Pokemon Scarlet/Violet is, to say the least, a divisive game. Launched at the end of 2022, it managed to take a few steps forward in the evolution of its exploration and combat systems, which pleased a large part of the franchise’s warm and loyal fan base, in addition to bringing the long-awaited open world that seemed like a natural feature. given the nature of the experience.
However, it also brought some elements that were not so well received, such as a very unstable performance full of bugs and frame drops, a look that seems outdated compared to other major productions in the industry. Nintendo for the Switch and some narrative defects that seem dated. We talked a lot about the relationship between expectation and reality in our analysis of the base game.
The expansion Hidden Treasure of Area Zero arrives with new hope: in addition to obviously bringing new content, a completely new environment and, of course, more monsters to be captured, we were all also eager to know what the Game Freakwhich shares the brand with its own Nintendo, would make recent criticism seem much more intense than it has been in the recent past. The time has come to check the results
Exchange, mystery and culture
O DLC was divided into two parts and the first of them, which we had access to, is called The Teal Mask. It begins when our character is selected for an annual exchange program, something that will take us to the Kitakami region, known for endless grassy fields and its imposing rice paddies, which we found as soon as we arrived at the place. This collaboration program provides for knowledge exchange and a lot of learning for those selected, but, of course, will place us at the center of a great ancestral mystery.
The dynamic narrative takes us on adventures throughout the region, getting to know some of the local customs and legends that seem too fantastic to be true. As usual, we met new friends, especially the brothers Kieran It is Carmine who obviously assume the role of sometimes confidants, sometimes rivals, and there are many battles they invite us into along the journey. There are also new teachers and a range of strangers spread across the map just waiting for us to duel.
It doesn’t take long for it to become clear that in a team that is working, it moves very little. The rhythm of the story is as rhythmic as that of the base game, with many expository dialogues, some more contextual than practical, and a very schematic character construction. There is the boy full of potential, but shy and repressed; the impulsive and vital girl; the calm and thoughtful teacher; the caricatured opponents, and so on.
For anyone interested in knowing what’s going on, It takes a while for things to gain traction. In the first few hours, even going straight to the point, everything comes down to meeting people, getting involved in silly intrigues, participating in festivals, until at some point we are truly involved in the case. Even so, Pokémon never been a case of success when it comes to amazing stories, so it is not in this expansion, at least in this first part, that this will change. The plot is valid as a guiding thread of the events, but it is of little interest in itself.
To start over or not, that is the question
The region of Kitakami is, without a doubt, very inviting for those who want to leave aside the narrative element to do what is really addictive in any Pokémon, which is to capture the blessed animals and complete the collection. Right away, we received a Pokédex specific to this DLC and it’s not long before we’re walking around the map, looking for all the wild ones we can find. And in this regard, The Teal Mask continues to deliver exactly what we expect.
O The Terastal Phenomenon, a big difference of this generation, remains very present and there is no shortage of events — which can be played individually alongside three other bots or with other real people in a shy multiplayer element — where you face powerful creatures at different levels to, in the end, we capture them. There are others well highlighted on the map that also use the power Will have and normally become an object of desire for every good collector. Added to all this are casual encounters with other coaches and the invitation to exploration is more than well done.
If the player has already finished the base game and continued to progress in the post-game, the biggest problem will be with regard to the difficulty — or lack thereof. All clashes are low level, whether against random monsters or against trainers, both in the main line and in the various secondary tasks, which can be a little frustrating for those waiting for new challenges. The suggestion here is to practice the purest detachment and dive head first into this new world as if it were something intuitively from scratch.
In other words, when capturing new creatures, which can be both new and old known, It would be welcome to promote them to the main team and restart the assembly of your team, balancing strengths, advantages and elements, just as we do with each new game. Keeping the previous ones, those that have accompanied us for dozens, perhaps hundreds of hours, is to guarantee an easy victory… but, perhaps, compromising the fun. It’s up to the player to decide.
