One fan ofPokemon Scarlet and Violethas pointed out how Spirit Shackle and Pyro Ball, the signature attacks of Decidueye and Cinderace respectively, have seen nothing short of a downgrade in the latest generation ofPokemongames. One of the greatest complaints among fans regarding the most recent generations ofPokemongames has been about the decline in move animation quality, with plenty of examples making themselves clear inPokemon Scarlet and Violet.These complaints are nothing new to the developers of thePokemongames, with thePokemon Sword and Shieldgames being infamous for their alterations to existing move and character animations in particular. Some longtime fans of thePokemonfranchise have been sharing their criticisms of the newer games ever sincePokemon X and Y, the Generation 6 titles, first saw the transition of characters and Pokemon from 2D sprites to full 3D models. Although many of the stylistic changes that arose as a result of this transition were, and still are, upsetting for many older fans, it’s undeniable that some of the most recentPokemontitles on the Nintendo Switch have sacrificed much of the quality seenin certain Pokemon moves.RELATED:Undertale Creator Toby Fox Details His Contributions to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s SoundtrackThese downgrades are particularly evident for the signature moves of two specific Pokemon, Decidueye andCinderace, and were brought to the attention of fans by one player named AlolanRabbifuto on Twitter. A tweet from the user includes 4 separate video clips, with 2 focused on comparing Decidueye’s Spirit Shackle animation inSword and Shieldwith its animation inScarlet and Violet, while the other 2 clips compare the difference in Cinderace’s Pyro Ball animation between the two games. The differences between the animations for both moves are glaringly obvious, with fans considering these move animations to essentially be cut in half inPokemon Scarlet and Violet. This claim is better understood when fans see the differences for themselves, with Decidueye now flapping its wings and summoning arrows instead of carefully arching its wing to use as a bow.
While some fans could argue that compromises in move animations are a somewhat necessary trade-off when considering thatPokemon battles now take place in the overworldinstead of their own battlescape instance, these animations changes are certainly upsetting for a lot of fans that hold Decidueye and Cinderace in high regard.
Despite the complaints from players regarding the sacrifices in animation quality inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, these criticisms are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the new games. The infamous performance issues andglitches seen inPokemonScarlet and Violethave persisted since the games launched, and while few fans continue holding onto hope that Game Freak will deliver fixes in the future, players are now hoping that the developers also give the magic back to Decidueye’s signature move at some point in the future.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available on Nintendo Switch.
