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. Uomobianko
    Nov 21, 2022
    0
    This game is not even worth 1 cent laundry nothing works horrible graphics non existent gameplay Pokemon that spawn out of nowhere
  2. TioTeo
    Nov 23, 2022
    10
    I love this game! It has been so much fun exploring and experiencing the story. The game has not been at all glitchy for me!
  3. Marcuskosyou
    Nov 23, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The games are so fun the post game is so fun that I am surprised that the game does not run slower. I get people who say the games are buggy but have you gotten to the post game. If you haven't then play more the first 2 hours are slow I get it but play more. The other pokemon games we are relating these game to are not open world it is almost impossible to compare to pokemon games like bdsp or pokemon red or even legends arceus because they are not open world they play so different so play moreof the games to really get into it or even play with the multiplayer these games are not like cyberpunk.… Expand
  4. jkaloy
    Nov 23, 2022
    10
    best pokemon game ever. yeah, the game has some performance issue blah blah blah but you can't deny the fact that this game is the most enjoyable game by far. coming from a guy who plays all pokemon genaration
  5. Araune
    Nov 24, 2022
    10
    What is wrong with these reviews? I had zero bugs, the overworld is nice, we have three storylines, and it's the first good story in my opinion. I really don't know why this game gets such negative reviews. I love it.
  6. Fury72888hshu
    Nov 29, 2022
    9
    Damn the angry crowd is review bombing this game with their emotion and not actually giving some useful and fair review, which definitely not deserved. Yeah, sure its got lot of bugs, and I mean A LOT of bugs, but its not like Cyberpunk 2077 first day where there a lot of game breaking bugs. People tend to ignore the game's core that are beside graphics which is the gameplay, the story,Damn the angry crowd is review bombing this game with their emotion and not actually giving some useful and fair review, which definitely not deserved. Yeah, sure its got lot of bugs, and I mean A LOT of bugs, but its not like Cyberpunk 2077 first day where there a lot of game breaking bugs. People tend to ignore the game's core that are beside graphics which is the gameplay, the story, the innovation and the music when they are enraged, which will gave an incorrect review. So, to player who plans to read the review before buying the games, make sure the review is actually have some points in it and not something that just write by people who just try to review bomb it, positive and negative review. Alright, time to get to the main points.

    With the 4 points I mention above, let's start with 1) The Gameplay:
    The gameplay adapts some mechanics from Pokémon Legends: Arceus like backstabbing (yes, using your Pokémon's pokeball) and giving you a first strike advantage. Your riding Pokémon which depends on which version you purchased (in this case Koraidon) also got new overworld ability like Sprinting, Swimming and etc. which is also adapts from PL:A. This game is also the first Pokémon game to feature full-open world, with loading time only occurred on cutscenes loading and entering and leaving buildings. The level scaling, I can't defend this one, they have Nemona level scaling with your current gym badge and your champion status, but they can't level scale the gym and other wild Pokémon, but I still got a good laugh when my level 10 Quaxly suddenly battling a level 35 trainer, and you know what happen next, blacked out, lost some of my Pokédollars and back to Pokécenter. Speak of Pokécenter, this new Pokécenter absolutely fit the open world style gameplay. Need to heal, found a Pokécenter, heal up, go back to adventure, repeat. Simple and quick, no loading time except maybe the healing animation, which is also quicker than past games. And now, the new mechanic: Terastellize. By default, every wild Pokémon's Tera type is by their original's type, if it have two original type, its one of those as Tera type. There one exception for wild pokémon, there some Pokémon sparkling in the wild, and when you battling them, they will immediately Terastellize, which the Tera type is often not the same with their original type. You can also change your Pokémon's Tera type by defeating the Medali City Gym first, so you can talk to the cook and change your Pokémon's Tera type with 50 Tera Shards, which can found in the wild and as a Raid Rewards. Speaking of raid, it is time to talk about the Tera Raid. Some of the things in Tera Raid is adapts from SW/SH's Dynamax Raid, like the four players to raid and the Tera Shield. Now lets talk about new things in Tera Raid, you have 3 different Cheers skill and can only use 3 times combined in a Tera Raid, "Go All Out!" raise you and other player's ATK and SP ATK, "Hang Touch" raise you and other player's DEF and SP DEF and "Heal Up" heal you and other player's Pokémon;s HP and status condition. So carefully plan your cheers skill to help you and your team to win the Raid. Tera Raid use time now and not the Dynamax Raid's 4 fainting counts. And trust me, you will have enough time to win the raid even if there Pokémon get fainted a lot, not saying 7 stars Tera Raids though, you need a good team for that. Speaking of overworld multiplayer, I cant say anything about it because I don't have friends (Cry in the background), so lets move to the next points.

