Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the first mainline titles in years to deliver on a bold new open world, but technical issues often break immersion and temper the otherwise strong game.
With a wildly expansive map, three separate story paths and an innovative open-world mechanic, the new Pokemon games feel like a big step forward for the franchise. That said, a machinelike churn of updates and patches can be hard on games like this.
The story of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a unique one. It’s a non-linear journey that involves three different paths — Victory Road, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends.
Battling Gym Leaders on the Victory Road
The first part of the game sees you battling Gym Leaders on the Victory Road. While this has been a mainstay of the series since it started, this version of the game adds some mechanics that make battles less tedious for new players. These include Auto Battles, which allow your team’s Pokemon to automatically fight other Pokemon in the over world without having to be activated by you.
Another way to progress in the game is by completing side quests. There are a bunch of them to complete, ranging from defeating a certain number of gym leaders to finding a specific Pokemon in an area.
Upon completing each of these, players can unlock an ending credits screen and get their pokemon scarlet and violet badges. This is a great way to feel a sense of accomplishment while also making it easier to keep track of how many Pokemon you’ve caught and what challenges you’ve faced throughout the journey.
Pokemon Scarlet & Pokemon Violet Adventure
Once you’ve completed all of the side quests, you can start your pokemon scarlet and violet adventure! You’ll meet up with two professors – Professor Sada in Scarlet and Professor Turo in Violet.
This is the first time that two professors have been present in a Pokemon game, and it’s a nice touch to the narrative. Each of them has a different perspective on the world, which is evident by the styles they wear and the Legendary Pokemon they carry.
Versions of the Game
You can catch and battle Legendary pokemon scarlet and violet in both versions of the game, including a Legendary Dragon that can change forms to help you travel over terrain. These dragons can climb over the ground, swim in water, and even fly in the air.
Battles are a central part of any Pokemon game, and they’re even more important in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. As with previous titles in the series, you can start a battle by touching a wild Pokemon on the field. You can also use Tailwind to act first for four turns, though this move isn’t available with all Pokémon.
Variety of Pokemon
There are a variety of Pokemon to encounter in Scarlet & Violet, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. As a result, choosing the right team can make or break your experience.
The starter Pokemon you choose is very important, as it will take up one of your slot slots in your team. A great choice for new players is Fuecoco, which has some of the best defensive stats in the game and a high Special Attack that compliments its typing well.
Another good choice is Tinkaton, which has access to the Gigaton Hammer, a powerful steel-type move that can one-hit kill most opponents. It also has a unique ability, ‘Commander’, which increases its stats by two stages if it has a partner on the field.
Electricity-Discharging Organs
A third option is Dragonite, which is a classic dragon/flying-type Pokemon that returns in Scarlet & Violet. This Pokemon can easily one-hit kill most enemies, and its electricity-discharging organs are incredibly effective in shock attacks.
In addition to the Pokemon, there are a few other things that you’ll need to take into account in your battles. Firstly, you’ll need to know your opponent’s Pokemon. If you don’t, you’ll find it difficult to predict their moves and your strategy will be much more difficult. In addition, you’ll need to make sure that you have the right moves for the job at hand.
New Generation of Pokemon
Whenever a new generation of Pokemon comes out, Game Freak will often make a few significant changes to the series’ core battle mechanics. These are what are called gimmicks. The new mechanics usually ape Mega Evolution, Dynamaxing, or Z-Moves and are intended to distinguish the games from their predecessors.
The most notable gimmick that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will feature is Terastalizing, which will allow certain Pokemon to transform into crystalline forms. This is similar to Dynamaxing and Mega Evolution in that it allows Pokemon to alter their type on the fly, boosting their STAB potential as well as shielding them from weaknesses they might not be able to handle without a transformation.
Time-Displaced Creatures
In addition to Terastallizing, the game will also feature a few time-displaced creatures known as Paradox Pokemon. These creatures can appear as their original form in a different part of the world, and they have special abilities that allow them to interact with the environment.
Another gimmick that Pokemon Scarlet will be featuring is its ability to breed and hatch eggs. This is something that has been done in previous games, but the process is more involved in S&V. Instead of leaving two Pokemon in a daycare for a while to produce an egg, you’ll need to set up a picnic with compatible Pokemon of opposite genders (or a Ditto) for a couple of minutes.
Fire-Type Pokemon
In addition to breeding, you’ll also want to catch a few good starters to use against the gyms and Team Star crews. They’ll be the ones who will challenge you to fight in “boss” battles, and a decent variety of Pokemon is needed to be effective in these situations. A good example would be a fire-type Pokemon like Fuecoco, which can easily take down a water-type or grass-type.
In Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, players can catch more than 110 new Pokemon based on the original game’s iconic creatures. Additionally, this generation introduces a new mechanic called Terastal, which transforms a Pokemon into its exclusive “Tera Type”.
In addition to catching and battling Pokemon, there are many other gameplay elements in these games. There are gym battles, team-building mechanics, Poke Centers (basically magical healing machines), and more. These elements all contribute to the overall narrative of the game.
Prehistoric Bird-Like Dinosaur
The Pokemon are also unique and recognizable, with each having their own distinctive look. For example, the legendary Pokemon Koraidon looks like a prehistoric bird-like dinosaur, while Miraidon is a metallic lizard with pixelated eyes.
These Legendary Pokemon aren’t just a pretty face; they have also been designed to help players travel across the Paldea region’s terrain in their adventures. This is done through their ability to transform into various forms that aid in navigating different terrains, including ‘Builds’ and ‘Modes’.
Four Players
Trainers can also connect online with others using a feature called the Poke Portal, enabling cooperative and competitive gameplay. In this way, up to four players can explore the Paldea region together, challenge unique and powerful Pokemon, trade, battle, and more!
In this new generation of the Pokemon series, a player can travel through an open world with no borders. This opens up a new way to experience the Pokemon universe, with towns that blend seamlessly into the landscapes and wild Pokemon in the skies, seas, forests, and streets. In addition, new mechanics like Terastaling offer more strategic play during difficult battles. Plus, there are tons of secrets to uncover and Legendary Pokemon to find!
Pokemon Franchise Feature
The latest games in the Pokemon franchise feature a wide variety of post-game activities that encourage players to continue capturing and evolving their starter Pokemon. These can include visiting different cities and completing quest lines that are often not available in older titles.
The open world of Scarlet and Violet is vast, allowing players to explore the region at their own pace rather than in a predetermined order. In addition, the game allows up to four players to join online sessions in co-op mode.
References & Easter Eggs
Like other Pokemon entries, this one will also include some references and Easter eggs that build off of previous generations. These are often hidden away, but they can be fun to find.
Aside from the obvious ones that appear in the game’s opening cutscene, there are some more obscure references that are worth spotting. These are a great way to add some extra flavor and fun to your travels.
Final Words:
These include the artwork for an observatory that features pixel art that reminds the player of some kind of old video game. The observatory is also the location where Scarlet/Violet battle Tulip, a Gym Leader who excels in Psychic-type Pokemon.
Another reference that the player will come across is a yellow speech bubble that appears over an NPC in Mesagoza. This NPC claims to be able to read the past lives of players simply by looking at their Rotom Phone.
Ultimately, the final evolutions for pokemon scarlet and violet starters are quite powerful and offer a lot of options for players who want to customize their team. We’ve put together a list of the best starter evolutions that are available in this version of the Pokemon series, so be sure to check it out!
