Pokemon Scarlet and Violet finally launched last week, and it’s safe to say the game didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations. While many of us had been looking forward to the release, eager to start catching monsters again in a true open world setting, others had good reason to hold back.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are now the lowest-rated mainline Pokemon games on Metacritic. It currently has a Metascore of 76, while no other mainline game has scored below 80. For example, Sword and Shield has a Metascore of 80, while Sun and Moon has 87, and so on.
Destructoid was the first to notice the difference in scores between the titles, which got me thinking. If Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are considered so unpleasant, why do I like them so much? There are players asking for refunds, but I’ve spent 30 hours perfecting my party and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
While Nintendo and Game Freak may not be despairing about the scores, given the success Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have had in terms of what we can infer from UK sales, it’s a seamless proposition for those who want them to get used to. Not great for fans of the Pokemon experience.
The main issues with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are its performance and various technical issues. If you’ve been online this weekend, you’ve probably seen a series of graphical glitches and comic errors circulating on Twitter and Reddit. Honestly, these illustrate poor standards of performance for any Pokemon game.
We’ve seen The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild nail the open world on the Nintendo Switch, so what’s wrong with Pokemon? These technical issues and glitches will definitely make your Pokemon Crimson and Violet experience feel less fantastic and whimsical; if you’re more than a foot away, NPCs will move at 5 frames per second while monsters jump from the floor during battle Getting up and down is fun, but also very disappointing.
Periodically, you’ll be reminded of Pokemon Crimson and Violet’s abilities… until your game crashes again. I can see why the game is not for everyone. The ridiculous pop-ups are jarring for the most part, and let’s not forget the “monsters” that can only be seen by standing on them. However, the freedom that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet give players, faster combat, and improved multiplayer means I’ll be sticking around for a while.
Sword and Shield may have better graphics, but I’d put Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s carriage mayhem over the relentless hand of its predecessor any day. Hopefully there will be a performance patch soon.
Have you seen the latest Pokemon installment, or are you missing it? If your Paldean journey is going well, be sure to check out our guide for each Gym, Titan, and Star Boss in order.
