3.5/5 ★ – SatinArmchair's review of Pokémon Shining Pearl.

Taking into consideration my criticisms with the original Diamond and Pearl games, and of course my statement that Platinum feels like the true Sinnoh experience, I've come to the conclusion that this lies somewhere in the middle of those titles for me. It's great that there's an option to switch between the modernised OST and the original DS version, but it does suck that it's only available very late in the game. I'm a fan of the art style they took in this one, definitely capturing that faithful remake feeling whilst bringing out some modern graphical improvements. The Grand Underground definitely wins this game points, offering ample opportunities to diversify your team from an earlier point than originally possible. Ramanas Park is similarly great, bringing back the feel of the Mirage spots from ORAS. Unfortunately, as faithful remakes, these titles still have some of the slow pacing issues of the originals, but it feels like this is alleviated slightly by the permanent running mode and faster dialogue options. If you're a fan of the originals and you like the design style they went for with this one, I'd definitely recommend. It's as faithful as a remake can get, with the only real changes found in the optional content.