Pokemon Scarlet

 Switch
User Score
3.4

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 3197 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 755 out of 3197
  2. Mixed: 290 out of 3197
  3. Negative: 2,152 out of 3197
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  1. TwistedVelocity
    Apr 5, 2023
    1
    It's is disgusting what GF has presented us with. A raw "bare minimum" is too nice for this trash product. Any Alpha in existence is better than this.
    The game is buggy and unfinished in every single area. The "Patching saves" take an eternity to come out and are not an excuse for "celebration" when patches do come out. Or should I sell you a bike that is lacking brakes, a wheel and    It's is disgusting what GF has presented us with. A raw "bare minimum" is too nice for this trash product. Any Alpha in existence is better than this.
    The game is buggy and unfinished in every single area. The "Patching saves" take an eternity to come out and are not an excuse for "celebration" when patches do come out. Or should I sell you a bike that is lacking brakes, a wheel and lighting? No? Then why is it okay for Pokemon to deliver the equivalent of that and anyone paying full price?
    The "Open World" is boring and effing stupid. No discernible landmarks aside "lag lake", no care and a crappy draw distance to boot really make me hate walking through the game. And this being the game that depends the most out of any other Pokemon-Game to have "enjoyable" movement.... nope, not this.
    The only good thing about this game is that there is a really good story in S/V. One of the 3 best stories in Pokemon and that is the only reason I don't wanna give this game a 0. Or would have stated "would give minus score if possible".

    Released full-price products are not to be judged by "potential", they are solely to be based on what they offer. Pokemon S/V offers a great story, disgustingly **** "open world" with a pathetic bad online features, a lot of love missing and the code also not being up to par. This is supposed to be combated by GF by releasing fan-favorites in the early lifespan of this game to create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) so people buy the new games to get their faves.
    And I sincerely HATE TPC for doing this.
    The patches won't save it
    The DLC won't save it

    Because the core premise is so trash that there can't be any excuses    … Expand
  2. FluffySpartan
    Apr 5, 2023
    0
    This is an alpha... It's pretty much a cash grab. Parents should get theyr kids something better worth these money and ppl who like pkmn should get the pearl and diamond remakes instead... They at least are finished games.. Ppl should stop buying these games just because of the name on it
  3. Jian1001
    Apr 4, 2023
    0
    it's the biggest piece of d o gg s h i t

    skkkkkssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
  4. ABigFatAirAtom
    Apr 3, 2023
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (im comparing this as both scarlet AND violet)
    These games suck compared to other Pokemon titles
    I get it they're good, but still suck
    They have the second worst performance of the entire franchise (second to BDSP).
    Cassoroya lake, tagtree thicket, North Province Area 2 (bamboo area). Nuff said
    Their shiny hunting is entirely outclassed by PLA and the let's go titles.
    Breeding is at its worst, the fact that you have to wait then get eggs makes it extremely daunting if you want to get shines from masuda method (eg. the starters, 7 star raid bosses, hissuian zorua).
    There are two loading screens just to open the game.
    The starters are bad (except skeledirge)
    In order to shiny hunt with even half decent odds of masuda method charmless without eggs is clear 60 in an outbreak (already 20 mins prep time) then spend several hours grinding for herba mystica then have the shiny charm, practically in order to hunt with good odds you need 2:30:00 of prep time
    compared to PLA with about 1 minute prep time if you're unlucky.
    They cut lapras, Togekiss, Metagross and Minior but kept in alomamola, luvdisc and lumineon
    You can never get into online Tera raids
    Grinding takes forever

    But there definitely are some great positives
    The story is immaculate and touching, arven made me cry.
    The graphics, despite the low framerate are the best in the series thus far.
    Iron Bundle is adorable and in my top ten favorite pokemon.
    The incredibly large pokedex (despite the cuts and dumb choices)
    The sheer amount of content
    The School teaching is incredible and the fact that jahq or whatever is name is teaches you about shinies

