Pokémon is a franchise that we are all very familiar with. I mean, it’s the biggest media franchise in the world, it’s no surprise, right? From die-hard fans to more casual players and even to moms, dads and grandmas around the world…it really seems like everyone has a certain set of expectations when it comes to Pokémon. Then along comes Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
During a console generation in which Pokémon games are constantly challenging ideas of what it means to be a Pokémon game, Scarlet and Violet is here to continue to build on the foundations laid for the Sword/Shield series and even Legends: Arceus.
The only question is, will these new Pokémon games bring Pokémon into that brave new future that Game Freak has been developing? Or do they feel stuck in the past?
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet takes place in the beautiful new region of Paldea, a brand new open world region inspired by Spain and other Latin American countries. Just walking around the game’s world, you start to get a real sense of the game’s Spanish inspiration from things like the vast open countryside, the vibrant color schemes in its architecture, the Spanish lingo of the locals, and even right down to the Pokémon themselves.
All of these factors contribute to making Paldea feel like one of the most inspired regions in a Pokémon game to date. During my initial playthrough, there were many moments that encouraged me to explore the world around me, such as the beautiful seaside market of Port Marinada, the tech city of the future Levinsia, and even the snowy ghostly enchantment of Montenevera. The most important thing about these cities is that they all feel alive, showing equal numbers of people and Pokémon in any scene from streets, sidewalks to the inside of buildings.
It’s clear that the world of this game tries to convince you that Pokémon are a big part of it, and it all adds to the believability of the region as a whole.
Speaking of Pokémon, all the new creatures for this generation of games are just great! This may be one of the most important parts of every new Pokémon generation, but the highlights when it comes to new games will always be the creatures that come with them. Of course, this is all just a matter of opinion, but I feel like some of these new designs and names are some of the coolest and most creative we’ve seen from Pokémon in a while, like Sprigatito!
Taking the English word “sprig” and the Spanish word for “little cat” (gatito) and combining them together to make a little grass cat is just genius! Another one of my favorites is Arboliva, I took the Spanish word for tree ( árbol ) and combined it with the English word “Olive” to make this big olive garden style tree so pretty! Also, there is Flamigo, Flamingo’s new Flying/Fighting friend ( amigo ) whose body is shaped like a boxing glove!