When Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched in the fall of 2022, players were unprepared for the state the games arrived in. While Pokemon Sword and Shield had some technical problems, those were largely limited to the online mode. Scarlet and Violet were on a different level, and players were aghast at the poor technical performance and bugs prevalent. This was unlike anything else ever published by Nintendo, and a stark contrast compared to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which had come out less than a year prior. It was so evident, it shaped nearly all the discussion surrounding the two games.
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A lot has changed in three years. After making gradual changes to the Switch versions of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the games took a massive step forward with the launch of Nintendo Switch 2. Game Freak used the opportunity to vastly improve the graphics and frame rate, with an almost absurdly improved 60 fps. Playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch 2 feels incredibly different from what came before. There were a lot of things the games did well prior to the new update, but the current performance makes it a lot easier to appreciate everything the developers did well in the first place.
What Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Do Right
With every new Pokemon generation, the developers at Game Freak find new ways to tweak the existing formula. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet really did change what we should expect to see from a mainline Pokemon game. Perhaps one of the best examples is the narrative. Pokemon games have never been known for having deep storylines, but Scarlet and Violet did a great job expanding beyond what had been seen before. A big part of this is due to the development of secondary characters, which really helped to invest players in the overall world. Characters like Penny, Arven, and Kieran have full character arcs that see them greatly changed by the time the credits roll. Even the Legendary Pokemon Koraidon and Miraidon were given fun characterization that made them memorable. The overall cast is one of the strongest any Pokemon generation has ever had.
Adding to Scarlet and Violet‘s overall depth is the amount of freedom on offer. Rather than forcing players to follow a strict path, the games allowed players to freely explore Paldea, completing tasks at their own pace. Breaking free of a convention that had been in place since the days of Pokemon Red and Green was absolutely the right way to go, and helped Scarlet and Violet feel like a true path forward for the franchise. The last three years have also seen a steady stream of events and new content released, giving players more incentive to keep playing and exploring Paldea. This is easily the most support any Pokemon generation has ever gotten, and it needs to be the expectation moving forward.
One of the greatest strengths of the Pokemon franchise has always been the music, and Scarlet and Violet simply do not get enough credit from an auditory standpoint. From Team Star’s fast-paced battle theme, to the relaxing “A Brief Moment,” the composers gave each story moment the proper weight and scale. Of course, the music in locations like Area Zero also perfectly nailed the requisite ambiance.
What Still Needs Improvement
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s music is fantastic, but the lack of voice acting continues to stick out like a sore thumb. The hesitation on Game Freak’s part is understandable; not every game needs voice acting, and many players prefer not having it. However, the developer’s insistence on including story moments where characters sing without having actual vocals present is bizarre. Why introduce a Gym Leader like Ryme that happens to be a rapper and not have actual lyrics beyond what the player sees in text? It’s incredibly silly, and even more ludicrous given that something similar played out with Piers in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
At the end of the day, the necessity of voice acting is debatable, but the absence of any kind of level scaling is one of the biggest problems in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. It’s great that players can tackle the Gyms and Operation Starfall as they see fit, but the lack of level scaling means that players can end up facing Gym Leaders with tough Pokemon early on, and very easy ones later. If the next full Pokemon generation keeps this level of freedom (as it should), there needs to be a greater effort to balance the game.
On top of improving the exploration elements, the next Pokemon region needs more landmarks that stick out. Compared to past regions, Paldea is lacking in memorable places to see. There’s no Pokemon Tower like we saw in Kanto’s Lavender Town, or the Ferris Wheel in Unova’s Nimbasa City. The focus on outdoor locations makes this more evident, as players don’t even enter most buildings in Scarlet and Violet. Practically speaking, it was nice not having to enter Pokemon Centers to heal my Pokemon before setting back on my journey, but most towns and cities felt largely barren. It also doesn’t help that many of the Pokemon look absolutely tiny while riding on Koraidon and Miraidon, making the world feel a bit emptier than it should.
Moving Pokemon Forward
Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise. No one quite knows what to expect, but many fans have predicted that we’ll be seeing a true follow-up to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, built from the ground-up for Nintendo Switch 2. It remains to be seen whether that will actually play out, but if it does, it will be interesting to see how Game Freak applies the lessons it learned from the current generation. There’s a lot Pokemon Scarlet and Violet got right, and a lot that needs to be refined. If we can get a truly great Pokemon generation next year without having to wait for performance and graphic improvements, the franchise could be heading in a fantastic direction. Of course, we still have Pokemon Legends: Z-A to look forward to later this year!
How do you feel about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet after all of the improvements that have been made? Are there still elements you want to see fixed? Share your thoughts with me down in the comments section!
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