    2)The Story
    I'm going to be honest, this might be the best story alongside B/W's Story. I can't said anything here since its will be count as spoiler, but trust me, the story is very freaking good. My recommend steps to play the 3 paths is: Path to Legends => Victory Roads > Starfall Street.

    3)The Innovation:
    The "Let's Go" feature. Its a very good feature when you just want to exp grinds, since its save a lot of time to battle and wait for all the animation to finish, and its also wont beat the Shiny Pokémon so don't worry accidently kill a Shiny Pokémon with this feature. Now on to the things that is not new gaming innovation, but more of a Pokémon franchise's innovation, the full-open world which I mention above, so I won't talk about it again. The Riding Pokémon that is more improved version from PL:A, just one Pokémon and you can explore the entire maps (of course you need unlock the ability first which is in Path of Legend).

    4)The Music:
    Good ol Game Freak, still making banging music, and now with the help of Toby Fox, the creator of the popular indie games: Undertale and Deltarune. You will enjoy the music in this game.

    Conclusion, the games will be, if not, the best Pokémon games if it without the bug that everybody angry for. So I recommend to play this games despite everybody being angry about the bugs, because underneath the bugs, its a gems. (I'm reaching text limit so no picnic part)    … Expand
  7. NuVanDibe
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    I went into this game with low expectations, but it somehow still failed me. This is absolutely atrocious. Broken, poorly-thought-out mechanics, and a lack of polish that results in laughably awful moments. Moments at which the game's pure awfulness makes you put the controller down and smile at just how far this entire franchise has fallen. This is a glitchy mess that wouldn't be fun evenI went into this game with low expectations, but it somehow still failed me. This is absolutely atrocious. Broken, poorly-thought-out mechanics, and a lack of polish that results in laughably awful moments. Moments at which the game's pure awfulness makes you put the controller down and smile at just how far this entire franchise has fallen. This is a glitchy mess that wouldn't be fun even if it weren't broken.… Expand
  8. rsaadi28
    Jan 12, 2023
    0
    A franquia Pokémon tinha tudo para ser a melhor franquia de jogos de todos os tempos, mas infelizmente a desenvolvedora se acomodou no sucesso que o jogo já tem e os lançam completamente mal feito. O jogo parece frágil, que a qualquer momento vai dar crash, mal polido, texturas porcas, objetos que ficam piscando na tela, iluminação que aparece e desaparece, o chão do jogo ao olhar de pertoA franquia Pokémon tinha tudo para ser a melhor franquia de jogos de todos os tempos, mas infelizmente a desenvolvedora se acomodou no sucesso que o jogo já tem e os lançam completamente mal feito. O jogo parece frágil, que a qualquer momento vai dar crash, mal polido, texturas porcas, objetos que ficam piscando na tela, iluminação que aparece e desaparece, o chão do jogo ao olhar de perto é cortado e aparece tudo que está em baixo etc. È uma pena, pois esse jogo evoluindo do jeito que merecia , sendo até com esses gráficos mesmo, mas bem feito, bem otimizado e atualizado, seria com certeza o jogo ano em todos os anos. Um fato que me incomoda é que até hoje o jogo não tem falas, não tem reações naturais e não é localizado para outras línguas. Vão acabar perdendo os fãs de Pokémon, o que pode ser bom, pois ai troca de desenvolvedora, podendo ir para uma que realmente sabe fazer jogos de verdade.

    The Pokémon franchise had everything to be the best game franchise of all time, but unfortunately the developer accommodated in the success that the game already has and launch them completely poorly. The game seems fragile, that at any moment it will crash, poorly polished, dirty textures, objects that keep blinking on the screen, lighting that appears and disappears, the game floor when looking closely is cut and everything below appears etc. . It's a shame, because this game evolving the way it deserved, even with these graphics, but well done, well optimized and updated, would certainly be the game of the year in all years. One fact that bothers me is that even today the game has no lines, no natural reactions and is not localized into other languages. They'll end up losing Pokémon fans, which could be a good thing, as they change developers and go to one that really knows how to make real games.    … Expand
  9. vgmkyle
    Nov 25, 2022
    1
    To the parents: If you have a choice for your kid between Pokémon and Sonic choose Sonic. The Pokémon game is an absolute mess, and it will no doubt disappoint any kid that opens it from under the Christmas tree.
  10. hkjhkjh
    Nov 19, 2022
    6
    This game really reminds me of Cyperpunk 2077 (on consoles): Great game severly held back by it's technical issues
    If you want to play it I'd recommend to play it in handheld-mode since the performance seems to be a bit better there compared to docked-mode
  11. 9to10Gaming
    Nov 20, 2022
    1
    Should be criminal to release a game with such a bad performance.

