Remember when Pokémon Scarlet first dropped? Everyone was talking about it. The buzz was real, and even I couldn’t wait to see what all the excitement was about.

The thing is that not every game lives up to the hype. Some promise the world and deliver less. I wanted to know if this one was worth my time and money.

That’s why I played through it myself. I tested the gameplay, travelled every corner, and paid attention to what worked and what didn’t.

In this Pokémon Scarlet review, I’m sharing my honest thoughts.

You’ll get the full picture: the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Pokémon Scarlet at a Glance

Let me give you the basics first. Pokémon Scarlet came out in November 2022. It’s part of the ninth generation of Pokémon games, and it runs exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

The game takes place in the Paldea region. It’s an open-world setup, which is a significant shift from older titles. You can explore freely instead of following a strict path.

You’ll catch Pokémon, battle trainers, and take on gym leaders. That’s the core experience.

But this time, you get three separate storylines to follow. You can tackle them in any order you want.

The game also introduces new Pokémon species and brings back some favorites. Plus, there’s online multiplayer support. You can team up with friends or battle against them.

That’s Pokémon Scarlet in a nutshell.

Pokémon Scarlet Review – Three Paths, One Adventure

The game offers three different storylines. You can pick whichever one you want to start with, and that freedom makes a real difference.

Victory Road

This is the classic Pokémon path. It’s what fans know and love: battling gym leaders and aiming for the championship.

You travel across Paldea to challenge eight gyms. Each gym has its own theme and specialty type. The leaders test your skills in different ways.

Here’s what stands out:

• You can tackle gyms in any order you choose
• The difficulty scales are based on which gyms you’ve already beaten
• Each victory gets you closer to the Pokémon League
• The gym challenges aren’t just battles; some include mini-games and puzzles

The path ends with the Elite Four. You’ll need a strong team to make it through. It feels rewarding when you finally earn that champion title.

Path of Legends

This storyline focuses on finding rare ingredients. You’re helping a student named Arven, and the story gets surprisingly emotional.

You hunt down five Titan Pokémon across the region. These aren’t your regular wild encounters. They’re massive, powerful creatures guarding special herbs.

Key points about this path:

• Each Titan battle is unique and challenging
• You get permanent upgrades for your legendary Pokémon mount
• The upgrades help you access new areas, climb cliffs, swim faster, and glide
• Arven’s backstory adds real depth to the journey

I found this path touching. It’s not just about battles. The relationship with Arven develops naturally, and by the end, you actually care about what happens to him.

Starfall Street

This path has you taking down Team Star. They’re not your typical villain team. They’re misunderstood students who formed their own groups.

You face five squad bosses across different bases. Each base has a unique aesthetic and battle style. The bosses use specific Pokémon types.

What makes this path different:

• You fight through waves of Pokémon using an auto-battle system
• The boss battles happen in a special vehicle showdown format
• Each victory reveals more about Team Star’s real story
• The emotional payoff at the end is worth it

This storyline surprised me. I expected typical bad guys, but the writers gave them actual motivations. By the final confrontation, I understood why they acted the way they did.

Gameplay Mechanics – Freedom Meets Frustration

The open-world design gives you real freedom. You can go almost anywhere from the start. No invisible walls blocking your path. No forced story progression tells you where to head next.

I loved that flexibility. One day, I’d focus on gyms. Next, I’d chase down Titan Pokémon. It felt like my own experience, not something the game dictated.

But this freedom has a cost. The game doesn’t guide you much. Sometimes I wandered into areas way above my level. My team got destroyed, and I had no warning that it would happen.

The auto-battle feature is useful for grinding. Your Pokémon fights wild creatures on its own. It saves time but removes some of the strategy I enjoy.

The controls feel clunky at times. Navigating menus takes too many button presses.

Graphics & Performance – The Most Controversial Aspect

Let me be honest here. This is where Pokémon Scarlet struggles the most. People have strong opinions about it, and I understand why.

Visual Design

The art style is colorful and charming. The Paldea region has beautiful landscapes. Rolling hills, coastal towns, snowy mountains. It all looks appealing in concept.

The new Pokémon designs are creative. I liked most of them. The starters have solid evolutions, and the legendary creatures look impressive.

