It's no secret that Pokemon fans have been asking for an open-world game for years. Since the release of Breath of the Wild, which showed the kind of game world the Switch was capable of handling, many Pokemon fans thought that it was only a matter of time before they had their own free adventure. By the time Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were revealed, it seemed that the open-world Pokemon title was finally on the way. However, from recent leaks and what gamers have been shown so far, it seems Pokemon Scarlet and Violet might not be as open as first anticipated.
This is not to say that there won't be an open world for players to explore in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. As shown in Nintendo's lengthy "Jump into a Paldean Journey" trailer, the games will have their own open world, complete with an expansive map to explore. Compared to the locked areas of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, this certainly appears to be a step up. On the other hand, there are some potential limiting features that would mean a player's experience isn't quite as free as first thought.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Will Still Have Plenty of Exploration
The idea that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet may be lacking in terms of freedom comes from well-known leaker Riddler Khu, who has stated that certain Pokemon will be available for players to catch in the early game, while others will be locked until a player reaches a certain point. This contradicts the idea of complete freedom within Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and should the leak turn out to be true, some will be understandably disappointed. However, this doesn't mean that Scarlet and Violet won't have anything else for players to enjoy in their open world.
The Paldea region still has plenty to offer, firstly in the fact that it still represents Pokemon's first real foray into open-world mechanics. Pokemon Sword and Shield gave players the Wild Area, which did allow for exploration to an extent, but was a part of an otherwise fairly linear experience. Scarlet and Violet, on the other hand, will let players roam the Paldea region fairly freely from the beginning. Even if this doesn't necessarily mean a trainer can walk right up to the Pokemon Champion with their level five Quaxly, plenty of other open-world games also contain areas that can only be explored once a player reaches a certain level or point in the story.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey has plenty of islands that a player is recommended to avoid until they reach a certain level, for example. Should Pokemon Scarlet and Violet follow a similar design, this could still give an incredibly exciting experience to players as they have more space to explore than any entry in the franchise before. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are adding a bunch of new and ambitious features, including co-op play and three story paths a player can choose from. This means that even if the open world doesn't allow for as much freedom as expected, there are a lot of other elements of the games for players to explore.
A Lack of Freedom in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Wouldn't be Such a Bad Thing
While many fans would love a Breath of the Wild-style Pokemon experience, allowing them to roam around as they pleased, slowly building up a strong team or facing each gym with their starter, it seems that Nintendo is more inclined to lean towards the successes of the franchise's past than strike out in a truly bold and unexplored direction for its future. Considering the incredible success of the Pokemon franchise, it does make sense to repeat what has worked previously, as it has proven to produce some classic games.
For the majority of its history, the Pokemon franchise has mostly produced linear games. Despite how fans have enjoyed the experience of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, many would still say that their favorite mainline Pokemon game is one of the series' linear releases. This means that to fully abandon any sort of linear structure in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and to give players complete freedom could risk getting rid of what has made Pokemon work for over two decades.
Not only do some of the best Pokemon games feature more linear structures, but the previous attempts at an open-world structure haven't always gone incredibly well. As stated, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was well-received, but Pokemon Sword and Shield had somewhat of a mixed reception from fans, with many seeing the Wild Area as a space that allowed exploration but didn't have much of a purpose in the wider experience. Pokemon Legends: Arceus didn't even have a true open world, instead having distinct regions to explore. Rather than jump into complete freedom then, Game Freak could be looking at Scarlet and Violet as the next step in the series' evolution of open-world mechanics, going from one area, to many distinct zones, to a full map that a player can roam around in, with areas being locked by story progression or Pokemon level.
Like its creatures, the Pokemon franchise has always been one to evolve over time. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet may not allow for complete explorative freedom, but they do give players plenty of other reasons to be excited about the upcoming releases. If areas are to be locked, this gives even greater purpose to the three branching paths that players can explore in the games, giving trainers another reason to pursue their goals as they unlock more of Paldea. Tying the narratives of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to the games' open worlds would mark a solid step forward for the franchise, combining the games' region with the narratives they hold.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release on November 18 on the Nintendo Switch.