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. Shirosan
    Dec 4, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall the game was perfect. The new Pokémon were very cool and the open world feature was amazing. You can just catch all Pokémon if you want and it makes very much fun.
    But..
    The end of the story is the biggest **** I‘he ever seen. The complete game story is good but if you go to the secret fourth path you think wtf.
    You must go in a area were the music kills your ears and your eyes crushes because of the bad light filtres and so on.
    The story in the fourth path is pathetic and is not more than a generic sci fi **** story.
    The professor is dead and you must fight her AI to destroy a Time Machine she builds..
    Sorry but this is awful and very disappointing.
    This makes the complete game a mess.    … Expand
  2. Multality
    Dec 4, 2022
    1
    Pessimia otimizacao do jogo, quedas de FPS, pokemons sumindo, Bugs para todo os lados, crash de jogo. E tudo isso custando 300 Reais. O pokemon Arceus e muito melhor que isso. Gamefreak nao sabe fazer jogos em mundo aberto.
  3. Zski
    Dec 3, 2022
    7
    I really appreciate the effort to try to continue to shake up the Pokémon formula for the better, but even with the performance issues aside (which I did not find to be that bad), the execution was a little underwhelming. To address the performance complaints that everyone has with the game - the issues are there, but they literally do not impact the game by any means. I did experienceI really appreciate the effort to try to continue to shake up the Pokémon formula for the better, but even with the performance issues aside (which I did not find to be that bad), the execution was a little underwhelming. To address the performance complaints that everyone has with the game - the issues are there, but they literally do not impact the game by any means. I did experience some slowdown, I did experience a few bugs, but they weren’t bad enough to break the game or even hinder the experience. If you’re playing Pokémon for a next gen experience that performs at 60fps, then you are really losing touch with what the core attraction of Pokémon really is. I didn’t find the performance and glitches to be any issue at all.

    However, the game itself feels like a step in the right direction with a very poorly executed concept. Open world Pokémon is exactly what everyone dreamed of since the Gameboy days. I just found the world to be incredibly uninspiring and hollow. I started off really excited to explore the map, but as I continued on I realized that the exploration just felt a little aimless. I appreciate that the game gives you many overarching objectives - completing the Pokédex, collecting all the gym badges, battling Team Star, and battling the titans gives some variety to the overall objective. But exploring uninspiring terrains just to find waves of the same Pokémon over and over somehow made the game feel linear in an open world. After awhile I found myself just going straight for objectives, not even caring about exploring. Which is a shame, because even Arceus felt like it had more push for exploration. It’s still a great game that offers tons of content. I just felt like the effort to move to open world was a bit weak, so it kind of took away from the existing magic formula that made the series great to take it in a direction that wasn’t fully fleshed out. After Arceus, it’s a step in the right direction, I just wish we didn’t have to wait another generation (or more) for the direction to be fully realized into what it’s capable of being.    … Expand
  4. Marchez69
    Dec 3, 2022
    0
    The graphic issues on this are ridiculous. Cannot go a few minutes without them popping up.
  5. Adelson54
    Dec 3, 2022
    0
    E sério Game freak?! Eu pedi um jogo melhor que sword and shield e me vem com um lixo desses? Depois não reclame se eu não investir meu dinheiro comprando seus jogos, 1 consumidor a menos pra vocês
  6. ashthewolf
    Dec 3, 2022
    5
    This game had great potential,which was ruined in the state this game released in.
    The characters ware great,the story was amazing, and the gym leaders ware some of the best.
    Out of the 3 beginning quests 2 ware incredible and the last one was alright. I love how you can befriend the teachers to learn more about them. The classes' ware interesting (Other than arts and language), The    This game had great potential,which was ruined in the state this game released in.
    The characters ware great,the story was amazing, and the gym leaders ware some of the best.
    Out of the 3 beginning quests 2 ware incredible and the last one was alright. I love how you can befriend the teachers to learn more about them. The classes' ware interesting (Other than arts and language),
    The bugs and performance is what ruins the game.

