[Following years of controversial development decisions and backlash from the series’ fanbase, longtime players are diving into the new Pokémon generation with cautious optimism. The Beacon, in its first ever video game review, weighs in on whether “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” live up to the series’ full potential. Photo courtesy of Pokémon.]
Introduction:
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve most likely heard of the Pokémon franchise. Since 1996, Pokémon has made a permanent mark on pop culture and the lives of people worldwide. Selling 10 million copies in three days after release, “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet,” — the franchise’s most recent games for the Nintendo Switch — prove that the series isn’t going anywhere.
With the promise of an open-world region to explore and a breakaway from previous games’ formulas, “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” felt like a chance for the game series to redeem itself after years of criticism and controversy. For many veteran players, we were excited for the incoming changes to the series, but the new entries failed to live up to their promises.
For an immensely successful multi-billion dollar company that charges consumers $60 per game, the games’ graphics and performance are inexcusable and a reflection of how The Pokémon Company’s business model is hindering the quality of the games.
Personal Reflection:
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has been getting a lot of attention from the public since its release. I don’t have a game console so I’ve been watching the discussion storm from the side for a long time. Some say it’s the most disappointing one in the Pokémon series. Some say that Scarlet and Violet’s completeness is far from worthy of the money and time invested in it. This article discusses how the business model of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet limits its gameplay. The author analyzes that the production time for this work was not enough. If the company wants to continue its current business model while delivering quality, content and performance, switching to 16-bit pixels and following the “Octopath Traveler” polygonal and pixel hybrid art style may allow the company to develop less demanding games in less time. Otherwise, it would be better to give game developers more time and manpower to deliver products with high-quality 3D graphics, limited performance issues, and lots of content. Personally, I think the 3D style of Pokémon has matured. Further conversion is unrealistic. However, the author’s analysis is spot on. In order not to continue to consume the love of “Pokémon” fans, Nintendo needs to invest in a longer production cycle to optimize the production, or future sales will be difficult to maintain this high level.
Reference:
Moreno-Vega, C. (2022, December 7). Review: ‘pokémon scarlet and violet’. The Beacon. Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://www.upbeacon.com/article/2022/12/review-pokmon-scarlet-and-violet
