Pokémon Blaze Black 2 and Volt White 2 are basically Black 2 and White 2, but cranked up to 11. The gym leaders don’t mess around—they’ve got full teams, better movesets, and will absolutely wreck you if you’re not prepared. And that’s before you even hit the Elite Four.

What’s cool is that almost every Pokémon up to Gen 5 is catchable somewhere in the game, so you can actually build weird teams early on. I went with a Magnemite and a Riolu before the first gym, which felt illegal compared to the original games. The level curve’s steeper too, so grinding isn’t optional—but at least wild Pokémon give decent EXP now.

Oh, and the story tweaks? Nothing earth-shattering, but Team Plasma’s dialogue hits harder, and some rival battles feel way more personal. If you’ve played the originals to death and want something that actually makes you think in battles, this is it.