Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Reviews Continue Worrying Trend

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has unexpectedly low review scores for a Pokemon game. Earlier today, the review embargo for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet ended and dozens of video game sites (ComicBook.com included) published their initial thoughts on the game. However, the reviews for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were decidedly mixed, with the games receiving the second-lowest Metacritic aggregate score of any Pokemon game released in the last decade. With a Metacritic score of 78 (and an Opencritic score of 76) only last year's Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl games have a lower aggregate score. Additionally, this is the lowest Game Freak-produced Pokemon game made in a decade and continues a general downward trend for the Pokemon franchise in terms of review scores, with four of the five "main series" Pokemon games produced for the Nintendo Switch receiving a Metacritic score of 80 or lower. Only Pokemon Legends: Arceus had a Metacritic score above an 80, with an 83.

By comparison, both Pokemon X and Y and Pokemon Sun and Moon received 87 scores from Metacritic, while the secondary titles Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon scoring and 83 and an 84 respectively.

Metacritic's Metascore is a weighted average of various review scores aggregated across the Internet, with some critics and websites receiving more weight based on their overall presence in their respective industry. 

ComicBook.com's review praised the storyline and Pokemon designs but criticized the game's technical performance. "Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the most ambitious and forward-thinking Pokemon game yet, but suffers from some frustrating graphics and technical features," ComicBook.com's review wrote. "But while Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is truly a wonder to behold as a Pokemon game, it struggles to meet even the relatively basic graphical standards for a modern video game." Many of the criticisms in ComicBook.com's review were echoed in other reviews, with the most intense criticism being leveled at the game's graphics and its empty open world. 

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will go on sale on November 18th.