Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Game Review

The world of Pokémon has been leaving their fans at the edge of their seats as anticipation grows for the upcoming games Scarlet and Violet. We have yet to find out the evolution lines to the 3 starters but have hints of what they look like thanks to the ridders from Twitter.

This leaves me to wonder, that these releases should be happening soon, right? The day of November 18^th is approaching quickly, so how much longer should we be expected to wait for the final leak?

Let’s recap what they have released thus far –

Starters + Designs

We know the starters, their names, designs, and abilities. The designs are interesting for starters, yet not different from the typing they are listed under. Who will you choose for your starter, or are you waiting for the final evolutions before you make this choice?

The Region

Paldea, Interesting name but I’m rocking with it! This region map is extensive, which makes it more explorable for the open world-based game. Now there has been some outrage that it’s not entirely open-world that you can free-roam all over the map, but neither was Breath of the Wild in the beginning.

Level-caps are another anticipated issue that some people have, especially Pokémon famous youtuber ADrive. The reason is fair though but first let me explain about level-caps.

The level-caps are based for the gym leaders, meaning their Pokémon are to a set level no matter how strong or weak your Pokémon are. You can face a gym leader whose level-cap is 30, when your Pokémon are at level 70+.

Makes an entire mechanic disadvantage, but you can play your game how you want, this game allows it.

Although for me, I feel like they should at least upgrade it once you’ve beaten the game, perhaps in an update?

3 Story Lines

Victory Road:

The basic Pokémon game story line, where you challenge the gym leaders (not in order) while traveling the Paldea region. This is a new game with the same story line as previous generations.

Starfall Street:

Face off against trouble making students and their leader Mela. She travels or rides on her Pokémon that seems to take shape of an enormous vehicle engine but the engine itself is not the Pokémon. Quite interesting, it’s a battle against another Team Rocket.

Path of Legends:

Face off against Titans in their lairs or just gigantic Pokémon and acquire the “Herba Mystica”. Not much is known of rewards after beating this conquest but seems to be like alpha Pokémon in Legends Arceus but with a twist.

**Important Note: Below is after game discussion and may contain spoilers!!**

Now before you continue reading this blog, I have already played about 5 hours of gameplay, therefore I have some understandings of how the game mechanics’ work.

If you have not played the game, and don’t want to read about spoilers, I suggest you stop reading from this point.

Version Exclusives:

Other cool features about the game are the separate version exclusives that you may have to trade with friends or buy the other version to obtain these certain Pokémon.

We also have paradox forms, prehistoric vs futuristic as the game itself is set on different timelines. This may bring a difference in abilities, and stats?

Scarlet Exclusives:

Armarouge – Fire/Psychic
Tauros – Fight/Fire
Larvitar, Pupitar, and Tyranitar
Drifloon, and Drifblim
Stunky, and Skuntank
Deino, Zweilous, and Hydreigon
Skrelp, and Dragalge
Oranguru
Stonjourner
Great Tusk – Ground/Fighting (Donphan Prehistoric)
Brute Bonnet – Grass/Dark (Amoongus Prehistoric)
Sandy Shocks – Electric/Ground (Magneton Prehistoric)
Scream Tail – Fairy/Psychic (Jigglypuff Prehistoric)
Flutter Mane – Ghost/Fairy (Misdreavus Prehistoric)
Slither Wing – Bug/Fighting (Volcorona Prehistoric)
Roaring Moon – Dragon/Dark (Salamence Prehistoric)
Koraidon – Fight/Dragon

Violet Exclusives:

Ceruledge – Fire/Ghost
Tauros – Fight/Water
Misdreavus, and Mismagius
Gulpin, and Swalot
Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence
Clauncher, and Clawitzer
Passiman
Dreepy, Drakloak, and Dragapult
Eiscue
Iron Treads – Ground/Steel (Donphan Futuristic)
Iron Moth – Fire/Poison (Volcorona Futuristic)
Iron Hands – Fight/Electric (Hariyama Futuristic)
Iron Jugulis – Dark/Flying (Hydreigon Futuristic)
Iron Thorns – Rock/Electric (Tyranitar Futuristic)
Iron Bundle – Ice/Water (Delibird Futuristic)
Iron Valiant – Fairy/Fighting (Gardevoir Prehistoric)
Miraidon – Electric/Dragon

Level Capped:

This game has a set level for all the story modes, meaning if your team is lvl 50, the first gym leader’s team is still at lvl 15.

This may hold as an issue to some or make the challenges super easy as you overpower your team before facing against any challenges.

As always, play the game as you see fit.

Open World:

Let’s get into the open world concept. You may be thinking “Wow! I don’t have to technically battle the gyms, go to school, or unlock the story modes in general!”

Let me stop you and say, there are some setbacks, such as you won’t be able to swim across rivers, or oceans, and won’t be able to soar the skies without the Legendary Pokémon.

You can only obtain this Pokémon through the story mode and go to the Academy.

Pros About the Game:

Easy to level up your Pokémon during battle or letting your starting team member roam freely to battle.

Three different story lines, as this gives you more to do in the game making it more grinding.

The open world concept, with Pokémon roaming about, I enjoy running around aimlessly hoping I’ll find a shiny.

You can have multiple teams for different story lines, making the game more challenging.

This game has a side quest, and possibly more that I just haven’t uncovered yet!

The post-game adventure is supposed to be another challenge, making this game’s play time more worth it.

This is everything a 90s kid growing up playing Pokémon has ever wished the game would be!

Cons About the Game:

Glitches and lag, Nintendo paired with Gamefreak to create this game and it seems rushed to be put out on the shelves. Some people have even returned the game due to the constant crashes, bugs, and glitches.

Story mode battles are level capped, so making it more challenging could involve more rules included to your play style.

If you are not a fan of having to go back to school, you unfortunately must in order to complete the game and obtain the legendary.

Small Pokémon are hard to see in the grass, and I find myself bumping into them quite often.

Shiny Pokémon in the overworld (before battle scene) do not sparkle or make noise of a sparkle. Keep your eyes open for a shiny!

People have reported having bad motion sickness with the freestyle camera, that you can control. Be careful if you are easily affected by motion sickness.

This game is in major need of an update, but I haven’t had many issues other than lag and some cliff walls warping as I run past them. Other than that, this game seems to be a hit or miss depending on some factors

Game cartridge or digital copy
Wi-Fi player, or not
How packed your switch is of games

These could all be factors of defectiveness causing the glitches and bugs on your system. We can only hope Nintendo rolls out an update to fix these issues in the near future.

What else will you unfold as you take the steps in your Paldea Region? Purchase the game at your closest game retailer, or purchase from the E-Shop on the Nintendo Switch.

Go Catch Them All!

Featured and Header image credit goes to pdutogepi on deviantart.