Look, let’s be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the last few years, you’ve probably seen the memes. You know the ones—the clips of a character’s legs vibrating like they’re having a seizure, or a Sunflora wandering into a wall and just... staying there. It’s easy to look at that and decide the game is a dumpster fire. But is it? Honestly, the answer to is pokemon scarlet and violet good depends entirely on whether you’re looking at the frame rate or the soul of the thing.
The truth is complicated.
By the time we hit early 2026, things have shifted. We aren't in that chaotic launch window of 2022 anymore. The dust has settled. We've had the patches, the DLC, and even the "Switch 2" hardware updates that finally gave these games the power they were clearly begging for from day one. If you're still sitting on the fence, wondering if you should drop your hard-earned cash on a trip to Paldea, you need the full picture—not just the TikTok glitches.
The Performance Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about it. We can't just skip the technical stuff because it’s the first thing you’ll notice. On the original Nintendo Switch hardware, these games still struggle. Even now. You’ll be riding your Koraidon or Miraidon across the fields and see a windmill in the distance spinning at about three frames per second. It’s jarring. It’s weird. It feels like the game is held together with duct tape and a prayer.
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But here is where it gets interesting. With the release of the "Switch 2" and the subsequent performance patches, we’ve seen a massive redemption arc. Reports from Digital Foundry and players across Reddit have confirmed that on the newer hardware, the game finally hits a relatively stable 60 fps. The resolution is cleaner. The "shimmering" textures that made the grass look like it was made of static? Mostly gone.
Basically, the game was too big for its original boots.
If you are playing on an OG Switch or a Lite, you're going to see the cracks. If you've upgraded, it's a completely different experience. It’s the difference between watching a movie through a screen door and actually sitting in the theater.
Why the Story Actually Matters This Time
For years, Pokemon stories were... fine. You get your starter, you beat eight gyms, you stop a "bad" team that usually has a weirdly specific fashion sense, and you become the Champion. Groundbreaking, right?
Scarlet and Violet actually threw that script out.
Instead of one linear path, you get three. You have the traditional Gym challenge, sure. But then you have the Path of Legends with Arven, which—no joke—is one of the most emotional storylines Game Freak has ever written. Seeing people genuinely tear up over a pixelated dog (Maschiff) was not on my 2022 bingo card. Then there’s Team Star, which deals with bullying and social isolation in a way that feels surprisingly grounded for a game about pocket monsters.
The Area Zero Factor
I won't spoil the ending for the five people who haven't seen it, but the "Way Home" finale in Area Zero is peak Pokemon. The music shifts. The atmosphere gets eerie. It stops being a "kinda fun" adventure and becomes a high-stakes sci-fi mystery. Most fans agree that this final sequence is the best thing the series has done since the Black and White era.
Is the Open World Actually Good?
This is where the debate gets heated. Some people love the freedom. Others hate how "empty" the world feels.
Honestly, the world is a bit empty. You can't enter most buildings in the cities. The towns often feel like movie sets where the doors are just painted on. If you’re coming from a game like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Elden Ring, Paldea is going to feel underbaked.
However, the "gameplay loop" is addictive. There’s something about seeing a group of Smalliv wandering around and just being able to throw a ball at them without a loading screen that feels right. It’s the seamlessness that makes is pokemon scarlet and violet good a "yes" for many. You aren't constantly interrupted by transitions. You just... go.
- The Good: No more tall grass. You see exactly what you’re getting.
- The Bad: No level scaling. You can accidentally wander into a level 50 area with a level 10 team.
- The Weird: Shiny hunting is now both easier and more stressful because you can see them in the overworld, but there’s no sound cue. You have to keep your eyes peeled.
The DLC: Is It Worth the Extra Cash?
The "Hidden Treasure of Area Zero" expansion (Teal Mask and Indigo Disk) is basically mandatory if you want the "complete" experience.
The Teal Mask takes you to Kitakami, which has a much more "traditional" Japanese vibe. It’s small, but it’s dense. Then you have The Indigo Disk, which is a dream for hardcore players. It’s actually hard. The NPC trainers use competitive strategies—items, move synergies, the whole nine yards. If you’ve complained that Pokemon games are too easy, the Blueberry Academy will probably shut you up pretty quick.
Is it worth 35 bucks? If you’re a casual fan who just wants to beat the Elite Four and stop, maybe not. If you want to catch every legendary from previous generations and see the actual conclusion to Kieran and Carmine’s character arcs, then yeah, it’s worth it.
The Competitive Scene is Fire
If you're into the VGC (Video Game Championships) or just battling your friends, Gen 9 is incredible. The Terastal gimmick is much more balanced than Dynamax or Z-Moves ever were. It adds a layer of "chess" to every match.
"Terastallization isn't just a power-up; it's a defensive tool that completely flips the script on type advantages."
Because you can change your Pokemon's type on the fly, you can't just spam "Super Effective" moves and expect to win. You have to predict when your opponent is going to Terastallize. It makes every battle feel high-stakes.
The Final Verdict
So, is pokemon scarlet and violet good?
If you value technical polish, high-resolution graphics, and a world that feels "alive" like The Witcher, you will probably hate this game. You’ll find it lazy and unfinished.
But if you value character growth, a sense of genuine freedom, and the best monster-catching mechanics the series has ever seen, you’ll love it. It is a brilliant game trapped in a struggling engine. It’s a masterpiece with a lot of smudges on the glass.
Actionable Next Steps for You:
- Check your hardware: If you have the "Switch 2" (released in 2025), download the free performance patch immediately. It fixes 80% of the complaints.
- Order of operations: Don't just follow the map. If you feel underleveled, head to the "Path of Legends" first. It unlocks traversal abilities (gliding, climbing) that make the rest of the game way more fun.
- Don't skip the DLC: If you enjoy the base game at all, the Indigo Disk is where the real challenge and the "true" ending live.
- Try Online Raids: Even if you aren't a competitive player, Tera Raids are the best way to get rare items like Ability Patches and Herba Mystica for shiny hunting.
Paldea isn't perfect, but it’s the most "human" Pokemon has felt in a long time. It’s worth the trip, flaws and all.