Editor’s Be aware: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s enlargement is available in two elements and cannot be bought individually. Due to this, we have determined to share our impressions of Half One and can replace it with a full evaluate of The Hidden Treasure of Space Zero when each elements can be found. The rating connected to this evaluate is topic to alter primarily based on this.
The fan reception to Scarlet and Violet’s launch various wildly inside the group. Each Pokemon fan appears to know what’s greatest for the collection, and so they have been completely satisfied to share their opinions on Scarlet and Violet with anybody who would pay attention. Some followers decried the bugs, the struggling body fee, and different technical issues, whereas others appreciated the brand new mechanics, open world, and story sufficient to make peace with these points. Whichever facet you fell on, the group was cut up as at all times.
Nevertheless, the additional we get away from launch, the extra the group cools off. And those that’ve caught round for the long-term, particularly aggressive gamers, have dug their claws deep into the meta. That is the place Pokemon is at its greatest, and The Teal Masks bolsters that facet of the collection by new and returning Pokemon, extra TMs and strikes, and a few welcome quality-of-life adjustments. That is all wrapped up in a wealthy new area with a heartfelt story. Whereas The Teal Masks does not do a lot to deal with Scarlet and Violet’s poor technical efficiency, its adjustments and additions provide an thrilling first half in a bigger enlargement.
The Teal Masks is billed as a category discipline journey. A handful of scholars are randomly chosen to check overseas in a brand new rural Japan-inspired area known as Kitakami. Your character is among the many fortunate few, and also you’re whisked away to the countryside. It is a punchy introduction that will get you to the brand new space shortly and has you catching new and returning Pokemon instantly.
Whereas Kitakami shares loads of geographical options with Paldea–rolling inexperienced hills, serene lakes adorned with waterfalls, and a rugged mountain mounted within the heart of the map–what units it aside is its wealthy tradition. The parents who name Kitakami residence have a deep reverence for the Loyal Three, a trio of legendary Pokemon much like the legendary birds or canine from earlier generations. Because the story goes, the Loyal Three protected the townsfolk from a fearsome ogre. As a scholar, your project is to discover the Kitakami area and piece collectively the story of the Loyal Three and the Ogre. It is a easy setup, however it’s an efficient technique to familiarize your self with the area, its historical past, and the characters.
The guts and soul of The Teal Masks are two of its new characters: Carmine and Keiran. These siblings have been born and raised in Kitakami and attend Blueberry Academy (which will likely be featured extra prominently within the second DLC, The Indigo Disk). As you discover the area, they will shade your discoveries with private expertise and native perception. Shortly, you study that Keiran seems like an outsider and Carmine is aggressive to a fault. The story gives a wonderful backdrop for each of those characters, notably Keiran, as his wrestle with acceptance mirrors the plight of the Loyal Three and the Ogre. The story builds to a satisfying conclusion that neatly ties issues up within the Kitakami area, whereas additionally sowing the seeds for the second enlargement.
It is a touching story that repeatedly took me unexpectedly. Whereas Scarlet and Violet’s story had some thrilling revelations up its sleeve, mainline Pokemon video games are sometimes shackled to a handful of recurring tropes: the health club problem, an evil or misunderstood faction, and a rival. With The Teal Masks, it is refreshing to play a semi-self-contained and condensed story that sheds loads of these tropes so as to shine a brighter mild on its characters. It takes roughly 4 to 5 hours to get by, however altogether it took me round 12 hours when factoring in finishing the Kitakami Pokedex.
As soon as you have wrapped up the story, there are nonetheless causes to discover Kitakami, together with a handful of secrets and techniques and a strong new Pokemon to catch. However pretty much as good as its narrative chops are, the largest draw is the brand new and returning Pokemon. Dipplin, Sinistcha, and the Loyal Three are inventive additions that match thematically inside the area and its tradition. In the meantime, fan favorites like Milotic, Chandelure, and Gliscor are welcome inclusions to Scarlet and Violet’s Pokedex.
It is exhausting to say which Pokemon will shake up the aggressive scene, however there are a number of new and returning strikes that would actually make waves, corresponding to Grassy Glide, Syrup Bomb, and Matcha Gotcha. The added TMs might additionally make sure Pokemon viable as soon as once more. As an example, Scald and Poisonous have been pretty frequent on aggressive groups of previous generations however have been lacking from Scarlet and Violet at launch. On the very least, EV boosting and resetting gadgets are way more plentiful in Kitakami due to the Ogre Oustin’ minigame. This makes it a lot simpler for rivals to coach up these new and returning Pokemon and put them to the check.
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Nevertheless, the one actual check Scarlet and Violet presents are a number of difficult coach battles, none of which encompass double battles. And not using a Battle Tower or one thing comparable, this implies the one technique to put these new and returning Pokemon by the paces is by going surfing. On-line performance is respectable, however it does not at all times present the most effective area to check out totally different methods and builds. Primarily based on what we all know in regards to the second enlargement, it appears like one thing much like the Battle Tower might return, however for now, The Scarlet and Violet nonetheless really feel like they’re lacking a core element of the endgame expertise.
The Teal Masks’s most obvious flaw is similar one which finally held again Scarlet and Violet. The efficiency and graphical high quality are tough. The brand new area is suffering from low body charges, poor-looking textures, and visible bugs. For those who have been hoping that replace 2.0.1 would possibly patch these points, you are out of luck. There are some minor fixes, corresponding to smoother Pokemon Field navigation, however it’s exhausting to understand given how subpar the sport stays from a technical standpoint.
Nailing down my emotions on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet this previous yr has been troublesome. In my evaluate of the bottom recreation, I mentioned it was one in every of “the most effective mainline Pokemon video games in years,” and 350 hours later, I nonetheless stand by that. Terastallization is the most effective battle gimmick the collection has launched thus far, the open-world design matches properly into the collection’ themes of exploration and discovery, and the aggressive scene has been a thrill to comply with and take part in. Nevertheless, Scarlet and Violet’s triumphant highs are nonetheless obscured by technical points, and the identical will be mentioned for The Teal Masks. Scarlet and Violet’s core points nonetheless persist, however there’s so much to chew on right here, each for hardcore aggressive gamers and followers who need to see extra of the Pokemon world.