November has already been a very busy month for big video game launches, and this week keeps that trend going in the form of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The newest Pokemon games launch tomorrow and the reviews for the next generation in the long-running series are in.
It appears the hype that has surrounded the games trainers are hoping will revolutionize the series and mark the beginning of a new era have been warmly received, for the most part. Scarlet & Violet are currently sitting on a Metacritic score of 78. While that's not as high as Elden Ring and God Of War Ragnarok, it is the same rating as both MultiVersus and Metal: Hellsinger which have been two 2022 titles very few people have had negative things to say about.
Where that ranks them on the site compared to other Pokemon games, not very high at all. Scarlet & Violet are currently in the bottom three when compared to all other Pokemon games in the main series on Metacritic according to GamesRadar. As for some of the details reviews have picked out, VGC writes that Scarlet & Violet's world size and exploration are the best the series has ever seen. Clearly, the decision to let trainers go where they like from the off for the first time is going to be a game changer.
- ScreenRant: 4.5/5
- VGC: 4/5
- VG247: 4/5
- GameSpot: 8/10
- ComicBook.com: 4/5
- GamingBible: 7/10
- Nintendo Life: 7/10
- GamesRadar: 3/5
VG247 also comments on Scarlet & Violet's level of openness, although it adds how close the games are to the anime might be the best thing about them. At a time when evidence continues to mount that the TV show may be coming to an end after 25 years, games that feel closer to the anime than ever before will be welcomed by Pokemon fans.
Not all of the initial feedback on the game has been positive, of course, otherwise they'd be up there competing for game of the year. While the open world addition is a popular feature, some reviews believe the series has reached a point where the Switch is holding them back. With Pokemon striding forward and Tears of the Kingdom coming in 2023, that rumored more powerful Switch can't come soon enough.