Review Roundup For Pokemon Scarlet And Violet

Reviews have gone live for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the latest entry in the mainline pocket monster series. Like other major entries in the franchise, Scarlet and Violet introduces dozens of new Pokemon, gives players a new expansive region to explore, and adds a number of new gameplay mechanics to the signature gotta catch ’em all formula.

So far, reviews have praised the colorful Paldea region that the game takes place in and the smart gameplay tweaks introduced. One criticism from several outlets has been focused on the technical side of Scarlet and Violet, as several performance issues plague this latest chapter.

“While Pokemon Legends: Arceus dipped its toes into what an open-world Pokemon game could be, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fully embrace it,” Jake Dekker wrote in GameSpot’s Pokemon Scarlet and Violet review. “This new approach to the tried-and-true Pokemon formula reinvigorates the mainline series and delivers one of the most challenging and rewarding Pokemon adventures to date.”

For more analysis, you can check out a roundup on GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic where Pokemon Scarlet and Violet currently has a 78 metascore based on 36 reviews.

• Game: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Developer: GameFreak
• Release Date: November 18
• Price: $60

GameSpot – 8/10

“While undercooked presentation and visual issues hold the games back, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are still the best mainline Pokemon games in years. They build off Pokemon Legends: Arceus’s open-ended design in some thoughtful and surprising ways, and retain that same level of depth that the mainline series is known for.” — Jake Dekker [Full review]

VGC – 4/5

“Every decision Scarlet and Violet make are good ones. The huge expansion and changes to the single player campaign are great, the size of the world and the joy of exploration are the best in the series, and the new Pokemon and battle mechanics introduced all sing. However, it’s just impossible to shake the thought of how much better the game would feel if it was on more powerful hardware, or simply ran acceptably on Switch.” — Jordan Middler [Full review]

VG247 – 4/5

“Perhaps the best thing I can say is that this game feels more like the anime than ever. Part of that is down to the art, which continues to advance closer to the TV show. Part of that is down to the sense of openness, which imparts a real feeling that this is your adventure, and not just a rollercoaster where you experience somebody else’s. On balance, Legends: Areus probably just pips it based on the novelty factor of its entirely different approach, but Scarlet & Violet is a delightful vibe – and that vibe is difficult to diminish. What a year to be a Pokemon fan!” — Alex Donaldson [Full review]

Inverse – 7/10

“Pokemon Scarlet and Violet deliver on the promise of an open-world Pokémon game that does away with the franchise’s grind-focused progression. They take a step forward that fans have wanted to see for years — but it’s not quite far enough. If the next mainline entry eliminates or refines some of the superfluous features while also incorporating some much-needed level scaling, then Pokemon will finally become the best it ever was.” — Jess Reyes [Full review]

Nintendo Life – 7/10

“There are still plenty more ways we’d like to see the Pokémon franchise evolve, but Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has us excited about the series’ future. We really hope Game Freak can figure out how to smooth out the series’ ongoing performance issues on Switch because they’ll certainly rub some players the wrong way–and they’re going to become a serious detriment over time. Scarlet & Violet is most fun and exciting when you’re just exploring the world, and while there are many small new details and improvements to the Pokemon formula, it still plays it safe in a few areas.” — Alana Hagues [Full review]

GamesRadar – 3/5

“The basic mechanics of Pokemon remain largely untouched–it’s still catching, battling, and training as you remember it–and while that may be enough for many devotees, Generation 9 is a tougher sell for those who need more of a reason to engage with the series, impacted as it is by technical issues, mechanical oversights, and a lack of vision. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet should have been a bright and bold entry that sets the series up for future expansion, but an attempt to modernize while staying loyal to the past hasn’t really succeeded in doing either one.” — Joel Franey [Full review]