Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review: What a Pokémon fan of 20 years really thinks of the new games
To say that Nintendo's new Pokémon games, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, have received mixed reviews is an understatement.
Some fans are calling the Nintendo Switch games, which released in Australia on November 18, the best entries in the video game franchise so far while others are fuming over "game-breaking" performance issues.
I've been playing Pokémon games since 2002, battling through the original GameBoy Colour entries, to the Nintendo DS games and recent Nintendo Switch releases like Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which happens to be my favourite game of 2022.
So what does a Pokémon fan of 20 years and avid RPG player think of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, and are the games worth the money? Let's dig in.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
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The good
400 Pokémon to catch
There are so many Pokémon to catch in this game, which is a huge point in its favour if you're a collector like me. With a whopping 400 entries the Paldean Pokedex, including 107 totally new Pokémon, you really will want to catch them all.
Open world gameplay
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet build on the open-world features from previous entries in the Pokémon franchise, including Pokémon Sword and Shield and Arceus. But while those games relied on roped-off open world sections divided by load screens, Scarlet and Violet's map is huge and totally open.
The story
With three main questlines weaving into a massive overarching story, the plot in these games will keep you hooked. There are some lulls here and there (especially if you get distracted catching Pokémon for hours like me) but the plot is definitely one of the most expansive in the franchise to date.
Nostalgia
Not only is the Pokémon series the most profitable in the history of video games, it's also one of the longest-running, with the first games debuting in Japan in February 1996. The franchise holds plenty of fond memories for gamers young and old and the sweet nostalgia in Scarlet and Violet is undeniable.
The not so good
Performance issues
There's no avoiding it; Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are buggy and can feel unfinished. The frame rate isn't always up to scratch and often lags, textures bug out and models pop in and out randomly. Some players have had the game crash on them and while these issues don't (usually) render the game unplayable, it's not up to the ususal Pokémon standards.
It's a bit too big
Open world games can be awesome, but with the biggest map of any Pokémon game to date, Scarlet and Violet sometimes feel a empty. The wide fields, snowy slopes and rocky terrain are full of Pokémon but not much else. The game could have benefited from more trainers to battle and areas of interest in the landscape, or just a smaller map.
Too much talking
The first section of the game bombards you with dialogue scenes that feel slow and overstuffed, and every time you approach a key moment later in the game you're flooded with even more on-screen text. It often goes on for minutes and I stopped reading after a while, as much of the dialogue wasn't important to the plot. It's irritating and the script could've done with some serious trimming.
The verdict
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are incredibly fun games, especially for players like me who love collecting every Pokémon in the Pokédex. That said, the games have prioritised size over detail in many areas and I would have happily given up some of the wide open spaces for a more immersive, less laggy experience.
I definitely hoped for something more polished as a follow-up to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which released in January 2022. Some tech gurus and longtime Pokémon fans hope that upcoming game patches could address some gameplay issues, which sounds promising, though they're unlikely to fix major performance issues.
That said, I'd definitely buy them both again as presents – though maybe not for the regular $79.95 price tag. Grab them on sale from Amazon instead, where the games discounted to $62.
For the best gaming experience, I'd also recommend running the games on the new Nintendo Switch OLED console, $478 on Amazon, which features an upgraded display and twice the internal memory of the standard console. If you're looking for something cheaper, go for the classic Nintendo Switch for $447 or snag a bargain on with the Nintendo Switch Lite, currently on sale for $319 on Amazon.
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