Pokémon Scarlet and Violet debuted with notable glitches and performance issues, raising concerns about their polish.
The first DLC, The Teal Mask, and its successor, The Indigo Disk, partially fulfilled promises of improvement.
However, these expansions didn't address fundamental issues. The recently released epilogue, Mochi Mayhem, fails to fix stuttering animations but offers a lighthearted mini-adventure.
They introduced a more focused narrative and connected Paldea with Pokémon Black and White's Unova Region.
Despite emphasizing nontraditional learning experiences in Naranja and Uva Academies, the schools felt lifeless, with NPCs and menus overshadowing exploration.
Scarlet and Violet transformed the traditional Pokémon narrative by making education a crucial part of a trainer's journey.
The release highlighted Game Freak's attempts to make Scarlet and Violet more engaging, introducing elements for both competitive players and those seeking casual interactions.
The Indigo Disk, set in the Unova Region's Blueberry Academy, offered structurally simple yet fascinating locations.
The narrative connections between The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk, and Mochi Mayhem contributed to a sense of character development but accentuated Scarlet and Violet's overall unfinished feel.
While the DLCs hinted at exciting possibilities for the Pokémon franchise, including potential Black and White remakes, they also served to divert attention from persistent technical issues.