    I want this to be a learning experience for game freak and Nintendo because the game does a lot of things,but oh boy did they **** a lot of things wrong too!
    If it wasn't for the bugs and the performance it could have been one of the best Pokémon games.    … Expand
  7. SpringFrost
    Dec 3, 2022
    2
    Broken game development, random level design, absence of optimization for exploring, no level scaling and poor challenging experience. I've reached the end of the game with same vibes I've had in SWSH, boredom and hurry to end the game in order to never open it again. It's a shame because some concept, new creature and narrative sare solid but this game shouldn't have been in commerce soBroken game development, random level design, absence of optimization for exploring, no level scaling and poor challenging experience. I've reached the end of the game with same vibes I've had in SWSH, boredom and hurry to end the game in order to never open it again. It's a shame because some concept, new creature and narrative sare solid but this game shouldn't have been in commerce so soon and that's frustrating and disappointing for the video player, especially after LPA, which also suffered because of graphics but still was able to be a complete and stimulating experience for some gamers, so clearly the problems with this game go one step further… Expand
  8. killermichiZ
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    greedy, lazy company releases a new game

    not worth it at all, its extremly lackluster in almost every way
  9. GigaCritics
    Dec 3, 2022
    0
    A bad unpolished game. bugs, glitches,graphics and fps drops make this game for me the worst in Frenchies.
  10. REOSpeedwagon
    Dec 3, 2022
    3
    An too simple and banal narrative in an empty open world but full of technical problems
  11. Kaleid1105
    Dec 2, 2022
    10
    I love this Pokémon game, its history in each of its routes was well detailed and even though it has some Bugs and slight FPS drops, that does not take away from the great story of the game
  12. Buntekuhmachtmu
    Dec 2, 2022
    2
    Underwhelming.. started actually really great and then the quality dropped harshly..
    So many glitches and bugs.. I am disappointed.
  13. Soliwhite
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    Game Freak this Game is technical a disgrace you don’t care about your consumers anymore!
  14. Mamba3310
    Dec 2, 2022
    2
    The only thing that I save are a couples designs of some creatures. The gameplay, the story, the dialogues, the characters and mostly the game design are totally trash. I love pokemon, but this time TPC have to look more to the quality instead of money
  15. Seadog96
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    This game has sadly proven that game freaks are only interested in profit, and for it they are willing to trample an entire fandom and produce a product undeserving of their name. All this hatred that unfortunately I have developed over the years derives from my immense love for the pokemon world, and from the immense displeasure in finding myself every time with a product in my handsThis game has sadly proven that game freaks are only interested in profit, and for it they are willing to trample an entire fandom and produce a product undeserving of their name. All this hatred that unfortunately I have developed over the years derives from my immense love for the pokemon world, and from the immense displeasure in finding myself every time with a product in my hands devoid of: a serious and exciting mature story, graphics that make me fully immerse yourself in this fantasy world that is the setting for the game, well-written and researched characters and so on.
    I have always defended the brand to the hilt even in the lowest moments, but after this gen my confidence has completely disappeared.    … Expand
  16. FlameHaze10
    Dec 2, 2022
    6
    Pros:
    - Open world
    - New Pokemon
    - Decent Story
    - Design

    Cons:
    - Asset pop-in
    - FPS
    - Switch hardware
    - Nemona is weird
    - Too easy