    I feel like the cons unfortunatly outweigh the pros
    3/10
    (PLA 10/10 tho def get that instead)    … Expand
  5. Cayalle
    Apr 2, 2023
    3
    First, the amount charged in my country is a joke, totally out of line with our reality (Brazil). Second, the tera is a terrible mechanic, totally empty and that ends with the existing typing of the pokemons, because if we use the tera as a defense we can literally ruin any strategy of another player, just see how the world was strange to follow. I believe that the tera itself is aFirst, the amount charged in my country is a joke, totally out of line with our reality (Brazil). Second, the tera is a terrible mechanic, totally empty and that ends with the existing typing of the pokemons, because if we use the tera as a defense we can literally ruin any strategy of another player, just see how the world was strange to follow. I believe that the tera itself is a mechanic that needs to be forgotten quickly so that pokemon goes back to what it was. Tera raid also has several problems with bugs and a real obligation to make the pokemon X mode so that you can win the tera raid, which leads us to the question... After all, the game is for fun or to play for a fixed mode to be able to win a super augmented fight that doesn't reflect the tera raid pokemon?! There are many things to complain about, but I believe the game is one of the worst pokemon games.… Expand
  6. 13luejay
    Apr 1, 2023
    1
    Visual wise, everything was barely polished and obviously rushed through. The switch shows its unfinished coding by choking on loading even the most basic of entities into the game. The only good brag this game could have is its character design and story potential. It's apparent that they focused primarily on these two elements in the game compared to everything else. When you beat theVisual wise, everything was barely polished and obviously rushed through. The switch shows its unfinished coding by choking on loading even the most basic of entities into the game. The only good brag this game could have is its character design and story potential. It's apparent that they focused primarily on these two elements in the game compared to everything else. When you beat the game and credits role, hundred of names are shown below character designing and story lining yet every other department is lacking even double digits worth of names… Expand
  7. TheNapol
    Apr 1, 2023
    7
    This game is very overhated, although their arguments are VERY valid. The game is so glitchy, buggy, and doesn’t look like it should be made by THE MOST successful media franchise ever. Also the visuals in the wild looks like it was from the ps3. But although, Koraidon and Miraidon make the experience way better. A big problem with Pokémon is how is feels so slow when you move, but theThis game is very overhated, although their arguments are VERY valid. The game is so glitchy, buggy, and doesn’t look like it should be made by THE MOST successful media franchise ever. Also the visuals in the wild looks like it was from the ps3. But although, Koraidon and Miraidon make the experience way better. A big problem with Pokémon is how is feels so slow when you move, but the legendary fix that problem. I also loved exploring and going to gyms that I was way behind for. Also, love the new quality of life updates. This game would be objectively the best Pokémon game and way more positively accepted by the community if they just spent more time fixing the visuals and the bugs and glitches.… Expand
  8. Boots_Stank
    Mar 31, 2023
    1
    Will say I liked the story a little bit but thats all

    Thought I'd at least enjoy the meta but it requires so much grinding of tera raids which a lot of time include stall and **** mechanics which aren't fun when you do 20+ a day so maybe you can get the battle item you need to actually level the playing field competitively. This was an unenjoyable mess. There is nothing I would consider    Will say I liked the story a little bit but thats all

    Thought I'd at least enjoy the meta but it requires so much grinding of tera raids which a lot of time include stall and **** mechanics which aren't fun when you do 20+ a day so maybe you can get the battle item you need to actually level the playing field competitively. This was an unenjoyable mess. There is nothing I would consider fun about this game in post. It had the same feel at first of enjoying a new world and learning about the new pokemon and characters. But its quickly dashed by the "everything else" about the game.
    Graphics are so bad they pull you out of the game half the time. Like I get what they were TRYING to do but the execution was just so awful.
    A lot of the mechanics aren't old favorites or new and exciting, the Terastal phenomenon is so underwhelming that half the time I don't use it because of the massive downsides that come with locking your pokemon to a single type for a mid damage increase is often not even worth the extra few seconds of animation.
    Also tying THE legendary pokemon to your bicycle seems fun but uh, its super **** annoying when you try to use it as a pokemon because you are so conditioned to ride it and when you do it stops being a battle pokemon. I gave up on ev training it and spent the fortune on vitamins cause I couldn't train them otherwise.
    Over all even if I ignored the performance issues the game is a chore and everything feels half assed.
    Also, quit expecting everyone to have multiple friends handy. The 5 and 6 star raids have the items I need but are unbeatable without either getting INCREDIBLY lucky with randoms or the perfect stack of npcs

    My first Pokemon game was yellow, I've been in this for a long time and too see what I thought was the most stable franchise kow tow to investors to push out an unfinished game even months later was just so much of a disappointment I have no hope for the future of the Pokemon gaming franchise and game-freak itself    … Expand
  9. Cyndaqui1Master
    Mar 30, 2023
    9
    Pokémon Scarlet is a great game, but it can be annoying at times. I like the plot, and I do recommend - for people who have great patience. You don’t need very much, but it is frustrating at times. Can’t wait for the DLC
  10. Thequack05
    Mar 23, 2023
    8
    great game, good new pokemon and if you ignore the very few glitches there are now its a great game!
  11. RiftSilver
    Mar 20, 2023
    7
    Pokemon Scarlet and Violet push the franchise forward, while also holding the franchise back.

    The most glaring flaw in Scarlet and Violet is evident right at the start, the performance issues are a major problem and actively distract fr0m the game experience. With good performance as rare as frame-drops are in many other first party Nintendo titles, it's a near constant fight to ignore    Pokemon Scarlet and Violet push the franchise forward, while also holding the franchise back.

