Could a Generation 5 Remake do justice toBlackandWhite?
The dust has barely settled onthe fun but roughPokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, there have never been more questions about the future of the franchise. Because right now, we’re looking at a potential Generation 5 Remake.
The mainlinePokemonseries has alternated between new entries and remakes of old games since 2013, so it’s easy to see why PokémonBlack & Whitecould return as early as next year. In fact, Unova is specifically referenced inScarlet & Violet, which further fans the flames of speculation. On one hand, the timing couldn’t be better. WhileBlack& Whitewere divisive in 2010, fans have since warmed to these titles.Many say this is the franchise’s best generation ever, including myself.
On the other hand,Black& Whitehold up remarkably well to this day. Past generations benefited from modern quality-of-life features, but these games only need a handful of tweaks to meet modern standards.The basic Generation 4 Remakes already tested our patience, but Generation 5 in a similar style would be a massive disappointment.
Furthermore, the existence ofBlack 2& White 2complicate the issue further. Pokémon remakes have a checkered history with third version games in a generation. Sometimes they include third version features, other times they pretend they don’t exist. Any cutting or minimizing ofBlack 2& White 2would spark severe backlash. These games are specifically why many fans love Generation 5! With that established, let’s dive in to our first burning question.
ShouldBlack & Whiteget combined with their sequels?
On paper, I would love to get two of the series’ best games in one package. Realistically, it’s a bad idea.
Pokemon’s yearly release schedule is not doing any entry any favors. I don’t know forsureifScarlet & Violetwere rushed, but the state of the games speak for themselves. There’s no way a Generation 5 Remake could dobothgames justice unless ample time was dedicated to development. Besides, any attempt to merge the content of these games into one cohesive title is unnecessary. It would be a neat novelty, but I’d rather that effort be spent on a new title.
Thereisa potential future where Generation 5 Remakes pan out to be remasters. Keep the visuals of the DS titles intact with the interface reworked for a single screen and I’d be perfectly happy. In fact, I’d much prefer that over a Generation 4 style remake! In this specific scenario, I could see the original games and their respective sequels being bundled together for a physical release. Given that the Gameboy titles were rereleased on the Virtual Console with added features, there issomeprecedent Generation 5 could come out this way. However, the work needed to overhaul the UI would be intense, so I’m not holding my breath.
Could we get a new game set in Unova?
Pokémon Legends: Arceuswas a resounding success for the franchise, and I’d love to see another game in this style. GivenLegendsrelationship to Generation 4, it begs the question if a second game in a potentialLegendsseries would coincide with Generation 5.
If this does happen, any Generation 5 Remake would almost certainly be outsourced likeBrilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thingifthe developers in charge can take more creative liberty. Maybe a different developer could expand upon the strong story premise at the heart of Generation 5. Or perhaps another team can reimagine its world with an HD-2D artstyle (not to be confused with Square Enix’s trademarked term). Outsourced Generation 5 remakes could turn out spectacular, they just need to go to the right team.
Regardless, it’s too early to tell ifPokémon Legends: Arceuswas a one-off event or a precedent-setting game. AnotherLegendsgame could also run wild with its setting. I mean, aLegendsgame could take place in Unova’s far future, or maybe it won’t be based in Unova at all!Pokémon Legends: Arceussucceeded based on the risks it took, so it would be a shame if a potential subseries rested on its laurels and gave us another two decades of the exact same formula.
What if Generation 5 Remakes are a total overhaul?
Let’s assume that the outsourced Generation 4 Remakes were a fluke. That would mean we go back to the historical tradition of Game Freak remaking an older generation in its current engine. Would this work forPokemon Black & White?
Optimistically, there’s a lot of potential here. Generation 5 has somewhat awkward map design that has you running around the world in essentially a circle. Changing this to an open-world could actually look similar to Paldea’s world surrounding its central crater. Also, anyone who has seenthe ending ofScarlet & Violetknows that Game Freak has experimented with great ideas that would really shine in the story ofBlack & White. Bianca, Cheren, and N are well-developed by Pokemon standards, so it would be fantastic to spend more time with them and let them develop as companions.
Realistically, this approach has too many caveats to count. While a full reimagining of Generation 5 would be great, the cut corners ofScarlet & Violetwould kill it. The last two mainlinePokemonremakes removed content from the originals, which practically ruins the point of remaking a game to begin with. Again, it’s a waste to completely remake an already good game from the ground up unless you specifically expand upon it. Maybe a remake on this scale could be justified if the same assets were used inBlack & WhiteandBlack 2 & White 2to fill two years ofPokemongames. Ultimately, unless the yearly release cycle forPokemonchanges, I’d be worried to see Generation 5 go this route.
When could a Generation 5 Remake come out?
Fortunately, we might be getting ahead of ourselves.Scarlet & Violetalmost certainly have another year of DLC ahead of them. If this is treated similarly toSword & Shield, this will take the slot of next year’s Pokemon release. That means we’re at least two years out from a Generation 5 remake.
My personal wish is this: wait for the Switch’s successor to do Generation 5. If Game Freak wants to do a remake, give us Generation 2.These games will be completely inaccessible once the eShop closes its doors for good, so they’re in need of a remake as much as Generation 5 is. Give us games equal toHeart Gold & Soul Silverwith a few modern tweaks, reuse all those Kanto assets from theLet’s Gogames, and watch the money pour in. Whatever form Generation 5 takes, I just want it done right. Give Pokemon fans a reason to be excited without several asterisks attached.
Of course, this is all speculation.Pokémonhas become a bit unpredictable this console generation, so precedent only tells us so much. Still, speculating can be a lot of fun, so let me know what you think in the comments! Do you hope Generation 5 Remakes stay true to the source material, or do you hope we’ll get something ambitious? Regardless of what happens, I hope they include a banger remix of theDriftveil City theme.