    Verdict:
    - NSW need upgrade
  17. logi01
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    I think the key of the game is the story. Games also show stories with play. Well, the gameplay experience was very bad!(Bugs, Frame drops, Design, Action...etc)And the story is also very bad. They made open-world games but still force to play linear way.
  18. Fodeyay
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    It's the same old pokémon formula (catch pokemon, defeat gym leaders, become champion) but poorly disguised as an open world. The map is not fully accessible from the beginning unless you use glitches to reach later areas. Gym leaders' pokémon have fixed levels, that means if you like exploring different areas and catching pokémon before tackling gym challenges, you better be prepared toIt's the same old pokémon formula (catch pokemon, defeat gym leaders, become champion) but poorly disguised as an open world. The map is not fully accessible from the beginning unless you use glitches to reach later areas. Gym leaders' pokémon have fixed levels, that means if you like exploring different areas and catching pokémon before tackling gym challenges, you better be prepared to be greatly over-leveled. This takes away the feeling of "choose your own route" and trivializes any encounter as your team will most likely be way more powerful than your opponent's.
    The story had some good points, but the awful performance of the game, the constant glitches and the empty cities, terrible npc model animations and constant dips in framerate overshadow every good aspect that the game might have had. As a life-long fan of the franchise, this is definitely a step back.    … Expand
  19. Zu343
    Dec 2, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Zu viele Bugs und Glitches. Das Spiel ist unfertig erschienen. Die Story und die Musik sind Super. Hätte das Spiel mehr Zeit bekommen, hätte es ein Meisterwerk werden können. Es ist aber leider keins geworden.… Expand
  20. Ferraz_10
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    This game is a joke. Unfinished, unpolished, ugly, hollow, boring and full of bugs and glitches. Can't believe they actually published this thing.
  21. troumouchis
    Dec 2, 2022
    0
    The game creators were LAZY, open world feels empty and product feels rushed and unpolished. Also many pokemon are missing, so they will ask for more money when DLC comes out. Dont forget to pay monthly to use its online functions. Level curves are terrible, very inconsistent difficulty and theres no challenge. Only positive is that they try to get out of their comfort zone compared toThe game creators were LAZY, open world feels empty and product feels rushed and unpolished. Also many pokemon are missing, so they will ask for more money when DLC comes out. Dont forget to pay monthly to use its online functions. Level curves are terrible, very inconsistent difficulty and theres no challenge. Only positive is that they try to get out of their comfort zone compared to sword and shield trying to make some changes and pushing game to open world.… Expand
  22. SubhrajyotiB
    Dec 2, 2022
    10
    I am really enjoying it a lot ... One of the best Pokemon games with so much exploration. Donno why people are saying so much bad things . Yes the performance is bad and the graphics is not that good but then the gameplay is so refined that you don't need those .
  23. Noahz
    Dec 2, 2022
    2
    the game closes during the raid, the FPS is constantly falling.This is the worst I've seen from nintendo and Pokemon
  24. Garlond
    Dec 2, 2022
    3
    Bad pokemon designs, a lot of bugs, my 3 points are all for the OS that is pretty good in most times.

    A lot of effort in the scenario creation in the first route but a lack of it in the rest. In comparison with Legends: Arceus, this was a lot better than Scarlet / Violet. The best Pokémon design I think is the legendary ones in the cover, but in other platforms it will be considered    Bad pokemon designs, a lot of bugs, my 3 points are all for the OS that is pretty good in most times.

    A lot of effort in the scenario creation in the first route but a lack of it in the rest.

    In comparison with Legends: Arceus, this was a lot better than Scarlet / Violet.

