@garfreek BDSP aren’t bad games, just very underwhelming compared to the remakes that came before. This pair arguably played things too safe. While they’re a slight improvement over the original D/P – namely due to the speed and how they handle the Underground, though I wish they didn’t replace some of the unique secret base items with the statue mechanic – they also inherited the issues of the originals too. The devs didn’t incorporate any of the positive changes from Platinum at all. Previous remakes had some significant mechanic, plot, and postgame changes. The pair felt like a minimum-effort stopgap between releases. Doubly disappointing for me since Sinnoh is my favorite region. Thankfully, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was a better way to scratch that itch.

If you’ve never played Gen 4, are curious, and can get one of these two at a good discount, I’d say go for it. But if you want to experience the best that Gen 4 has to offer, I recommend buying, borrowing, or even emulating Pokemon Platinum.