As one might imagine, the announcement ofPokemon ScarletandVioletgot fans excited from the moment it was announced. AsSwordandShield’s era has wound down, the announcement of a new generation of games became inevitable, but few expected it to be announced quite so soon. Nevertheless, not only have Nintendo and Game Freak revealedPokemon ScarletandViolet,but the games are set to release in 2022. That means that Nintendo will undoubtedly be discussing the details of these ninth-generationPokemongames very soon, revealing new Pokemon, providing details on the region, and potentially highlighting some new mechanics.
However,Pokemonfans are just as attached to old parts of the franchise, as they are interested in new developments. That’s whyPokemon Legends: Arceusraises some interesting questionsforScarletandViolet.AlthoughPokemon Legends: Arceusis generally beloved, it’s very different from a standardPokemongame, partially because it lacks a few core mechanics that fans have grown accustomed to. It’s possible thatPokemon ScarletandVioletwill imitatePokemon Legends: Arceus, omitting longstanding features in favor of new content. That approach may have worked forPokemon Legends: Arceus,but it would be better ifScarletandVioletstuck with franchise tradition.
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Missing Mechanics in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
BeforePokemon Legends: Arceusreleased, a leaker claimed that some corePokemonfeatures wouldn’t be in the game, and soon those leaks were proven true. For one thing, Pokemon breeding isn’t available inPokemon Legends: Arceus. Players may be able to collect tons of Pokemon in the wilderness of the Hisui region, but there’s no Pokemon Day Care from which players can get Eggs, even though fostering Pokemon seems like it would be appropriate for a research-heavyPokemongame.Pokemon breeding usually sees a lot of use, thanks to Shiny hunters and competitive players angling for specific movesets, butPokemon Legends: Arceusdoesn’t offer these.
Held items also aren’t a part ofPokemon Legends: Arceus.Normally, players can amp up their in-game strategy by carefully equipping Pokemon with healing items, stat-boosting Plates, training gear, and other valuable tools, butPokemon Legends: Arceuslacks this level of strategy. It does make up for it in a few other ways. Lots of former held items repeat their usual functions in new ways, and players do have access to Agile and Strong Style moves if they want a tactical approach to combat. Still, the loss of held items is unfortunate for players who are eager totweak how each Pokemon functions.
Perhaps the most remarkable omission of all is Pokemon Abilities. Generally,each Pokemon has a passive Abilitythat gives them a special function inside or outside of battle. Lots of rare Pokemon normally have exclusive Abilities that set them apart, but unfortunately,Pokemon Legends: Arceusdoesn’t let players benefit from Abilities. Even thoughPokemon Legends: Arceuscomes up with some clever mechanics, like the newfound ease of changing a Pokemon’s moves, Pokemon themselves have a far harder time being distinct from one another without their unique passive Abilities.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Should Preserve Tradition
PokemonScarletandVioletcould certainly try tofollow inPokemon Legends: Arceus' footsteps, making up for the loss of mainstay mechanics by innovating in other areas, but it would be better ifScarletandVioletretained these features. The innovations ofPL:Aare great, but few of them actively try to serve as alternatives or close replacements to the mechanics that the game got rid of, meaning there’s still a void left behind by held items, breeding, and Abilities.ScarletandVioletought to reintegrate these mechanics, rather than trying to come up with new functions that are meant to fill their place.
WhilePokemonspin-offs come up with all kinds of original takes on the franchise’s concept and lore, games in the corePokemonfranchise generally focus on building on one another, rather than constantly replacing and restructuring thePokemonformula. EachPokemongeneration may have temporary gimmicks that set them apart,such as Mega Evolution, but they’re usually built around features that have stood the test of time and always prove useful without needing to change much.Pokemon ScarletandVioletought to lean into that tradition-centric identity by bringing back some or all of the mechanics thatPokemon Legends: Arceusomitted.
Dropping the same abilities asPokemon Legends: Arceusseems like it would actively harmPL:A’s identity as well. The game’s identity isn’t solely reliant on its place inPokemonlore; the missing abilities help givePokemon Legends: Arceusa unique type of gameplay that could be carried forward into an ongoing series ofPokemon Legendsgames. By imitatingPokemon Legends: Arceus,ScarletandVioletcould actively hurtPokemon Legends' chances of becoming a distinct subseries that offers fansan alternative to traditionalPokemonmechanics. In other words, both franchises will be better off if they work to differ from each other.
Scarlet and Violet’s Impending Release
It’s a relief to think thatPokemonfans won’t be left wondering what the new games are like for too long. If the ninth generation ofPokemonreally will begin by the end of 2022, thenScarletandVioletwill almost certainlyappear at E3 2022or during some other summer Nintendo Directs. There’s probably only a few months to go before players get a good look at the new region’s mechanics. While fans should naturally keep an eye out for a new twist on thePokemonformula, it’ll also be interesting to see if Game Freak addresses longstanding mechanics like Abilities and held items.
WhilePokemon Legends: Arceuscould very well have been Game Freak’s way of experimenting with drastic changes to thePokemonfranchise, its name strongly suggests that Game Freak is interested indeveloping aPokemon Legendsfranchise, meaning its mechanical adjustments are probably intended to remain separate from the mainPokemongames. Hopefully that’s the case.Pokemon ScarletandVioletshould innovate in meaningful ways, but they also need to preserve some of the functions that flesh out the world and give players more options. To be both fresh and familiar,ScarletandVioletmust balance preservation and change.
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