This review is going after having played the game in March of 2023 after all the gamebreak/unnerving patches from release as I never experience that era since I waited to play this game, however I am (when writing this) in the era where a SAVE WIPING glitch happens after the most recent patch.

To talk about Pokemon Scarlet I need to be clear and say that Arceus was a step forward in the right direction, and I have to say that this game is another step forward as well.

I think a big thing Gamefreak and the Pokemon Company did was allow the players to explore the entirety of the Paldean Region on their own free whim is great. Allowing you to take on whichever Gym Leader you want, or capture and pokemon of any high level regions whenever.

The game introduces the player to the School of Naranja (Scarlet) /Ula (Violet) where kids go to school to learn about basic STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math but most focused on Pokemon aspects.

I have to say the school has a lot of unique characters to learn from but, sadly the school seemed to be thought out the most and least, in the sense of how little actual time you spend in school. Of course the point of Pokemon is to Capture, fight, Collect, become the Number 1, and stop any earth shattering/ crisis event from continuing.

In Pokemon Scarlet, the game gives you the legendary pokemons of Miraidon/Koraidon early on in the game for traversal that allows for progression to different regions, there are many new pokemon and region variants to collect, as well as returning old mons from previous games.

The gameplay also features a sort of blend of Pokemon Legends Arceus gameplay of traversal and physcially seeing the pokemon, with old style gameplay of running into pokemon, however unlike in Legends Arceus, while you can throw pokeballs at wild pokemon, it's only really for battling, as you cannot catch from the overworld sadly.
The game features a new gymic transformation which is called terastallize which changes the type and boosts type attacks of certain pokemon while giving them this crystal like appearance with a chandler on their head. Throughout the region you can find wild terstallized pokemon to catch.

The story of the game is split into 3 parts where it introduces you to 3 friends you'll be helping on your individual journey in different aspects that all collide towards the end.
These being:

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Nemona - Battle obsessed trainer who acts a bit too clingy and excited, to where people have labeled her (and probably rightfully so) a Yandere. She wishes to have an amazing all out battle with you, as well as see you become Champion and Number 1 of Paldea.

Nemonas Quest for You: Defeat all Gym Leaders, Defeat the Current Champion Getta.

Gym leaders:

1. Katy - Bug Type Gym Leader, has Light Bluish Green Teal hair, wears a bakers outfit, and is Thicc.
2. Braccius - Grass Type Gym Leader, has greenish hair, sunken eyes, and an outfit that has the texture and appearance of plants. Uses a thorn vine whip and has an obsession with art.
3. Iono - Electric type Gym Leader who has a big oversized yellow electric jacket, has light blue and pink hair, wears a blue and pink magnemite hair clips (that aren't actual magnemites). She's based on Vtubers Like Hololive or VShojo.
4. Kofu - Water Type Gym Leader who wears a big blue wave appron, is bald, has a unibrow and beard in the shape of a wave. He is a chef who cooks the best seafood, however gets easily distracted.
5. Ryme - Ghost Type Gym Leader who wears a rapper outfit with a hat, hoop earrings, and a black hoodie, has big long greyish hair, and uses a microphone for rap battles. She deals in battles via Doubles. She specialized in battle rapping and is the younger sister of Tyme (the Math Teacher at the Pokemon Academy)
6.Tulip - Pyschic Type Gym Leader who wears a white purplish dress with animated butterfly on the dress, has purple hair, and wears a lot of seductive makeup. She works as a fashion and beauty models.
7. Grusha - Ice Type Gym Leader who wears a Yellowish Snow Jacket, a Big Red and Blue Scarf with a wool Pokeball at the end of the scarf that covers his face, he has blue hair and blue eyes, and has a somewhat feminine appearance.
He spends most of his time being cold and negative with his cynicism after his career ending injury from snow boarding.
8. Larry - Normal Type User, wears a black suit, has a brief case, has standing hair, and looks depressed. He's a normal office worker and something else... but he hates working, and wants time with his wife. He loves sushi, and is generic looking but is the best Gym Leader.

After defeating the Gym Leaders you head to victory Road to face the Elite 4 and the Champion:

1. Rika - Long green pony tail, wears a suit vest that gives her a male appearance but her face gives away her feminine side. She Specializes in ground type pokemon, she treats Poppy like a little sister, treats Larry as an employee however she sort looks down on him since he's so disorganized and unmotivated most of the time, and gets a bit annoyed by Hassels overreaction.

