This Pokémon Scarlet review looks at what it feels like to step into a new land that mixes old ideas with fresh twists.
I went in expecting the usual path, but the game opens up in a way that makes you slow down and take in the world.
The story pushes you to look around, meet new faces, and pick your own pace. You get open areas, school life, and wide routes that make the region feel big.
The game gives you space to roam, fight, and build your team in your own style. It mixes simple moments with bigger points in the story, so you never feel stuck in one place for long.
Even with some bumps here and there, the game offers a fun trip with plenty of things to do, catch, and see.
Story and the World of Paldea
The story and setting focus on the wide Paldea region, which gives you long roads, open fields, and towns that link back to the main school at the center.
You move through three story paths: Victory Road for the badge hunt, Starfall Street for quick base fights, and Path of Legends for the Titan quests.
Each path has its own tone, so switching between them keeps the pace steady and light.
The characters add simple but warm moments, and the cast gives the story enough feeling without making it too heavy. What stands out most is the freedom to explore your own way.
You can move in any order, take on gyms early, or leave big tasks for later. That freedom makes the region feel open and gives you space to shape your own trip through the game.
Gameplay Style and Core Systems
The gameplay leans on open travel, steady battles, and light tasks that let you set your own pace. It keeps things simple while still giving you more room than older games.
1. Open-World Exploration
The open world lets you walk, ride, climb, and glide through large areas without being pushed into one set path.
You can wander off the road, check small corners, or follow wide routes to find items, battles, and new Pokémon. Moving across the map feels free and steady, and most areas give you something to do.
Even when some spots look a bit empty, the freedom to go anywhere makes the whole region feel much bigger and more open.
2. New Features (Terastallization)
Terastallization changes battles by letting a Pokémon take on a new type for one turn. It can flip fights fast, giving weaker moves more power or helping you avoid a hit.
The crystal look adds fun energy to each match, and using it at the right time feels rewarding.
It doesn’t make battles too hard to plan, but it adds enough depth to keep things interesting. It’s a small twist that gives tough fights a fresh spark without slowing anything down.
3. Battle System Changes
The battle system stays simple, but the open-world design changes how you enter fights. Wild Pokémon appear in the field, so you choose when to engage instead of being stopped by random battles.
You can even send out your lead Pokémon for auto-battles to gather items and level up without long menus.
Major battles still need thought, especially with Terastallization in play. The flow of each fight feels quicker, cleaner, and more in your control than in past games.
4. Catching and Training Pokémon
Catching feels smoother because you can see what’s around before walking in, letting you target the Pokémon you want.
Training stays steady with normal battles, auto-battles, and new items that speed up growth. You meet many Pokémon early on, and each area brings in more choices.
Building a team doesn’t feel slow or stressful. The game gives you simple ways to grow your party, test new moves, and set up strategies without forcing you to grind for long periods.
5. Visual Style and Art Direction
The art style uses soft colors and simple shapes to create a warm, light feel across the region. Towns look clean, and the open fields look wide and sunny.
Pokémon designs stand out well, with bright colors and clear details. Some places look plain, and textures aren’t sharp everywhere, but the overall look stays friendly and easy on the eyes.
The style fits long play sessions, and even with its limits, the game keeps a steady, bright tone from start to finish.
6. Performance Issues (Frame Rate, Pop-in)
Performance problems show up often enough to notice during long sessions. Busy areas may drop frames, especially when many Pokémon appear or when weather effects kick in.
Pop-in happens when objects or shadows load late, making the view shift in sudden ways. These issues don’t make the game unplayable, but they do pull you out of the moment.
Some players may feel it more than others, yet the core gameplay stays strong even with these small bumps.
7. Comparison to Previous Games
Compared to older titles, the open world is the biggest and most clear change. You choose your route, jump between story paths, and explore freely without being guided along one straight line.
Battles stay familiar but gain small twists from Terastallization and auto-battles. The world is larger, the pacing feels looser, and the sense of choice is stronger.
Some older features are missed, but the overall shift makes the game feel like a step forward in the series.
The New Pokémon Lineup
The game brings a wide mix of new species, regional forms, and legendaries that shape the feel of the region. The roster stays varied and gives you many options early on.
1. New Species Highlights
The new species stand out with simple shapes, bright colors, and designs that fit the tone of the region. Many early-route Pokémon feel fresh without drifting too far from classic ideas.
As you explore, you meet stranger shapes, strong fighters, and light support picks. The mix covers cute, tough, and odd styles, giving you reasons to try different teams.
Most designs feel easy to like, and the wide spread makes catching new Pokémon fun again.
