Where did the budget go: Pokemon Violet

Pokemon is one of the most prolific and extensive multimedia franchises to date with movies, TV shows, trading cards, plushies and video games. It has an extensive history, dating back 30 years and is successful all over the globe.

In November of 2022, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were released to the Switch. Now that its hype has died down after four years, is it worthy of its tremendous legacy?

Here’s a minor spoiler warning for those who haven’t played yet. I would also like to add that I am reviewing Violet, as it is the version I played through.

Graphics: 2 /5

I’ve pulled my punches plenty when it comes to graphics in the past, mostly due to age or stylization, but not this time. With hundreds of billions of dollars behind them, a certain level of quality isexpected.

The graphics in Pokemon Violet do not deliver upon these expectations. I’ve certainly seen worse, but not from a company this big for a title so massive with a budget like this. Visual errors are everywhere, even in pre-rendered cutscenes.

Even worse, the actual quality of world assets is mind-bogglingly bad. What did the budget even go to? I’ve seen better model sculpting from free-to-play Roblox games. It’s not the stylization that causes this; it’s corners being cut.

Storytelling: 3 /5

The story isn’t terrible. At the end of the day, Pokemon is made for kids, so it flirts with certain ideas like death without committing to or dwelling on anything ‘dark’ for too long. It’s a nice unique change from the usual champion journey with a world-ending bad guy organization sub-plot. I particularly enjoyed the Team Star plotline and its emotional complexity while maintaining the goofy overtone of the series.

Arven’s storyline was surprisingly emotional, all things considered, and I think it had the best payout in the end. His storyline is somehow baked into the core of the game while also having had the potential to amount to absolutely nothing. It was refreshing to see his development throughout the game.

The main goal, becoming champion, actually wasn’t all that satisfying considering that you don’t actually become the region’s champion. It felt like a hollow victory knowing that I might as well have defeated all eight gyms for a gold star sticker.

One of the biggest downfalls comes from the lack of voice acting. There were far too many times when I found myself sighing because an emotional moment was improperly conveyed through merely text alone. I’m not saying every single character needed to be voiced, just the relevant ones.

Characters: 3 /5

Each main objective storyline has an associated character, Arven for the titans, Nemona for the gyms and Penny for Team Star. Arven’s emotional journey and love for Mabostiff was a highlight for me. Penny trying to beat back the monster they created whilst still clearly caring for everybody involved kept me playing into the wee hours of the night. Nemona, while a very sweet bubbly character, had the least amount of development. As such, I wasn’t as invested in her as I was the other two. In fact, I was more invested in Director Clavell than I was Nemona.

Game Mechanics: 3 /5

Violet didn’t do many new things. The core game mechanics are the same as they have always been. Terastilization invited unconventional team compositions and unforeseen challenges during fights. The picnics were cute and fun without being game shattering. Of course, I loved seeing my Pokemon kick a ball around and devour sandwiches! Who wouldn’t? It’s also a much more effective breeding mechanic than simply dropping your Pokemon off with strangers. Customization was also a welcome feature, allowing a flex of creative muscles though I wish it were a bit more comprehensive.

Controls: 3 /5

Pokemon controls are basic and unproblematic for the most part. The camera movements are a bit finicky, and it can be hard to properly control your character’s speed at times. It would have been fun to see some kind of simple catch mechanic, like being able to actually throw the Pokeball.

Accessibility: 2 /5

Pokemon Violet is available on Switch 1 and 2 for $59.99 as is Pokemon Scarlet. The DLC is $34.99 and must be purchased for your specific copy of the game. For that hefty price, I believe a higher quality level is deserved.

What’s different about the different editions of the game, though? Pokemon Violet features Uva Academy, purple uniforms, Miraidon, Professor Turo, certain version exclusive Pokémon and futuristic theming for Paradox Pokemon. Pokemon Scarlet features Naranja academy, orange uniforms, Koraidon, Professor Sada, minor differences in Pokémon like Paldean Tauros and prehistoric theming for Paradox Pokémon.

16/30 Grade: F

I don’t hate Pokemon Violet nor the brand as a whole. If you’ve seen me out and about then you’ve likely noticed my egregious number of keychains, most of which are Pokemon. Pokemon Violet is just too expensive for the quality it presents. I certainly wouldn’t dissuade superfans from playing and am sure they’ll enjoy it, but more casual players might want to hold off or make a different choice.