Pokemon Scarlet and Violetreviews are out, and there are enough negative ones to make the new games some of the lowest-rated main seriesPokemongames in history. Hype has been high forPokemon Scarlet and Violetsince the games were first revealed, with manyPokemonfans excited to explore theopen world Paldea regionand take advantage of new features like co-op support. But while many have been excited to playPokemon Scarlet and Violet, others have had concerns about the games, and it seems at least some of those concerns were legitimate.
In the months leading up to launch,fans have had worries aboutPokemon Scarlet and Violet, particularly when it comes to the games' performance, their graphics, and how the open world looked empty compared to other games in the genre. Unfortunately, thePokemon Scarlet and Violetreviews that are out have all indicated the games fall short in those categories, with a lot of fans unimpressed by how the games run on the Switch hardware and how they look compared to many other modern games.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Leaker Suspended from Twitter
As a result, the current review aggregate score forPokemon Scarlet and Violetis 76 with 60% of critics recommending the games, according to review aggregate site OpenCritic. This makesPokemon Scarlet and Violettwo of the lowest-rated main seriesPokemongames ever, and if only counting brand-new releases, they are indeed the lowest-rated games in the series. Taking into account remakes and re-releases, the only games with lower scores areGame Boy Advance gamePokemon EmeraldandPokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
According to Metacritic,Pokemon Emeraldhas a 76 rating. Meanwhile,Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlon Switchhave a 75 rating. Regardless of whether one counts remakes and “third” games likePokemon Emerald, though, it’s clear from the reviews thatPokemon Scarlet and Violethave failed to impress critics. However, it seems most of those issues could have been addressed if the games were released on a console other than the Nintendo Switch.
Rumors have persisted that Nintendo is planning a Switch Pro console, yet nothing has come from those reports. Nintendo itself has said that the Switch is a little over halfway through its life cycle, but withPokemon Scarlet and Violetapparently suffering from the console’s technical limitations, it may be time for the Big N to move on and come out with a new, more powerful console that can better-meet the needs of developers. Whether that console is a Switch Pro or a brand-new Nintendo console remains to be seen.
In the meantime, it’s worth pointing out that thePokemon Scarlet and Violetoverall review rating could still change, and so fans should keep that in mind.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetlaunch November 18, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