    The most glaring flaw in Scarlet and Violet is evident right at the start, the performance issues are a major problem and actively distract fr0m the game experience. With good performance as rare as frame-drops are in many other first party Nintendo titles, it's a near constant fight to ignore the issues to attempt to enjoy what else there is to like here. With pop-in, level of detail, texturing issues and flickering characters, Pokemon spawning inside of walls and camera clipping, there is rarely an instance where you won't be finding issues. Compare this to GameFreaks previous entry Legends Arceus, and you have to wonder how it all went so horribly wrong as many of the issues experienced here are non-existent there. While performance will affect many others differently, it affected my overall enjoyment greatly, and is inconsistent with what the previous entries led me to expect.

    The Open World is a great addition to the series, with the ability to choose your own path within reason, and choose whether or not you want to fight your way through higher leveled areas right away and have your own challenge, or start lower and work your way up. I often found myself getting lost within the world and continually catching new Pokemon and finding ways to battle Pokemon sometimes nearly twice my own level. While sometimes areas feel a little barren, for the most part I think the areas were pleasant to visit and enjoy. Proper Pokemon scaling is a welcome addition, although sometimes a nuisance for smaller Pokemon as the lock-on feature is again, not as polished as the previous entry, and while Let's Go is a great way to battle, collect materials, shiny hunt and have Pokemon follow you, the distance at which your Pokemon will disappear fr0m you and some speed issues make it feel less like a companion feature, and more like a utility to be used sparingly. Picnics are a fun idea, although also marred with technical issues that are noticeable enough, I often view this as a utility for shiny hunting or breeding alone.

    While I enjoy riding the title Pokemon and developing its powers, the encounter system feels half-baked compared to Legends Arceus. Throwing Pokeballs fr0m a distance and accompanying repositioning of your trainer to fit into a proper battle area feels clunky, and while the battles themselves maintain a competitive based formula, they also feel lacking. Contact animations are noticeably absent for many moves where they existed within Legends, and the battle system camera, while rotatable, results in some odd visual issues at times that would have been better solved with either a moveable trainer, or a completely dynamic fixed camera similar to what already existed within gym battles. Multiplayer ends up being an enjoyable feature, exploring the world around your friends and seeing their progress is great, and being able to breed Pokemon with your friends without the need to trade is a neat addition.

    The story is one of the better within the Pokemon Series and benefits with an air of mystery around certain aspects that reminded more of how Souls games might approach the history and lore of the region rather than your typical Pokemon game. This is definitely a highlight of the game, and something that actively kept me going despite performance issues. As of the current update, much of the story aspects are left unexplained, and so we can only theorize as to what is to come in future updates (hopefully alongside performance improvements).

    The characters within the game itself are also very enjoyable, each Gym Leader, main character and teacher within the world with their own personality and interactions within their respective sphere that made it much more enjoyable to visit with characters than some of the recent entries.

    Despite all my gripes with the game and how it would have benefited greatly fr0m extra time in development, the good aspects of the game remain one of the more memorable entries in my mind. If GameFreak can patch up the performance and many of the bugs, I think the entry could be one of the finest the series has to offer. However, at the moment, it fights against itself and becomes an entry that was marred by the franchises own dependence on a fixed release schedule. I can only hope that GameFreak allows themselves more time for future entries, as well as invests heavily in better technical prowess. As the evolution of gameplay continues, the technology needs to do the same to continue pushing the series to new heights, instead of holding it back.    … Expand
  12. Creblu
    Mar 19, 2023
    8
    The 9th generation of Pokemon games are an exciting romp through Paldea from start to finish. The new designs for the Pokemon are only getting better and more creative as time goes on, and this game exceeds on immersing you and your Pokemon in an actual thriving and alive region. This may also possibly be the best story in any main-line Pokemon game to date; being able to take on threeThe 9th generation of Pokemon games are an exciting romp through Paldea from start to finish. The new designs for the Pokemon are only getting better and more creative as time goes on, and this game exceeds on immersing you and your Pokemon in an actual thriving and alive region. This may also possibly be the best story in any main-line Pokemon game to date; being able to take on three different paths with compelling characters and interactions makes me glad to read the dialogue for once. The only two things I can see holding this game back are it's performance/bugs and it's controls, which are big downsides to the game, but it is possible to look past them. Not everyone can find enjoyment in a Pokemon title, but for those who do, this is a great work from Game Freak.… Expand
  13. Skorm_Critic
    Mar 17, 2023
    9
    Extremely amazing game to enjoy. One of the only Pokemon games I have enjoyed returning to frequently. Only reason keeping this away from a 10 is because in about 3 areas it is filled with lag throughout the game and it could get repetitive, especially when trying to catch a Pokemon in the specified areas. Overall an amazing game to play yourself or with friends/families. I would recommendExtremely amazing game to enjoy. One of the only Pokemon games I have enjoyed returning to frequently. Only reason keeping this away from a 10 is because in about 3 areas it is filled with lag throughout the game and it could get repetitive, especially when trying to catch a Pokemon in the specified areas. Overall an amazing game to play yourself or with friends/families. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and relaxing Pokemon game.… Expand
  14. LucarioStan
    Mar 16, 2023
    2
    Let us start off with a quote from the official summary, shall we? "You'll be able to experience the true joy of the Pokémon seriesbattling against wild Pokémon in order to catch themnow in an open-world game that players of any age can enjoy." True joy? You say? Well, how are people supposed to enjoy true joy with these "Games" when things such as constant bugs, glitches, and frame rateLet us start off with a quote from the official summary, shall we? "You'll be able to experience the true joy of the Pokémon seriesbattling against wild Pokémon in order to catch themnow in an open-world game that players of any age can enjoy." True joy? You say? Well, how are people supposed to enjoy true joy with these "Games" when things such as constant bugs, glitches, and frame rate drops ruin the overall experience while traveling from one zone to the next on your "Legendary Pokemon?" All of this is the fault of the poorly thought-out and lag-filled Paldea region. One moment you'll be adventuring through the region at a stable 30 FPS, and then the next moment 15 FPS or lower.

