Tyler T

TLDR: A step in the right direction. Honestly one of the more fun Pokemon titles in the recent years (coming from someone who has played Pokemon since Generation 3 [Emerald]). Brilliant Diamond presents more challenging "boss" battles. Even though these aren't directly comparable to the difficulty of the older generations, it is a step in the right direction. Every game since Sun/Moon has been simplified to a point where you only need a simple type matchup to win. This applies for even later stages in the game where you would expect the difficulty to pick up a bit. Brilliant Diamond is an actual engaging Pokemon game in a time where Pokemon games have become oversimplified and boring in the name of accessibility.

This game isn't for everyone, it's challenging and brutal, yet rewarding and fair. If you're coming into this game as your first FromSoft title (not having played Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro), please be wary of the difficulty these games entail. That being said, this game is a masterpiece. It's not flawless, but damn is it one of, if not the best, things I've played so far. The game gives you a sense of freedom and challenge that has been missing from games as of late (in my opinion). You're constantly encouraged to experiment with different weapons, explore different parts of the map, and change up your tactics. If you're new to FromSoft games, give this one a chance. It'll frustrate you (it definitely frustrated me a bunch of times), but damn is it satisfying once you figure it out.