Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Were they really that bad?
In their review, IGN gave the most recent installments in the Pokémon series, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, a paltry 6 out of 10, with their biggest takeaway being that the game felt “deeply unfinished.”
While this is certainly true, and the game felt buggier than a hornet’s nest, I certainly don’t think that it was enough to give it such a middling grade.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, while definitely not my favorite in the series, has all of the right pieces to make it a very compelling entry. I can firmly say that, after just finishing the story and the Pokédex, at worst, this game was solid. I believe that, in spite of the bugs and the performance issues, these games were a great steppingstone for the series.
The Story
I do not want to spoil any facet of the story here. While it certainly is not the most complex and daring of narratives, it’s still fun and hits home in all the right places.
The story is split up into three main parts: the standard eight badges and Pokémon League, the villainous team plot, and a new Titan-Pokémon excursion. Each center on a different student at the academy –Nemona, Penny, and Arven — and each have their own fun tidbits and quirks. It truly makes for the highlight of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and the story is sure to be a fun time for most.
To be honest, Nemona was the best rival the series has seen since Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum. She and Barry have a lot in common, and it truly shows in the quality of her character. Arven and Penny are also very solid characters, each with their own complexities, but Nemona easily takes the cake as the best of the bunch.
Gameplay
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet feature the tried and true battling formula from previous Pokémon adventures, alongside a new mechanic called Terastallization. With this new mechanic, your Pokémon are able to transform into a singular type. The moves that they know of that type are also boosted. It makes for a really interesting effect, one that could work well in the competitive battling scene.
There are also new types of creatures in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet called Paradox Pokémon. These Pokémon, depending on what version you have, are past or future versions of some of the most well-known Pokémon. It might not be the most original idea, but it really is fun. Seeing alternative ideas for Pokémon like Donphan was awesome.
This does lead, of course, to bugs and performance issues. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet include some of the most unpolished gameplay in the series, and even then, it still performs decently. Are there drops in frame rate? Absolutely. Do you occasionally find Pokémon in walls? Without question. But the fact of the matter is that these do not occur enough to make it a detrimental experience.
The game is wholly playable, and it feels fine. These issues are not big enough to deem the game unplayable.
Conclusion
To put it briefly, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are fun games. They are not masterpieces in the field, but they are a good time. Does it deserve the hate? Certainly not to this level. But it should put Nintendo on notice that it’s time to step up the production value of these games. There needs to be an increase in quality, and not just with the Pokémon being designed. These games need to be made like they’re being made in the present, not 2013.
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