    The only other game I've seen do that is True Crime: New York on PS2, a game released during the sixth generation of consoles back in late 2005, almost 20 years before the launch of the Gen 9 titles. And yet Pokemon Scarlet and Violet seem to run even worse than TC:NY on a console almost three times as powerful as the PS2. It is evident from how the last main entry went (Pokemon Sword and Sheild) the next games wouldn't fare much better, but to the absolute shock of everyone, Pokemon Scarlet is not only worse than Sword and Sheild but also the single-handedly worse Pokemon title ever made—a travesty on all fronts. Released from a triple-A studio, and we get a 60-dollar game that plays and performs like an early-access Steam game at best and a PS2 Tech Demo at worst. It's obvious that Game Freak rushed this game to launch, for one reason or another. I'm both shocked and appalled that nobody at the company stood up and asked for more development time, who knows? Maybe an additional year or so of development would've made this into a decent or better title. But no, we instead get sacked with an excuse of a video game that's one of gaming's biggest letdowns, if not the biggest letdown. Apart from offering refunds for this mess of code, Game Freak's efforts are downright appalling. Imagine this, say a patch comes out for a game that you've been waiting for weeks since its launch, only for said patch to delete your save file in which you've spent hours on, that's what happened to Scarlet and Violet. Even with the positives, such as its story and somewhat "interesting" replacement for mega evolutions in the form of Terastallizing, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will go down in history as not only Pokemon's worst game, but also Nintendo's worst game as well.    … Expand
  15. Kamos_
    Mar 15, 2023
    4
    As a game it's a step forward in terms of narrative and player freedom unlike the previous games there's more to scarlet/violet than just " defeat the elite four, well done " they've attempted to build upon what Arceus started and made it an open world and added some features I personally love, such as the TM builder when you obtain a TM you can learn how to craft them, the picnic systemAs a game it's a step forward in terms of narrative and player freedom unlike the previous games there's more to scarlet/violet than just " defeat the elite four, well done " they've attempted to build upon what Arceus started and made it an open world and added some features I personally love, such as the TM builder when you obtain a TM you can learn how to craft them, the picnic system is less annoying than SWSH's as well, however, that's where the good times end.

    The game is a buggy mess and the performance is terrible and that has barely changed since launch, the game was not polished enough prior to release and was rushed out, as we know from datamining, they had work done on interiors before scrapping it, unlike previous pokemon entries you could enter houses and talk to people inside they cut back considerably on that, in fact you cannot enter the vast majority of houses.

    There is no scaling in this game which leads to trainers, gym leaders and pokemon in general being severely underlevelled if you decide to explore and catch some pokemon this leads to the game becoming extremely easy, you could argue that all pokemon games are easy but scarlet and violet take the cake on this one. The game would of been much better if some form of level scaling existed to keep pokemon, trainers and gym leaders at your level instead of punishing you for exploring, let me also remind you, this is open world and you're punished for exploring (well done Game freak).

    The recent patch introduced a new bug which can wipe your save data, currently they don't know the cause and say it will be fixed when they do however the next bug fix patch is due before the " end of april " many issues that were present at launch are still around and kicking and game freak simply does not release bug fix patches frequently enough.

    If I was to sum up the negatives into a TL:DR it would be this

    - Interiors are gone
    - There is no scaling
    - Gym leaders don't fight you in gyms (might sound a but whiny, I know)
    - Koridon's " flight " is worse than Braviary's in Arceus
    - A plethora of bugs and performance problems, still persisting.
    - Customisation isn't as great due to the forced school uniform
    - No Clefairy (God damn GF why?! - Nitpicky, I know)

    If I was to give positives

    - Open World
    - A story that is more than just " defeat the elite four + champion "
    - The TM crafting machine
    - Better Picnic
    - Sprigatito

    On the whole the game could of been so much more, it's not a 0 and it's not a 10, beware those type of reviews. In future if level scaling was added and gym leaders were actually gym leaders not fight you in a nearby park guys and more polishing before release they could have an absolute unit of a game.    … Expand
  16. OlilovesMovies
    Mar 15, 2023
    5
    Pokemon Scarlet is the worst game I've ever loved. It's honestly hard to properly review a game like this, because from a purely critical perspective, it is an absolute mess. How a game from the largest franchise in the world can be released in such a state is beyond baffling. It could possibly be excused if the game was gorgeous, but it's biblically ugly!

