6th Gen How Does ORAS Measure Up With the Originals?

[Hikamaru]

Team Aqua and Magma literally got almost no fire type or water type pokemons, they feel like you are battling agaisnt team rocket with all these Zubat, Koffing, Grimer and Medhyena. They could of at least gave Fire, Ground and Rock types for Magma and Water and Ice type for Aqua. When you keep getting the same Dark and Poison type it's kind of boring, mostly when they are not that hard to begin with.

They do at least use the Numel and Carvanha lines, but they're not seen as often as the constant spam of the Zubat and Poochyena lines. That's the main problem I see with villain teams, is the presence of too many Dark and Poison-types.

As for my thoughts on the games, from what I've seen I have mixed reactions, They did make some stuff easier (like Feebas no longer being restricted to certain tiles) but they also have some annoying things as well, like the Strength puzzles reverting back to pre-5th Gen mechanics and Route 113's ash collecting now being a more frustrating process.

But again, I do have to credit Game Freak for retaining a lot of the nostalgia while still making it fresh at the same time. It's one of those things that is very hard to balance.

 

[Spinosaurus]

It's more streamlined (the game holds your hands several times compared to the original) and obviously has framerate issues like XY.

I prefer the originals because of the vastly better framerate, better UI navigation and better exploration, but I'm still enjoying this a lot because Hoenn is just well designed, and because of DexNav being so addicting and it's really the one thing that makes it close. Also I really could do without Megas.

The problem with this remake is that it hardly fixes the original's issues, if at all. Only thing I could think of is lower encounter rate in water, but I knew well enough to actually use repels in the original so it hardly was a problem.

 

[BurningLanguages]

Team Aqua and Magma literally got almost no fire type or water type pokemons, they feel like you are battling agaisnt team rocket with all these Zubat, Koffing, Grimer and Medhyena. They could of at least gave Fire, Ground and Rock types for Magma and Water and Ice type for Aqua. When you keep getting the same Dark and Poison type it's kind of boring, mostly when they are not that hard to begin with.

I find this to be the same as most if not all of the crime syndicates. It was especially disappointing for Teams Magma and Aqua like you say, because they represent certain ideas and themes. It's common for me (and I assume for most players) that I am able to one-hit K.O. most of the syndicates' Pokemon over and over again, because usually the difficulty curve falls a tad short of the Gym Leader's in a certain area and/or part of the game.

I recall encountering more Numels and Camerupts in the original Ruby, I started seeing them while walking to Mt. Chimney.

The difficulty has definitely been raised from X/Y, seeing as how that one seemed to have none whatsoever, but this one is probably lower than the original Ruby and Sapphire, but not by much. I've been watching a playthrough of the original Ruby side-by-side as I play [since I've re-started OR recently] to refresh my memory on it a bit more and there are veeeery slight differences when it comes to trainers' Pokémon. More than half of them are kept exactly the same, but I've definitely seen a couple who have been raised in OR/AS, and a few that have been lowered, as well. [Though usually it's about a level or two, nothing drastic like 5 levels.]

I just think the game's been rebalanced, making it easier for some, especially if they use EXP. Share.

Yeah you do have a point there. I have noticed this myself. I'm just glad that it wasn't a complete push over like X and Y was. I seriously think that GameFreak should stop giving Gym Leaders a max of 3 pokemon and the Elite Four a max of 4 pokemon....I wouldn't mind so much if they raised their Pokemon's levels. Even for kids, I think that they have become too easy in recent Pokemon games.

However, with other games aside I'm grateful that the Gym Leaders and Elite Four still contained somewhat of their original difficulty.

It's more streamlined (the game holds your hands several times compared to the original) and obviously has framerate issues like XY.

I prefer the originals because of the vastly better framerate, better UI navigation and better exploration, but I'm still enjoying this a lot because Hoenn is just well designed, and because of DexNav being so addicting and it's really the one thing that makes it close. Also I really could do without Megas.

The problem with this remake is that it hardly fixes the original's issues, if at all. Only thing I could think of is lower encounter rate in water, but I knew well enough to actually use repels in the original so it hardly was a problem.

Along with the lower encounter rates in the water, I found it to be true for the tall grass as well; though not as extreme. I like this because instead of all of it being random encounters, you are given a choice to fight them via the Dexnav. I think that half random and half seeing what Pokemon is there was a nice addition, that way you won't get spammed with Zubats every freaking time you enter a cave haha.

 

[skyburial]

I think GF was more focused on improving the faults of X and Y than they were on those of RS. The proof is in the pudding on that - the characters are well integrated and more compelling, the post-game explains mega evolution in depth and integrates it into a wider base of characters' teams, there are far more legendaries available, the Battle Maison is robust and improved (love the on-site Daycare, holy cannoli). These are all things that X and Y lacked.

Contests are 7.8/10 too much J Pop

 

[Altius]

That's pretty disappointing. Even with all that extra processing power...

I guess this is more of a software issue than a hardware one.

No surprises, since ORAS runs on a modified XY engine.

