Editor’s Notice: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s enlargement is available in two components 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 overview of The Hidden Treasure of Space Zero when each components can be found. The rating connected to this overview is topic to alter primarily based on this.
The fan reception to Scarlet and Violet’s launch diverse wildly throughout the neighborhood. Each Pokemon fan appears to know what’s greatest for the sequence, and so they have been glad to share their opinions on Scarlet and Violet with anybody who would hear. Some followers decried the bugs, the struggling body price, 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 neighborhood was break up as at all times.
Nonetheless, the additional we get away from launch, the extra the neighborhood cools off. And those that’ve caught round for the long-term, specifically 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 sequence by new and returning Pokemon, extra TMs and strikes, and a few welcome quality-of-life modifications. That is all wrapped up in a wealthy new area with a heartfelt story. Whereas The Teal Masks does not do a lot to handle Scarlet and Violet’s poor technical efficiency, its modifications and additions provide an thrilling first half in a bigger enlargement.
The Teal Masks is billed as a category area journey. A handful of scholars are randomly chosen to review 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 rapidly and has you catching new and returning Pokemon immediately.
Whereas Kitakami shares numerous geographical options with Paldea–rolling inexperienced hills, serene lakes adorned with waterfalls, and a rugged mountain mounted within the middle 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 canines from earlier generations. Because the story goes, the Loyal Three protected the townsfolk from a fearsome ogre. As a pupil, your task 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 solution 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 might be featured extra prominently within the second DLC, The Indigo Disk). As you discover the area, they’re going to colour your discoveries with private expertise and native perception. Shortly, you study that Keiran looks like an outsider and Carmine is aggressive to a fault. The story gives a superb 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 commonly took me without warning. 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 fitness center 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 numerous these tropes with a view 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’ve got 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 most important draw is the brand new and returning Pokemon. Dipplin, Sinistcha, and the Loyal Three are artistic additions that match thematically throughout 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 arduous to say which Pokemon will shake up the aggressive scene, however there are a couple of new and returning strikes that would definitely make waves, similar to Grassy Glide, Syrup Bomb, and Matcha Gotcha. The added TMs may additionally make sure Pokemon viable as soon as once more. As an illustration, Scald and Poisonous have been pretty widespread 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 because of the Ogre Oustin’ minigame. This makes it a lot simpler for opponents to coach up these new and returning Pokemon and put them to the take a look at.
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Nonetheless, the one actual take a look at Scarlet and Violet affords are a couple of tough coach battles, none of which encompass double battles. With no Battle Tower or one thing comparable, this implies the one solution to put these new and returning Pokemon by the paces is by logging on. On-line performance is respectable, however it does not at all times present the very best house to check out completely different methods and builds. Primarily based on what we all know in regards to the second enlargement, it seems like one thing much like the Battle Tower may 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 identical one which finally held again Scarlet and Violet. The efficiency and graphical high quality are tough. The brand new area is tormented by 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, similar to smoother Pokemon Field navigation, however it’s arduous 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 tough. In my overview of the bottom sport, I stated it was considered one of “the very best mainline Pokemon video games in years,” and 350 hours later, I nonetheless stand by that. Terastallization is the very best battle gimmick the sequence has launched thus far, the open-world design suits properly into the sequence’ themes of exploration and discovery, and the aggressive scene has been a thrill to observe and take part in. Nonetheless, Scarlet and Violet’s triumphant highs are nonetheless obscured by technical points, and the identical may be stated for The Teal Masks. Scarlet and Violet’s core points nonetheless persist, however there’s loads to chew on right here, each for hardcore aggressive gamers and followers who wish to see extra of the Pokemon world.