Now that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are out in the wild, critics and fans alike can judge Gen IX of the popular monster-catching franchise for themselves. How does the highly anticipated Nintendo title stack up among critics?
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet saw a solid launch, earning a Strong OpenCritic rating and a Top Critic Average of 76. Only 56% of critics recommend this title, but this score comes with just 35 verified critic reviews currently.
So far, Scarlet and Violet are just below the last mainline entry from the Pokemon series on the Nintendo Switch, Sword and Shield. Gen VIII’s debut title scored a Top Critic Average of 80 on OpenCritic, with 63% of critics recommending it.
It’s worth mentioning that both titles earned lower scores than Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which debuted in early 2022. While the score isn’t much different, many more critics would recommend this title for purchase (87%), with the OpenCritic score sitting at Mighty with a Top Critic Average of 84.
Related: How Good Is It? Sonic Frontiers
Standout Scarlet and Violet Reviews
Those who enjoyed their time with this Pokemon title mentioned a nice change of pace and a decisive step forward for the franchise. Though many critics mentioned their fun with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the Nintendo title’s main maladies are the performance issues, which are consistent and prevalent. Graphical problems and frame rate drops are common in Scarlet and Violet, drawing attention to the aging Switch hardware.
- Glitched Africa: 9/10
- Screen Rant: 4.5/5
- GAMES.CH: 85%
- GameSpot: 8/10
- VGC: 4/5
- God is a Geek: 7.5/10
- Press Start: 7.5/10
- Nintendo Life: 7/10
- Digital Trends: 3.5/5
- GamesRadar+: 3/5
Despite the problems with Scarlet and Violet, it offers unique characters, adorable allies, and plenty of co-op opportunities for those who want to explore the Paldea region with some of their friends.
To see Pokemon Sword and Shield in action, visit The Newest Chapters trailer below!
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