Right now, players are still working through the massive main quest of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The game is rough in a lot of technical areas, but much like the recently released Sonic Frontiers, its move to a different format has freshened up the gameplay in spite of its problems. Not only that, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the first fully turn-based open world games to hit consoles in a long time. The ability to search every nook and cranny of the Paldea region for Pokemon and treasure is paying dividends, and is the main reason why many are taking so long to complete the game.
Some have rushed to the end, however, and they have run into a more universal Pokemon problem. The size of the games may have come at the expense of their postgame. A noticeable lack of new activities unlock after Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's credits, and it's very clear that DLC is on the way to remedy this like it did for Pokemon Sword and Shield. Pokemon trainers have lots of motives to take their time exploring Paldea, but this is an unsatisfying reason to hold off completion, especially after what past games have offered.
Postgame Pokemon is Always a Gamble
The quality of Pokemon's postgame has varied wildly between entries. The first generation offered humble rewards for dethroning its champion, but it couldn't be expected to have much left besides the quest to catch 'em all. Future games built this up through postgame areas and quests, with Pokemon Emerald and Pokemon Platinum’s Battle Frontier being the most famous add-on. Certain titles even had quests that extended beyond their apparent endings, like the further adventures in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers games and Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2’s Pokemon World Tournament is also held up alongside the Battle Frontier for having a staggering amount of replay value.
Unfortunately, once the mainline Pokemon titles reached X and Y, things went on a downward spiral until they hit Sword and Shield. The postgame quest there is mostly repeat content, with an extra battle facility available afterwards. Customizing one’s team, Max Raid Battles, and online multiplayer were all that Generation 8 players had in the months before Isle of Armor released. Even then, it took until Crown Tundra for the endgame to get more than a new story quest and more Pokemon to catch. Sadly, it looks like this is going to be repeated once again with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Scarlet and Violet’s Postgame is Awfully Thin
After players complete the three main stories and their epilogue, they find themselves dropped back into the Paldea region. At this point, they can catch a few new Pokemon while continuing to wander the region, training and expanding their team. Koraidon and Miraidon can also be switched from their vehicle modes into active party members. With stronger parties, players can then challenge every Gym Leader to one rematch, and afterwards take on the Academy Ace Tournament. This tourney does feel like a real reward thanks to how many unique named NPCs are available in it, but beating it unlocks little more than the challenging Black Crystal Tera Raid Battles.
It is appreciable how much content Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have, but the cost of this is clear. The Battle Tower that has been in most mainline games has gone missing, and there is a tease in the postgame for a plot-relevant legendary Pokemon that isn’t accessible. Like Pokemon Sword and Shield's expansion pass, the DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will probably fill in the games’ gaps while adding some repeatable single player and multiplayer content. DLC and bug fixes give players a lot to look forward to in the months after their Pokemon Scarlet and Violet playthroughs are complete, but hopefully they don't get too bored while waiting for them.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now on Nintendo Switch.