The two most recent Pokemon games, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, transport us to the Paldea region.
If you are strong enough, you can go on an open-world adventure in this realm with Iberian influences, going almost anyplace you like.
The series gains a fresh viewpoint from Scarlet and Violet, who break away from the conventionally linear gameplay.
You could be unsure about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s worth if you haven’t played it before.
Luckily, you can rely on us. We’ll address the important query here: Are Pokemon Scarlet and Violet really worth it?
Let’s get started with our game review.
Review
Santi Leguiza reviewed Pokemon Scarlet and Violet over at TheGamer. Similar to numerous gamers, Santi acknowledges the ‘new’ structure that Scarlet and Violet introduce to the Pokemon series.
“As I wipe the tears from my eyes, I witness the convergence of the three major storylines that compose my journey through Paldea with great satisfaction,” Santi began his evaluation of the story.
During your adventures, you will see depictions of death, disease, trauma, and conflict portrayed in a way I never thought Pokemon would ever be able to pull off, treating sensitive subjects with the appropriate respect and maturity.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet was rated a two-star game overall due to its subpar performance and recurrent issues. Despite having one of the best tales in a Pokemon game, the game was nonetheless unsalvageable on its own.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC
Features Editor Ben Sledge discusses how the Teal Mask was handled in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC. Ben considers the substance as uninteresting, therefore these thoughts are sadly not very positive.
“Textures still look terrible, [and] the framerate still tanks if there are more than three things going on” are the flaws with the base game that persist.
There’s basically two new Pokemon to catch and the story is dull, but at least the new region’s great, right? Wrong. It’s small and uninteresting, traveling across it is boring, and there are no iconic locations.
Santi Leguiza reviewed The Indigo Disk, the second DLC installment, but was ultimately a little disappointed with the conclusion of the Paldea story.
There are still problems with graphics, frame rate drops, and general quality.
Aside from the persistent problems, Santi is complimentary of the Terarium, a facility designed to make trainers stronger.
If you think that the more recent Pokemon games are a little too easy, this is the place where you can truly test your talents.
The most immediate change is that the trainers and rivals are by far the most challenging the series has been in years. From double battles to fully-built Pokemon teams, you will find yourself more often than not losing battles if you get too confident, which is a welcome change that could help players to try the competitive play more comfortably.
Time Expenditure
You should allow yourself about 26 to 30 hours to complete Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s main story, not including exploration time. Upon exploring the area and finishing side quests as needed, the total time to conquer the game will rise to approximately 36 hours.
You can put in a lot of extra time after winning the game finishing the Pokedex and trying to reach 100% completion. This will require about 51 hours in total.
Additionally, you may expect to find six to ten additional hours of content with the Teal Mask DLC. This entails finishing the new narrative and investigating the recently opened area.
Playtime for The Indigo Disk, the second DLC, will increase to about nine hours.
This would take about 45 hours if you got both DLCs and completed the game without deviating too far from the plot.
Cost
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are only available on the Nintendo Switch, and they each set you back $59.99.
The typical pricing for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is $59.99 USD, though this will vary depending on the shop and whether you purchase the game used.
When it comes to DLC, you have a few choices. You can get either game packaged with The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero if you haven’t yet bought the main game. Both The Indigo Disk and The Teal Mask go by this moniker. This combo costs US$94.99.
The DLC is also available for standalone purchase, priced at $34.99 USD.
It is perfectly acceptable to wait to purchase the DLC until after you have completed the original game; there are no further savings if you purchase the bundle (there is a one-cent difference).
Few Words From The Players
A Touching Story In An Imperfect World – Jacqueline Zalace
Although Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has a ton of bugs—as we all know—it’s still one of the best Pokemon games to play. It’s very simple to become lost in the act of exploring, both literally and figuratively.
Aside from the exploration, the narrative is stunning. Everyone who plays will have a different tale experience because they are not forced to follow numbered routes in order to reach a “goal” city.
Instead, they can explore and advance in a more organic manner. The core of the game is still present even though the world has errors and malfunctions.
One Pokestep Forward, And Two Backwards – Hilton Webster
I truly wanted to love Scarlet and Violet. I can respect the sincere efforts to defy convention. Although you can bypass the leveling system and fight the gyms in any order, the world is unlocked from the start, and it is genuinely quite awful.
Especially when compared to Legends Arceus, it just doesn’t look finished. This isn’t a subjective assessment of “poor art direction.”
Conversely, the Teal Mask DLC is more akin to past games, featuring a well-organized narrative with a stronger emphasis on characters (and, at last, a new wardrobe).
Scarlet and Violet are games full of concepts, but very few of them—including the DLC—have the right execution or are even finished.
Refining The Pokemon Formula – Andrew Scariati
In spite of a difficult and trouble-filled premiere, Scarlet and Violet represent the culmination of a concept that has taken more than 25 years to develop.
The games carry trainers into the future with a number of enhancements to their quality of life, while also dutifully paying homage to earlier inventions such as Pokemon appearing in the overworld.
Scarlet and Violet take a significant stride ahead while staying faithful to Pokemon’s origins, from making shiny hunting easier than ever with sandwiches and sprites visible from a distance to little interface tweaks.
Pokemon games are shifting toward a more approachable formula that trainers of all experience levels may enjoy, even though there are still things that can be improved, especially with Tera Raids.
A New Adventure For Old Trainers – Kyle Chamaillard
Pokemon Although Scarlet and Violet are far from flawless, to anyone who has been trying to catch them all from the start, they feel like a huge breath of fresh air.
Paldea’s large geography makes it simple to lose hours exploring it, and the opportunity to explore different plotlines prevented the experience from getting boring. W
hile the series still has a ways to go before realizing its full potential, Scarlet and Violet is a positive step in the right direction.
An Enjoyable Mess – Jacob Whaling
The Pokemon franchise has gradually easing itself into a more contemporary model, yet it struggles to stay afloat.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have undoubtedly improved over previous games in a number of areas, most notably the plot, Pokemon capture, and exploration departments.
However, a number of graphical problems, fight bugs in Tera Raid, and a dull Shiny hunting experience drag the game down a notch.
Scarlet and Violet will undoubtedly appeal to ardent Pokemon fans, but those who are new to the series may want to look elsewhere to begin.
The Good, The Bad, And…The Actually Pretty Fun – Marissa Fiore
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a great game overall, however it unfortunately has bugs and performance concerns.
The side plot included by the DLC is passable, but the Pokedex’s expansion and the ensuing bouts are both incredibly enjoyable and tough.