    Besides that it’s very dull and repetitive
  12. IronFanton
    Nov 21, 2022
    2
    Everything is wrong with this game, from the beginning to the end. The visual bugs and glitches make the game almost unplayable, not mentioning the lack of things to do around the open world, and the non-sense decision of not making the events adapted to the level of the player.

    The game feels just awful, keeping everything that didn't work in Pokemon Legends Arceus, and removing    Everything is wrong with this game, from the beginning to the end. The visual bugs and glitches make the game almost unplayable, not mentioning the lack of things to do around the open world, and the non-sense decision of not making the events adapted to the level of the player.

    The game feels just awful, keeping everything that didn't work in Pokemon Legends Arceus, and removing everything that made the game enjoyable.
    About the art direction, it seems like with this game they tried to do something better, but again, they ended up failing, creating a game that looks just incoherent.

    This game makes Pokemon Legends Arceus a good game, when it was a technical disaster, and overall a bad experience for the player.
    Another example that lets us watch the, at this point unstoppable decay of Pokemon, and how the fandom will swallow everything that Game Freak vomits them.    … Expand
  13. GamerBrady
    Nov 20, 2022
    2
    With so much being removed or changed unnecessarily, and the game running like absolute trash, if nothing is fixed within a reasonable time or no statements are made you should absolutely just refund this POS. I can see the game they wanted to make but this just isn't it and another mis step for a company that apparently hates its own creation more with each new iteration.
  14. Billiekun
    Nov 20, 2022
    2
    This is unacceptable. Don't buy it, don't let others buy it. I am a Pokemon fan that no longer can play to Pokemon games because the poor quality of them. It's in our hands to push Game Freak to make decent games again.
  15. GutiCR
    Nov 20, 2022
    5
    El juego es bueno y me gusta a nivel jugable ya que tiene elementos buenos para la franquicia, pero hay que decir las cosas como son el juego a nivel técnico es terrible por no decir roto prácticamente: cómo cargas de texturas en sobras y elementos que te cargan de la nada, popping de pokemons y NPCs y escenarios que aparecen de la nada, caída de fps de todo el escenario, NPCs objetos etc,El juego es bueno y me gusta a nivel jugable ya que tiene elementos buenos para la franquicia, pero hay que decir las cosas como son el juego a nivel técnico es terrible por no decir roto prácticamente: cómo cargas de texturas en sobras y elementos que te cargan de la nada, popping de pokemons y NPCs y escenarios que aparecen de la nada, caída de fps de todo el escenario, NPCs objetos etc, Bugs y al final todo eso por más bueno que trate de ser el juego te rompe la experiencia por lo menos así lo siento yo; yo espero que estos fallos se arreglen en una pronta actualización. Pero la verdad en mi opinión siento que el juego no debío salir así y lo mejor era retrasarlo y pulirlo más. Es una lastima porque tenían todo para ser el mejor Pokémon de esta generación pero es que su rendimiento es más que mejorable.… Expand
  16. MrBum
    Dec 28, 2022
    3
    Performance: laughably terrible.
    Open word: a jumbled mess.
    Difficulty curve: a snaggle-toothed saw. It's like Nintendo sent down the directive to Gamefreak to make the next Pokemon game open world, but none of them had any clue what that actually meant. The game is a hot mess and a prime example that not everything HAS to be open world. There is no direction in the open world, you    Performance: laughably terrible.
    Open word: a jumbled mess.
    Difficulty curve: a snaggle-toothed saw.

    It's like Nintendo sent down the directive to Gamefreak to make the next Pokemon game open world, but none of them had any clue what that actually meant. The game is a hot mess and a prime example that not everything HAS to be open world.

    There is no direction in the open world, you are free to roam around anywhere. BUT. If you look at the levels of the trainers/gym leaders/titans, there is a very clear path they really wanted to take. Why then not just make a more traditional guided play though? Why have an open world at all? And why for all that is holy do they not have any indication that you are not where you're supposed to be until you get your teeth kicked in by enemies way higher in level than you?

    Those are all cornerstone open world design elements that have been utterly bungled.

    The performance of the switch is notoriously terrible, but this monstrosity takes the cake. Constant non-stop hitching, stuttering, and wildly variable frame rates plague every corner of this honestly quite ugly open world. It's so bad that it constantly takes you out of the game.