    The best Pokémon design I think is the legendary ones in the cover, but in other platforms it will be considered "clickbait", so good job selling smoke.    … Expand
  25. Zero7812
    Dec 1, 2022
    0
    Não tem nem como joga isso, parei antes do primeiro ginasio, de tão insuportavel que estava a performance
  26. PetterLDP
    Dec 1, 2022
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. jogo corrido mal feito mal acabado xoxo capenga anêmico, era pra ser um jogo de pokemon e virou um jogo de terror aonde você fica constantemente fugindo do fps estavel… Expand
  27. 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!
  28. Unnypops
    Nov 20, 2022
    4
    This game is soulless. It simply feels unfinished. While playing this game the main question that pops into my mind is “…why?” They’ve just gone and removed things. They’ve removed the ability to go into houses and talk to NPC’s. This removes soul from the game as all towns are completely and utterly pointless. No more trades with random NPC’s or mini quests to deliver love letters from aThis game is soulless. It simply feels unfinished. While playing this game the main question that pops into my mind is “…why?” They’ve just gone and removed things. They’ve removed the ability to go into houses and talk to NPC’s. This removes soul from the game as all towns are completely and utterly pointless. No more trades with random NPC’s or mini quests to deliver love letters from a ghost. Add in the fact clothes shops sell really dumb stuff like helmets so it’s not like you’re using those often. I’m not sure why they’ve added 1000 sandwich shops to towns. Making sandwiches isn’t even a fun mini game. At least you could make yucky poffins and soup in previous games. On to the next point, making my character stuck in a hideous school uniform with hideous hairstyles also removes soul from the game. Game freak apparently doesn’t want girls to be girly in anyway. No long hair or skirts. The Pokémon league is complete joke in this. They actually ask “do you like Pokémon hurrr durr” before you’re allowed to battle the league. You do not feel like a champion after defeating them. This game also suffers from the over talking. Can they please just shut up when we’re battling. I’m not sure why Nemona is being praised for being a breath of fresh air. She’s the most annoying character in the game. The constant stopping me at gyms to say “yay! battling! I like battling” urgh. Can I have Silver as my rival again please. This game really would be 10x better with all the Pokémon. The open world is fun but there’s not enough in it to want to explore. As I said, towns are pointless so I don’t wanna explore those. There’s only 400 Pokémon so exploring the map to catch them doesn’t take too long. I also don’t know why people say “the stories sooo good” HOW. How is the story good? Titan Pokémon is interesting. Team star sucks so much. I hate them. Nemona sucks. The Pokémon league sucks. The TINY BLOB of good story at the end of the game does not equal the best story pokemons had in ages. Game play is fun, shiny hunting is fun.. so 4/10. Game freak really dropped the ball on this one. Their team that made Legends Arceus should’ve been in charge of Scarlet and Violet as the drop on quality between these games is quite significant. Arceus didn’t feel soulless at all.… Expand
  29. Chano_eng
    Dec 1, 2022
    9
    I was really eager to had a really great time when I turned on the Nintendo Switch with Scarlet cartridge for the very first time. I noticed that Game Freak released a "day 0" update, so I got my game copy up to date... The suspicious thing here is that Game Freak recognized that the game may not be ended with the "naked" cartridge without the 1.0.1 update. What they actually wereI was really eager to had a really great time when I turned on the Nintendo Switch with Scarlet cartridge for the very first time. I noticed that Game Freak released a "day 0" update, so I got my game copy up to date... The suspicious thing here is that Game Freak recognized that the game may not be ended with the "naked" cartridge without the 1.0.1 update. What they actually were recognizing was that they ran out of time, so that they didn't finish the game at flashing cartriges milestone.
    What I experienced at the really first hours playing Scarlet was that the game feels so laggy. Every time I open Pokedex the game takes 1 second or so with a kind of transition of laggy black screen, also when opening the Pokémon storage box.

    Saying this about this game is very painful for me. I was expecting this game so much. And also have to say that the historiy, the enviroment and everything related to the game (without the technical aspects) is extraordinary. Brilliant. The score would have been much higher in my case just if Game Freak didn't just remove the Quality Assessment phase in their development.

    They have published an update which fixes some of the problems. The game is 9/10 for me (not considering technical issues).    … Expand
  30. rhoxwen
    Dec 1, 2022
    4
    Firsti, the open World addition is not that and story is actually really good. But all these flaws ruins the experience:
    1- Art direction is the worst it's ever been, Pokémon and Human characters look like Garbage.
    2- The game is WAAAY too buggy. 3- The battle System is painfully SLOW. 4- The Open World feels lifeless and empty. 5- Horrible Performance for game that was developed by    Firsti, the open World addition is not that and story is actually really good. But all these flaws ruins the experience:
    1- Art direction is the worst it's ever been, Pokémon and Human characters look like Garbage.
    2- The game is WAAAY too buggy.
    3- The battle System is painfully SLOW.
    4- The Open World feels lifeless and empty.
    5- Horrible Performance for game that was developed by company with a multibillion brand behind it... and running on a console that is capable of so much more.

    not worth of your time and money, Pokémon fans deserve better Collapse    … 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.
    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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