The graphics are the same as they were in Diamond/Pearl versions. At times the screen will zoom out so much, that the character sprites look really bad.
While the DS has been shown to display graphics that rival the Nintendo 64, the actual pokemon battle screens are still 2D, which is a disappointment.
Images come from IGN.com
Story
Story-wise, it is hard to give a value out of 10. The story is just like every other pokemon game, beat the gyms, defeat a Team something, beat the elite four, catch all pokemon. While it remains faithful to Gold/Silver, unlike FireRed/LeafGreen, there is not much story added to the game. There are some new areas, but not an actual story to them. The only added story is regarding the versions legendary pokemon (Lugia/Ho-oh), but it just prevents you from getting the pokemon until you gain all 8 Johto Badges.
The other new parts of the story come from WiFi events, and normally concern legendary pokemon, except for the special Pichu.
Gameplay (8.5/10)
When compared to the Gold/Silver, HeartGold/SoulSilver has more to offer gameplay-wise. There’s the Battle Frontier, which I haven’t actually tried yet. There’s also the new Pokeathlon, which is like a games event. I only have tried once, not liking it after I lost to a team due to them getting bonus points like “always last”. For more information on the pokeathlon, visit http://www.serebii.net/heartgoldsoulsilver/pokeathlon.shtml. The Safari Zone, which wasn’t in G/S, makes a return with new features. It is fully customisable, with the ability to switch various “zones” around. You can also add blocks, which can lure rare pokemon from different regions, and aren’t obtainable any other way, except for trading. Other then that, the gameplay is the same as Gold/Silver, besides the touch screen features. One thing that really annoys me is the new GameCorner. The European versions (and possibly the American version) have had the slot machines removed and some new game added. There is no more trading money for coins, which is what I did to get 9,999 coins for Porygon. Instead, you have to earn 9,999 coins, which I could not be bothered to do.
Sound (7.5/10)
The sound is an updated version of the sounds in G/S. The only problem I have with pokemon game sounds is that after a while, it gets annoying, especially in caves where Zubat seem to be everywhere. As a bonus feature, there is a gift if all 16 badges are collected, the GB sounds, which changes the music to the 8-bit version from G/S, except for the areas with new music.
Replay Value (8/10)
Once you beat the Champion, the area of Kanto opens up, and the adventure starts all over again. There are 493 different pokemon to catch, and some only appear on certain days or times of the day. It will take a while in order to catch them all, and it has many features that will entertain the player for a while. However, replay value also includes restarting the game from scratch, and this is not the type of game that you would want to start all the way at the beginning again. The fact that HG/SS only has one save file, like all pokemon games, makes people not want to restart the game, especially with the WiFi events held only during certain times.
Overall
I would recommend buying HG/SS if you don’t mind playing pokemon games, or you want a good RPG game for the DS.
