Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s reception on launch was not the best given the limitations imposed by performance issues, glitches, and weird animations, giving many players the impression that Gen 9 was far from perfect - but could have been much better with more time in the oven. Still, Gen 9 games are perhaps the single most influential entry in the mainline series by a huge margin, with spin-off titles likePokemon Legends: Arceusspicing up the competition for the overall franchise. The main reason for this is thatPokemon Scarlet and Violetbreak multiple traditions, which is a great thing when it comes to a general sense of novelty and how much the games actually stand out compared to their predecessors.
It’s likely that each new modernPokemongame will attempt a similar approach, with maybe the rightful exception of faithful remakes, andGen 10Pokemongames could break many traditionsas well - perhaps even big ones. What makesPokemon Scarlet and Violetsuch outstanding games compared to past generations is that they’re ground-breaking from the very moment the story starts, as players are not given their starter by a Pokemon Professor, and even their Pokedex is given to them by Nemona.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Break Away From Tradition and Reinvent the Pokemon Formula
All the Traditions Gen 9 Games Break
For example,Pokemon Scarlet and Violetremove tall grassencounters from the series, too, and only feature overworld spawns like inPokemon Legends: Arceusand (partly) Gen 8’s Wild Area. Not only that, but trainer battles in the wild work very differently compared to past games, where they would trigger with the line-of-sight mechanic that has always been a staple of the series. Instead, Gen 9 does away with that, making trainer battles entirely optional in the now fully open-world setting of Paldea, which in and of itself breaks another tradition of having multiple routes and areas to guide players' progression.
Another peculiar choice is thatPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Koraidon and Miraidonare indeed its Legendary mascots, but they’re also among the very first critters that players will get in Paldea. This gives players plenty of time to bond with them, especially given that Koraidon and Miraidon act as Gen 9’s main traversal gimmick in the form of a makeshift bike, then gaining more sprinting speed, climbing, jumping, and finally flying abilities. Similarly, another early-game Pokemon that breaks multiple traditions is Pawmi, as it’s the first Pika-clone to ever evolve, and it’s also the first Pokemon to be Electric/Fighting and also has a resurrection move.
Gen 9’s auto battles also stray from the classic formula of the mainline series, and so doesPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Larry. Larry is the only non-rival trainer to be challenged three times in a single playthrough for story reasons, and he’s also the only Gym Leader to make the jump to Elite Four member.
All of these changes are not only made for novelty’s sake, but they do succeed at making Gen 9 a unique experience that doesn’t come close to anything else Pokemon games have to offer.
Why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk is The Perfect Conclusion of Gen9
On top of that,Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare not where the story ends, either. The Teal Mask was not only a successful DLC, especially when compared to Gen 8’s Isle of Armor, but its follow-up expansion is going to shake things up even more.The Indigo Disk is adding every old starterto the game at once, making each and every one of them catchable in the Blueberry Academy’s Terrarium. Not only that, but it’s featuring a second set of Elite Four with the BB League, and then leaks point to even more traditions being broken. If The Indigo Disk is the culmination of Gen 9 content, then it’s fitting to the base games' achievements, paving the way for whatever else the future brings.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
