Overall, we believe Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are worth purchasing for most Pokémon fans in 2024 despite the widely reported technical issues marring the games‘ launches. The expansive open world of Paldea, fresh new Pokémon, and quality of life improvements outweigh the bugs and performance woes. Read on as we dig deeper into the pros, cons, features, and post-launch support to help you decide.
Taking the Pokémon Formula to New Heights
Game Freak took a bold step forward with Scarlet and Violet, evolving the Pokémon RPG formula into a free-roaming open world for the first time. The move paid off, with Scarlet/Violet achieving the highest global sales level for any Nintendo game in history during their launch weekend. An astounding 10 million units sold in just 3 days! [1]
Scarlet and Violet transport players to the rich, sprawling Paldea region, which Game Freak designed to reward exploration. Lush meadows, rocky mountains, and sandy beaches seamlessly transition from one to the next. Pokémon roam freely about the landscape, lending the world a sense of life and surprise. It‘s a welcome change from rigid routes and random encounters.
Both games introduce fascinating new Pokémon like Fidough, Wiglett, and LeChonk. Discovering these creative designs hidden throughout Paldea recaptures the original joy and adventure of exploring Kanto or Johto for the first time.
Let‘s dive deeper into the biggest changes and features Scarlet/Violet bring to the iconic monster collecting series.
Key Game Features and Changes
- Over 100 new Pokémon species to catch, with new regional forms
- Real-time battles and Pokémon roaming the overworld
- Open world with seamless transitions and multi-path progression
- Revamped battle system with Terastalizing phenomenon
- Next evolution of the gym challenge – take them on in any order
- Expanded multiplayer functionality like co-op raids
- Rideable Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon
- Character customization with more options than ever
Scarlet and Violet overhaul the gym challenge by allowing you to battle the 8 gym leaders in any order you choose along 3 distinct paths. This freedom was a long-time fan request. Multiplayer functionality also improves through cooperative Tera Raids against giant Crystalized Pokémon.
Seeing Pokémon roam the map and seamlessly transition into battle brings the world to life. Encountering shiny Pokémon in the overworld is a thrill. The new Terastal phenomenon adds strategy by boosting a Pokémon‘s attack every few turns.
Game Freak elevated Scarlet and Violet‘s visuals to match their scope. The jump to Switch hardware allows for sprawling draw distances and more lifelike towns. Character customization reaches new heights with tons of outfits and hairstyles to personalize your journey.
Underwhelming Post-Game Hurts Longevity
Unfortunately, Scarlet and Violet‘s ambitious scope led to some shortcomings as well. The post-game content feels lacking compared to previous Generations. There are no robust postgame dungeons to explore, and the endgame Legendary hunts end quickly. Grindy battle facilities like the Battle Tower are absent too.
Competitive players also have to wait for ranked battles and tournaments to come via future updates. The current postgame focuses more on completing your Pokédex rather than engaging endgame challenges.
Previous Pokémon RPGs from Gen 3-5 provided much richer postgame adventures with legendary quests, expanded areas to revisit, and meaningful narrative epilogues. That magic is missing from Scarlet and Violet right now.
Technical Issues Undermine the Experience
Scarlet and Violet‘s biggest weakness is glaring technical problems that cropped up at launch. Framerate drops, pop-in of objects/terrain, and visual bugs like clipping hampered early impressions.
These performance issues appear tied to pushing the old Pokémon engine beyond its limits for the first time. Game Freak prioritized scope over polish, and it shows. The game‘s massive scale came at a cost.
That said, Game Freak is working diligently to iron out technical problems with extensive post-launch patches. Bug fixes and optimizations will smooth out the experience over time. We expect the issues to be resolved fully in 2024.
Verdict – Grab Scarlet/Violet Despite Flaws
While not flawless, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet represent a bold new direction for the iconic RPG franchise that we heartily recommend fans jump into as the kinks get worked out. The sheer joy of journeying across Paldea with friends, uncovering its secrets, and forming bonds with your Pokémon makes Scarlet/Violet special entries worthy of your time.
For longtime fans, the technical issues don‘t outweigh Game Freak finally realizing the open world Pokémon adventure we always imagined as kids. And new players will be wowed by the vibrant region and streamlined mechanics.
Grab your copy of Scarlet or Violet today and let the adventure begin!
[1] https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2022/221109_4e.pdf