    However, I haven't enjoyed a    Pokemon Scarlet is the worst game I've ever loved. It's honestly hard to properly review a game like this, because from a purely critical perspective, it is an absolute mess. How a game from the largest franchise in the world can be released in such a state is beyond baffling. It could possibly be excused if the game was gorgeous, but it's biblically ugly!

    However, I haven't enjoyed a Pokemon game this much since Heart Gold/Soul Silver! The story is vastly improved on previous entries and I haven't been this motivated to "Catch them all" in a long long time. The gameplay loop is absolutely captivating.

    The fact that this game came out and actually stopped me from playing God of War Ragnorok is insane, and that is not to imply for one second that this is a better game, but there is something completely enchanting about it.

    I wish, this could be a warning to the Pokemon company, that they can't keep releasing games like this, but the truth of the matter is, they have no reason to try any harder. The games will always sell well.

    But if, IF they could take the time and effort to release a Pokemon game that took the timeless gameplay and merged it with a gorgeous functioning world, it could be one of the best games ever made.

    Instead we have Scarlet and Violet, a very confusing generation of vastly contrasting qualities.    … Expand
  17. Ale98
    Mar 14, 2023
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's been 5 years in a row, yet another **** Perhaps the worst. Non-existent game. Open World empty, objects dropped at random and useless on the map, npc useless and add nothing, badly done and unexplorable cities. Unexplorable houses and shops copied and pasted over and over again. 0 experimentation, leveling handled terribly, you can start wherever you want, right or left, but once you finish one or the other part, pokemon are too strong compared to pokemon, trainers and gyms on the other side of the uncharted region. Biomes are obscene, empty, careless. There is no exploration, the caves are tunnels with textures that are all the same and applied very badly. The pokemon are only half or a little more beautiful, the others are lazy, lacking in originality. Future forms, on the other hand, are garbage. Pure garbage. The Pokemon League is done with your feet, the 4 coaches all challenge you in the same room which however resembles a public latrine with those horrible tiles that you see. Reflections are very bad, if you reflect in a crystal inside the cave, your reflection is in the wrong place. Rehearsals before gyms are dumb gimmicks. The olive roll is the most cringey and fake stuff I've ever seen. The boss battles in general are all super easy, like the rest of the game. The graphics are obscene, but as if that weren't enough, the framerate is really the straw that breaks the camel's back. A total disappointment, from a generation that really shouldn't have come out. This game, indeed this beta is an insult to the intelligence of consumers. To be kind, those who gave big votes don't objectively understand anything about video games.

    Sono 5 anni di fila, ennesima presa per il culo. Forse la peggiore. Gioco inesistente. Open World vuoto, oggetti droppati a caso e inutili sulla mappa, npc inutili e non aggiungono nulla, città fatte male e inesplorabili. Case inesplorabili e negozi copiati e incollati più e più volte. 0 sperimentazione, il leveling gestito malissimo, puoi iniziare da dove vuoi, destra o sinistra, ma una volta finita una o l'altra parte, i pokemon sono troppo forti rispetto a pokemon, allenatori e palestre dall'altra parte della regione inesplorata. I biomi sono osceni, vuoti, senza cura. Non c'è esplorazione, le caverne sono tunnel con texture tutte uguali e applicate malissimo. I pokemon sono belli solo per metà o poco più, gli altri sono pigri, privi di originalità. Le forme future invece sono spazzatura. Pura spazzatura. Le Lega Pokemon è fatta con i piedi, i 4 allenatori ti sfidano tutti nella stessa stanza che assomiglia però ad una latrina pubblica con quelle piastrelle orribili che si vedono. I riflessi sono fatti malissimo, se ti rifletti in un cristallo dentro la grotta, il tuo riflesso è nella parte sbagliata. Le prove prima delle palestre sono espedienti stupidi. La rotolata dell'oliva è la roba più cringe e farlocca che io abbia mai visto. Le boss battle in generale sono tutte strafacili, come il resto del gioco. La grafica è oscena, ma come se non bastasse, il framerate è davvero la goccia che fa traboccare il vaso. Una delusione totale, da una generazione che non doveva proprio uscire. Questo gioco, anzi questa beta è un insulto all'intelligenza dei consumatori. Per essere gentile quelli che hanno dato votoni non capiscono oggettivamente nulla di videogiochi.    … Expand
  18. NGCB
    Mar 8, 2023
    2
    Easily the worst Pokémon game, and it’s not even close. I give this game 2 points because I like the open world IDEA, and most of the new Pokémon have good designs. But after finishing the game, I felt like I’d been robbed for buying it. S/V looks and runs like a bad PS2 game, legitimately makes Arceus look like Elden Ring when you compare screenshots. I bought the game because I thought IEasily the worst Pokémon game, and it’s not even close. I give this game 2 points because I like the open world IDEA, and most of the new Pokémon have good designs. But after finishing the game, I felt like I’d been robbed for buying it. S/V looks and runs like a bad PS2 game, legitimately makes Arceus look like Elden Ring when you compare screenshots. I bought the game because I thought I could overlook this, but it’s impossible to miss because your CHARACTER’S SPEED is tied to the frame rate…which constantly dips between 10-15 FPS. So you really feel when the game is chugging along. Graphics aren’t everything, but they’re far more important to create a compelling open world to explore. It’s hard to get immersed with an open world slideshow that doesn’t even have pretty slides. It’s probably the most disappointing game I’ve ever played.… Expand
  19. smurfman26
    Mar 5, 2023
    7
    I personally find the game fairly fun just like its predecessors, but it does have a few glaring flaws. For example, on release it was a buggy and confusing mess, especially on the mount. This made the gameplay and story less fun if you are able to see some random pokeball model halfway through the floor during a cutscene. Other than the glitches and its competitive scene being prettyI personally find the game fairly fun just like its predecessors, but it does have a few glaring flaws. For example, on release it was a buggy and confusing mess, especially on the mount. This made the gameplay and story less fun if you are able to see some random pokeball model halfway through the floor during a cutscene. Other than the glitches and its competitive scene being pretty crazy, Pokemon Scarlet/Violet are fun games. I would recommend-ish.… Expand
  20. LivTheKirby
    Mar 3, 2023
    6
    Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are fun games, and I appreciate how those working on the game have been trying to make the games more open world. I love the majority of the new Paldea mons and the characters all have their own personalities and just feel more life-like to me.

