Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's release draws nearer, and still, many questions surround the upcoming games and new features including Auto Battles. It appears, as leaks have suggested, that the games will feature some type of time travel plot, though it remains to be seen how this will be implemented. Trailers have also revealed that players will uncover a mysterious phenomenon called Terastallization which causes Terastal Pokemon to take on a crystal form and change their Type.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will also introduce a new feature called Let's Go!, which will allow Pokemon to engage in Auto Battles. This feature may be a useful alternative to Exp. Share, especially an Exp. Share that cannot be toggled off, as it allows players to avoid grinding to gain Exp., but it does so in a fashion that is a tad more engaging than Exp. Share. Game Freak should be careful if it intends on implementing both Exp. Share and Let's Go!, as it has the potential to leave players far too overpowered.
The Problem With Pokemon's Exp. Share
After being around for so long, Pokemon has managed to amass fans who have been attached to the franchise since childhood and continue to enjoy it well into adulthood. This is usually not a problem, as the wonder and sense of exploration that come with every Pokemon release can be appreciated by kids and adults alike. However, a complaint that has continually come up is that the games have gotten too easy. This can, in part, be blamed on the fact that adults are unlikely to find much difficulty in a franchise that is mainly geared toward youngsters. The accusations aren't merely a case of fans growing too old for Pokemon's simple gameplay, however, as there are plenty of changes from the last few generations that have lowered the difficulty bar to make the games more inviting for casual players and newcomers.
The casualization of Pokemon can be seen in how the franchise has handled Exp. Share, which is an item players can use to distribute Exp. earned during a battle between Pokemon in a player's party, giving Pokemon who did not participate in the battle a chance to gain Exp. This item is useful, as it avoids the issue of players overusing a single Pokemon (usually their starter) because the rest of their team is notably underpowered. However, with every subsequent generation, Exp. Share has gotten more powerful, leading to some gamers wishing that it was no longer in the game.
With the first Pokemon games, Exp. Share, then called Exp. All, halved the Exp. earned by the participating Pokemon to distribute equally among the rest of the Pokemon in a player's party. From Generation 6, the Exp. earned is no longer halved, though non-participating Pokemon still only get 50% of the Exp. earned by participating Pokemon. With newer games, such as Sword and Shield, Exp. Share cannot be toggled off, which some gamers have complained makes the games far too easy. In earlier games, players had to battle all trainers in an area before their Pokemon had enough Exp. to take on gym leaders. However, with Exp. Share as a permanent fixture, it is not uncommon to easily breeze through Gym Leaders, even if players have not cleared all trainers in the Gym's area and surrounding routes.
It has not been confirmed whether Exp. Share will be making a return in Scarlet and Violet, and in what form, though if it follows the pattern of recent games, it may be a feature that players cannot turn off. The way Exp. Share is implemented could have more of an impact than in prior games, as Scarlet and Violet will be far less linear than its predecessors, allowing gamers to choose the order in which they wish to take on the Gyms. The upcoming games will also be introducing Auto Battles, and this may serve as a good alternative to Exp. Share.
Let's Go!: Scarlet and Violet's Auto Battles
As players explore Paldea, they will be able to have one Pokemon follow them around. While this Pokemon is out, players will be able to use the new Let's Go! feature which will have the Pokemon going out to engage in Auto Battles on its own. Players can watch over the battles, or go out collecting berries and doing other things. Regardless, the Pokemon will win Exp. from the battles it wins, making it an easy and efficient way to level up Pokemon without having to grind too much. The feature, as the name suggests, is likely inspired by Pokemon GO and Let's Go, Pikachu! where there is less of an emphasis placed on battling, as Pokemon can be caught without battling them first.
With Auto Battles, it would be wise for Scarlet and Violet to make Exp. Share a feature that can be toggled on and off, as Let's Go! fulfills many of the purposes of Exp. Share, and does so in a much more engaging way, making it a more attractive alternative. With both Exp. Share and Auto Battles used in tandem, the games could run the risk of making players overpowered early on in the game, allowing them to easily mow down any Gym Leaders that come their way. While this may make gamers feel powerful at first, it does take away from the sense of accomplishment that should come from earning a Gym Badge.
Exp. has become a much less rare commodity within Pokemon, which has both upsides and disadvantages. Features like Exp. Share make things easier for newcomers, and they ensure that a team is more evenly leveled. However, it results in the games feeling a little too easy, especially for experienced players. This issue could be solved with Scarlet and Violet's Auto Battles, which also allow players to avoid grinding. Let's Go! could be a useful feature, but it should be implemented carefully so that players do not become overpowered too quickly.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are scheduled to release on November 18, on Nintendo Switch.