Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Are Finally Improved After 3 Years (But Has Enough Changed?)

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Upon release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in autumn 2022, players were taken aback by the condition the games presented, as they encountered numerous technical issues and bugs that overshadowed their experience. Compared to Pokémon Sword and Shield, which primarily had online mode-related problems, these new releases exhibited significant technical flaws. Such imperfections were far more pronounced than anything seen in Nintendo’s previous work, creating a stark contrast with the relatively bug-free Pokémon Legends: Arceus, released just months before. Consequently, these issues dominated conversations about the two games.

Over the past three years, there have been significant transformations in the Nintendo Switch versions of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. As Game Freak incrementally updated these games, they leaped ahead significantly with the arrival of Nintendo Switch 2. This new platform allowed them to greatly enhance the graphics and frame rate, offering a remarkably smooth 60 frames per second experience. Playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch 2 offers a completely distinct feel compared to previous versions. While the games excelled in many areas prior to the latest update, the improved performance now makes it much easier to acknowledge and appreciate the skills of the developers even more.

What Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Do Right

With each new generation of Pokémon, developers at Game Freak continually refine the existing gameplay style. The release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet significantly shook up our expectations for a mainline Pokémon game. One notable shift is in the storyline, which has typically been less complex in Pokémon games. However, Scarlet and Violet have made remarkable strides to delve deeper, and this is evident. The development of secondary characters greatly enhances player immersion into the game world, with characters like Penny, Arven, and Kieran having rich character arcs that leave a lasting impact. Even the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon have interesting personalities to make them memorable. Overall, the cast of characters in Scarlet and Violet is one of the most compelling any Pokémon generation has ever seen.

Enhancing the immersiveness of “Scarlet and Violet” is the considerable degree of player autonomy. Unlike being compelled to adhere to a predetermined route, these games afford players the liberty to roam Paldea at their leisure, accomplishing tasks as they see fit. This departure from a long-standing tradition that dates back to “Pokemon Red” and “Green” was undeniably the correct choice, making “Scarlet and Violet” feel like an innovative leap for the franchise. The past three years have witnessed an abundance of events and fresh content being rolled out, encouraging players to continue playing and discovering more about Paldea. This level of support is unparalleled among any Pokemon generation up until now, and it should be the norm going forward.

One of the Pokemon series’ standout features has always been its music, but in terms of audio, Scarlet and Violet don’t get as much recognition as they deserve. The composers skillfully matched each story moment with appropriate intensity, from Team Star’s energetic battle theme to the calming “A Brief Moment.” Naturally, the music in locations such as Area Zero was also spot-on in creating the necessary atmosphere.

What Still Needs Improvement

As a devoted fan, I’ve been utterly captivated by the stunning soundtrack of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet, the absence of voice acting remains a striking omission that feels incongruous amidst the game’s otherwise polished presentation. Granted, I appreciate Game Freak’s restraint in not incorporating voice acting for every title, as not all games necessitate it, and many players relish the silence.

However, the peculiarity lies in moments where characters burst into song without any audible vocals. For instance, having a Gym Leader like Ryme who is also a rapper, yet only providing lyrics on-screen rather than actually hearing the rap, seems odd. It’s laughable, and even more so considering the identical approach was taken with Piers in Pokémon Sword and Shield. It just feels out of place and takes me out of the immersive experience.

While whether voice acting is essential in games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet can be debated, one major issue is clear – the absence of level scaling. Players appreciate the flexibility to take on Gyms and Operation Starfall at their own pace, but this lack of adjustment can lead to facing challenging Gym Leaders early on and easy ones later. If future Pokemon generations maintain this level of freedom, more focus should be put into balancing the game to ensure a fair challenge throughout.

In the upcoming Pokemon region, we should enhance the landmark features beyond just improving exploration elements. Unlike previous regions such as Paldea, this new place needs more iconic spots that leave a lasting impression. Previous regions like Kanto’s Lavender Town with its eerie Pokemon Tower or Unova’s bustling Nimbasa City with its eye-catching Ferris Wheel are good examples of memorable landmarks. The focus on outdoor locations in the current version, Scarlet and Violet, makes this lack more noticeable since players rarely enter buildings. Although it was convenient not to have to visit Pokemon Centers to heal my Pokemon before resuming my adventure, most towns and cities felt rather empty. It doesn’t help that many of the Pokemon appear too small while I’m riding Koraidon and Miraidon, making the world seem less populated than it should be.

Moving Pokemon Forward

Z-A to look forward to in the remainder of this year!

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2025-08-26 01:12