 

[blue]

ORAS has sold 7.7 million copies within 1-2 weeks globally, this is a 150% increase on X/Y under the same time last year. Remember we've still got the holidays coming up too which will almost guarantee another surge in sales and consoles, if you ask me they're doing well so far!

 

[Pepperton]

ORAS has sold 7.7 million copies within 1-2 weeks globally, this is a 150% increase on X/Y under the same time last year. Remember we've still got the holidays coming up too which will almost guarantee another surge in sales and consoles, if you ask me they're doing well so far!

They're better than the originals. This may make some angry, "the originals will always be better etc etc", but graphically, ORAS if far superior, and the plot has been improved vastly. No contest.

 

[Red_wolf1998]

I thought it odd that Brawly's Pokemon were only a mere two levels above that strongest of Roxanne's. That kind of annoyed me, but he's the second Gym Leader so I let it slide haha.

In saying that, you didn't really get much of a chance to increase your levels dramatically directly after Roxanne's Gym, so I think that the two-level increase is fair enough.

Could have made it harder admittedly, but Pokemon is directed towards the younger age demographic.

 

[Polar Spectrum]

Isnt that a good thing?

Plus i find it hilarious that if you took the megas away, you'd see that they've introduced absolutely NOTHING new, original etc this gen. :\

P.s megas arent original. They're recycled, digimon-esque, laziest excuse for a game, psuedo uber pokemon lol.

P.s.s. Why are we arguing and doing calcs on how well salamence takes a STAB ICE BEAM? :| "Not very" would be the answer lol.

The jump from 2D sprites and overworld to 3D was pretty big, and flying on Latio/as in ORAS is really cool. Relative to that, the mirage islands are really neat - giving you the chance to catch just about every legened in one game haha. Oh, and relative to that, the fact that legends actually don't have poop IV's now is sweet. The Dex Nav is pretty awesome too. Horde battles for EV training are a godsend from sixth gen for any competitive battler, and the new breeding mechanics are just about the best thing to happen to entry level meta play ever, since you can now get perfect pokemon reliably without too much time spent at all. Destiny Knot woooooo

And megas are the big thing; like you said. But besides that - all those. yeh

(couldn't really find a better place for this response - there doesn't seem to be a general chit chat for ORAS yet?)

 

[pryce10]

It's more streamlined (the game holds your hands several times compared to the original) and obviously has framerate issues like XY.

I prefer the originals because of the vastly better framerate, better UI navigation and better exploration, but I'm still enjoying this a lot because Hoenn is just well designed, and because of DexNav being so addicting and it's really the one thing that makes it close. Also I really could do without Megas.

The problem with this remake is that it hardly fixes the original's issues, if at all. Only thing I could think of is lower encounter rate in water, but I knew well enough to actually use repels in the original so it hardly was a problem.

They fixed nearly everything in the original. Better characters and over all just better storyline then original Ruby and Sapphire. Plus I find water route more enjoyable since you could automatically use Repels. It is not perfect but it is best remake GF has yet to offer. I say it is tie with HG/SS as best remakes.

 

[pkmin3033]

I'm enjoying ORAS much more than I did Ruby and Sapphire...but not as much as I did Emerald. It's just more interesting being stuck between the two teams and fighting them both, rather than having one as antagonists and others as allies by virtue of opposing the other team. They improve on every aspect of the originals, as I'd expect...but share the originals flaws in that they're just not as interesting as they ought to be. Two teams are better than one. Can't have everything, I guess. But because of this, they rank quite low on my favourites - well below Platinum, HG/SS and Emerald; maybe on-par with FR/LG.

But, thank the gods, the soundtrack has improved. I HATED the composition for R/S/E; I'm so glad they did away with those godawful pseudo trumpets!

 

[classicpaul64]

I love the new games so far. I played the originals, and so my hopes were high for these new games. I notice a few trainers missing here and there, and a few Pokemon in enemy teams are switched up (I remember Wattson having more Pokemon specifically), but aside from that, I have no issues with the new games. I find the postgame subplot to be one of the best written plotlines for a Pokemon game, and Zinnia has quickly become one of my favorite characters from Pokemon. I like that Pokemon has since Gen 5 begun getting better with character development. N was a very interesting character with a messed up childhood, AZ I found to have one of the more tragic characters in the story and the ending of his storyline got me to be a bit emotional, but Zinnia doesn't have a happy ending to her story. It's a bit mature for some of the younger audiences that she suffers from the depression brought on by whoever Aster was, and copes using the Whismur she caught. I only wish her storyline was more elaborated, as the Delta Episode was one of my favorite parts in the game, with some of the best music Pokemon's ever made, and I can't wait to reach that part in my LP o.e

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I also enjoyed OmegaRuby more than Sapphire, but not as much as Emerald. I wish that that had put in the BF and the other mascot. I also felt like the game left quite a bit of hanging threads for a remake (the last time a remake left me hanging was Fire Red with the strange pattern in one of the islands off shore of one of the Sevii islands...that was never explained). I wonder if perhaps Zinnia will reappear in Z to wrap up her story. Also I wish they had said more about AZ, what is that tree suppose to represent anyways?


