Featuring a new adventure that's filled with numerous enhancements and innovations, this long-awaited sequel to Pokmon Red, Blue, and Yellow greatly improves upon the series' winning formula, and makes for an even more insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience.
Like Pokmon Gold--which essentially is the same story, with minor gameplay variations--Pokmon Silver casts players in the familiar role of a young Pokmon Trainer who's out to collect as many different kinds of Pokmon as possible. As in previous games, gameplay consists mostly of exploration (completing various quests in the process) and Pokmon battles, which employ a unique battle system that's like a complex twist on rock-paper-scissors.
But, despite the similarities, it's quite apparent that Pokmon Silver is a whole new ball game from the start. The game is played out in real time, with the current time and day of the week (recorded by an internal clock) having a direct impact on gameplay elements, such as what Pokmon you'll find in the wild, and when certain events occur and characters appear.
While there are too many new and improved features in Pokmon Silver to list here, among the highlights are 100 new Pokmon (including two new types), new evolution processes (including breeding), and a more streamlined game interface that has better-organized menus and button shortcuts.
Although it's easier to progress in Pokmon Silver than in the previous games, the sheer amount of fun and game time that's involved is daunting. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better value than this one. --Joe Hon
Pros:
Insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience
Time and day of week impact gameplay directly
Bevy of new features and hidden secrets
Improved graphics and more streamlined game interface
Cons:
Minor compatibility issues when using Game Link with previous versions
Pokemon Gold and Silver is going to be the top-selling game on the Game Boy Color system, regardless of what this review says. Pokemon is not a fad, it's here to stay, and this new Game Boy Color series is only going to fuel the blaze of popularity further.
