Though the project is a valiant attempt at an all-new design format, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are each disappointing in some key ways. It brings a roster of new and interesting pocket monsters to collect, but it's also a rather bland and severely undercooked product, with subtle mechanical changes to combat and half-hearted environments that are by no means fitting of the largest fictional property in the world. Fans are thrilled that there's a new Pokemon game to enjoy, but frustrated that it's yet again failed to truly capture the Game Freak property's limitless potential.
As Pokemon makes its gradual shift to an open-world format, it enters the space of other games and franchises that have been executing the non-linear formula far longer, and with greater effect. It's become the student in a new genre rather than the industry leader in turn-based, linear JRPGs. Of the plethora of great open worlds, only a handful are revered and played for well over a decade after they released. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is one such game, finding a home on almost every available platform and never being far from the headlines. It's a fantastic title, and Pokemon is one franchise that would be best served looking to it for guidance.
Pokemon's world-building isn't on Par with Skyrim
Each new Pokemon generation establishes players in a new region, often seeking inspiration from the likes of Paris and the United Kingdom, as was evident in Sword and Shield. Each generation feels unique and does well to maintain a sense of wonder when stumbling across the next town on the way to the final battle. This allows players to champion a specific place, be it the original games' Kanto, Hoenn from Ruby and Sapphire, or one of the new ones. Returning to these settings in Pokemon Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu is a delightful reentrance into childhood for many long time fans of the property, but as the franchise gets older, the format is becoming more repetitive.
The Elder Scrolls is a master at crafting a beautiful, well-realized world that feels lived in, and shaped by the people that inhabit it. Skyrim is just the latest example of this in the mainline series, with the stalwart Whiterun or the bustling commerce of Riften on the banks of Lake Honrich filling players with a sense of awe simply for the way they look and feel. It's different enough in tone from Morrowind and Oblivion to feel wholly unique while serving the same wider fictional world, and the inclusion of dragons elevates its atmospheric value to new heights.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have tentatively branched into the open-world space, but it carries forth the same world-building limitations that have plagued the series for generations, which is something that has to be improved if it is going to compete with more efficient open-world games.
Art Style is Critical in the Open-World Genre
Pokemon made the transition to 3D environments and character models in 2013 with X and Y, but it retained much of the lighthearted, anime-inspired art direction that was replicated in the popular Pokemon TV series, making it feel like a natural progression to fit what both the games and the show were going for. It's a visual style that has been effective for a very long time, but the break from linear level progression this time around was the perfect opportunity to do something different to the way the franchise looks. Art style is very important, but in an open world it's even more critical to get right. Countless hours will potentially be spent roaming the land in search of side activities and quashing curiosities, so deploying visuals that don't get boring over time is vital.
Skyrim knows this, as its murky environments contribute so well to the game's flavor. Comparing it to other open worlds it's obvious that looks truly do matter, and it's an essential ingredient in its prolonged success. Add to this the plethora of fan-made mods, and Skyrim wields visuals that have the potential to stand out, even today. If the future of Pokemon wants to impress the way early games in the franchise managed to do, then it has to find a way to change or, at the very least evolve (no pun intended) the art style that it currently deploys, because it doesn't translate to the open-world genre which has plenty of games that are far prettier and more tonally interesting.
Skyrim's Levelling System Promotes Different Approaches to Gameplay
The immediate appeal of Skyrim may be the wonderful world and engaging side activities, but to truly enjoy such components the progression system has to be fluid and keep players in control of their own destiny. The way that people can carve out their own experience in Skyrim is fantastic, and the litany of skill trees that experience points can be put into makes each character build radically different from the last. This very simple idea makes Skyrim almost infinitely replayable. Conversely, Pokemon has always remained rather rigid with its leveling, and two players rarely have a unique experience from one another. The next Pokemon game should give players more agency over the way they level up, perhaps allowing them to prioritize catching certain creature types or boosting efficiency in certain terrains or places.
Nintendo and Game Freak need to maintain a sense of identity with Pokemon, as it's such a beloved property that scores of people have a strong emotional connection to. It's in a state of change, though, as Scarlet and Violet and Pokemon Legends: Arceus have flirted with an open-world format, resulting in some severe growing pains. Evolution is a good thing, and Pokemon has so many games to seek inspiration from with its inevitable next game.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.