    There are a few good things added this generation, but all the terrible failures make me no longer care.

    What a disappointing experience.    … Expand
  17. dark0153
    Dec 30, 2022
    0
    Broken online gameplay
    Frame skipping animations for NPC
    Low stability (crashes)
    **** pixelated graphics
  18. LastHope17
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    Myriad of bugs. Open world highlights the worst things about the genre. Gyms aren't gyms, they are little trials of what the devs were testing and not fleshed out ie: slope mechanics, rythym mechanics, collecting mechanics. Go back to Sword and Shield or Moon, or anything else for a better experience. They took out the best things about Arceus no catching pokemon by throwing the ball atMyriad of bugs. Open world highlights the worst things about the genre. Gyms aren't gyms, they are little trials of what the devs were testing and not fleshed out ie: slope mechanics, rythym mechanics, collecting mechanics. Go back to Sword and Shield or Moon, or anything else for a better experience. They took out the best things about Arceus no catching pokemon by throwing the ball at them. You have to battle everytime.

    Some character designs were great, but the first black woman I meet has to be a an slightly overweight rapper? A white girl is a skiier, never seen that before.    … Expand
  19. LoZaNoSkY
    Nov 20, 2022
    2
    I will give 2 points instead of zero because, at least, they have tried to adapt the game to an open world. But the bugs break completely the game experience.
  20. Akuryo90
    Dec 1, 2022
    10
    That is the best game, beautiful world, great characters and the desing of the Pokemon are really amazing. I don't understand this hate and this unfair note. Pokémon is one of the best franchises and his games are better. I sincerely believe that these pages are not to be trusted since the users are trolls and haters. Paldea is the best region, best story . Justice!
  21. Aioria
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    Very bad game , frame rate is horrible, very slow the game ! Crash a lot !!!
  22. TheHonestMan
    Nov 19, 2022
    7
    Underneath the terrible presentation and performance I do believe there is a good game here. It does more right than SWSH with it's freedom of choice and larger world, and the characters and story also feel more interesting this time around. The online is also more convinient (though still not at gen 6 level). If the patch the game to improve performance I'd happily give it an 8 but as isUnderneath the terrible presentation and performance I do believe there is a good game here. It does more right than SWSH with it's freedom of choice and larger world, and the characters and story also feel more interesting this time around. The online is also more convinient (though still not at gen 6 level). If the patch the game to improve performance I'd happily give it an 8 but as is I can't give it any higher than 7. Wait for a discount.… Expand
  23. samuellsilva
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    Eu fico estarrecido da capacidade da Game Freak de liberar um jogo cheio de bugs, glitches, erros e problemas que desanimam qualquer gameplay de qualidade. Espero que lancem um patch o quanto antes para resolver isso
  24. flippyjv
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    0/10 like the frames per second. The frames are awful. Graphics are terrible. Pokemon Legends Arceus was better in many ways.
  25. Comodoro
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    Just unplayable. Full of bugs and glitches. When this happened to Cyberpunk they returned the money. This is just disgusting.
  26. MK11
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    2.8 is a little too high. No voice acting
    Bad frame rate
    Glitches that make Sonic 06 look stable
    Bad graphics

    Just the usual Game Freak laziness
  27. Luminer
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    It's crazy how some people gave to this game 10 points. This game is unfinished, it's a shame. It's not even indie level quality.
  28. abeljr
    Dec 13, 2022
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Been a fan since day one but this game makes me angry on so many levels. Slow interface, disgusting graphics, framedrops from hell, boring and lazy Pokemon designs.. Beside all that the absolute worst thing is the Online Tera battles... Unplayable.. Cant even enter the battles and when you finally manage to enter the bugs and glitches destroys it. Game freak has gotten so lazy it's frightening. All I can say is.. Play something else.… Expand
  29. alexamauad
    Jan 15, 2023
    0
    sinceramente.. es el peor juego que he jugado.. decepcion total.. juego hecho mediocremente solo para vender.. mujeres musculosas.. viejos.. negros.. historia aburrida.. y en las batallas online los npc estan clonados.. ves 3 viejas iguales haciendote porras.. ridiculo.. juego pokemon desde la primera generacion.. amo pokemon.. pero esto fue una decepcion total..
  30. thompsonmelo
    Dec 28, 2022
    2
    And a worse game than the previous ones, the fight by turns remains the same without modifications that make the game more fluid, only now with at least 500 bugs throughout gameplay and fps in constant drops and more controlled Pokémons
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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