Twelve years have passed since the release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, right down to the date of November 21. This Remake was also released on the same day, which is fitting. Pokémon Omega Ruby seeks to update a game that was in much need of a fresh coat of paint. And for the most part, it succeeds. But some design omissions prevent this great rendition of the 2002 classic GBA from being otherwise perfect.
The game uses the engine from Pokémon X and Y, for better or worse: Mostly for the better. The graphic have a subtle improvement in their sheen, and are slightly less fuzzy and jaggy. The character designs themselves aren’t the best use of 3D the series has seen. The music is mostly using the same synths from X and Y, albeit with the compositions from Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. And thankfully unlike those games, the game doesn’t suffer from it. Many of the tracks sound fantastic, even though there has been a shift from a techno feel to a more symphonic tone. Of course some of the more welcome additions make their way across, like the way experience is handled, or how the online integration works in conjunction with the Pokedex. There were some omissions however. Like the inability to customize your avatar’s appearance and clothing. And while you no longer have 8-directional grid movement on the field, it still exists in buildings and certain enclosed areas. And 3d effects while more widely used, are still mostly restricted to battles and certain cut-scenes. While the developers could be forgiven for the lack of customization options, this being a game with a strict narrative to tell, the other decisions just come across as inconsistent.
At least the game introduced some improvements of its own. Pokémon are easier to catch, and there is a large breadth of content that makes it easier to game every Pokémon that can possibly be obtained in the game. Travel is also easier. Hopefully these design decisions aren’t segregated from the follow-up to X and Y. But to Pokémon fans who want a fresh perspective on Ruby and Sapphire, you couldn’t ask for a better remake. The omissions don’t weigh it down to much, and there’s a whole lot of content to dive into. Solid recommend.
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