2. Poppy - Short little girl who wears a farm girl outfit who's specializes in Steel type pokemon, she acts as the little sister of the Elite Four, with her getting along best with everyone in the elite 4.

3. Larry - Not only is he a gym leader, but he's also an Elite Four Member!!! And he hates doing both since it causes him to have to work more. He uses flying type pokemon. When beaten Rika pesters him to call out Hassel but due to Larry's indifference to winning and losing, calls out Hassel but very monotonely, forcing Rika to have to call out Hassel. He congratulates you but gets constantly interrupted.

4. Hassel - Art Teacher of Naranja/Uva who specializes in Dragon type Pokemon, he's over the top on his artistic expression and gets overly emotional when you beat him. He gets along well with all the Elite 4 Members, but gets annoying to Larry.

5. Getta - Wears a black, gold, and blue suit outfit, and has big long hair with yellow highlights, has dark skin with blue eyes and in general an awful champion who's very bland. She acts as the Chairwoman of the Paldea League. She's legit generic and forgettable.

After fighting all gym leaders and elite 4, and Getta, you will face Nemona one last time for a final exciting all out battle with Nemona having a fully evolved starter and her other pokemons, she's truly a worthy opponent (unless if you know type advantages and are using Skeledirge who can wipe out her entire team lol).

She realizes you're the best and promises to get stronger, and that you'll be her rival for life.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Penny - Shy girl who has short Blue Red hair, wears a hoodie and has a Eevee backpack. Victim of bullying along with other students and creates the enemy group of this game, Team Stars. She's the head of the group however wants to take them down since they lost sight of what they were her allias is Cassiopeia.

Penny's Quest for You: Destroy Team Star, and Defeat Her

Team Stars Team Consists of:
1. Mela (Fire User) - Red Head with big red, firey boots who acts like a Punk/Goth girl. Who has aspects of being a tsundere and shy. She was bullied for being too cute, and a Charadet she played with in the past brings her back to her senses after her defeat.

2. Giacomo - DJ dude wearing a black hoodie, a hat, and headphones while holding a laptop to make songs for Team Stars. Acts as the secondary leader of Team Stars. He's very anti rules since the reason for his bullying was because when he was president of the School, he was too strict and made a lot of ridiculous rules. The school turned against him and voted him out and replaced him with Nemona, he joined team stars to be free and be rule-less.

3. Atticus - Purple cloak/ninja outfit wearing dude who uses Poison type Pokemon. He created the outfits team stars wears. Reason for his bullying was liking old timey things.

4. Ortega - Flamboyant Pink Suit wearing, short pink hair popping looking dude. Very flamboyant in terms of how he's dressed but also very pompus in attitude. He's responsible for how the StarMobiles for all the Team Star Members look. He was bullied because of his appearance and over the top look, and perhaps since he might be gay. (thought this last part is headcanon but makes sense if he is.)

5. Eri - Tall, white haired, Princess, musclar, queen girl who wears facepaint.
She's team Stars mother figure and is responsible for Team Stars Grunts getting the training they needed. She was bullied for being the number 1 athlete and pretty girl who was bullied by Carmen, the head bully turned Team Star Grunt friend.

6. Penny - Head of Team Star, wears a grey hoodie, an eevee backpack, wears glasses, and has red and blue hair. Her pokemon consists of Eeveelutions, and she's responsible for the formation of Teams Stars. She formed it because she was a victim of bullying and joined with the other members to bully the bullies, however this caused said other bullies to quit school. She's an expert at hacking and has a arrogant personality and very stiff.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Arven: Wears a blue vest and a big yellow backpack, has big brownish/grey hair and blue eyes. Is a bit of a jerk but tragic later on, and becomes the most likably tragic character. His goal is to find out what happened to his mother/father (depending on the version of the game) Professor Sada (Mother) and Turo (Father). And his other goal is to revive and save his dog Mabosstiff.

Quest for the Player: Defeat all titan pokemon in certain locations to locate magical herbs to save Mabosstiff and return Koraidon (Scarlet)/ Miraidon (Violet) old abilities.
Later travel to area Zero to find out the truth of Paradox Pokemon and Miraidons/Koraidons mysterious origin.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

After completing all 3 quests you're ready for the finale and learn about the Great Crater and area Zero. Where we find Paradox pokemon of both Ancient and Future Pokemon appearing depending on your version (Ancient = Scarlet, Future = Violet).

