So, I have gathered my thoughts on the DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. First off, I want to say that it was enjoyable. However, that is primarily because of some Pokémon they brought into the game. It was nice to actually have a reason to collect Pokémon again. It was also cool to have a new region to explore, even if it is a lot smaller and has fewer landmarks. Honestly, Pokémon is the main reason to get the DLC right now. It certainly isn’t for the story. Now storylines haven’t always been the strongest in Pokémon games so this may be seen as me reaching for the low-hanging fruit, but a lot of it is set up with no payoff. I am assuming that there will eventually be a payoff because of the cliffhanger the main storyline ends on, but I wish there was a better conclusion. When Pokémon Sword and Shield got DLC, they also split it into two parts. However, the two parts didn’t overlap with each other. So it was easier to judge each one on its own merits. Unfortunately, it seems like we won’t get a proper conclusion to certain character arcs until the second part of the DLC. I am going into spoiler territory here so be advised.
Okay, so the new characters are… not great. One is a whiny little boy and the other is a stuck-up girl. Most of the new Pokémon aren’t really that interesting either. The best one by far is Ogerpon. She is adorable and I love her. Her mask gimmick is interesting and she is just so great. There are a couple of side characters I like as well, such as Perrin who lets us play Pokémon Snap. There are some other things, but it mainly just helping and befriending Ogerpon, which is the only thing that matters. One of the dumb kids tries to battle you at every turn to try to prove something and ends up starting a villain arc. What is annoying is you are forced to lie to him and others to keep up story progression and it just weakens the impact. It just feels so cliché, and not in a fun way. Most of these problems could be resolved if characters just talked to each other, but it seems that’s too difficult. The good thing about Pokémon though is that since I never go into their stories with any expectations, I don’t really care if they are lacking. I’m just in it for the Pokémon. So, I will probably find some enjoyment in part two just for that reason alone. I’m just hoping they might surprise me is all. That’s all I will say for today.
To sum this all up, if you were on the fence about it, wait until the second DLC drops to make your decision, since I don’t think you can judge the package by this alone. See you next time.
That Casual Gamer Guy 