There’s just one big exception right off the bat: the random trainers of Ogre Clanwho can be easily identified because they are wearing masks typical of the region, are considered the most powerful in the area and, undefeated, carry the strongest Pokémon among the exclusive Kitakami. With all of them above level 75, only well-trained teams can overcome them, and throughout the entire campaign, these were the only moments when I was threatened by imminent defeat. The tip is, in conclusion, to take a young team for regular missions, and only call on its starters when you decide to find this group while wandering around..
A new environment, old problems
Fields as far as the eye can see, challenging geography and arid, rocky locations are some of the most conventional scenarios of expansion, and there is no horizon that we haven’t seen before. Anyone who comes from the original game, whether returning after a long period away, or continuing an adventure that has never been left aside, you will feel very comfortable exploring an easily recognizable universe.
Unfortunately, also It won’t be news to realize that some of the most uncomfortable elements present since the release of Scarlet/Violet remain, such as the constant drops in framerate, causing several slow down passages that seem unreasonable because they happen in places that are not always so populated to justify a processing bottleneck. Some small crashes and other cluttered moments can even interfere with a more sneaky approach, and even if we get used to this reality, it never stops being a nuisance.
There is no significant improvement regarding the pop-in remnants of trees and vegetation, many textures appear to have come directly from the Wii It is artificial intelligence neglects any advances of recent decades, with the animals wandering around aimlessly and, mainly, a people who, outside the city, seem to exist just so that we can pass by them in the middle of nowhere to fight. There is a lack of life, a lack of organicity, and everything that was strange before remains below what was expected.
Graphically, therefore, there is no visible improvement, maintaining previous standards, for better or for worse. There is no doubt that some designs are better than others, and I may be nostalgic in saying that seeing one Pikachu next to a Polteageist (one of the new monsters) makes us nostalgic for when not every new creature was a random animated object or anthropomorphized entity. Even the legendary of the time, Ogerponappears somewhat uncomfortable as he looks like a child in a costume.
The rest of the new cast brings some highs, especially when they focus on cuteness or more creative weirdness, and other lows. They stand out at this point Poochyena, Corphish, Sewaddle, Yanma (and its evolution Yanmega), Swadloon, Leavanny, Gurdurr, Conkeldurra group that, despite trying hard with unpronounceable names, ends up promoting diversity in our team compositions.
Some almost repeat themes and inspirations from other generations, but with more than a thousand species it is difficult to find so many unused references. It is impossible not to say that those of Plant type and those of Bug type seem to have reached the limit of developers’ creativity, to the point where everyone looks too much like each other, whether in shape or in colors, and in the end we have to make an effort to find the differences. Once again, the returns of the first three generations give a real visual boost to the youngestand in this aspect, even the simplicity of Nuzleaf stands out from the rest.
Conclusion
In order not to repeat what was said in the analysis of the base game, it is important to highlight that narrative, audiovisual and gameplay aspects were maintained and very well used to the extent of what Scarlet/Violet can offer. It was not this time that some older demands were met, including our much-desired localization into Brazilian Portuguese, and it would be difficult to expect this from a continuation of what, despite several “snags”, managed to renew the project Pokémon for the entire established fan base.
The good news is that if you are one of those people who spend more late nights than you would like to admit digging in every corner in search of a rare creature, or if you prefer just one more battle to increase the XP of your favorite creature, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero – The Teal Mask It’s still as good as the most recent games Pokémon always have been.
The DLC remains addictivewith a surprisingly large area to explore alone or on the back of your favorite legendary, and guarantees, even when you get annoyed spending the twentieth pokeball to catch that damn thing Gligar, prolonged and virtually endless fun. Let the second part come, More Pokémon to come!
Pokémon Scarlet/Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero – The Teal Mask is available exclusively for Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately, it is not part of the crop of localized exclusives from Nintendowithout localization for our good old Brazilian Portuguese.