    Of course, the game has its issues and controversies. First off, THE LAG. DEAR LORD, THE LAG. There is a LOT of lag in    Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are fun games, and I appreciate how those working on the game have been trying to make the games more open world. I love the majority of the new Paldea mons and the characters all have their own personalities and just feel more life-like to me.

    Of course, the game has its issues and controversies. First off, THE LAG. DEAR LORD, THE LAG. There is a LOT of lag in the games, some versions are worse off than others when it comes to lag, however it's unfortunate how many of the places are hard to traverse due to how the game chugs in areas with a lot of Pokémon.

    Second off, just like Sword and Shield, not every Pokémon is accessible. Sure, it's not the worst thing, especially to those who don't really care about using Pokémon from older games, but it's a shame to those who are attached to an old mon of theirs, and how some people get a bit upset if their favorite isn't in the game (mine isn't in SV yet, upsettingly, but hopefully it'll return in the DLC)

    I grew up with the Pokémon series, ever since I first played Omega Ruby on my 3DS. This game is great, but it's another showcase on why the games need to be worked on a bit more before they release; a year of development isn't enough time anymore.    … Expand
  21. Spered
    Feb 28, 2023
    4
    Pokémon Scarlet isn't such a bad video game, it deserves a 4/10 in my opinion.
    Empty world, awful cities, cute Pokémon aesthetics but nothing exceptional. This is a game full of flaws, the only thing it really succeeded in are the characters, which I genuinely liked (Clavell, Arven, Larry, Penny and Team Stars).
    For them alone, I don't feel like putting less than 4.
  22. royvaldez147
    Feb 27, 2023
    2
    Even without taking into account the bugs the game doesn't offer much in the long run. It is an expansive world, but feels surprisingly empty. Combine that with its various glaring issues and a story that is quite forgettable and you get an entry that leaves you feeling like nothing was really accomplished in the end.
  23. mepphy
    Nov 20, 2022
    7
    Enough time has passed and 1.2 fixed something, the game has grown on me a bit but there Is still a lot to do. Map Is still bad overall but framerate not being on 9-10 is a step up xD

    now can i also Say i liked the three main character and the last story. Everyone is likeable and story isn't that complicated Difficult is... well still baby mode rpg, hope we can get an hard Battle somehow
  24. ZeroNoKami
    Feb 27, 2023
    0
    Literalmente un juego lleno de limitaciones, no puedes hacer nada, las teraincursiones son un refrito de las incursiones gigantomax, y para más inri, no puedes conseguir los legendarios en Shiny por un estúpido shiny lock, que no tiene ningún sentido.


    Eso ni hablar de qué no puedes pillarte de primeras un starter en shiny... Poca vergüenza es lo que tienen.
  25. Daniel1516
    Feb 24, 2023
    7
    esta culero mazizo lleno de errores en ocaciones ni se puede disfrutar Puntuacion(3) .