But the execution falls short. Textures often look flat and outdated. Buildings lack detail when you get close. Some areas feel empty and lifeless.

Technical Issues

This is where things get rough:

• Frame rate drops happen constantly, especially in towns
• Pop-in is terrible. Trees and buildings appear out of nowhere
• Character models sometimes glitch through surfaces
• The camera struggles in tight spaces
• Draw distance is poor. Objects fade in and out as you move

I experienced slowdowns during essential battles. That shouldn’t happen. It pulls you right out of the moment.

Comparison to Other Games

The Switch can handle better graphics. Games like Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 prove that. They run on the same hardware but look significantly better.

Pokémon Scarlet feels unfinished in the performance department. I wanted to overlook it, but the issues are too frequent to ignore.

Multiplayer, Co-Op & Online Features

Multiplayer adds a whole new layer to the experience. You can connect with friends or join random players online. For this Pokémon Scarlet review, I tested these features extensively, and they’re mostly solid.

1. Union Circle (Co-Op Exploration)

This is the main multiplayer feature. You can explore Paldea with up to three friends. It sounds great on paper, but the execution has problems.

You all share the same world. You can see each other running around, catching Pokémon, and battling trainers. It’s fun for a while.

But there are limits. Story progress doesn’t sync between players. If your friend completes a gym, it doesn’t count for you. You still need to do it yourself.

The camera can get confusing when multiple players are in the same area. Frame rate issues get worse with more people in the session.

2. Trading Pokémon

Trading works smoothly. You can exchange Pokémon with friends or random players online. The process is simple and quick.

I used this feature often. Some Pokémon only evolve through trading. Others are version exclusives, so trading helps complete your Pokédex.

The Link Trade option connects you with anyone worldwide. Surprise Trade sends out a random Pokémon, and you get one back. It’s like a lottery system.

3. Battles (Casual & Ranked)

You can battle other players in different formats. Casual battles let you test teams without pressure. Ranked battles put you on leaderboards.

The battle system itself is solid. It’s the same turn-based strategy fans know. Type matchups, moves, abilities. All the depth is there.

Connection stability varies. Some matches run fine. Others lag or disconnect mid-battle. It’s frustrating when you’re in a close game.

4. Tera Raid Battles

These are cooperative battles against powerful Pokémon. You team up with three other players to take down a single formidable opponent.

The raids have different difficulty levels. Higher tiers drop better rewards. You get rare items, experience candies, and special Pokémon.

This is where my Pokémon Scarlet review takes a hit. The raid matchmaking is slow. Finding a group takes too long. And if one player has connection issues, the whole raid suffers.

Solo raids with AI teammates are an option. But the AI is terrible. They make poor decisions and often get knocked out quickly.

Pokémon Scarlet vs Pokémon Violet – Which Should You Choose?

The two games are nearly identical. The core gameplay, story, and region are the same. But there are some differences worth knowing.

Scarlet gives you Koraidon as your legendary mount. It has a prehistoric theme. The exclusive Pokémon lean toward ancient, primal designs. I liked the aggressive aesthetic.

Violet offers Miraidon instead. It’s futuristic and sleek. The exclusive Pokémon have a tech-inspired look. They feel more modern.

Version-exclusive Pokémon matter if you’re a completionist. Scarlet has Great Tusk and Roaring Moon. Violet gets Iron Treads and Iron Valiant.

Some professors and characters differ slightly between versions. It affects story presentation but not the overall plot.

Pick based on which legendary appeals to you more. That’s the biggest deciding factor. Everything else is minor.

Strengths and Weaknesses – A Balanced Breakdown

Every game has its highs and lows. Pokémon Scarlet is no different. Here’s what works and what doesn’t.

Wrapping it Up

So, is Pokémon Scarlet worth playing? Yes, but with reservations. The open-world format brings fresh ideas to the series. The three storylines offer variety and emotional moments I didn’t expect.

However, the technical problems hold it back. Frame rate drops and graphical glitches shouldn’t exist in a major release like this.

If you’re a Pokémon fan, you’ll find enjoyment here despite the flaws. Just know what you’re getting into before you buy.

This pokémon scarlet review reflects my honest experience. Now it’s your turn.

Have you played it? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you think.