Also I wouldn't have mind if the games were harder. I managed to do quite well with an under leveled team...not that well though considering I barely finished the Delta Episode last night and I got the game a little over two weeks ago. Actually this is the longest I took to finish a game since the originals...usually I try to drag the game out but this time I was actually rushing somewhat...

 

[Malters Machuchu]

I would say that the remakes are far superior to the original games since the story was padded out more and the entire addition of the Delta Episode. Giving things such as Sea Mauville a depressing backstory was a fantastic addition too. As for the characters? Just wow. A lot of formerly generic blank-faced characters were given their own obvious identity, traits, cutscenes and even backstories. When I encountered the Team Aqua admins I didn't even realise they were in the original games, just thinking they were entirely new characters added on the pad the story. Your rival had a personality! This time I really felt like they were your friend. Steven was very obviously charming as well. Perhaps what shocked me the most was how Professor Cozmo not only got his role extended from being a brief cameo character to his role in the Delta Episode, but his sad backstory connecting him to overhauled Sea Mauville. The implications the latter made regarding the character of Wattson is interesting, too. Don't even get me started on Mauville City turning into the sister city of Lumoise. I didn't see that coming.

I can't really say I have any gripes with the games other than them being notably easier than the originals, but I did have the Experience Share turned on and I spent several days training at times, including completing Super Training. One of my party members was traded from another game, so that one leaped levels ahead of the others. Fortunately I care little for hard difficulty anyway. I'm only competitive when battling a real person.

 

[Spinosaurus]

I think it's telling that a better story is all it takes for the remake to be considered better in every sense, when the framerate, UI and level design of the original were better and are far more important aspects to consider. (And honestly the writing in ORAS isn't anything to write home about bar Sea Mauville, it's just that Pokemon games typically are so bad at this that any sort of improvement makes it seem more significant.)

As of now, I'll say Emerald > ORAS = R/S. The only reason I'm putting ORAS on par with R/S is because of the fantastic addition in DexNav.

 

[Pendraflare]

Yeah, I have to say that the characterization was one of my favorite things about the adventure here. While Brendan/May and Wally were both hardly even there in the originals, in these games it actually felt like they were relevant (and with Brendan/May, things get cute in the Delta Episode). Wally's theme before the league, despite sounding rather un-Pokémonlike, is really something that came out of nowhere and showed how much more they wanted to develop him.

 

[SparklingMistral]

I didn't like Hoenn originally. Not a whole lot about it stood out to me, and there was very little I liked. As a matter of fact, all I really liked was Fortree City, Secret Bases, & two of the gym leaders, Flannery & Winona. Not much to like, imo.

The remakes have made me like Hoenn a lot more than I had originally. Maybe it's because there were more features for me to enjoy, but I really liked Hoenn a lot more once I completed the game than I did before I even started playing. It's not one of my most favorite regions, but it's not my absolute least favorite anymore either.

 

[Nah]

I think it's telling that a better story is all it takes for the remake to be considered better in every sense, when the framerate, UI and level design of the original were better and are far more important aspects to consider. (And honestly the writing in ORAS isn't anything to write home about bar Sea Mauville, it's just that Pokemon games typically are so bad at this that any sort of improvement makes it seem more significant.)

As of now, I'll say Emerald > ORAS = R/S. The only reason I'm putting ORAS on par with R/S is because of the fantastic addition in DexNav.

Eh, it's all subjective I guess. Particularly in regards to the level design and UI. All of the areas in Hoenn are exactly the same as in the originals except for Granite Cave, Sky Pillar, Victory Road, Mauville, and Sea Mauville. And I'm pretty sure that we can agree that Sea Mauville and Sky Pillar are better than their original versions (especially since the new Sky Pillar took out that ******** with the cracked floor/Mach Bike). I'm fine with the UI on both games.

I think people are focusing on the graphics and story more because, like you said, Pokemon is usually ass when it comes to those 2 things and those were improved a lot, so they're the most noticeable changes.

Though I find it a little odd that Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, which was made on and runs on older hardware, goes at nearly 60 fps while ORAS, which was made and runs on newer tech, is goin' at 30 fps.

But I think it's more than just the improved graphics/story that makes ORAS better than Ruby/Sapphire. ORAS has the updates to the game mechanics (move tutors, infinite use TMs, physical/special split, etc) that have come along since Gen III, it has new features like the DexNav and Soar, the availability of legendaries, and the Battle Resort/Battle Maison is better than the Battle Tower that R/S had. Little things like that. So compared to the original Ruby/Sapphire, ORAS seems a lot better.

How ORAS compares to Emerald though, idk. I never played Emerald.

 

[Helios93]

While the game is good in graphics but I found the game a bit dull in gameplay. Most probably I know and remember most of the route in Hoenn. Less refreshing in experience. Since the 3rd gen Hoenn, I have a strong hatred navigating in routes filled with all the tall grasses.

 

[ChikoritaCheezits]

If there's one thing I did like about this over the originals, it's that they gave your rival a lot more development, especially after you defeat the champion. I've noticed that the story telling has gotten a lot better ever since gen 5.