    Nueva reseña el juego con las actualizaciones esta bien ya no estan tantos problemas tecnicos pero se ve la verdad muy mal a comparacion de otros de la misma nintendo yo en lo personal se siente algo vacio la idea es buena    esta culero mazizo lleno de errores en ocaciones ni se puede disfrutar Puntuacion(3) .

    Nueva reseña el juego con las actualizaciones esta bien ya no estan tantos problemas tecnicos pero se ve la verdad muy mal a comparacion de otros de la misma nintendo yo en lo personal se siente algo vacio la idea es buena pero como que le faltaron ganas para que este bien implementada    … Expand
  26. Romeo009
    Feb 22, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. De los mejores juegos de Pokémon que he jugado pese a su mal rendimiento … Expand
  27. Mrimaginary
    Feb 21, 2023
    2
    Most games deal in either/or. Either you can have great graphics, or you can have a huge world. Either you can have full voice acting, or you can have lots of dialogue, or a compromise with some Voice acting. On the other hand, modern Pokémon is: Neither.

    You have a technically broken game. The first truly open map is nice, but its still basic, lacking interesting exploration or    Most games deal in either/or. Either you can have great graphics, or you can have a huge world. Either you can have full voice acting, or you can have lots of dialogue, or a compromise with some Voice acting. On the other hand, modern Pokémon is: Neither.

    You have a technically broken game. The first truly open map is nice, but its still basic, lacking interesting exploration or atmosphere. Visually this looks like roblox, a free online game. You have couple of flat textures copy pasted on surfaces as if by an amateur. When you walk into major cities, like the the electric gym, it's like you are looking at the concept notes of a place. It would be cool, if it was actually finished. As it is, the flat textures look ugly everywhere, there are hardly any interiors and barely any foot traffic. Whatever NPCs that walk around look like broken automatons because of the framerate. How do you immerse the player in a bustling, high tech city setting when the visual details, frame rate utterly fail to create that atmosphere? The only thing that comes through and works well is the music. Compare this to other games, like the hubs in Splatoon that also try to convey a busting urban area - It's embarrassing by comparison. They even took away the extensive wardrobe customization

    In order to offer meager modernization in the form of 3d, open worlds, Pokemon has regressed beyond belief in almost every other regard. The flow in Legends Arceus, where battles were seamless and wouldn't chug along with each notification "X was paralysed!" Stopping everything one by one is abandoned, and again now Pokemon is excruciatingly slow, slower than before because of the performance. How do you offer such a technically basic world, lacking features, and also have it look this bad and ALSO not even run well?

    I understand Gamefreak and Pokemon Company can make a lot of money regardless. The brand is strong. But for how long? And why are they comfortable with disrespecting their own brand so much? Pikachu is like Japan's mickey mouse. The highest grossing entertainment franchise, Pokemon is like a cultural institution and a form of soft power for Japan. Following on with the Disney comparison, which is globally deeply associated with American culture, you would never see a major Disney film with poor production. They might not be good films always, often formulaic. But across the animated work, star wars and marvel, the production will be professional and high quality. It goes to show how empty and nihilistic corporate Japan is, that they do not treat their own cultural treasure of Pokémon with the same grace. Eventually the brand will be weakened by this.

    The good: The open world structure is nice, the narrative is more fun than most previous entries too. They have refreshed how professors, legendries and more fit into the Pokemon world. It's far behind other games still - Even games aimed at all ages - But there is some more thoughtful worldbuilding than previous entries. The formula works well with an open world and the 3 non-linear mission paths. It would not be hard to make this game fun and acceptable, and it would not be especially expensive or time consuming. But the technical issues and sheer sloppiness are just so distracting, it continually impedes any immersion for me. Like I said, every area feels like concept notes, not even a Beta state of the game. It literally feels like a free online game, but its full retail instead. Every step forward in terms of modernization seems to be a new low for GameFreak and Pokemon.    … Expand
  28. Guevara0032
    Feb 18, 2023
    2
    I don't want to be cruel, but I always speak the truth and Pokemon scarlet and purple are to say the least... disappointing, it's not the worst game I've ever played, but the worst games are from indie studios with a budget of 3 dollars and 50 cents.
    As good points it has the story and the music.
    As bad ... the rest
  29. Zoro_strife
    Feb 18, 2023
    0
    Bland, glitched, ugly, wokenes and rushed **** the worst so far, ufortanelly 20M of sold unitys
  30. Kyred
    Feb 16, 2023
    6
    I'm writing this from the review of someone who has been playing the games since pearl, & been a fan since the very beginning thanks to the anime. I have played almost every generation of pokemon, retroactively or remade & experienced a large number of the changes that the franchise has gone through. The graphics changing over time, as well as the main gameplay loop shifting when newI'm writing this from the review of someone who has been playing the games since pearl, & been a fan since the very beginning thanks to the anime. I have played almost every generation of pokemon, retroactively or remade & experienced a large number of the changes that the franchise has gone through. The graphics changing over time, as well as the main gameplay loop shifting when new mechanics are added & removed. With gen 9, this will be my 6th pokemon game to experience around it's release.

