We're opening up the review process to some real Pokémon experts: my son Dillon, 10, and Chris Schilling's son James, 6. So for Pokémon Black and White 2, the first direct sequel in the series' long history, we're doing something different.
There's a very real danger that what you'll end up with is little more than a Wikipedia summary with a score at the end. Everyone who has ever played a Pokémon game - whether in 1996 or 2012 - knows exactly how the game will play. The result is that reviewing the latest addition to the family tree can easily become a box-ticking exercise. Improvements are incremental, new features tentatively introduced every generation but rarely mutating too far from the dependable DNA structure that has allowed the games to survive - and thrive - for over 15 years. Unlike the rapid genetic improvements enjoyed by the colourful creature sprites contained within, the series itself has evolved at a more Darwinian pace. It's always a challenge reviewing the latest Pokémon game.