Ancient Pokemon Include:

1. Great Tusk - Primal Donphan
2. Scream Tail - Primal Jigglypuff
3. Brute Bonnet - Primal Amoonguss
4. Flutter Mane - Primal Misdreavus
5. Slither Wing - Primal Volcarona
6. Sandy Shocks - Primal Magneton
7. Roaring Moon - Primal Mega Salamence
8. Koraidon - Scarlet Legendary true Primal Ancient Form

Future Pokemon Include:
1. Iron Treads - Robotic Donphan
2. Iron Bundle - Robotic Delibird
3. Iron Hands - Robotic Hariyama
4. Iron Jugulis - Robotic Hydreigon
5. Iron Moth - Robotic Volcarona
6. Iron Thorns - Robotic Tyranitar
7. Iron Valiant - Robotic Mega Gallade/Gardevoir
8. Miraidon - Violet Legendary true Robotic Future Form



Penny, Arven, Nemona, and the player all agree to head to area Zero and see what happened to the researches and Professor Sada/Turo, Area Zero being this underground very beautiful yet unnerving land lost in time. You head to different research bases opening the doors of the main center base where more Ancient/Future Pokemon appear. We then meet Professor Sada/Turo but it's not really them but an AI of them as we learn that the original Sada/Turo died due to their arrogance and ego of harnessing the past/future of pokemon. The Ai themselves wants the time machine that the researches and Original Sada/Turo created to be deactivated and destroyed.

You face against them for a final emotional finale which results in the soul of Sada/Turo to take over the Ai's body for a final battle, as the AI no longer wishes to fight and is sad of the situation.

After defeat Sada/Turo sees Arven and gets emotion and decides the only way to destroy the machine is to enter it so that no one can ever activate it again, and does so telling Arven... they love him so much.

As You, Penny, Nemona, and Arven walk home all of you reminisce on the adventure, and realize instead of thinking about the past or worrying about the future, its better to enjoy the present. As the game fades to white the credits role.


What a great end.


The game has post game that involves the school getting together for a pokemon tournament which has you face Arven, a teacher from the school, Dendra the PE teacher, and finally Getta again, as you're crowned the #1 trainer of Paldea. And thats it (pretty lame ngl, though DLC will explore more of the region and perhaps return to Kalos since theres an area of the game greyed out that clearly IRL looks like the connection point of SPAIN and FRANCE, with Paldea being Spain, and Kalos being France, so most likely the DLC will return to Kalos to some capacity.


The game overall was enjoyable to play and has constant raids to keep you wanting to play more. The raids themselves can be special as the most recent raids have included 2 new Legendaries depending on the version, however you're able to obtain both as soon as you beat them, these being:

1. Walking Wake - Primal Suicune (Scarlet)
2. Iron Leaves - Robot Virizion


The game was an enjoyable romp that has a big issues in terms of the state of release it was in, and the patches fixing certain problems, but also causing other big ones as well.

The freedom of traversal is great however each individual questline felt like it's own thing instead of interconnected with the best story... that being Arven, Sada/Turo, Mabostiff, Area Zero, Ancient/Future Pokemon, and the Secret of Koraidon/Miraidon.

Still in terms of expanding and taking a step forward in the franchise I have to say it's worth the 4.5 Stars Im giving it.
I'm excited to see what more Gamefreak/The Pokemon Company are planning to do with this new style of gameplay, but also to make sure that the games run an operate properly.

I highly recommend Pokemon Scarlet (and/or Violet).

Reviewed on Apr 03, 2023


1 Comment


1 year ago

This comment was deleted

1 year ago

Comment before this one accused me of being sponsered by Gamefreak or Pokemon Company.

I just gave my honest thoughts about the game. Removing the issues in terms of glitches in terms of it's launch state, judging the game by how it plays and how I experienced it. I didn't experience the game with glitches so I didn't review it as if I had experience any of those issues.

If you really need to stop and comment under someones post " Were you sponsered?" as if to say my opinion is stupid or you don't agree just because you're not happy with the game based solely on:

1. Launch State
2. Graphics
3. Personal Distaste

Just move on a get a life instead of worrying about how others feel about games you like/dislike