    Pokemon Scarlet, the version I got specifically, was definitely a game. To help break it down, mimicking the 3 story paths of this game, I too will give 3 scores to reach my final answer.

    First off, the story, one the main draws of any game, regardless of genre. It blew me away, plain and simple. Of course there were twists here and there, who someone actually was, what their plan was this whole time & what they were planning to do.

    Path of legends was the first one for me to do and, for most of it, I already knew what was coming, as many, many people spoiled it before I had my own chance to play it. Regardless of knowing it beforehand, the parts in between that I hadn't seen myself, as well as the ending were new to me, & worked effectively. I truly believe this one needed a blind play through, much like star street, to be enjoyed to the fullest.

    Speaking of star street, I knew who certain folks were, as it was somewhat obvious. What did get to me though, was the entire story behind and around team star. There was no sign beforehand that could have prepared me for the roller coaster & honestly relatable story of Team Star. Honestly, all the teams throughout the series have had some grand goal. Reset the universe in their own image, expand the land & sea, reach across dimensions to capture rare & exotic creatures to manipulate for their own needs. But this one? This team? Actually hit me. It's one that, as an adult, I understood, & know that a lot of kids will actually be able to care about for once. One that, anyone really, should on some level be able to insert themselves into. That is if they're not a youtuber who skips all the dialogue and only notices one line mentioning one of the bosses being a rich kid.

    Victory Road was. Well it was the standard fanfare of every game in the series. 8 gyms, to then face the elite four and champ with a rival to face every few gyms or so. Well, with the twist of being able to face them in any order there is no right way to go after them. However, the gyms levels & teams are already set. They don't adjust based on how many badges you already have, even with taking into account victory road badges alone. I'd be lying if I wasn't disappointed, as I had hoped we would finally see a true difficulty scaling that the other games never had. Gym leaders, and elite four(which fall into the same trap) aside, there's your rival, Nemona. She's probably the best in a long time. While people have been craving those edgy & snide rivals, Nemona continues the trend of a supportive and positive one, but in a way that's. Actually fun? She's battle obsessed, self aware & genuine. She even sees losing to you as the best thing because you're actually a challenge and, let me tell you, she gets challenging later on.

    Now, when all 3 paths are done, there's of course after game. Yeah can't say what happens there without spoiling but it. It was intense. There were twists I didn't imagine and honestly, this made Sc/Vi the best written mainline game in a good long while.

    The story collectively was 8/10 for me. There were issues here and there, but honestly it was. Wonderfully well written.

    Now, the graphics. GOD THE GRAPHICS. I'm gonna use Sw/Sh and Arceus as a comparison. Sc/Vi tries to ditch the cartoony lines the other 2 had & it's to it's own detriment. Pokemon look wonderful, but the human characters, including a few of the main cast, kinda. Look bland? It really feels flat there. The quality almost felt like what I would expect from Su/Mo, 3DS games. There was a lot of low quality textures blown up, including logos for banners the size of your character, then 5 minutes later the same texture but vectored? So it was very. Inconsistent. This isn't including bugs, which can be patched out, I can't say the same for the shadow and textures though. There's horrendous pop in, genuinely feet in front of your character, and frame drops from looking at a wall vs the vast ocean.

    Overall? 3/10. If it were patched out, then I would change that.

    Now comes the pokemon. Save for a few. That were just very basic, like a lawn flamingo, they felt the most fun they've ever been. Except for Skeledirge. That's just a red crocodile... Without revealing any designs, they felt genuinely fun and creative.

    9/10

    The game felt rushed. It had 3 years, where BoTW, another open world game, had 6. I genuinely believe if they had more time, they could do amazing things, & this hints at that.

    6.5/10    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 118 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 60 out of 118
  3. Negative: 2 out of 118
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 24, 2024
    60
    Not a bad game. It still has its solid core, new Pokémon, and what's worked for years continues to work. The open world is a questionable addition in my opinion. [Issue#324]
  2. VideoGamer
    Dec 14, 2023
    70
    Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take the long-awaited step into a fully open-world, but one poorly implemented and marred by frustration. A compelling story and characters are a saving grace in what is ultimately a fun game, but Pokemon's attempts at modernising continue to fall disappointingly short.
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  3. Het Nieuwsblad
    Jul 31, 2023
    20
    A square wheel spins more smoothly and fluidly than this game. If three Pokémon or characters come into view at once, the whole game creaks and falters. Edge-off unplayable. And that's a shame. Because the addition of an open world is "on paper" a puffy idea to refresh the franchise. No more linear walking that takes you past gyms and ever stronger and different Pokémon, gotta catch 'em all. You can go wherever you want. With some tactics, you can take on some very tough challenges with Pokémon that aren't nearly strong enough. Fun! Except this game just wasn't ready. It's shameless that Nintendo and Game Freak are still throwing it on the market. Nevertheless: 10 million games sold in just three days.
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