – 8/10

For the Murtaugh-esque Pokémon fans, the question of whether or not Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire are worth picking up boils down to when you last played Pokémon, and how enthusiastic you remain for the series. If you have a hankering for catching ‘em all, then you only have to answer the same question you did in 1996: red or blue?

Destructoid – 9/10

Even without venturing out to catch ’em all, which has always been the ultimate Pokémon goal for trainers across the globe, these games have an abundance of content to offer, taking on the role of the ultimate versions of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. With tons of old favourite features returning with quite a bit of polish, and new features which complement instead of overshadowing, players will be able to experience the tightest gameplay in the series to date.

IGN – 7.8

As a 3D remake, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby do a fantastic job of reintroducing Hoenn. Little details, like characters turning their heads to look as you pass or flocks of Wingulls flying overhead, make the region really come to life, and small updates and tweaks help make the journey smoother. Still, a few of its flaws are even more glaring in 3D, especially the excess water Pokémon and often dull navigation of their habitats. The added online features could help mitigate some of the type imbalances — I’m a huge fan of Wonder Trade — and there are even a few post-game surprises to encourage you to keep training well beyond the 25-hour main story.

Lazygamer – Gotta score ‘em all

Geoff forgot to email me my damn code for the review. Or he was eaten by rabbits. I forget sometimes.

The latest Pokémon games drop soon in the US of A, while the rest of us have to wait until November 28, fiddling with our pokeballs in anticipation.

Last Updated: November 19, 2014