There are other minor tasks and objectives, not the least of which is completing your Pokédex. Violet and Scarlet’s new animals are incredibly diverse. Some, like Lechonk (a fat pig) and Fidough (a dog with bagel ears), are cute and smart, but others are far less so. Some of the pokémon I caught were just animals. S some of the animals you’ll encounter at the conclusion of the novel are really unforgettable.
Some of the school-related additions were also appealing to me. While you’re largely learning in the field, you may still go to school and attend courses. If you attend enough of them, you will be given an exam to take. The sessions are engaging and often offer important information. However, there is a little Persona-style social structure in place where you may become closer to your teachers by attending school and conversing with them. Aside from some delightful tale moments, it doesn’t offer much, but it’s a pleasant touch.
Unfortunately, it’s evident that getting everything to fit on the Switch was a difficult feat. This is mostly seen in the images. It has some strange problems, such as Pokémon being trapped in walls or camera angles that made it hard to see in combat. And, although the primary people and pokémon are all good, the surroundings are often horrifying. In the backdrop, you’ll see figures who move like a slideshow and murky textures that appear to be from the PS2 era. There are rough edges, many pop-in difficulties, and locales that should be large, busy cities but instead seem lifeless. The menus seem to be regularly sluggish, which is annoying in a game where you spend a lot of time in them.
Of course, the Pokémon games have never been technological powerhouses. However, since Violet and Scarlet have a more contemporary construction, the seams are more visible. This is no longer a portable RPG; it’s a massive open universe on a home console (that you can also play on the go). However, it often seems and feels more old-fashioned than that lofty notion, significantly when magnified on your screen.
