Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Mask Review

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Masks on Change

Earlier than stepping into it, I wish to state prematurely I didn’t go into the Teal Masks DLC with an open thoughts. I saved my expectations low, primarily due to how the primary DLC of the Pokemon Sword and Defend video games, The Isle of Armor, went down, which was a multitude. Whereas the Teal Masks was a enjoyable expertise for what it was, it definitely shouldn’t have taken almost a full 12 months after the sport’s launch for it to be launched.

The Teal Masks DLC Storyline [Spoiler Warning]

Let’s begin with the primary storyline for the DLC. You’re known as to Naranja Academy to fulfill with a brand new professor, Briar, who invitations you to Kitakami Island for a college journey alongside some college students from Blueberry Academy. Blueberry Academy relies within the Unova area, which strongly hints we might even see Pokemon Black & White remakes someday subsequent 12 months. Nonetheless, once more, I’ll hold my expectations low primarily based on what occurred with “Sensible Diamond and Shining Pearl.”

Whenever you arrive on the Island, you meet with the 2 most important characters of the DLC, the sibling duo of Carmine and Kieran. For what it’s value, they did a fairly good job with the dynamic between the 2, as I’ve a youthful brother myself. The primary gist of the story revolves across the legend of “The Loyal Three and The Ogre.” We have been taught that Ogre was the dangerous man and the Loyal Three have been the great guys, however as a substitute, it was the exact opposite as we dove additional into the story. Making “The Ogre” into the lovable inexperienced masks Pokemon, Ogerpon, was undoubtedly the suitable name in an effort to win the participant’s coronary heart over.

Whereas deciphering the reality behind Ogerpon, we additionally begin to see the crack in Kieran’s psyche, who faucets into his anger a number of instances, to the purpose the place he virtually places on the Teal Masks, which was meant for Ogerpon. I undoubtedly loved seeing Kieran’s character progress all through the DLC. From a shy, scared little child to supposedly changing into a future antagonist by the top of the DLC, swearing vengeance in opposition to us for taking Ogerpon from him. I’m very excited to see what occurs to him when he reveals up once more, presumably within the subsequent DLC, The Indigo Disk.

The DLC wraps up with us befriending and catching Ogerpon, clearing its identify and not hated by the townsfolk, and saying goodbye to the sibling duo till additional discover. General, the storyline was enjoyable, had a fantastic premise, and had a extra significant influence than the Isle of Armor for positive. That mentioned, I do have some gripes.

For starters, for a DLC titled “The Hidden Treasure of Space Zero,” the DLC had just about nothing to do with it, solely mentioning it a number of instances when Professor Briar was current, as she said she was curious about discovering its secrets and techniques. In any other case, no new Paradox Pokemon have been launched, nor have been there any references to the occasions that befell throughout the base sport.

The Teal Masks felt extra like a facet story/what-if journey fairly than a paid continuation of what occurred in Scarlet & Violet. The mascot of the DLC, Ogerpon, additionally had nothing to do with Space Zero, because it isn’t a Paradox Pokemon, although it was in a position to change Tera-typings, which was cool. It’s clear The Teal Masks was meant to be a setup for what may happen in The Indigo Disk, however even nonetheless, the truth that Space Zero had just about nothing to do with the DLC undoubtedly stung.

Overshadowed Gameplay

Shifting onto the gameplay, Scarlet & Violet have already handled their fair proportion of bashing for the poor graphics and technical points, however the Teal Masks didn’t enhance upon it. Kitakami Island could be very small, solely taking over possibly a nook portion of the Paldea area itself. Nonetheless, they do make up for it by including extra consideration to element in sure elements of the Island fairly than throwing a plain texture over it.

That is very true for essentially the most significant slice of the Island, Oni Mountain. Oni Mountain redefines what a cavern-like house must be like, particularly in comparison with what we noticed within the Paldea area. Big rock constructions resembling enamel as for those who have been in a jaw. Large waterfalls that lead out to some plains and extra. General, they did a stable job with Oni Mountain and Kitakami Island itself.

That mentioned, for those who play the DLC after you beat the primary storyline of Scarlet & Violet, which the big majority of the participant base has at this level, then the enhancements made to the panorama are totally overshadowed by the power to scale the mountain and fly in your respective Legendary to your subsequent vacation spot right away. This leads me to the subsequent level, particularly, issue scaling.

As talked about earlier than, the big majority of gamers who hopped into the brand new DLC are those that have already overwhelmed the primary storyline of Scarlet & Violet. This implies all of their Pokemon are both within the 70’s or excessive 60’s after they beat the ultimate boss, AI Turo/Sada. Even for those who had stopped taking part in proper then and there, your workforce would nonetheless be high-leveled and able to go.

At no level within the DLC did I really feel threatened by an opposing coach, as just about the entire fights have been with pre-evolved Pokemon within the 70’s, apart from the ultimate battles with Carmine and Kieran, who each have been comparatively straightforward to defeat. I’m not asking for an enormous leap in energy just like the Volo battle in Legends: Arceus, however it could’ve been good to have a shock problem in some form or type.

“New” Pokemon Added

Lastly, the Teal Masks launched a measly eight “new” Pokemon, with solely 4 of them being model new whereas the remainder are further regional variants of pre-existing Pokemon. It’s an improve from the Isle of Armor, which gave us one new regional variant and two “new” Pokemon, however it doesn’t change we needed to wait almost a 12 months for 4 “new” Pokemon.

In the meantime, the remaining 192 entries of the Kitakami Pokedex are Pokemon that have been already within the base sport and a few returning ones from older video games. Whereas it was good to see some returning faces, it could’ve been higher to see some contemporary ones.

General, the Teal Masks DLC was exactly what I assumed it could find yourself being: a small replace that might take me a number of hours at most to finish. Whereas the standard of life adjustments are noticeable, it doesn’t make up for Scarlet & Violet’s pre-existing graphical points, and the shortage of latest Pokemon leaves a bitter style in my mouth. I’ve increased hopes for the subsequent DLC, the Indigo Disk, however it could’ve been good if the identical effort that’s going into the Indigo Disk was additionally put into the Teal Masks.

In regards to the creator

Joe Thomaselli

A contemporary faculty graduate with a ardour for Future 2, Joe has solely been writing professionally for a short while. That does not cease him from overlaying all the things relating to the looter shooter, and extra.