2. Regional Forms
The regional forms bring small twists to familiar Pokémon by shifting their type, look, and style.
These changes give old favorites a fresh role in battles and help them blend into the region’s theme. Some forms feel simple, while others make bigger jumps in design.
They add variety without crowding the Pokédex, and they help older fans enjoy familiar faces in new ways. The mix isn’t huge, but it adds a good layer of flavor across the map.
3. Legendary Pokémon
The legendary Pokémon play a bigger part in how you move around the world. They help with travel, climbing, and exploring wide spaces, so they feel more tied to the journey.
Their designs are bold but clean, and they match the story in a direct way. They offer steady power in battles and give the plot a clear focus without making things too heavy.
Their role adds balance to both the story and the gameplay loop.
4. Overall Pokédex Variety
The Pokédex offers a healthy mix of types, shapes, and roles that support many team styles.
You can build a fast squad, a slow tanky group, or a mix that handles different tasks well. New species show up often, and older Pokémon appear at the right pace.
The spread keeps each area feeling useful, and you rarely run out of things to catch. The overall variety supports long play sessions without making your team feel stuck or limited.
Multiplayer and Co-op
The multiplayer and co-op setup gives the game a light but fun social layer that works well for short or long sessions.
The online features make it easy to team up, trade, and share progress without slow steps, and trading helps fill the Pokédex faster.
Co-op exploration lets you and your friends travel together while still playing in your own style, and seeing others move around the map adds more life to each area.
Raids have become one of the best parts of multiplayer since the fights are quick, the rewards are strong, and the flow feels smoother than older raid modes.
Working with others makes tough fights easier, and these sessions often feel like a good break from solo play.
Player Opinions From the Community
Players share mixed thoughts about the game, with many enjoying the freedom and upgrades, while others feel held back by the performance issues. The range of views is wide but clear.
- Some say raids lag and glitches show up often, but they still feel it’s the most fun they’ve had since the older remakes.
- Long-time fans think it’s the biggest step forward in years. Graphics feel soft, but handheld mode makes the game look and play better.
- Many enjoy the open world, character variety, and the three quest paths, though pop-ins and weaker customization options can break the flow.
- Others feel the game is charming and fun despite bugs, but the higher price makes some players question if it’s worth it.
These player views show how fun the game can be, but they also remind you that the issues never fully disappear. Your experience may depend on what you can tolerate.
Professional Pokémon Scarlet Review Scores and Critic Opinions
The way these major outlets talk about the game shows how mixed the reaction is, and each review shines a light on a different part of the experience.
1. Eurogamer
They enjoy the open world and the new Pokémon, and they even like the way level scaling gives you more control of the journey.
But the world feels wide yet strangely empty, like it never fully uses its space. They also point out how the graphics hold the game back, saying the Switch can clearly do more.
Their review ends with the idea that more time in development could have turned this into the big dream many fans hoped for.
2. The Guardian
They say the game is full of good ideas, but the execution doesn’t keep up. Towns feel stiff, characters freeze or jitter, and most buildings can’t be entered.
They also point out how shops lost their full interiors and now use simple menus instead.
To them, the game feels rushed, like it was pushed into the HD era before the studio was ready. They note that Game Freak has been playing catch-up since the Switch launched.
3. IGN India
They love exploring the open world, catching Pokémon, and following a story that actually feels engaging.
But they say all the fun sits under a long list of issues. They report Pokémon stuck in the ground, odd frame pacing, and lag that appears even during simple tasks.
Co-op, which should be a highlight, makes these problems worse. Their final thought is that the core ideas are strong, but the overall game feels unfinished, and long-time fans deserve better.
What Could Be Better
Some parts of the game feel strong, but there are still areas that fall short and could use more polish. These issues show up the longer you play.
- Technical issues like frame drops, pop-in, and slow loading in busy spots
- Missing features that would help the open world feel smoother
- Areas that feel empty or need stronger visual details
- Small limits in the co-op despite the open travel system
The game still offers a fun trip, but these weak spots stand out and affect the flow in small ways. With a few key fixes, the whole experience could feel much smoother and more balanced.
Conclusion
This Pokémon Scarlet review shows who will enjoy the game and what type of player may find value in its open style.
Fans who like steady travel, team building, and light story beats will have a good time here. New players may also enjoy the simple flow and the freedom to move at their own pace.
The game isn’t perfect, and the rough performance can be distracting, but the core loop still feels fun. It offers a wide range, a good variety, and enough new ideas to keep things moving.
If you want a game that gives you space to roam, catch, and try new team setups, this one is worth a look.
Before you decide, take what you like from this review and think about how you enjoy playing these games. Try it yourself and see the world in your own way.
